UGS K&ES FUN DAY
Cinder Hill Lane, Cinder Hill, Horsted Keynes, West Sussex

Saturday 14th July 2012
Entries on the day


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Young Handlers Bursary

2011 saw the Young Handlers section of the Club growing steadily.
The second Young Handlers Bursary was awarded and one of last
year’s winners, Jack Godfrey, completed the course with flying
colours, making a very good impression on everyone involved in his
training.

Gilly Nickols, once again, very kindly agreed to run the Bursary
training and schedule.

The second winner, Luke Smith, has deferred taking up his award
until his brand new, first puppy is old enough and then they can
both benefit from the training.

Ben Martin was the first winner of the Nick Potts Memorial Trophy
for Young Handlers, and as an added bonus Nick’s great friend,
Chris Marshall, took Ben on a Field Trial Training Day.

At the Fun Day, where the Bursary was awarded, all the judges
were extremely complimentary about all the young handlers;
remarking on their good manners, their ability to communicate
with both the dogs and the judges and their obvious love of the
way of life.

In these days when rioting in the streets and many other forms of
lawlessness fail to shock; youngsters with these values should be
encouraged by us all.

Luke’s Story

Luke is 13yrs old and currently in year 9 at Reigate School, his
favorite subjects are sciences and technology which he hopes to
use in the future to train as a vet.

His leisure time is always spent outdoors either fishing, caring for
his poultry and ducks, shooting or with dogs. He spends many
hours helping his mother train her dogs.

He has been in the beating line since he was 6yrs old and never
misses a shoot day and helps to look after the shoot’s birds during
the summer. A devotee of gundog training Luke has helped out at
numerous working tests and training days over the years.



For the last four years ‘a puppy’ has been at the top of every
birthday and Christmas list. As there are already 5 Labradors in his
family his father was deaf to his pleas, despite the fact that the
family run a boarding kennels and several judges and trainers expressed how deserving Luke was and that his passion should be
encouraged.

Thankfully after two years of incredible hard work and achieving
outstanding grades and school reports and his continued interests
in gundogs his father succumbed.

Mysteriously 2 puppy dummies, a lanyard and a whistle appeared
on his bed, when his father said “We think you may need these”
Luke was overjoyed.

On the 6th August Luke collected his new best friend ‘Breeze’ a
black Labrador dog, not surprisingly tears were shed! They have
formed a beautiful relationship and ‘Breeze’ is never far from Luke’s
side. Gilly has agreed, as have the UGS Kent & East Sussex
committee, that Luke can postpone his bursary until next year so
he can attend with his own dog.

Luke is very proud and over the moon to have won this bursary
and can’t wait to start. “So much to learn”!!

Mandy and Luke Smith

Ben’s Story

‘Zulu’ and I entered the young handlers’
competition, first prize was the Nick Potts
Memorial Trophy, and we won.

Then I got told that the prize was to go on
a training shoot day, given to the winner
by Chris Marshall, I was very excited!

‘Zulu’ and I arrived and had a safety briefing.
Then we drove to the field, we had to sit
the dogs down and had to be silent waiting
for the guns to shoot.

After that the shooters walked off, and we
had to send the dogs to get the dead ducks
and pheasants. It was a GREAT day out.

Thank you all the people that made the great day possible

Ben Martin (age 11)