Herts, Beds & Bucks

16 Dog Novice Stake for AV Retrievers on the 20th January 2018 at Camfield Place, Hatfield, Hertfordshire by kind permission of the Camfield Estate Company

Judges: Mr Phil Alan (A3), Mr Roger Ketley (B2815), Ms Clare Baker (NP3700) and Ms Vanessa King (NP3609)

Our last trial of the season was a 16 dog novice retriever at Camfield Place, Hatfield by the very kind permission of the Camfield Estate Company. Our hosts for the day were Ian and Glen McCorquodale and Ian had kindly joined us for the pre-trial introductions and made the presentations at the end of the day. In previous years we had been lucky with the weather, but unfortunately this year, our luck had run out. The rain was falling during the introductions and apart for a short period mid-morning, fell continuously all day. Judges for the day were Phil Allen, Rodger Ketley, Vanessa King and Clare Baker.

The guns lined out with their backs to the lake for the first drive and dropped birds on grass, in woodland and some in the margins of the lake. Unlike in previous years, the first drive was quite light and as a result, some dogs still needed to complete their first round after all the birds were picked. For the second drive the guns lined out along a woodland track and shot birds dropped behind in a mixture of woodland ground cover. This provided challenging retrieves for the dogs with the judges able to stand back and send dogs over a brook and into the woodland to pick the birds. By the time all birds had been picked on this drive we had lost a number of dogs for different reasons and the judges took 8 forward to sit on the final drive, again in woodland.

After a long wait while beaters blanked the surrounding cover into this drive, birds started to dribble over the guns in ones and two’s. The dribble very quickly turned into a flood as birds were dropping all around the dogs. The guns had got their eye in and were on form, making this the heaviest drive of the three. All eight dogs were tested to the extreme for steadiness with the handlers showing their relief once the drive was over. Judges set about giving each dog another two retrieves, losing a few of them on the way. After a quick huddle, they shook hands and declared the trial over.

16 Dog Novice Stake for Any Variety Retrievers on the 16th January 2018 at Perry Green Farm, Bradwell, Essex by kind permission of Mr R. Speakman and Mr. T Speakman

Judges: Mr Kevin Doughty (A32), Mr Roger Wade (B1704), Mrs Jo Rollinson (NP), Mr Doug Laflin (NP)

Trophies: Winner – The Jason Memorial Trophy, Second – The Geoff Hicks Memorial Trophy, Gun’s Choice – The Raynton Park Trophy

Our first novice trial of the season was at Perry Green Farm, Bradwell, Essex on the 16th January 2018. Our hosts for the day were Robert & Tom Speakman and family. Pre-trial introductions were made in a very cold and windy farmyard and Tom outlined what was planned for the day. Our judges for the day were Kevin Doughty, Roger Wade, Jo Rollinson and Doug Laflin and after a short journey aboard the trailer we arrived at the first drive.

Guns were lined out in a sheltered bowl facing a tree-lined bank with the shot birds dropping into scrub and rough grassland. Unfortunately, we lost three dogs that run in during the drive, one of whom on a Hare that just happened to amble past the line. The team of guns were shooting well and by the end of the drive we had enough birds down to complete three rounds and get part way through a forth. With just four dogs left in the trial we boarded the trailer and joined the guns for another drive on a very windy field of winter wheat. Again with plenty of birds down, the judges brought the remaining dog up to five retrieves and set about giving each a sixth retrieve. Unfortunately, this was the downfall of three of the four, which failed for different reasons, leaving just one dog in the awards.

16 Dog All Age Stake for Any Variety Retrievers on the 5th September 2017 at Brook Farm, Cuffley, Hertfordshire by kind permission of Mr Dave Thomas and The Brook Farm Shoot

Judges: Mr Phil Askew (A2195), Mr Andrew Wright (A2617), Mrs Julia Reed (NP3557), Mr Gary Souster (NP)

Thropies: Winner – The Liphook Game Farm Trophy, Second – The Manymills Cup, Gun’s Choice – The Geordieland Cup

Novice and Open Water Test on Monday 28th August, 2017 at Standon Reservoir and Standon Lordship by kind permission of Mr and Mrs Philip Smith and Mr Geoffrey Pearman

Novice Dog/Novice Handler, Puppy and Veteran Working Test on Sunday 6th August, 2017 at Standon Friars, Standon, Herts by kind permission of Mr and Mrs Philip Smith and Mr Geoffrey Pearman

Judges: Helen Burnie, Jim Collins, John Keegan

UGS Finals on Sunday 18th June, 2017 at Woodhall Park Watton on Stone Hertfordshire

Judges: Henrik Vildenval, Matt Ager