The Cocker Spaniel Club of Central England was formed in 2023, following the amalgamation of Midland Cocker Spaniel Club and North Midlands & Eastern Counties Cocker Spaniel Club (both websites will continue online for the time being to enable access to show results archives)
Introduction to the Cocker Spaniel Club of Central England by Joanna Darby
The idea that perhaps there were too many regional Cocker Spaniel Clubs had been mooted informally by a number of Secretaries and other Officers for some time when the Kennel Club announced a review in 2021. The idea was that they wished to cease the practice of rotating CCs
between Clubs, so that the same number of CCs (indeed there was opportunity to increase the number of sets each year) would still be granted, but to half the clubs then on a rota. There was only one club that existed without CCs at this point, and it was felt by most that it would be extremely challenging to maintain a viable club without having a Championship show at least every other year.
I was quite open during the online meetings with the KC that I could see no problem with merging some regional clubs but I was very much a lone voice. At this time, especially as we were still very much in or just post-pandemic, entries were falling, the B List of judges qualified to judge Breed
Club Open shows when there were about 30 a year was dwindling and committee members were difficult to find.
With a committee of only 5, when asked if Midland Cocker Spaniel Club wished to be considered for CCs every year, we discussed how practical we thought this was realistically in the longer term and decided it was not and at the same time an approach from North Midlands and Eastern Counties Cocker Club to explore an amalgamation felt like the right thing to do.
This was a decision that almost everyone who had been involved in the individual clubs for many years came to with some considerable sadness, but in the main the common sense thing to do was agreed upon and many discussions and meetings later we came to an amiable conclusion. I was very
ready to stand down as Secretary, a job I have done on two separate occasions for “The Midland” as was our Chair and Treasurer. I feel honoured to be Treasurer of the new club and I know that with Denise Barney as President, Carol West as Chair and Tracey Sherlock our Secretary, the future of
the Cocker Spaniel Club of Central England is in good hands and the past history of each of the former club will be preserved and treasured
Contact Hon Secretary: csccentralengland@gmail.com