Kansho Kennels Remembered

As a teenager and a young man, I was actively involved in my family's breeding and showing of Miniature Schnauzers. The Kansho name came as a play on the popular "Have Gun Will Travel" TV program of that period with "K" chosen for alliteration with kennel. I am pictured above in the ring with my parents Clyde and Margaret Brown under Mr. Lee Murray in 1963. To the best of my recollection the three bitches being shown are (L-R) Kansho's Covergirl, (future Ch.) Kansho's Maharani, and (future Ch.) Kansho's Athena. You can doubtless sort out Bill, Clyde, and Margaret Brown.

My family acquired our first Miniature Schnauzer in 1958 and our first serious show dog in 1959. This dog was the top-winning and top-producing Ch. Winposa Arch Rival or Ben. He was a great-grandson of Ch. Dorem Display, the most influential dog in the history of the breed. Ben finished quickly with two G1's from the classes and was a serious contender for several years. Shown sparingly, he was the third ranked Miniature Schnauzer in 1961, winning four G1's. He was the top-producing sire of five champions.

Through his grandson, Ch. Kansho's Playboy or PB, his genetic heritage continues in the breed today. When I got back into breeding and showing schnauzers a dozen or so years ago, I understood that the Kansho bloodlines had died out. However, in researching pedigrees after breeding Ch. Gangway's Final Feature to Ch. Wards Creek's Flying Solo, a litter that produced four champions, I discovered that the sire Bomber, was descended from PB through his black sire Ch. Wards Creeks Rocket Man. In fact most of the black dogs of today have him in their pedigree.

I personally showed PB, because he was a large dog for his day and he looked enormous when my mother, who was a small woman, showed him. He was top-ranked and was a multiple group and specialty winner. After discovering PB in the pedigree of the litter mentioned above I was just waiting for an appropriate win to announce their heritage to the Miniature Schnauzer fancy. When Ch. Gangway's Jacqueminot Jumpstart or Millie won the Lone Star Miniature Schnauzer specialty, I ran an ad in Schnauzer Shorts.

My research has revealed at least two more lines where the Kansho bloodlines continue. One traces through Ben's daughter Ch. Kansho's Sugartime and the Zomerhof breeding program. Another traces from Kansho Peggie's Jacko a half-brother of Ben and a full-brother to Ch. Kansho's Zeus. Who knows, I may find an opportunity to introduce these bloodlines into the Gangway breeding program.

A Kansho Gallery

Ch. Winposa Arch Rival	Ch. Kansho's Playboy	Ch. Kansho's Zeus
Ch. Kansho Athena	Schnauzer Shorts Ad