Julian Barnfield, MFH and huntsman, “at the end of a cracking Autumn hunting morning…the hounds had been amazing.”Julian Barnfield, former huntsman of the Cotswold, Heythrop, and North Shropshire Foxhounds (UK), has retired from the field but plans to use his breeding experience to assist foxhound breeders worldwide. Barnfield has associated with a leading European equine reproduction company to form Elite Kennel Fertility. Barnfield is a director of Elite, as is Tullis Matson, whose multi-award winning Stallion AI Services Ltd is one of the leading equine reproduction services in Europe.
Barnfield and Matson were Joint-Masters at the North Shropshire. American foxhound breeders—whether hunting a Crossbred pack or simply seeking an outcross to revitalize close bloodlines, should benefit from the services, facilities, and knowhow of the new company.
“I believe with my time served and hunting connections, I could help facilitate any American breeder, Master, or huntsman to obtain semen from whatever dog they might choose in the UK,” says Barnfield. “Beyond this, I can organise collection, freezing, health papers, and shipping.”
Julian Barnfield started his hunting career as a groom at age sixteen at the Cotswold Foxhounds. He progressed through the ranks of hunt service and completed his thirty-four-year career, Master and huntsman of the North Shropshire. And that’s where he met Tullis Matson, MFH.
“I had always wanted to be finished in hunt service at age fifty-five,” said Barnfield. “A great man once said to me, ‘Go when people are asking, ‘Why?’ and not ‘When?’
Stallion AI Services keeps Matson extremely busy, though he has seen a massive surge in the demand for canine reproduction equipment. He decided that Barnfield was the man for that job.
“Tullis said to me, ‘I haven’t got the time, and I don’t have a huge amount of experience with dog breeding; you have both!’” Barnfield recalled.
“I’ve always had a passion for canine reproduction and genetics—bloodlines, and the shrinking gene pools in various breeds. I spent an awful lot of time studying bloodlines in foxhounds and trying to get the right matches, and then to be able to see the results of that. The science of collecting and freezing and using canine semen is fairly new to me, but it captivates me, really. That’s my passion now.”
Barnfield acknowledges that it has taken a while for people to grasp the fact that AI is a reality. Barnfield’s new service applies to any breed of dog, of course, not just foxhounds. And a relaxation in the rules of the British Kennel Club has made a huge difference. The MFHA of North America will, of course, register foxhounds bred via AI, so that is not an issue in this country for working foxhounds. The American Kennel Club also registers dogs bred by AI. While specific information is required to be furnished in the Registration Application, no longer do people have to breed with the dog down the road because it’s the only convenient alternative.
The directors at Elite see a huge advantage to the foxhound or dog in the geographical opening up of breeding lines. Exporting gene pools from one country to another should play a huge role in reversing negative genetic traits that have emerged through inbreeding. AI also reduces the chances of accidents that can occur through natural matings and the transportation of live animals.
The freezing of dog semen could be especially beneficial for the future. A high-performing dog’s semen night not be valuable today if he has been used extensively, but if that semen were frozen and saved for later use, it could be reintroduced to great advantage some years later.
By bringing extensive knowledge and experience from the equine world to the canine world, Elite Kennel Fertility believes their entry into this market has the potential to greatly assist foxhound breeders and improve the welfare of dogs generally.
Julian Barnfield may be reached via email. Click to visit the company’s website.
Posted August 3, 2020