Dennybeck

June (Clough) and David Horsfall married on 23 September 1947 and later bred under the Dennybeck affix. Their introduction to Staffordshire Bull Terriers came in 1950 after moving to Lancashire, where they had intended to find another Bull Terrier but, as none were available, acquired a brindle Stafford bitch.
‘Soda’ remained a faithful companion for eleven years and marked the beginning of June’s interest in the breed.
The kennel name came from a small stream called Dennybeck, which ran into the river Lune, where the family used to walk with their two children, the Bull Terrier and ‘Soda’.

A friend persuaded June to join the local canine society and she soon realised her bitch was, in her own words, “not good enough”,. She began looking through the adverts in Our Dogs to acquire another. This led her to the bitch later known as Ch. Lady of Barnfield. As she proved, in June’s own words, “virtually a non-breeder”, she later acquired another bitch from the Wychbury kennel. Ch. Wychbury Sporting Girl was a small black brindle and white bitch who gained her title within two months and later produced the first Dennybeck litter.

In the years that followed, further bitches were added, including Ch. Dennybeck Graftwood Tanya and Ch. Stretfordian Little Gem(in photo), both of which produced litters that carried the affix forward. From these lines came a number of well-known Dennybeck dogs, including Dennybeck Hard Diamond and Dennybeck Devil May Care, as well as dogs in the hands of other breeders who continued from Dennybeck lines over the years.

June handled the breeding and showing, while David remained closely involved and supported her throughout.
They both passed away on 28 January 2017, just months before what would have been their 70th wedding anniversary.

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The SBTpedigree database currently covers Dennybeck dogs used in breeding up to 1974. Any additional information will be added as it becomes available.