New Patron for HHA

AT THE recent Annual General Meeting of the Humberside Hound Association, the membership voted and unanimously agreed the proposal that Mrs Marion Spavin be invited to become the Association’s Patron. A position that Mrs Spavin has now accepted, writes Patricia Wells
The suggestion for an East Coast of England Hound Society was first mooted early in 1981 and, by November of that year, about 45 people were sufficiently interested enough in the idea to pay a Founder Membership in order to get the club ‘off the ground’. Mrs Spavin was one of the first
Founder Members. The Inaugural Meeting was held on 22nd November 1981 at the Crest Hotel, North Ferriby in North Humberside - and the room hired for the occasion was quite full. During the discussion regarding the constitution of the committee and the officers, it was agreed, by everyone present at that meeting, that the new society must have a ‘Working’ President - rather than someone who was just a President in ‘name only’.

Mrs Feuerhelm proposed, and Mr ‘Nobby’‚ Beckett seconded, that Mrs Spavin be invited to become the (working) President. And work she did - indefatigably! She attended every Committee Meeting (which, for a number of years, were held every month). She attended every fund raising
event in the first years as the new Society began to ‘come together’ and also judged at the Exemption Show staged by the Society in order to raise funds and awareness for The Petsavers Charity - this was a very well supported event indeed.

Of the ten suggested names for the Society, none were acceptable to the Kennel Club and they offered the name of The Humberside Hound Association - this was agreed by the Committee and details then published in the June issue of the Kennel Gazette - thus causing something of a
‘record’ in the speed of acceptance for a new Society.

On 23 June 1982, the Humberside Hound Association held an evening seminar - a Teach-In with a number of Hound Breeds. Those interested people who attended the event were able to have a ‘hands-on’ session with each breed and then, after supper Mrs Spavin went over each dog and
briefly explained the standard of the breed. This was the forerunner of the Annual Humberside Hound Association Teach In‚s which have proved so popular over the years.

It was agreed that there would be an Annual New Year Lunch - this was quite a glittering affair with a Guest Speaker. Mrs Spavin shamelessly twisted friends arms - and was very successful in securing some of the ‘top names’ to ‘speak’ to the members - some humorous, some serious but all very interesting and very well worth listening to.

On June 8th 1983, the Association held a Match with the Dukeries Gundog Club. Mrs Spavin agreed to judge this. The highlight of the evening was a bloodhound who, after doing the prescribed "up and down" circumnavigated Marion and headed straight for the Supper Table!
The first show of the Humberside Hound Association was held on 12 November 1983. Mrs Spavin was able to secure the services of ‘top judge’ Cathy Sutton to judge BIS. At all the subsequent Association shows (until the family moved to Solihull) Mrs Spavin really worked on the PR at the
shows to make them a success, she made sure that the judges were happy on the day and ensured that she spoke to as many of the exhibitors as possible - this gave useful ‘feedback’ for the next meeting on how the show could be ‘improved’.

Cathy Sutton became the first Patron of the Association; she was followed by Mrs Ann Argyle and then Jayne Wilson Stringer. Marion Spavin has been a very good President since 1981 and the Humberside Hound Association are pleased to have her as their Patron.

Mr Blaze Harris, was elected to the position of Vice Chairman in 1989 and to Chairman in 1991. At the recent AGM of the Association he accepted the position of President.