2010 was the second year the Utility Gundog Society had held
the Two Day Open Qualifying Field Trial since being granted two
day status by the Kennel Club in 2009. As the hosting of this event
rotates around the four branches of the Society this was the first
time that it had been the responsibility of the Herts, Beds and Bucks
Branch to organise the event.

The Branch was extremely fortunate to be invited to hold both days
at Kings Walden Estate, Hitchin, Hertfordshire by Sir Thomas
Pilkington. Judges were Mr Jim Gale, Mr Andrew Wright, Mrs Gaynor
Gent and Mrs Sue Hutton.

The estate comprises some 10,000 acres providing steep hills,
valleys, woodland and open fields that would provide testing
retrieve’s for the dogs and handlers on a driven shoot day.

The first day was held in bright sunshine and with the trees still in
full leaf the only reminder that winter was coming was the sharp,
cold wind that kept everyone on their toes! The judges lined up
with the guns and dogs with Jim Gale and Sue Hutton on the right
and Andrew Wright and Gaynor Gent on the left. The guns, all of
whom were well used to shooting at field trials, were soon bringing
game to the ground. Some fell on open plough and some in a cover
belt. The weather did not seem to help scent conditions as it
appeared that the dogs were relying on sight to make retrieves
rather than scent. Although the birds were not laying close together,
the lack of scent and bare ground led to some dogs running past the
closest birds, picking a retrieve but then “swapping” on return.
Others experienced difficulty in the cover belt and when we left the
first drive we had lost six dogs from the trial.

At the second drive the right hand judges were situated in a wood
with the gallery nearby whilst the left hand judges were on a steep
grass hill. The guns were again lined out along a valley and again
shot particularly well for the trial. The woodland provided an
excellent opportunity for the judges on the right to use the game
available and they moved the competitors to different locations to
increase the difficulty of each retrieve. Vincent Mitchell’s dog
completed two very good retrieves on running pheasants in the
wood for which he was awarded the ‘Hoopwick Trophy’ for the dog
taking the Best Runner. On the left the birds lay mostly in the
corner of a field edged by the wood and a hedge line. The last bird
to be retrieved on the left had been seen to hit a tree in the corner
on the hedge. This proved an exceptionally hard retrieve with the
dogs having to work out of sight of their handlers. They either ran
into the wood or off into the open field behind the hedge but in
either direction the handler had no idea if the dog was in the right
area. The judges decided to move position and almost immediately
Paula Cullis’ Labrador made, what appeared to be, a quick and
simple retrieve in very thick cover with little handling.

Following a break for lunch in the field we moved to a new location
where the judges, dogs and handlers sat on the crest of a hill with
the guns in the valley below them. The birds were driven across the
valley and again the guns performed their role admirably. Both sets
of judges made good use of the birds provided and by the
conclusion of the first day there were thirteen dogs remaining in the
competition and the majority of these had each had four retrieves.

The second day broke bright and sunny again but with much less
cold wind. All thirteen competitors were driven to a large ploughed
field where the dogs and handlers were again lined up on the crest
of a hill with the guns in the valley below. The line was
approximately 150 to 200 yards long which in itself proved testing
for the dogs. With the birds giving off very little scent the dogs
were often fooled by stones or lumps of earth.

We then moved to what was to be the fifth and final drive of the
trial where the remaining ten dogs sat in line. Many of the birds
shot on this drive fell into an area of grassland at the far end of the
field. Some fell on plough the other side of the hedge and some fell
at the bottom of the hill over a fence. The judges first cleared the
birds that lay at the bottom of the hill where Paula Cullis’ dog made
a retrieve over the fence onto a bird that had wedged itself deep
into a wheel trough on a track. This “eyewiped” the previous dog.
The dogs were then sent for the birds at the far end of the field.
The lack of scent and long grass meant the dogs had to really hunt
for their retrieves, two failing and being “eyewiped” by the judges.
Only one dog entered the small wood along the top of the field to
also be eliminated.

The remaining dogs were then given one final retrieve each,
clearing the remaining birds in the field and those in the ploughed
field beyond the hedge. Graham Home’s dog made a spectacular
retrieve on a long bird earning him the ‘Berry Trophy’ for the best
retrieve of the trial.

Following a discussion amongst the judges they shook hands and
declared that the trial was over.

Sir Thomas Pilkington with award winners, Judges, Guns and Keepers
at Kings Walden

1st – Paula Cullis and FTCh Tagabea Zulu Too (Lab dog)
Winner of the Manymills Salver and President’s Trophy

2nd – Graham Home and Roundcopse Thistle
of Ripplecourt (Lab dog)
Winner of the Berry Trophy for the Best Retrieve
and the UGS (K&ES) Shield for Guns’ Choice
3rd – Vince Mitchell and Barkmadbury Desert Storm
at Kirkmoor (Lab dog)
Winner of the Hoopwick Trophy for the dog taking the Best Runner
4th – Jamie Bettinson and Whitesmiths Widgeon (Lab dog)
Winner of the Meadowmill Cup for the Best Looking Retriever
in the awards

The Utility Gundog Society (HBB) Branch would like to thank
Sir Thomas Pilkington for his generosity and kindness in providing
his estate for this trial, and for attending on the final day to
present the trophies to the award winners.

Thanks must also go to Lee Williams, the head keeper, and his staff
for all the hard work that they put in both before and during the
trial. The contribution they made to this successful event was
exceptional. The team of guns Captained by the former Branch
Chairman, Bob Hales, understood the requirement of the trial and
truly delivered taking a keen interest in the dog work throughout
and selecting the winner of the Guns Choice Trophy.

A number of Branch Committee members and ordinary members
attended on both days to assist with ‘marking down’, game carrying
and stewarding. Their help was immeasurable.

Mrs Jean Gale provided excellent lunches on both days of the trial
for the judges, guns and officials. The Branch is indebted to her.

Finally the Branch must express it’s gratitude to Mr Vincent Mitchell
whose hard work and negotiating skills behind the scenes with
Sir Thomas Pilkington secured this excellent ground for the Society
for this year and we hope in fours years time as well.