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You are here: Home / NEWS & MAGAZINE ARTICLES / 1930 ARTICLE – DOG NEWS – Claire Knapp Penney reminisces of the “old style” chows and sportsmanship

1930 ARTICLE – DOG NEWS – Claire Knapp Penney reminisces of the “old style” chows and sportsmanship

 

The famous “old style ” chow , Ch. Ledgeland’s Sancho mentioned in the article below by breeder Claire Knapp Penney

I just ran into this article in my June 1930 Dog News and felt it was still so relevant today that I had to share.  Written by the highly respected Breeder, Exhibitor and judge, Mrs. Claire Knapp Penny (SEE RELATED ARTICLES AT BOTTOM OF POST).  Claire reminisced about original chow type, and how little of it was left to be seen…keeping in mind this was written in 1930 with the “original” chows appearing in America only in the early 1900’s!  Take special note of her use of the words sturdy, short leg, barrel and huge..words in the 1930’s that were interpreted quite differently than today, judging by the chow photos of the day which met that description.

SEE THE 1921 STANDARD WHICH WAS IN USE AT THE TIME OF CLAIRE’S ARTICLE


“Mrs. David Wagstaff will judge and naturally the Club is anxious to receive a bumper entry from the West as well as the East, in support of the President.  This show will be held on the Sunday before the opening of the Westminster doors, so ambitious folks who want their points should be scrambling around.  Alva Rosenberg will judge at the Garden.

Bring on your chows, pioneers of the West, for we hear they are real ones and if you win and the rest of us lose, so much the better.  When you get through with the whole thing, a real good licking amounts to one thing only–an incentive to go home and breed something better.  If you can’t take in that spirit as a few have proven in the past year, then the best thing you can do is to go home and knit!”


Ch. Clairedale Son Too was the eventual winner of the 1930 National mentioned above

JUDGE- Mrs. David Wagstaff
LOCATION- New York City, NY
ENTRY- 177
BREEDER/OWNER- Mrs WO Penney, Clairedale Kennels


“I want to tell another little story here about an old dog I saw at Tuxedo Park this summer.  No one had laid eyes on him for months and when he walked in the ring, he looked the ideal Chow.  It was Himself, old Sancho, of the sturdy short leg, of the deep barrel and spring of rib, of huge coat and with the old chow look.

Ch. Ledgeland’s Sancho . Take special note of Claire’s use of the words “sturdy, short leg, barrel and huge”..words in describing Sancho.  They were interpreted quite differently in 1930 than today,

 

I want to tell you, that boy brought the house down when he won Best of Breed, and it was no miracle for me, for everything else I have seen all summer looked queer in comparison with this dog.  I am sure that I am getting away from the real old timers and that is the type we should all strive for, so perhaps this little eulogy may benefit someone else.”   ~Claire Knapp Penny Editor Dog News Chow column

1932 Mrs David Wagstaff with the famous Ch. Ledgeland’s Sancho

 

 

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READ MORE ON THIS TOPIC IN THESE RELATED POSTS

  • 1924 ARTICLE – The Ledgeland’s Kennels of Mrs David Wagstaff
  • BREED PIONEER -1911-1933 Claire Knapp Penney Dixon and her Clairedale Chows

I do my best to be as accurate as possible in my research, however many times written history finds a way to "morph" over time. I love your comments and appreciate all feedback, additions and corrections my readers have to offer to help make this a well rounded and accurate archive.

All research, images and content in this website are Copyright © 2011-2022 Sandra Miller at ChowTales.com except where noted. Use of materials from this site for educational purposes may be obtained by contacting Sandra Miller by email studio at sandramiller.com


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