2018/12/12 – 16 Dog Open Qualifying Cocker Spaniel Stake

16 Dog Open Qualifying Cocker Spaniel Stake on 12th December 2018 at Cuffley Shoot, Hertfordshire by kind permission of Mr Dave Thomas

Judges: Andrew Robinson (A1445), Victoria Williams (B3552)

We held our Open Cocker on 12th December 2018 at Brook Farm, Cuffley bkpo of Dave Thomas and the brilliant Keeper Martin. Judges Andy Robinson and Alan Hopkins-Young. A cold, bright day with quite a biting wind, the birds flew well testing the guns in this lovely bramble/bracken woodland. Mostly Pheasants shot with a couple of hares for this field of very good open (and a couple of novice) Cockers.

Again this open Cocker stake was particularly difficult to fill with nine pulling out on Sunday and Monday, by then I had no reserves and again had to resort to facebook. I am finding this increasingly frustrating, especially when the dogs are pulled out for no good reason. Thank you to all those that rallied round to fill the stake for me, a lot are good friends, one of the guns even pulling out of shooting and finding a replacement gun to run his novice dog, his kindness paid off and he got a ticket in his first open stake, well done Richard Bunyan.

Thanks also go to my helpers, Amanda Sherriff, Abbie Reid, Mark Doyle and Len Herbert, Charlotte Webb (cake Lady!) and John Keegan for getting me the guns and putting me up the night before and cooking me supper! Dog and Field and Nossewej for sponsoring us. The Guns, the Judges and all the stops and beaters that made it possible.

Results