The first Mastiffs in Scandinavia

For how long there have existed Mastiffs in Scandinavia is uncertain, but the Vikings did most
likely bring the first Mastiff to our shores, as booty or as an item of trade.
The Danish Vikings occupied large parts of England, from Lindisfarne in the north to London in
the south, and the Britons had to pay taxes to the Vikings, known as "Danelag" (Danelaw).
The Norwegian Vikings occupied parts of Scotland, Isle of Man, the area between Liverpool
and the Scottish border, and Ireland.
The Vikings were disreputable for robbing and stealing all valuable goods, even livestock.
It have been found in Viking finds and burials sceletons of large and powerful dogs.
It is most likely that the Broholmer of Denmark and the extinct dog breeds Dalbohund from
Sweden and Norsk Dogge from Norway, can count the Mastiffs brought over by the
Vikings as one of their ancestors.



The Mastiff in Scandinavia in modern time

Already at the very first dogshow in Sweden there were exhibited Mastiffs, in Stockholm
16-18 July 1886. These Mastiffs was however described as dogs of poor quality. One of these two
exhibited Mastiffs was the fawn coloured "Cato", born 14th April 1885 in Elfsbacka, Sweden.
The father of "Cato" was named "Leo", the mother "Doris". The breeder and owner of "Cato" was
V. Croneborg. "Cato" was from the first Mastiff litter in Sweden that we for certain know about.
The other Mastiff at this first Swedish dogshow was "Monk", fawn and born in 1883, owned by
F.D. Stoddard, Alingsås, and bred by J. Fleming of Scotland. Sadly I have not managed to get the
names of the parents of "Monk".
There were not exhibited Mastiffs at the first dogshow in Denmark, in Copenhagen 23-27 July 1886.
At the first Norwegian dogshow, 28-29 June 1877, there were neither any exhibited any Mastiffs, since
this dogshow only included "gundogs" and "hunting dogs".
The first Mastiff, that were imported to Norway in modern time, which we know of, was "Rita".
She was imported by Mr. Wilhelm Mustad of Christiania (the old name of Oslo, the capital of Norway),
and she was born on 15 June, 1904. She was described in the show-catalog as grey-yellow.
Rita's father was named "Hercule#, her mother was "Floss", and the breeder M. Breton, Curé au
Theil-Nolent. was the owner of both parents.
Rita



The Mastiff in Sweden in the 1950's & 1960's

Sweden have been the leading "Mastiff-country" in Scandinavia in the 20th
century.
Already in 1951 Countess Ann Wachtmeister imported a Mastiff to Sweden,
Withybush Marcus, born on 28 June 1951. "Marcus" was a son of O.E.M.C.
Heatherbelle Sterling Silver and O.E.M.C. Prudence.
Mr. Börje Falck imported in 1956 Queen of Terrytop, a daughter of
Weyacres Lincoln and Withybush Duchess. Queen of Terrytop was born on
11th September 1956, bred by Mrs. T. Thomson, England.
These two imports, Countess Ann Wachtmeister's Withybush Marcus and
Mr. Börje Falch's Queen of Terrytop was mated and on 18th March 1958
"Queen" gave birth to five puppies, three males and two females.
The prefix of the puppies were "av Falckenhus" and the males were named Castor,
Cato and Casper, while the females were named Casbah and Carina.
One of the puppies from this litter, Castor av Falckenhus, owned by
Mr. Bengt Eklöv from Jönköping, became "Best in Show" at a dogshow arranged by
the Swedish Kennel Club on 24th April 1960 at Rosenlundhallen in Jönköping.
This is the only time ever a Mastiff has won "Best in Show" at an International
dogshow in Scandinavia.

