Vicky L. Thomas

Vicky’s enthusiasm for the field-bred English cocker spaniel began in 1984, the year she imported her first dog from Lynn & Paul Rawlings, Peterbourgh, England. Other imports from the UK, all terrific little upland hunting spaniels, subsequently joined her in Southern California where they were trained by Ed Hanks, Jr. Unfortunately, during this period in the USA, no cocker field trials were offered so these cockers had no chance to compete.

In 1993, imagine Vicky’s delight when she learned that the Rocky Mountain Springer Spaniel Club in Colorado was planning to re-launch cocker trials after a 25 year hiatus. The prevailing opinion in California was that it would be a waste of time to attend. Nevertheless, Vicky and Sue Wilson made the trip to see for themselves. This would prove to be an inspirational moment to find other individuals that shared a common love for their uncommon breed.

Later in 1993, Vicky purchased a pup from Paul G. McGagh named Guinness of Killaurel. This marked the beginning of their relationship. Together they established the 1100+ acre Glencoe Farm and Kennels in Bismarck, North Dakota which they call home in all but the winter months when they return to Pasadena, California. They built a kennel and imported working cockers from the UK which became the foundation stock of their multigenerational line. Paul became a professional breeder, trainer and handler. Soon they found themselves feeding, housing and mentoring clients from across the country at the farm which, in turn, led to more participants in cocker trials.

In the 1990s, cocker field trialers relied on springer spaniel clubs for their expertise, insuring cocker trials were viable competitions. And, in turn, the springer spaniel clubs relied on the cocker owners to provide a slate of entries so the trial would break even. When a trial was calendared the cocker folks needed to be in attendance. For Vicky and Paul, this meant traveling coast to coast and north to south with a truck full of spaniels to compete alongside a few other pioneers. This early effort paid off. Cocker trials are now offered in over 20 states and cockers are actively competing in spaniel field trials in Canada.

It wasn’t long before cockers began earning Field Trial Championship titles. The sixth English Cocker that Vicky owned, Warrener’s Mistle Thrush (Porter) out of Paul’s Parkbreck Moorhen (Lucy) and Sheila Court’s Omache Tarf, became Vicky’s first Field Trial Champion in 1995. It was realized this mark of success posed a danger if individuals stopped entering local events because they had earned the title. An option to keep dogs in the game was to offer a National Championship. Vicky volunteered to Chair the event even though she had never staged a field trial before!

Establishing the criteria for a National Cocker Championship (NCC) was controversial. Everyone had passionate opinions! The task was to guarantee a fair competition that truly tested Cockers so the winner embodied qualities the entire spaniel community could endorse. On the otherhand, the relationship with ECSCA, the parent club, had not blossomed as quickly as one might have envisioned. Vicky, along with Arthur Person, underwrote the 1998 Championship. Several programs were initiated that year and have become part of the Cocker tradition.

After the Championship, Vicky continued to serve in numerous leadership roles at local and national levels. She was one of the founding members of the Southern California Sporting Spaniel Club and served several terms on the Field Trial Committee (FTC), including its Chair twice. She has served on an additional five NCC committees and as the NCC Co-Chair in 1995. Vicky has been a part of the development of the long standing NCC Patron Program, the NCC Print Program, the development of the first Cocker Judges’ Criteria, the “How to Run an NCC” document and the Cocker Gunning Program. She underwrote the development of Fieldcockers.com and was a founding contributor to the Hall of Fame. Recently, as Chair of the FTC, she participated in the development of the National Amateur Championship and introduced the Cocker Amateur Honor Role. She has donated several trophies at National levels both in Canada and the United States. In 2003, Vicky was awarded the Harold S. Bixby Memorial Service Award in recognition of her work. In 2015, Vicky was named the AKC Breeder of the Year for Spaniels. In addition to her leadership roles, Vicky has always been an active trialer, having earned placements in five cocker and springer national championships.

In summary, Vicky was a leader in the reemergence of our sport and her early-on commitment of time, energy and resources to build Glencoe Farm and Kennels with her partner, Paul McGagh, has proven to benefit all of us. Glencoe ranks as our most successful kennel in terms of number of cockers handled to field trial champion yet it is not just its success, but also the success of many others who spent time at the farm, that allowed our sport to mature.And, today we are witnessing the positive ripple effect of Glencoe’s breeding program which has greatly influenced pedigrees throughout the United States. We would not be in the same place today without Glencoe.

