Surrey, West Sussex & Hampshire

On Sunday 6th April UGS SWSH held their Open Qualifier and Veteran working test at Upper Chancton Farm, Washington by kind permission of the Eales family. The weather was beautiful, with plenty of glorious sunshine and a nice breeze. There were four well thought out tests to put the dogs through their paces, with a variety of ground and terrain; and a good mix of marks, memories and blinds. Any Open dog that hadn’t received a zero after the four tests, took part in test 5, which was a 6 dog drive (distraction), each dog then having to pick a blind runner. A huge thank you to the four judges: Kate Bollen, Colin Pelham, Mike Jones and Ben Starns, along with a huge thank you to everybody who gave up their day to help. The results were as follows:

OPEN Qualifier
1st and winner of The Curtis Cup – Louie Robertson with Mitforton Vava Voom
2nd and winner of the The Open Working Test Cup – John Scott with Abbotsann Firefly
3rd – Bryony Hamilton with Welige Lady Sybil Of Wight
4th – Anna Mayhew with Wauniago Dara
COM – Nick Pastias with Blue Mist of Hillside
COM – Michael Crutchley with Mitforton Teal

VETERAN
1st and winner of The Veteran Trophy – Michael Crutchley with Mitforton Neon
2nd – Gay Marshall with Mitforton O’Lordie Lordy

1/2 November 2024

After two fabulous days at Little Pixhall farm with plentiful steady flow of game in front of some excellent guns. Thanks to Franie Briley and his team.

Thanks to our judges Barry Taylor, Roger Wade, Jason Mayhew and Liz Taylor giving time and opportunity to the dogs to show some fabulous dog work.

Thanks to Skinners for their sponsorship as always – we are so grateful for this support. My thanks to everyone who helped bring my first 2-day trial to fruition.

1st Paul Truby with Greenbriar Sorceror of Millershook
(Subject to KC confirmation he has made his dog up).
2nd Sharon Dingle with Bellspaddle Mungo
3rd Kelvin Nettleingham with Luddesdowne Ebony

COMs to
Lesley Crompton with Hanwoodgold Breeze
Mike Jones with Ffynongain Buzzard of Wauniago

All the very best of luck to Paul and Merlin at the Championships.

UGS Surrey, West Sussex & Hampshire branch held their 16 dog Novice AV trial on Wednesday 23^rd October, 2024.  We were invited for the 20^th year back to the beautiful Firle Estate, East Sussex by kind invitation of Mr Peter Setterfield and the generous guns of the Firle Sporting Club. 

As always, keeper David Moore and his wonderful team of beaters presented some excellent birds which were very challenging, but the guns rose to the occasion and there were plenty of retrieves to test the dogs.  We are very grateful to our judges Diana Harrison, Robert Worrell, Josefine van der Dussen and Sue Jordan who used the ground and birds brilliantly to reach a very popular winner.  A good team of markers, stewards and caterers meant the day ran smoothly and the Club wishes to thank everyone who turned out to help on the day.

The Firle Shoot presented a new trophy to mark the occasion of our 20^th Trial to be held at Firle.  The Firle Shoot Perpetual Challenge Salver was sponsored by present and former members of the shoot who had been involved with the trial from the outset.  We were thrilled to accept this new trophy.

We are also very grateful to Skinners Ltd for their sponsorship for the lovely cards they sent us and the food vouchers.  Thank you.

Awards

1^st place awarded to Janna Zours’ chocolate Labrador dog Northglen Lester Hunt, handled by Janna Zours who won the Theale Challenge Cup

2^nd place was awarded to Kim Jinks’ black Labrador bitch Blackgrass Bluebell, handled by Kim Jinks – who won the Hobhearn Trophy

CoMs were awarded to

Andy Ward-Smith’s Golden Retriever dog Aldivalloch Teine
Reuben Corbett’s yellow Labrador bitch Endohunter Minerva of SussexSharp.

The Guns choice cup – The Selby Memorial Cup was awarded to Colin Coley’s black Labrador bitch Bizzy Lucy.

The Firle Shoot Perpetual Challenge Salver which was awarded for the most challenging retrieve in the judges’ opinion was awarded to the winner, Janna Zours with Northglen Lester Hunt.

Well done everyone.

UGS Surrey West Sussex and Hampshire Branch held an Open Qualifier and Intermediate working test on Sunday 7th April at Frithfold Farm by kind permission of Peter Locke.

Spring sunshine and a fair wind saw four good tests kindly judged by Louie Robertson, DI Stevens, Bill Gardiner and Sue Jordan.

A huge thank you to the judges, all the helpers and committee and a special thank you to Brenda Cox and Pro Perkins for, as always, excellent catering.

