Ken McFarlane

Ken owned his first Cocker during the Second World War, becoming involved in breeding and showing in the 1950's. His best known dogs were the light blue roan, Sh Ch Tudorgold Nimrod Variations From Maxway, bred by the late Mrs Tennant, and his son Sh Ch Maxway Music Maker. Music Maker was one of only a select few Cockers to gain BIS at an all-breeds Championship Show in recent times (Three Counties in 1987) and still remains the only particolour to do so since the great Ch Bournehouse Starshine back in the early 1970's.

Ken was a longstanding and hardworking member of the West of England “team”, serving as our Chairman from 1990 until 2003 and then latterly as a Vice President. At the recent AGM, he was elected as President, an honour he was delighted to accept although sadly his time in office was to be very short.

Ken was also a very experienced and popular judge, having first been approved at Championship Show level in 1968. He judged the breed on many occasions since then, both at home and overseas, including such prestigious appointments as Crufts in 1996 where he judged bitches and agreed with his co-judge, Jack Clarke, that Sh Ch Canigou Cambrai should be BOB (Cambrai of course went on to win the Gundog Group and Best in Show). His last judging appointment was fittingly for West of England in 2007 where he judged bitches, awarding the CC to Sh Ch Canigou Classic Rock.

Ken’s passing leaves a big hole at West of England which will be impossible to fill. He was one of nature’s gentlemen, always polite with a kind word for everybody and will be much missed by all who knew him.