The Bull Terrier Club exhibited excellent enterprise on Sunday, July 29, 1973, when it presented a competition to select the club’s ‘Bull Terrier of the Year’. Dogs representing NSW, VIC, QLD and New Zealand were invited by the Committee to participate.  The judges invited by the club to officiate were Messrs Bill Fitzgerald, Bill Polley and Fred Luland, each well known in the Terrier circles.

The judges were presented with a good deal of difficulty in selecting the winning exhibit and of eight dogs and six bitches examined three dogs and three bitches were brought for further examination. The dogs were the brindle Ch Bryvan Better Boy, the red Askar Red Attila, and the white Thomoes Turfcutter. The bitches were Ch Baytona Brynog Heidi, Ch Allsaxony Apple Pip and Adastrian Anson.

The examination continued until the final choice lay between ‘Attila’ and ‘Turfcutter’. After the judges had conferred at some length a card was handed to the Steward by each of the judges and the announcement was made that Thomoes Turfcutter’, owned by Mr. G Bolton, was the ‘Dog of the Year’.

However, where the club showed commendable initiative was the organization of a luncheon and seminar following the judging. This function was extremely well attended by some 100 persons and included 35 Terrier and All Breeds judges who were guests of the club. Candidates for this year’s terrier examinations were present as well as club members and friends. A panel consisting Mr. Bryan Sylvaney, Dr Harry Spira and Mr. Bill Fitzgerald made brief comments on the breed standard and anatomy and then discussed written questions submitted by those present.

Finally, after a brief critique by the judges on the day the Audacity trophy (donated by Mr. John Jamieson and named after Ch Abraxas Audacity who was Best in Show at Crufts) was presented by the club’s President, Mr. Greg Gooi. Each exhibitor was presented with a trophy to mark the occasion.

The purpose of the luncheon and seminar was to discuss Bull Terriers and allow club members to meet and have dialogue with the people who pass judgment on the breed in the show ring. On this, the day proved a great success, particularly with the two way flow of information which followed over drinks after the luncheon.

Club members were very pleased and greatly encouraged by the presence of so many senior judges with heavy commitments, who found time to attend the function and contribute to its success.

The example set by the club may well encourage others to follow suit and give the opportunity to breeders, exhibitors and judges to share their knowledge of specific breeds.

Bill Fitzgerald

We were very fortunate in the 70’s to receive to dogs from the UK which were to revolutionize the breed in this country, they being Ch Abraxas Acrisius (ROM) and Ch Barglam Nero of Hollyfir (ROM). Their tremendous influence has carried the breed to great heights in the 80’s and the club has kept pace with this rapid development with the introduction in 1986 of the The Recognition of Merit Award (ROM).

This information has been taken from The First Australian Bull Terrier Book, written by Mr. Bryan Sylvaney (Bryvan Bull Terrier’s).