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AKD 1.29

1980-2012 [bulk dates]

14 linear ft in 16 boxes (7 doc boxes, 6 record cartons, 2 photo boxes, 1 oversize) and mixed media storage

Processed by Brynn White, 2016

The collection comprehensively documents the history of the sporting breed and the club devoted to its emergence in the United States — before, during, and following its acceptance into the American Kennel Club. Administrative records date prior to the club’s founding in 1984, and include subsequent meeting minutes, correspondence, bylaws revisions, membership directories, and much more. The breed’s participation in competitive sport is well documented, beginning in the 1980s when fanciers established Tollers at several Rare Breeds associations, through the club’s first Independent Specialty in 1989, and continuing with regional and national specialties licensed by the AKC. Also present are the club’s own registration files maintained from 1983 through 2000, chronological clippings files; and a variety of win shots and photographs of club events and member dogs.
 

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into 4 series based on format and/or content:

  1. Club Administration, 1979-2012
  2. Dog Shows and Events, 1983-2012
  3. Media and Publications, 1916-2010
  4. Breed Registries, 1945-2002

Club History

The NSDTRC (USA) is known as a small but intensely devoted group. It was formed by approximately 25 fanciers, led by future president Sue Van Sloun, dedicated to saving the breed which was nearing extinction by the late 1970s. The club worked patiently to establish itself as a strong and viable entity before pursuing AKC recognition.  Notably, the club has worked to maintain the toller as “one breed,” avoiding the field/show split so common in sporting breeds. For this reason the club only awarded “Champion” titles to those that had earned a Natural Instinct Test (NIT) or Working Certificate (WC). The breed was approved for entry into the Miscellaneous class in 2001 and accepted into the Sporting class in 2003. NSDTRC (USA) was granted Member status in 2005, and in 2010 it became only the third breed club to be granted recognition of its Club performance titles (Working Certificate, Working Certificate Intermediate, and Working Certificate Excellent).

Scope and Content

The comprehensively documents the history of the sporting breed and the club devoted to its emergence in the United States — before, during, and following its acceptance into the American Kennel Club. The materials appear to have been assembled by the club’s historian, Marile Waterstraat, a librarian by trade whom was also a founding member and former club president. Waterstraat’s club scrapbooks from 1993-2000 had gone missing before they could be donated to the AKC Archives; while an attempt was made to reassemble material, club administration and event coverage is sparser over that period.

Club Administration contains correspondence dating back to early discussions on establishing a club and meeting minutes produced since that initial founding. Other important early documents include the registration agreement made with the Canadian Kennel Club and and the original constitution and bylaws and subsequent revisions. Files further chronicle the club’s dealings with the AKC, including those around Miscellaneous Class and member status acceptances. Also present are membership directories, Toller Rescue calendars, and various information packets and pamphlets; graphic materials such as the club logo, membership card, and stationary; and  documentation of the production of the breed standard and breed video,; distribution of the club’s Sylvan Award; judges’ guides, standards, and presentations; and more.

Dog Shows and Events extensively covers the breed’s participation in competitive sport, beginning in the  1980s when fanciers established Tollers at several Rare Breeds associations, through the club’s first Independent Specialty in 1989, and on through further regional and national specialties licensed by the AKC. The chronological show files varyingly include catalogs, pedigree lists, judges programs, banquet programs, ephemera, correspondence, winners lists, nametags, ribbons, and schedules and other handouts. Files cover conformation, field/hunting/working tests, and agility; regular club events such as the Gateway Classic, Backyard Classic, and Finger Lake Classic; and select national all-breed events. A variety of win shots and candid photographs of club and rare breed events, as well as member dogs, date back to 1989. Audiovisual footage is available for the first 1989 independent specialty and other events for select years through 2012. Also present are ribbons, incuding first prize from the first club specialty, and other club/breed merchandise such as t-shirts and handkerchiefs.

Media and Publications include an inventory and chronological clippings files of Toller articles and appearances in  pop culture dating as far back as 1916; a small selection of international printed matter (from England,  Switzerland, Sweden, and Canada); and professional and non-professional video recordings of Tollers.

The bulk of Dog Registries iscomprised of the club’s own registration files maintained from 1983 through 2000, when  Toller registration transferred to the FSS (Foundation Stock Service) and the AKC. Each file contains an application and copy of the dog’s registration certificate; they may also varyingly include photographs, pedigrees, non-breeding agreements, title and test certificates, Canadian Kennel Club registration certificates, health registry forms, and/or related correspondence.  Other files  hold various registration certificates and incomplete file and  directories and stud pages for the NSDTRC (USA) and Canadian Kennel Club registrations for individual dogs and litters, both published and unpublished.

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Provenance

Donated by club president Sue Dorscheid, on behalf of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club (USA), in 2012.

Related Materials

Club newsletters and other publications previously collected by the AKC Library may be searched using the online catalog, CAIUS.

Click here to view complete inventory and/or to search all AKC archival collections