What is the origin of the Norm Claridge Memorial Shield our Club competes for each year?
Friday, 05 December 2008 @ 12:25 PM
To answer this question we have to go back to the very early 1960's.
At that time Ray Underwood, Bert Halton and Norm Clardige had a single goal - To establish, format and improve the sport of all breed dog obedience under the protection and support of the Canine Control Council. All three men lived on the south side of Brisbane so they planned ahead and formulated clubs and classes. Bert Halton started Stones Corner and Oxley grounds as the Obedience Dog Club of Brisbane, which has been affiliated since 1963.
Norm Clardige lived at Beeleigh and bred, showed and trained "Donaine" German Shepherds. He commenced all breed obedience classes for the German Shepherd Dog Club of Queensland in Kalinga Park at the end of Jackson Street, Eagle Junction. The public became members of the Shepherd Club and trained their pets, all shapes and sizes. By the late 1960's the all breed section of the Shepherd Club was so large the Canine Control Council encouraged the group to form their own obedience club on 1 January 1970 saw the affiliation of the Metropolitan All Breed Obedience Club (now known as Metropolitan Dog Obedience Club Inc.) at Marchant park on the corner of Murphy and Ellison Road was born.
These men started all the things the Obedience enthusiasts have and take for granted today, Obedience Trials, sweepstakes, judges training schemes, RNA Trials (1965), RNA main ring demonstrations (1967), statewide Utility Dog (UD) of the year competition, fun nights for non papered dogs (before the Assosiate Register existed), etc.
In August 1975 during the RNA Norm was taken from us suddenly by cancer. A lot of his plans, dreams and goals were not completed as he was only given a week or so to plan ahead but they have lived on in our sport of dog obedience. He is with us encouraging and supporting the good sport and positive handler. Many a bad sport or aggressive handler, were sent packing by this dedicated man.
Those of us who knew Norm remember him as a man who never minced words, put 110% effort into everything he did, but above all had a way of uniting a team and being the disciplined leader who took people beyond their individual capabilities in a sometimes unconventional way.
At that time Ray Underwood, Bert Halton and Norm Clardige had a single goal - To establish, format and improve the sport of all breed dog obedience under the protection and support of the Canine Control Council. All three men lived on the south side of Brisbane so they planned ahead and formulated clubs and classes. Bert Halton started Stones Corner and Oxley grounds as the Obedience Dog Club of Brisbane, which has been affiliated since 1963.
Norm Clardige lived at Beeleigh and bred, showed and trained "Donaine" German Shepherds. He commenced all breed obedience classes for the German Shepherd Dog Club of Queensland in Kalinga Park at the end of Jackson Street, Eagle Junction. The public became members of the Shepherd Club and trained their pets, all shapes and sizes. By the late 1960's the all breed section of the Shepherd Club was so large the Canine Control Council encouraged the group to form their own obedience club on 1 January 1970 saw the affiliation of the Metropolitan All Breed Obedience Club (now known as Metropolitan Dog Obedience Club Inc.) at Marchant park on the corner of Murphy and Ellison Road was born.
These men started all the things the Obedience enthusiasts have and take for granted today, Obedience Trials, sweepstakes, judges training schemes, RNA Trials (1965), RNA main ring demonstrations (1967), statewide Utility Dog (UD) of the year competition, fun nights for non papered dogs (before the Assosiate Register existed), etc.
In August 1975 during the RNA Norm was taken from us suddenly by cancer. A lot of his plans, dreams and goals were not completed as he was only given a week or so to plan ahead but they have lived on in our sport of dog obedience. He is with us encouraging and supporting the good sport and positive handler. Many a bad sport or aggressive handler, were sent packing by this dedicated man.
Those of us who knew Norm remember him as a man who never minced words, put 110% effort into everything he did, but above all had a way of uniting a team and being the disciplined leader who took people beyond their individual capabilities in a sometimes unconventional way.