ANIMALS
More: Hundreds Of Golden Retrievers Gather At Lord Tweedmouth’s Estate In Scotland For Annual Event (7/13/23)
A trio of golden retrievers from California made the journey to their ancestral homeland in the Scottish Highlands to celebrate the 155th anniversary of the breeds first litter.
Hundreds of golden retrievers from across the U.K. and the world gathered at the ruins of the Guisachan House in Glen Affric, near Inverness, where Sir Dudley Marjoribanks, later known as Lord Tweedmouth, bred the first goldens in 1868.
Sharon Covington made the trip with her three pups, including Tara, who was adopted through the Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue in California.
“This is my first time to attend but I will be back,” Covington wrote alongside a video and photos posted to the Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue Facebook group.
“I hung a tribute to all the Goldens from HBGRR. I tried to get a photo of Tara my rescue from HBGRR wearing the vest in front of the Guisachan Estate but it didnt happen. My 3 Goldens enjoyed the day even with all the rain showers,” she wrote.
Marjoribanks bred the golden retriever to be a sporting dog suited to the Highland terrain. He bred a yellow wavy-coated retriever to a Tweed water spaniel, a breed that is now extinct, and the first litter of golden retrievers was born.
Forty-five years later, in 1913, the breed became officially recognized by The Kennel Club in the U.K.
The Golden Retriever Club of Scotland organizes anniversary gatherings every five years, hosting multiple days of events including talks and workshops.