Timmi



The Mastiff and Mastiff litters in Sweden in the 1960's and 1970's

In 1962 imported Mrs. Gudrun von Geijer Beauty of Copenore, born on 5th June 1962. "Beauty" was a
daughter of Jason of Copenore and Withybush Kasia. Mrs. von Geijer did also import Copenore Camelot
born on 30. April 1963. "Camelot" was a son of Withybush Superbus and Copenore Prima Donna
"Camelot" and "Donna" was mated and on 26th July 1965 "Donna" gave birth to a litter of four males
and two females. It can be mentioned that at the turn of the millennium Mrs. von Geijer still owned
a Mastiff.
There were several imports to Sweden, and several litters was born in Sweden throughout the 1960's
and the 1970's.



Dafne

The Mastiff in Norway after World War II

The Mastiff in Norway after WW II has a much shorter history than
the Swedish.
In the middle of the 1970's two imports came to the Sørensen family,
but the dogs did not live up to the expectations and they were never bred.
The next import to Norway came from Sweden in 1981, imported by
Agnar and Janne Skrede. The dog was the fawn coloured female Dafne,
that you will find pictured at the left, born on 16th September 1981.
"Dafne" was sired by Int. Nordic CH. Nandine Zenn Rene and her mother
was Swedish CH. Celerity Nice Value. The breeders of "Dafne" was
Gunnar and Ruth Falk, Furudal -Sweden.



The first Mastiff litter in Norway

Several Mastiffs were imported to Norway in the 1980's, but
it took some years before the first litter was born.
On 7 October 1990 gave Bulliff Outragous Ola (Bulliff
Warrior x Bulliff Ack Ack) gave birth to the first Mastiff
litter, that we know about, born on Norwegian soil.
The father of the puppies was the swedish owned Bold
Winston (Damaria Count Magnus x Amazine Grace).
The breeders of this first Norwegian Mastiff litter was
Anita & Kjell Torgersen, Kennel Ulvmas.
The next Mastiff litter in Norway was born in 1992, several
litters were in fact born that year, and since then there
have been Mastiff litters born every year in Norway.

BOO



Klubbmøte
From the annual meeting in NEMK, year 2001.
Click on the picture to enlarge

The Norwegian Mastiff Club

The Norwegian Mastiff Club was founded as an un-official club
in 1990, named "Norsk Mastiff Club" (Norwegian Mastiff Club).
There were a very small number of Mastiffs living in Norway
at this point, since there hadn't been any litters born yet.
The Mastiffs that you could find in Norway at that time
were imported either from GB, Sweden or Finland.
The first President of the club was Mr. Agnar Skrede, who
still plays an active role in the club.
In 1993 the club applied to the Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK)
to be affiliated, and the name of the club was changed to
"Norsk Engelsk Mastiff Klubb" (Norwegian English Mastiff
Club), because NKK demanded that the name "Engelsk"
(English) had to be added, so people did know which of the
mastiff-breeds this club represented.
Because of the "qurantine" all newly affiliated clubs is put upon,
no clubshow was arranged in 1994, but since 1995 the Clubshow
has been arranged every year.

Klubbfest
From the "club-dinner", year 2001.
Click on the picture to enlarge

After the clubshow the annual meeting of the club is
always held, and in the evening the "club-dinner" is
arranged in the restaurant, with a following party at
night.
The "club-dinner" is a yearly "cometogether" which the
members look forward to with much joy. Speaches, singalong,
games, presentations of special prices, and the auction, are
all activities that is done during the club-dinner and party.
All the joy and happiness that comes with partisipating at the
dinner and party have the effect that everybody, regardless
of their dog did win or loose at the clubshow, goes to bed
with a satisfied and happy feeling late at night.



The Swedish Mastiff Club

The Swedish Mastiff Club (Svensk Mastiffklubb) was founded in
1997. Before 1997 (from 1981) they cooperated with the Bulmastiffs,
and the name of the club was "Bullmastiff och Mastiff Vännerna"
(The Bullmastiff and Mastiff Friends).
The yearly dogshow was always a two breeds show; the Mastiff
and the Bullmastiff, but from 1998 the new Mastiff club held
a separate clubshow.
After the clubshow there is always arranged games and
competitions, and a barbeque party turns up the heat before
the party of the night.

SMK Barbeque
The barbeque party of the Swedish Mastiff Club.
Click on the picture to enlarge.










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