Some of the significant dogs from the Glencoe Warrener’s lines are:

1. FC Warrener’s Mistle Thrush (Porter) SN156175/04 Liver Male DOB 5/4/1994 (US) Sire: FC Omachie Tarf Dam: FC Parkbreck Moorhen Breeder: Paul G McGagh Owner: Vicky L Thomas Trained by Paul McGagh. FC earned September 26, 1997

2. FC Oak Alley Snowy Egret (Natchez) SN317037/04 White and Lemon Female DOB 1/26/1996 (US) Sire: Maesydderwen Griffin DAM FC Nancarrow Rosy Mantle Breeder: Arthur E. Person Owner: Vicky L. Thomas Trained by Paul G McGagh. FC earned 1998. Sold to Jeff Janousek in 2004.

3. Gwynnfield Misty (Liz) SN386780/01 Femon & White Female DOB 8/24/1996 (US) Sire: Parkbreck Chevron; Dam: Nancarrow Golden Glow; Breeder Thomas Tullidge, Owner: Vicky L. Thomas. Mother of 2 Cocker’s in the Hall of Fame and one NCC Champion: Warrener’s Ruby Throated Humming Bird (Pearl). Transferred to Ron Bullock 2005.

4. FC/AFC Oak Alley Golden Plover (Monty) SN504494/01 Orange Roan Male DOB: 11/16/1997 (US) Sire: Warrener’s Mistle Thrush Dam: Darag Caol Shraid Marshen; Breeder: Arthur E. Person; Owner: Vicky L. Thomas Trained by Paul G McGagh. Field Trial Championship earned in 2001. Sold To Ollie Ginn 1/ 7/ 2003. First Amateur Field Trial Champion in U S.

5. FC Warrener’s Blackbird (Cinders) SN156175/03 Black Female DOB 5/5/1994 (Virginia) Sire: FC Omachie Tarf, Dam: FC Parkbreck Moorhen. Breeder: Paul G. McGagh; Owner: Dean Rinke/Cathy Lewis. Trained by Paul G. McGagh. Sold to Vicky L. Thomas on March 8, 1999. Earned Field Championship prior to transfer in 1999.

6. FC/CFC Warrener’s Yellowhammer (Sydney) SN781184/06 Orange Roan Female DOB 7/28/2000 Sire: FC Griffins Pride Rocky; Dam: Gwynnfield Misty . Breeder: Paul McGagh Owner: Vicky L Thomas Trained by Paul G. McGagh FC earned 2002. Canadian Field Trial Championship earned June 5, 2005. Nominated into the Field Trial Hall of Fame 2016. Amassed 124 lifetime points. Mother of 2 Cocker National Champions: NFC Warrener’s Chucks-Wills-Widow and Warrener’s Whippoorwill.

7. FC/EFC Findley’s Flyer (Merin) SN859326/01 Lemon and White Female Import 2677C1 DOB 616/1996 (England) Breeder: Mr. A.W. Massie; Sire: Jenoren Gregor; Dam: Nochty Lass Owner: Vicky L. Thomas. Purchased in 2001. FC earned 2003.

8. FC Kirkstall Dabchick SN83262101 Blue Roan Female DOB 10/13/1998 (UK) Sire: Mallowdale Rackatear; Dam: Anahar Teuchat; Breeder: Mr. JD Sowerby; Imported 1/27/2001. Owners: Vicky L Thomas. Sold to David Spaw. FC earned 3/30/2003.

9. FC/CNFC Warrener’s California Quail (Storm) SR04007905 Lemon Roan Male DOB 10/3/2002 (US) Breeder: Paul McGagh, Sire: FC Oahe Sentinel; Dam: Gwynnfield Misty; Owner: Vicky L. Thomas. Trained by Paul G. McGagh. FC earned 10/4/2004, CNFC earned 10/7/2005 (only Cocker to ever have won), 7 first places in US, 2 in Canada. Total of 82 points. Sire of 2015 NCC Aikane Hokulani. Nominated to the Field Trial Hall of Fame in 2014.

