Kay and Larry Hardy
KAY and LARRY HARDY
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007
For contribution to the breed
Kay and Larry Hardy established their Hob Nob Hill Kennels in the 1950' s. The typical Hob Nob Hill cocker was well up on leg with a short, hard back and beautiful, plush head. A gifted artist, Kay, brought her sense of balance and style to creating a line of Cocker Spaniels, which became readily identifiable. The influence of these dogs comes down to this day through their two pre-potent dogs, Ch. Hob Nob Hill's Hob Nobber (sire of 38 champions) and his son Ch. Hob Nob Hill's Tribute. In "A Century of Spaniels" Volume II, Norman Austin refers to Tribute as "a true pillar of the breed". He sired 54 black and black and tan champions; they include Betty Durland's Ch. Dur-Bet's Knight to Remember and Ch. Dur-Bet's Pick the Tiger. Pick the Tiger in turn sired Edna Anselmi's great producer, Ch. Windy Hill' s 'tis Demi's Demon.
Early on the Hardy's became very active in the Cocker Spaniel Breeders' Club of New England. Having held just about every office in the club, they can be credited with guiding it through good times and bad for several decades.
In the 1970's, as hereditary problems were coming to the fore, they introduced one of the first annual eye clinics to be held in the area, for which they imported Dr. Lionel Rubin, then Chief of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School. This eye clinic (with Dr. Rubin) continues to this day sponsored by the Cocker Spaniel Breeders' Club of New England.
Cocker Spaniel Breeder's Club of New England
