ASSOC. OF PARSON RUSSELL TERRIER FANCIERS (APRTF)

Sept 2011 I no longer support or promote the APRTF which has been renamed the Canadian Parson Russell Terrier Association.

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In Dec. 1999 I approached Cheryl Edwards at a dog show in Toronto about the possibility of starting a dog club dedicated to bringing the Parson Russell Terrier into the Canadian Kennel Club. Cheryl agreed and the Association of Parson Russell Terrier Fanciers was born.

We knew of others with like mind, and contacted them to fill the various positions. We modeled our club after other CKC National Breed Clubs as it was our intention to join with the CKC as the National Breed Club. Our first executive was comprised of Dr. Tom Edwards President, Sylvie Verdon Vice President, Ron Johnson Secretary, Susan Crawford Treasurer, Cheryl Edwards Public Relations and myself as Editor of our web site and the Parson Preview our newsletter. A CKC National club must have representation from at least four Regions, so we enlisted the services of Bev Embley to be Regional Director from Atlantic Canada, Gail Davies to represent BC, Norm Tuckey to represent Ontario , and Tina Stone to represent the Prairies. We also added Membership Secretary in Lorraine Gemmiti, when it became obvious that the Secretaries job was going to be a large portfolio and a lot of work.

In 1990 the Parson Club (UK) applied to The Kennel Club for recognition of the Parson Jack Russell. After the criteria were met it was added to the Terrier Group. That effectively split the Parson and Jack breeds. Some time later the club asked the Kennel Club to delete the word Jack from the breed name. Hence world wide, Parson Russell Terrier is kennel club registered and thus pure bred.

Also in 1990, when the (Jack) now Parson Russell Terrier Assoc of America (PRTAA) was arranging their affairs with the AKC to bring the breed into the AKC Terrier Group - the name Parson was copy right protected so called their breed the parson jack russell. They also used a Breed Standard, very similar to the British Breed Standard of the Parson Russell Terrier. In the next few years a foundation stock registry was set up. This would be the gene pool from which future generations of terriers would come. Each terrier submitted had a set of criteria which would enable them to be part of the registry. A panel was organized to scrutinize each dog and after all the criteria were met was it added to the registry. The registry was closed, and that registry was handed over to the AKC to manage and maintain. Now only properly registered terriers can be added to the AKC registry. Either terriers whose sire and dam are both AKC registered or terriers imported from other countries who are also kennel club registered. (Kennel Club registered means a particular kind of registration. It means that it is either registered with The Kennel Club which means United Kingdom , or kennel club which means with another country’s kennel club IE CKC, AKC etc)

April 1 2000 saw the first Parson Jack Russell Terrier shows in the USA and in 2003 they also dropped the Jack from the name and became Parson Russell Terrier.

In early 2003 The CKC Board of Directors agreed to their Registration Committees recommendation to add the Parson Russell to the Misc List of Breeds that would include certification of the breed. (Certification means that the CKC accepts that other kennel clubs have made this a pure breed. Registration means that the CKC will provide a CKC pedigree for a particular dog.) Our club then applied for CKC club accreditation. Our By-laws were accepted by the CKC and once the paperwork was completer the APRTF had Non-event holding, Breed Club status for the Parson. Following this we automatically become the National Breed Club.

On April 1, 2003 the AKC agreed to the proposal put forward by the PRTAA to change the name from Jack Russell to the correct name of Parson Russell. Now world wide, Parson Russell Terrier means kennel club registered - Pure Bred.

Because Ag Canada was withholding full status to the PRT, CKC directors drafted and CKC members voted for approval, changes in the bylaws that would enable breeds to compete for regular titles and points. As of September 1, 2006, the Parson Russell Terrier has been allowed to take part in all Canadian Kennel Club official events. Even though the breed is still in the Miscellaneous Group, it takes part in Group 4 (Terriers). The PRT was the first breed to be able to take advantage of this but it was not the last. Many breeds are now in same position.

It was an honour and a privilege to serve on the Founding Executive of the APRTF, to bring the Parson into the CKC and that first show where we could compete for “real” titles. Now another group of people have the helm and have taken the club into new waters. The APRTF can now hold Specialty Shows for the Parson, and have a new designation for Sires and Dams with an exceptional quality, that of being able to produce multiple champions. The Register of Merit Canada (ROMC) is given to Sires who have produced ten off spring with CKC titles or Dames with five, at least nine and four of which must be conformation titles.

And I bought a little trailer that will be modified for going on road trips, mostly in Canada, and a GPS. (those of you who know me know how easily I get lost)

So exciting times are ahead for the Parson, and for ElysianField. See you at the show ring!

Margaret

Parson Russell Terriers share my home, fill my life and own my heart.
They are not my whole life, but they make my life whole.