The American Russell Terrier Club, Inc. “ARTC” aka English Jack Russell Terrier Club** was founded in 1995 being the first breed club in the U.S. to exclusively register the 10” to 12” Jack Russell Terrier (now Russell Terrier) maintaining it as a separate breed from the Parson Russell Terrier/JRTCA Jack Russell Terrier. The organization of the club began in 1994 which took a year to complete. JoAnn Stoll was the founder with the help of Nora Davis, Jerry English, Dee Dee Polzin, Caren Mohill-Smith, Linda Niotus, Pam Metts Boyer, and Denny Mounce. With her extensive background in the working Jack Russell Terrier, Pam Metts Boyer was instrumental in the writing of the first standard published in 1995 for the breed by our club, originally the English Rustler's Terrier Club. The name was officially changed in June of 1996 to the English Jack Russell Terrier Club.
The popularity of the breed grew with other breed clubs following suit. The English Jack Russell Terrier Club of America was founded in December of 1996 by Jacquie Abbott and as of 2002 was still issuing registration certificates. However, we are unclear at this time if the registry is still going. The English Jack Russell Terrier Club Alliance was founded in 1999 by Laurel Foster. Michael and Avril Black who are retired officers of our club resigned July 30, 2002 to establish the Russell Terrier Foundation Club in 2003. The Russell Terrier Foundation Club is a licensed UKC club and the parent club for the American Rare Breed Association. And in January of 2006 the Blacks also founded the American Russell Terrier Foundation Club. Offspring from the Foundation sires and dams from the ARTC owned by our members went forward into the additional registries who followed the direction of the ARTC to develop the breed.
© 1995-2008 All rights reserved, American Russell Terrier Club
**American Russell Terrier Club, Inc formerly
the English Jack Russell Terrier
Any claims of ownership of the "English Jack Russell Terrier Club" other than by the American Russell Terrier Club, Inc. are fraudulent.
Peer Gynt a pre war working Fox Terrier type remains a reference in type for not only the old working Sealyhams but the Jack Russell Terrier. Captain Jocelyn M. Lucas M. C. author of “Hunt and Working Terriers” published in 1931 refers to Peer Gynt as being correct in type for the working Jack Russell Terrier. The Bedale Hunt, Hambledon, South Durham, South Herford, South Oxfordshire, South Staffordshire, Waterford, Ireland, Worcestershire, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthen, Wye Valley and Tiarks to name a few English hunts used the Fox Terrier x Sealyham cross for work. The cross of the Fox Terrier with the old working Sealyhams used by many hunts of that period gave the Jack Russell improved working heads, improved coats for protection, and a smaller working terrier shorter on leg handy for earth work. The Reverend John Russell himself preferred the wire coated terriers less the smooth coats have bull blood.
The ARTC has hosted terrier trials since 1995 being very active in promotion of the working aspects of the breed. Our members have shown actively in the UKC show venue since 2002 with too many Champions to list. Our members hosted the first Russell Terrier Specialty in Utah in 2002 with Carleen Farrington judging. And the second Speciality in Longmont Colorado in 2003, with the world renown terrier man Paul Ross officiating as Judge. We established the first health registry for the Russell Terrier in 2004 to encourage health testing and established the “Paws for Thought” rescue in 2000. We have encouraged education for the improvement of the breed with great emphasis on sound health. We have hosted microchipping clinics, CGC tests, various seminars on hunting, Russell Terrier structure, racing seminars, Agility classes, Pet Expos booths, Meet the Breed booths and much more.
We have encouraged the versatility of the breed and rewarded it with special recognition seeing no limits to what these little terriers can do. We have terriers in our registry who compete in agility, go to ground and racing. We have “go to ground” certificates issued as far back as 1995 as well as recorded race winners. Grand Champion Quest of JRS #1 Top Ten 2004, qualified for the Purina Dog Challenge. We have come a long way in ten short years and we have many challenges ahead of us. I believe Geoff R. Worrall stated it best, “ That golden thread is the pure joy in sporting pursuits and admiration for that gallant little gentleman---the hunt and working terrier".
The ARTC and its members have been fortunate enough to share the journey of the breed we all love to its ultimate goal. We remain dedicated to the working Russell Terrier with the breed type to show and work and will continue to serve the breed.
On October 9, 2007, the American Kennel Club designated the American Russell Terrier Club Parent Club for the Russell Terrier.
The Russell Terrier has remained true to form from the 1900's to present day.
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A Brief History of the American Russell Terrier Club
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