“Simon”
NFC FC EFC Shawfield Glenfire
Owners: Imported by Andrew W. Porter of Oxford, Maryland and later owned by
Mr. & Mrs. Dean Bedford of fallston, Maryland
Breeder: J. Scott (Scotland)
Shawfield Glenfire was exported to the USA from Scotland in the Spring of 1953 following his win of the British Cocker Spaniel Championship the preceding fall at the age of two. Owner Andrew Porter turned “Simon” over to professional handler Larry MacQueen and he quickly became known as “the dog to beat” the following fall. In fact, with professional Larry as his handler, the dog had eight wins out of ten starts in the fall of 1953, completing his USA field trial championship in his first two trials!
Simon was the obvious heavy favorite for the 1953 National Cocker Field Trial Championship, but as field trailers know, sometimes unusual things happen. Evelyn Monte, herself an inductee to the English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Hall of Fame, reported on the event and on Simon for “The American Field”, January, 16, 1954. She often photographed events and wrote about that first national cocker championship in 1953. She reported “Simon” was known as a forceful and enterprising worker with beautiful action and terrific drive; he displayed hard searching ground work, positiveness on game and spirited retrieves which put him on top, and she called his marking superb. At that first National Championship, “Simon” was the top contender until the final series when a combination of instinct and intelligence got the better of him. He put up a bird that soared high and was hit but kept going before dropping over a rise. After a word with the judge, MacQueen called the dog in. On the next cast, despite a blasting whistle, “Simon” went straight to his mark about 45 yards away over the rise and came back on the run with his dead bird – such is the world of field trials. It would not be until the following year, 1954, that “Simon” would validate his reputation and win the national championship.
At the 1955 National Cocker Field Trial Championship, “Simon” returned to defend his title and he completed all five series. However, it was his son, Greatford Meadowcourt Pin, who was the winner. “Pin” had been sired by “Simon” before each dog had been imported to the USA. Interestingly, the high point rankings for 1955 were almost a family affair. “Simon” earned 24 points right behind American Cocker FC Berol Lodge Glen Garry, “Garry” with 25 points. “Pin” ranked right behind his sire with 18 points.
When Andrew Porter sold his kennel Dean Bedford purchased “Simon and Mr. Bedford wisely kept Larry MacQueen as “Simon’s” handler. In 1957, Mrs. Bedford donated a trophy to the ECSCA for its Field Trial Award in honor of “Simon”: The Int. and Nat. Shawfield Glenfire Perpetual Trophy. The trophy was offered to the dog owned by a member of the ECSCA with the highest points for the year with at least one Open All-Age win. The trophy is an antique silver pint tankard, George II (1757), with stand and was presented through 1962. It is still in possession of the ECSCA, a memorial to a memorable English Cocker.