ACCORDING to legend the Ibizan Hound came from ancient Egypt. There are paintings of hounds closely resembling the Ibizan on tombs dating back to 3000 BC.
The arrival of these hounds in the Balearic Islands can be traced back to the early traders; the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Moors who brought the hounds with them when they travelled around the Mediterranean. Ibizan Hounds were first registered by the Kennel Club in the mid 1950s. They are still relatively uncommon and there arc probably only a few hundred in the UK.
The Ibizan makes an excellent family dog. They are alert, playful and active with a cat-like curiosity. They are very fond of chiIdren. The Ibizan is moderate in size, ranging from 22 to 29 inches at the shoulder. The colours are chestnut, white or lion. Black is not allowed.
The Ibizan is a clean dog and relatively easy to house train. They are not kennel dogs and take up surprisingly little space on the sofa. Ibizans mature slowly and remain playful for most of their lives. They appreciate a variety of toys to alleviate boredom and will help you invent new games.
Being extremely versatile and trainable, they are well suited to showing, obedience, tracking and lure coursing. Some are now competing in agility. With good care their life expectancy is around 12 to 14 years although some have lived to 17 years old.
Present
The Ibizan Hound is used in this country to hunt rabbits, to lure and course. They can also be trained as gundogs and have been known to pick up on shoots. Famous dogs from the early days of Ibizans in this country were Sol - bred by Mrs Holt; Leo The Brave - imported by John West; Ivicen Cleopatra - bred by Diana Berry.
The first show champion was Ch. 1vicen Julius bred by Sue Jenkins. The first rough-coated champion was Ch. Claerwen Copper Tiger bred by Vanda Stephenson. Bernadette Stoneham's Ch. Yarn Prima Donna was the first Ibizan Hound to win a group at a championship show. Ch. Paran Christmas Ivy, owned by Jenny Startup, was also a group winner and represented the breed twice at the Pedigree Stakes Finals.
Future
There is a very active breed club which welcomes new members and supports all activities for the breed. It runs an open show in April and a championship show in October. The yearbook is published annually. The club's aim is to keep the lbizan Hound as he was in the time the Egyptians knew him, in shape and in temperament, and we look for judges who understand the unique properties of this breed.
We think it is important that spotting activities should he encouraged and hounds will not be penalised in the show ring for any damage caused by their work. - The English Ibizan Hound Club