After a run off for 3rd and 4th in the open
Results were

OPEN
1st – Jennie Knight with Holmside Goose at Sunshimmer
2nd – Penny Morris with Beetle of Bucknotts
3rd – Hilly Hoar with Mitforton Orchid at Kirbyhall
4th – John Scott with Abbotsann Firefly
COM to Karen Handley with Peterspond Wader

Best Non Lab to Fay Drewry with Think Twice one shot

INTERMEDIATE
1st – Colin Coley with Bizzy Lucy
2nd – Mike Fleming with Troddenmills just a whim
3rd – Ben Alley with Jupiter Sunrise

Well done all!

On Thursday 23rd November, UGS SWSH held a AA 16 dog AV retriever FT at The Canal Game Shoot, Hawkhurst by kind invitation of Francis Briley. The Judges were Roger Wade, Di Stevens, Julia Smith and Bill Gardiner. The weather was overcast, but the clouds gradually broke into a lovely sunny day.

The Stake was walked up, with the possibility of a duck drive at the end if needed. Game, consisting of pheasant and some partridge, were flushed steadily throughout the day thanks to Frannie’s team of beaters and stops steadily blanking them into the cover crops. Guns shot brilliantly giving a steady flow of birds to try the dogs. Our thanks go to Guns Dave Bevan, Johnny Boscowen, Oscar Corbett, Martin Fuller, Matt Hawkins, Monty Malthouse and Jamie Shaw.

We set out on foot from the Beaters Hut and reached the first beat after a good walk. The cover was a low mixed crop and we lost five dogs fairly quickly.

Moving on to a long field of roots, another three dogs went as we completed the first round. Last to go, number 16 Jason Mayhew was asked for a hen pheasant across the line to the left which took some careful handling. The second round progressed quickly and a lengthy retrieve (in more ways than one) on a running partridge ended with Barry Harvey’s dog going out behind Charlotte Hammick’s yellow Muscatelle Calypso. Third round Stewart North’s chocolate dog Northglen Crumble claimed a two dog eye-wipe on a hen shot behind the line. He then followed this with a smart cast into the wood for another hen bird.

Moving on to the next field of roots, the Guns were shooting into the sun and we were down to just five dogs. One dog took a while to pick a partridge out to the left of the line and then a wounded pheasant caused quite a commotion for the remaining four dogs. Almont picked by Stewart North, the bird flipped and ran behind the line in the close cover. Reuben Corbett’s black dog Elmertown Blaser of Sussexsharp made a valiant effort to claim it as we held our breaths, only to be distracted off the scent by a live bird. Three dogs were discarded and Reuben was given one more retrieve to complete the trial.

I stood in for Mel Brooks due to her being unwell and took on the job of Dog Steward with great trepidation. This was quite unnecessary.

Paula Graystone had given up a run the previous day to manage the card and she and Lindsay Williams completed all the organising behind the scenes so that the day started really smartly. I was blessed with a team of helpers who were able to take on any job during the day and get it done without further reference. So I send warm thanks to Matt Dennis, Julia Peat, Andree Edwards and Pete Aston, and especially to Paula for being a constant backup in the gallery and of course our ‘number one star’, caterer Bren van Laun for the truly wonderful goody bags (my gluten free sausage pickle rolls were the best ever).

Results

1st Mr Reuben Corbett’s Lab Dog Elmertown Blazer of Sussexsharp, winner of the Gregson Challenge Cup

COM Mr Stewart North’s Lab Dog Northglen Crumble, winner of the Somerset  Perpetual Challenge Trophy for Guns’ Choice

COM Ms Charlotte Hammick’s Lab Bitch Muscatelle Calypso, winner of the Nook Shot Trophy for best looking Dog/Bitch in the Awards

COM Mr John Baker’s Wauniago Corbier of Jathmea, handled by Jason Mayhew, winner of the Simpson Perpetual Chaallenge Cup for the best Gamekeeper or Professional Handler, and the Loch Moy Challenge Bowl for the best Novice Dog or Bitch not the Winner.

– Matt Dennis

Held at Popes Oak Farm, West Grinstead by kind permission of Mrs Sheila Chessell on the 3rd September 2023 with judges Dave England, Ken Green, Ben Starns, Julia Smith and Jane Tydeman.

Many thanks to all of those who came along and volunteered to help throw, place and shoot pistols.

Puppy Result

1st Beth Morgan – Hardham House Moet of Woodland – Lab Bitch (The Davis Salver)
2nd Keith Bianchi – Ashlevel master – Lab Dog
COM Vicki Ruston – Jenberry Gutsey Monkey -Lab Dog

Novice Result

1st Paul Harwood – Astraglen Darling Diva at Berrytree (The Ron Sills Memorial Trophy)
2nd Terry Souter – Suthcharic Grigson
3rd James Brinley – Easthoath Beatrix
4th Frances Taylor –  Fletchingly Frisa
COM Henny Brown – Mitforton Muir