Waterybutt's Balvenie

Hitch

Hitch

Well-known member
Some of you may know I lost my 13 yr old Black and White Springer “Czar” last month. He had a bad seizure and a stroke so I had to put him down. I knew I would always have a Springer after Czar, and there is of course no better way to heal than to jump right back in. Yukon Mike is making me a Blue Wing Teal drake for Czar.

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I left the house Friday morning before light and got back at 2300 Sunday night. It was a very quick and enjoyable trip to Texas, north of Austin to pick up my new hunting dog. He's an English springer spaniel with pure English bloodline... "Waterybutt's Balvenie".

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Shah was a little overwhelmed, first time he had ever been around 40+ puppies at the same time, many who seemed to love him and were crawling on him and giving him kisses...we'll have to work on this photo again.

Anyway Balvenie is 2 year old seasoned to finished dog. His nose and retrieving are excellent. He's got a huge blocky head and is solid and built low to the ground. Rachel, the dog's owner has raised English Springer Spaniels since she was 9 years old. She's now 62. She emigrated from Scotland 20 years ago where she owned the Waterybutt estate, and kept the "Waterybutt" line of Springers, a line that goes back over 100 years. She brought the Springers with her.

Rachel had cancer and decided to sell the estate, the restaurant, gave it all up for her springers and pointers and moved to Texas to manage a game farm and hunting club there. She is a special lady and knows her dogs well.

Here are a few photos. I'll give more detail as I go.

Here are some of the pups in training, all bought and paid for and left for Rachel to train.

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She also breeds and trains pointers.

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Here's Rachel with Paco who manages the club house.

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And here is Balvenie's water entry...

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The story about Waterybutt estate is particularly interesting, and her telling me of it made it a sure thing; worth my time to travel all the way to Texas for this dog. I’ll post that story tonight.

Hitch
 
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Congrats on the new dog. I'll raise a toast to the start of a new and hopefully long friendship.

DaveB
 
Hitch
Good luck with your new dog. That is a long way to travel for a dog but it sounds like it was worthwhile.
wis boz
 
Hitch,

Sorry to hear about Czar but congrats on the new pup. We haven't gone that far yet. I love the Redhead deke that Yukon Mike made me for Gus. When we lost Hunter during surgery my wife told me she had had enough. We let the vet take care him for us. There are times still I wish I had called Mike again.

Take care,

Ed L.
 
That sounds like a good trip to me Hitch. You got a winner there. Here's to a dog's lifetime of more great memories and adventures.

Mike
 
Sorry for your lose Hitch. Also, happy for your new beginning with a new dog. Looking forward to your pictures of Balvenie this season.

Jim
 
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Seeing those photos wakes up my springer memories of Singer, Smudge, Stoney, their mom Shadow, Mitzy the stray found on the highway one winter, and the one that started it all in 1972 Matilda.

Currently my dad is on his second rescued springer down in Idaho.

I love those pups in the crates.

I look forward to learning more about Waterybutt history.
 
Hitch,

Sorry to hear about Czar, I would agree that a new dog often helps. I love that water entry photo, nice shot.

Good luck this year.

Eric
 
Hitch, I didn't know about Czar but I'm sorry for your loss, it never is easy but you have done the right thing by crawling back on that horse. Sounds like you got a good one AND a good story to boot. Very nice pics as always.
 
Hitch,
didnt know about Czar. Sorry to hear of your loss.

My dad always had 3 springers in the house when I was a kid. We had that many till highschool. They have cut back to one now who is a rescue but a great dog. He is gona put up some roosters this year for his first time.

Great picture of those dogs. Brings back memories.
 
Didn't know either....and of course I'm sorry and know how it feels. It's something we know is inevitable but it's still a terrible reality.

My pup is 1 year old now and it's amazing how they heel the loss. Good luck!
 
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Thanks again,

Balvenie is doing wonders so far for me. He really has quite the nose, every bit as good as Shah's nose. What is so noticeable after living with the 11-15 year old dogs now is how much energy a young dog has, and the goofy things they do. Bal is very steady though, and has been glued to my side since we got home. He's laying here in the Lazy boy with his head on my lap. And I thought Shah was the one that would be jealous, but he seems to be cool with the whole deal so far.

Now, the story on Waterybutt...

Rachel is sending me an email with the whole story, but here is what I know from her so far.

The Waterybutt Estate is located on the fertile watershed near the River Barn which flows into the Firth of Tay then exits to the west into the St. Andrews Bay. It is an area of agriculture and especially raspberries on and around the Waterybutt estate. They traditionally hunt Red grouse on the estate. The main bed and breakfast has nine bedrooms – one for the proprietors and the other 8 for the hunting guests. There are 8 for the drive hunts which traditionally have 8 hunters.

There is also a restaurant which must be fairly large, as it and the estate had a staff of 350 according to Rachel.

Back to the 1400s the Estate was a Monastery and the bed and breakfasts spiral staircase dates back to this time. The building has gone under many renovations and additions as one can imagine over the centuries. I have photos and left them at work, but I will scan them and post them here.

Well the interesting part is how the name “Waterybutt” came about. Eddie or Worth may like to jump in here. A “butt” is another name for a blind in Scotland. Rachel says that the history of hunting on the estate pre-dates much of the use of guns…the hunters would run the dogs and the grouse toward the “butt” along a funnel shaped landscape. The area was a littoral so it was often naturally very wet in the “butt”. As the grouse were driven to the butt, the “hunters” would release the nets on the birds. So there you have the Waterybutt. Apparently the owner’s before Rachel (several generations back) was Knighted or whatever so the Sir or Lord was often called “Lord Waterybutt” or “Sir Waterybutt”…not the gentleman’s real name, Rachel mentioned his real name but I can not remember what it was.

The dogs were used later for ducks. The area is excellent for waterfowl as well, so the flushing dogs were also well used for retrieving ducks. The Waterybutt line of Springers goes back over 100 years with the records going back over 60 years.

I was given Balvenie on a full AKC registration transfer, and he still packs a wad. Balvenie is named after a single malt Scotch, which we toasted on before I left. Bal’s grandfather was named after the Firth of Tay - “Tay” and many of Rachel’s stud dogs are also named after the region and it’s single malts.

Hitch
 
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HItch, So sorry about losing Czar. And congrats on the new dog. Great story. I especially like the first picture on your post. Great capture.
Gary March
 
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