Obituary - Mrs Jean Osborn (Boyers) 1914 - 2008
Jean was brought up with three sisters and a brother in Wiltshire in a family that enjoyed all country pursuits, her father was a keen shooting man working various gundog breeds, especially Curly Coated Retrievers. As a child she saved her pocket money and bought her first dog, a Cocker Spaniel, and that was the beginning of her life with dogs.
In 1936 she obtained her kennel name 'Boyers' for three guineas and has never paid a maintenance fee since. Married in 1938 she kept two cockers through the war. Of her three children it was only her daughter Jane that inherited her love of dogs and the wish to achieve and maintain dual purpose gundogs.
After the war in the early 50s, she bought a Golden Retriever and for 20 years enjoyed breeding a litter from time to time and occasionally showing. One of her litters contained several” blondes” frowned upon at the time but so popular now.
Having lost the last of her Goldens in 1972 she aquired her first Gordon Setter, two in fact, as the breeder recommended one and she liked another.
That was the start of 36 successful years in Gordons. Jean has bred three full Champions, owned three more full Champions bought in from Boyers descendents, together with two homebred Show Champions. a total of six Ch and two Sh Ch. All but one of the Champion titles were obtained through actual field trial awards. From these dogs and those now in the ownership of her daughter Jane, they have won 62 CCs, 52 RCCs and 35 F/T awards. Through a Boyers bitch sold to another kennel as their foundation stock, a descendant is the first and only Dual Champion Setter in UK history.
Jean was asked to judge but she preferred handling at shows when she was able, and walking the moors spectating at the trials. Latterly, she still took a keen interest and enjoyed watching from the ringside at shows and when too frail to attend, eagerly awaited Jane's calls to report the latest successes at shows and trials. A trade mark of the Boyer’s litters was Jean’s wish to name her dogs with a short name always beginning with S and this will be continued with any future Boyer’s litters through Jane.
Jean was a much loved and respected figure in Gordon Setters and will be sorely missed but she leaves behind her legacy to Gordon Setters in Jane and the number of kennels who now believe in and aim to achieve the dual purpose ideal.
Jean Collins
