Welcome to the official website of the Bullmastiff Club of Victoria: Australia's first Bullmastiff Club - Pioneers of the breed

HISTORY OF BULLMASTIFF CLUB OF VICTORIA INC.

The Bullmastiff Club held its inaugural meeting on Sunday June 7, 1964, attended by twenty interested Bullmastiff owners.

At the first AGM on November 8, 1964 the name was changed to: `The Bullmastiff Club of Victoria'. 1993 saw the incorporation of the Club. Until 1988 this was the only recognised club in Australia for Bullmastiffs. Currently members come from all over Australia and also New Zealand, South Africa, England and Finland. The club's Patroness and one of our Honorary Members is Mrs Mary Cox of Colom Kennels, England. Mary has been very generous in supporting our club and over the years has made some wonderful donations to our trophy funds and major efforts. Our other Honorary Members are Mr Ernie Yarra, who was very helpful with the club in its early years and Roy and Bonnie Spicer. We have six Life Members: Mrs Joy Stevenson, Mr Brice Lummis, the club's founding members and past President and Secretary respectively, Mrs Barbara Wright and Mrs Pat Quinn, they received their membership awards after more than 20 years involvement with the club. Our most recent Life Members Mr Andrew Burt & Mrs Rhonda Van Blommestein received this honor at the Club’s 25th Silver Anniversary Show in 1998, having been involved with the breed since its first Championship Show.

1972 saw the club hold its 1st open parade, followed in 1974 with the 1st championship show for Bullmastiffs in Australia; this attracted an entry of 52 exhibits. The 1998 championship show attracted 111 exhibits from Victoria, NSW, Qld and South Australia.

1998 saw the Victorian club hold our 25th silver anniversary Championship Show on Sunday the 27th September at KCC Park Cranbourne, with breed classes judged by Mr W Brittle from England.

The first Bullmastiff National Championship show will be hosted by the Victorian club in 1999 on Sunday the 3rd October. The judge for this show is Virginia Rowland from Blackslate Bullmastiffs in the USA.

As well as conducting two shows per year for Bullmastiffs this club is also involved in Breed Lectures and Field Nights for aspiring judges.

The main objects of this club are to promote and encourage the breeding of pure bred Bullmastiffs and to raise the standards and exhibition of registered dogs of this breed; to inform members of and make known to them the laws and regulations of the State relating to the ownership and care of dogs etc.

As the availability of any literature relating solely to the Bullmastiff is scarce, this club has `Information Sheets' covering a brief history of the breed and setting out the standard recognised by the ANKC; these are available upon request. A quarterly magazine is also published for members. The club is also promoting participation in the Willis Scheme for Hip Dysplasia Reading.

Any member of the committee is always available for help and advice to prospective Bullmastiff owners.