10. FC Warrener’s Cliff Swallow (Spook) SR09856501 White & Black Male DOB 6/25/2003 Sire: Tahoa; Dam: Oak Alley Snowy Egret; Breeder/owner: Vicky L Thomas. Trained by Paul McGagh. FC earned 3/21/ 2008. Transfered to J.Janousek in 2012.

11. NFC Warrener’s Ruby Throated Humming Bird (Pearl) SR19086901 Blue Roan Female DOB 7/14/2004 (US) Breeder: Paul McGagh, Sire: Prairie Marsh Duke of Flatwater; Dam: Gwynnfield Misty; Owner: Dave Williams. NFC earned 10/26/13

12. FC Warrener’s Great Crested Flycatcher (Snickett) SR36374401 Blue Roan Female DOB 5/15/2006 (US) Breeder David Spaw/Mary Nell Reck Spaw. Sire: Warrener’s Roseate Spoonbill; Dam Kirkstall Dabchick. Owner Vicky L. Thomas. Trained by Paul McGagh. FC earned 2/15/2009. 2nd place October 18 NCC Montana.

13. FC/EFC Dardnell Diddler MH (Sandy) SR29547401 Lemon Female DOB: 4/12/2003 (UK) Sire: Danderw Druid; Dam: Larford Celt; Breeder: Denis Porter. Trained by Ian Openshaw. Earned EFC 2005 and sold to David Nolan (NY); Trained in US by Fred Bradley. Earned US FC 2006. Transferred to K. Smith in 2009. Transferred Vicky L. Thomas 2/22/2010. 3rd place at 2011 NCC.

14. FC/CFC Corazon Beau (Beau) SR31007606 Lemon and White Male DOB: 12/27/2005 (US) Sire: FC Oak Alley Golden Plover; Dam NFC FC Chyknell Megan; Breeder A.R. Ginn. Owner: Vicky L. Thomas. Trained by Paul G. McGagh. FC earned in 2009 and CFC 2012. Sire of 4 Cocker National Champions: Quailmoor Quilcene (2011) Warrener’s Chuck-Will’s-Widow (2012); Warrener’s Whip-Poor-Will (2014)); Quailmoor Queen Bee (2017)

15. NFC/FC/Warrener’s Chuck-Wills-Widow (Cairo) SR57617304 Lemon & White Male DOB 6/27/2009 (US) Sire: FC Corazon Beau; Dam FC/CFC Warrener’s Yellowhammer; Breeder Vicky L. Thomas. Trained by Paul G. McGagh. Sold to Deb Strohl in 3/3/2011. Earned NFC 10/12/2012.

16. NFC/FC Warrener’s Whip-Poor-Will (Troy) SR57617306 Lemon and White Male DOB 6/27/2009 (US) Sire Sire: FC Corazon Beau; Dam FC/CFC Warrener’s Yellowhammer; Breeder Vicky L. Thomas. Trained by Paul G. McGagh. Transferred to Richard Whelan on 3/15/2011. Earned NFC 11/1/2014.

17. FC Lockeridge Warrener’s Shiva (Shiva) SR77489601 Black Female DOB 3/18/2013 (US) Sire: NFC FC Warrener’s Chuck-Will’s-Widow; Dam Lockridge Sunshine; Breeder Sheila Courts. Owner Vicky L. Thomas. Trained by Paul G. McGagh. Earned her US Championship on October 28, 2015 by placing 2nd in the Cocker National Championship.

18. FC/CFC Warrener’s Tullinadaly (Tully) SR83301603 Golden Female DOB 5/18/2004 (US) Sire: NFC FC Warrener’s Whip-Poor-Will; Dam Annie Oakley. Breeder: James Fairclough. Owner: Vicky L. Thomas; Tranied by Paul G. McGagh. FCearned November 1, 2017. CFC earned August 25, 2018.

19. FC Quailmoor Quip (Pun) SR88011001 Black with Tan and White Markings, Female DOB 5/19/2005 (US) Sire: Leawyn Laseo. Dam: FC/AFC Quailmoor Quite Right. Breeder: Tawney Crawford and William R. Bob Crawford. Owner: Vicky L. Thomas. Trained by Paul G. McGagh. FC earned 9/13/2018