About Bournehouse
The History of Bournehouse
The Bournehouse kennel was established by Gordon Williams in the mid 1960’s. The affix Bournehouse was registered at the Kennel Club. ‘Bournehouse’ was to be one of the most successful and influential English Setter kennels to develop.
Gordon Williams with Supreme Champion Bournehouse Dancing Master - Best in Show at Crufts 1977
Interview with Penny & Gordon Williams
Penny Williams with Sh Ch Bournehouse Royal Colours who was Reserve Best in Show at Crufts Dog Show 2005. Judge Jean Lanning
Watch Show Champion Bournehouse Royal Colours and Penny Williams win the Gundog group at Crufts Dog Show in 2005 at 49 minutes into the video
The Founder of the Bournehouse kennel
The founder of the Bournehouse line was a dog called Evening Flight of Frejendor, purchased by Gordon when Flight was 4 years old. He had never been shown prior to moving to Bournehouse. In those days, work commitments meant Gordon could only attend very few shows, but ‘Lancer’ as he was called, won the Challenge Certificate and Best of Breed under top Gundog judge Mr Frank Warner Hill at his first championship show. His next dog show was Crufts where he won the Challenge Certificate and Best of Breed under Mr Rastbridge of Irish Setter fame.
Iroquois Jasmine
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Together with Evening Flight, Gordon purchased a 5 month old bitch puppy from the late Mrs Lesley Allen Scott. She was called Iroquois Jasmine and was descended from the successful bitch line Mrs Lesley Allen Scott owned at the time. Jasmine was to be the last bitch from those particular bloodlines.
Show Champion Bournehouse Ballerina
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​Evening Flight and Jasmine produced two litters together. The first mating produced Show Champion Bournehouse Meadowfern and the second Show Champion Bournehouse Ballerina. Both these bitches went to be very important brood bitches. It was Ballerina who really laid the foundation which would see Bournehouse become one of the top kennels up to present times.
Ballerina was duly mated to Show Champion Monksriding Ernford Flamingo.
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Show Champion Monksriding Ernford Flamingo
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​Flamingo himself descended from a great dynasty. His breeder Mrs Angela Broadhead owned a very successful kennel at the time, and was particularly noted for her beautiful bitch line. This mating was a complete out-cross and resulted in three English Setter puppies being born. The bitch puppy died, one of the dogs was damaged by the Vet during delivery and this left one dog. He was registered at the Kennel Club ‘Bournhouse Dancing Master’ and the rest as they say is history.
Crufts Supreme Champion Bournehouse Dancing Master
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​Dancing Master ‘Terry’ to his friends, won a Reserve Challenge Certificate whilst still a puppy. He was then left at home to mature, whilst Gordon concentrated on his second love ‘Cocker Spaniels’.
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Cocker Spaniel Bitch Breed Record Holder, Champion Bournehouse Starshine
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Champion Bournehouse Starshine has gone down in the cocker Spaniel breed history as being a multi Championship show Best in show winner and is still the breed record holder for Bitches with 60 challenge certificates. Starshine also qualified in the field and was one of the top dogs of the 1970’s.
Best in Show Crufts 1977
At the age of 4 ‘Terry’ Bournehouse Dancing Master came out again at Crufts 1977 to win his first Challenge Certificate, Best of Breed, the Gundog group and ultimately Supreme Champion by winning Best in Show at Crufts dog show. Not only was Terry a great show dog but he proved to be a wonderful Sire. Winning Top Stud dog for 6 consecutive years.
Top Stud Dog English Setters
Terry Sired a total of 16 Champions and other numerous Challenge certificate winners. In 1981, Gordon and Penny Married and the Penmartan English Setters which Penny bred joined the Bournehouse team.​