Épagneul de Pont Audemer

In Western France, between Brittany to the south and Picardy to the north, lies the region of Normandy. It is known for its rich butter, apple cider and Camembert cheese. For North Americans, it will always be associated with the D-Day landings and the subsequent battles of the summer of 1944. But for much of the 19th century it was known as the destination for well-heeled English sportsmen.

One of the richest hunting grounds was the Vernier Marsh where the Seine River flows into the sea. Magnificent hunting lodges can still be seen there today, and some of the most beautiful are found just outside the town of Pont-Audemer.

The Ponto was developed in the 19th century in much the same way as other Épagneul breeds: local hunting dogs were bred to Pointers and Setters brought over by English sportsmen. What sets the Ponto apart is that its creators also bred their dogs to English and Irish Water Spaniels. In so doing they created one of the most unusual Continental breeds; a breed with a unique look and hunting style.

In the mid-1800’s, the Pont-Audemer Spaniel was known as an excellent marsh dog and enjoyed a good reputation amongst waterfowlers. It was also a favourite partner of poachers in the forests outside the city of Rouen.

But by the 1880’s for a variety of reasons, interest in the Pont-Audemer Spaniel had declined, and the breed was struggling to stay afloat. A club was formed in 1881 in an effort to revive and protect the Ponto and other at-risk breeds. Headed by the great French cynologist James De Coninck, the Société Canine Havraise managed to increase the numbers and quality of Ponto's through a range of selective breeding and crossing to ancestral breeds. Unfortunately, 60 years later the devastating effects of two world wars had once again reduced the breed to near extinction.

In 1949 Mr. Gréaume, then president of the Pont-Audemer club, is said to have acquired an English Water Spaniel and bred it into his line of Ponto's. The results were apparently very encouraging. Under his leadership, club membership and the number of breeders eventually increased. Unfortunately, the upturn as not long-lived. By the 1960’s the breed was once more in decline. By 1980 there were not even enough pups being whelped each year for the Pont-Audemer club to retain its official status within the French kennel club. It was therefore amalgamated with the Picardy Spaniel club, where it remains to this day.

The Pont-Audemer spaniel is still in a precarious position. There are only about 400 of them in the entire world, with fewer than 40 pups whelped per year. Very few Ponto's are seen in the hunting fields of France and fewer still compete in any sort of field trial or test. Even in the town of Pont-Audemer itself the breed is almost completely unknown.

But not all is doom and gloom for the breed. Despite the many challenges it has faced in the past and the difficult road ahead, I can confirm that there are some very good, and even great Ponto's to be found. In 2002 a young female named Rage de Vaincre des Coteaux de Yannijean (Rage) qualified to compete in the prestigious Coupe de France field trial. Running against some of the best Brittany’s and German Shorthaired Pointers in the nation. Rage took second place overall. She is also the breed’s first and only spring field trial champion, a fall field trial champion and a heck of a good hunter. I had the privilege of hunting over her in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada. I’ve also watched her run in the vast winter wheat fields of Northern France. She is an excellent example of what can be achieved with the breed and hopefully represents the future of the Ponto.

Copyright – Craig Koshyk