We had our first Boxer in 1945, Tom my husband found him sitting in a bombed out house, we thought he must have been orphaned. We called him “Boxer”, I thought he was the ugliest thing I had ever seen, but we grew to love him, he even came to the church when we got married in 1947.
“Boxer” lived with us in married quarters, sadly he was run over, he was deaf and could not hear the cars going by, I cried rivers.
Tom & I came to England in 1947, we never saw another Boxer until 1955, Tom saw one running around Pleasley Vale, and so we got in our car and went there. This dog was so clever he lead us to where he lived. I knocked on the door and asked the lady “where did you get this Boxer from”?
The lady sent me to Edwinstowe Canine Society; the Secretary Mrs Boot took me to Alan Dawson of the “STAINBURNDORF” Kennels in Yorkshire.
He had two litters one by CH. STAINBURNDORF DANDYLION the other by VANDERLION. I had pick of the litter from VANDERLION. That’s when I started to show, his first time out he won first prize and a cup. I was hooked then.
In those early days the classes were very big, not like today. I kept a bitch by him and called her ASDA she was mad for water and got me into trouble with a farmer for diving into his pond and killing one of his ducks. I had to pay him 10 shillings, which was a lot in those days.
“VANECK REINILBER” My ABBA, she was a real show girl, she used to jump up and down to get into the ring. I got 33 Junior Warrant points with her, and she won Best Puppy in Show at Manchester Championship show under Judge Reg Gadsen. Olive Ireland gave her Best Puppy, I was very proud of her. Over the years I did a lot of winning with her, Gill Sharman from Australia wanted to buy her, he offered me an open cheque, but I declined and told him a million dollars would not buy her. I did think that i WOULD MAKE HER A Champion, but it never happened.
ABBA was mated to CH. FEARDORN PHEASANT PLUCKER, I let pick of the litter got to Mike & Rose Griffin of the HOLLY BASE BOXERS. Mike & Rose lived in South Africa, her name was “VANECK ZUCKERPUPPE” she was beautiful. They made her a Champion with 22CC’s, 11 Reserve CC’s and 4 times Best in Show. I was so proud of her.
Now day’s shows are not the same as in the 50’s 60’s 70’s & 80’s. Classes then were big and everyone got on. We had lots of laughs, everyone dressed up, I remember and admired Felix Price. I couldn’t wait to see what she would be wearing at Championship Shows. Everything matched even the colour of her hair. It must have taken her hours to get ready, I remember one time she wore Silver Lame tight pants and her hair was Blue. Her pants were so tight every time she bent down all the men at the ringside would say”Oh Mama”. Those were the days.
When Judged I would tell them in the ring why I put them up and I never wrote a bad critique as it sticks like glue and other Judges would tend to follow suit. There are not many good judges now, you don’t have to go over a Boxer with your hands, everything is there to see. If you know your Boxers there is no need to do anything just stand back and just look. You look at the mouth and if it’s a male feel for his testicles. I get so annoyed at Judges that fiddle about; they need to study the construction of a Boxer before they decide to Judge. Too many Judges look at the end of the lead to see who is handling instead of judging the dog!
A Boxer should be square in body, not long, straight top-line holding on the move, have a good forechest, not church arches or wishbone fronts, catlike feet, straight pasterns, shoulders 1 inch behind the elbow, dark fully pigmented Almond shaped eyes, no wrinkles on the head only when alert, should be 1 2 3 from nose to occiput, mouth should be ¼ inch undershot, nice, straight & broad, and have a chin. Everything is there to see and in my opinion if you don’t know one end of a Boxer from the other you should not judge.
There aren’t many good judges left now, they have either retired or died. It just isn’t the same anymore. Boxers are so loving and funny, I remember once I had just put our dinner out and someone knocked at my door, the dog ran barking at the door with a sausage stuck in his mouth what he had pinched of my plate. Me and Tom just fell about laughing.
I got on very well with the Wiley’s, I used Wild Mink a few times and if you kept anything from the litter and won either 1st place or BOB they would give you a statue of a white Boxer, I still have mine today. The Wiley’s approached me and asked me if I would translate Frau Stockmann’s “My Life with Boxers” It took me 8 months to translate, I translated 1 chapter a month. My husband Tom would write it down and then I would type it up. I still have the rough translation that Tom did in a book.  I got a lovely letter to say “thank you”.
I have also translated for Dr Bruce Cattanach a few times.
I really enjoyed my time judging, I also judged Bullmastiffs in South Africa, I have saved all my judging appointments, the classes then were over 200 entries, you don’t get that now. Over the years I have had lots of joy with my Boxers and lots of heartache but I wouldn’t change anything.
Giesla Fairbrother