STAKE 1:  AV OPEN RETRIEVER

NDWGC One day Open Retriever Trial at Honeycombe Shoot Dorset on 5 October 2023

A fabulous day with the guns shooting superbly and some really good dog work with a mix of walk up and a challenging drive in woodland, testing the dogs natural hunting ability.  The club is so grateful to Mike and Antonia Appleby and their great team, allowing us to be here today and their wonderful hospitality for the guns, Judges, helpers and competitors is really appreciated. 

A huge thank you to Nick Jordan and his team of guns who support our day and always put plenty of birds on the ground for our competitor’s.

Thank you to Skinners and Gamekeepers Goods for their generous sponsorship 

Thank you to our judges Mrs Jayne Coley, Mr Phil Bruton, Miss Helen Goodwin and Mr Keith Sandercock and my wonderful team of Top Helpers Chief Steward Sally Jenkins, Laurie Pittaway, Alex Brain, John Mixture and Matt Gould.

Results:

1st Martin Bagg with Packmores Teal (making him up to FTCH subject to KC confirmation) 

2nd Simon Hansell with Jobeshill Barbuda of Rimrock 

3rd Keith Broomfield with Goldieslie Meadow Platt of Ticefield 

Guns Choice Paul Truby with Greenbriar Sorceror of Millershook  

Keepers Choice (Kindly donated by Gamekeepers Goods) was Simon Hansell with Jobeshill Barbuda of Rimrock.

Stake 2 Open AV Spaniel (exc. Cockers)

Our first spaniel trial of the season was the Open Av on 21st October with Bryan Stevens and Family at Spreacombe. The day started wet, but the weather was kind with the day drying up, and with plenty of birds, it proved to be an excellent trial. Our thanks go to Bryan and Family for hosting our trial, our Judges Martin Ashman and Lenny Wingfield and to the Guns, the Helpers and Stops who all made the day run smoothly. And of course to all the Competitors who came to support the Club and run their dogs –

1st Heathcroft Declan of Breckmarsh – Lee Cooper (making the dog up to FTCH)

2nd & Guns Choice Glynvilla Guineas – Jeff Rayner

3rd Dashbrook Midsummer – Steve Bolton

4th Cudannsa Skye of Dolbrenin – Jeremy Davies

COMS:

Cudannsa Rum of Llechrydd – Wesley Thomas

Borrikanni Kearney – Nicki Hunter

Steltella Silver Pigeon – Tracey Corbin

Syncerus Saxon of Flintwood – John Cook

Draigcoch Ella – Alice Wise

Wiscombe Muscat – Morwenna McNally

Rytex Rymi – Nick Gregory

STAKE 3 OPEN COCKER SPANIEL TRIAL – Was due to be held at Castle Hill Estate but was sadly CANCELLED due to lack of entries.

Stake 4 NOVICE AV SPANIEL (exc Cockers) TRIAL at Maristow on 17th November 2023.

Thankyou to our host Head Keeper Gary Liddle and his team of Guns and Stops, for providing us with another great trial. Our Judges for the day were Dave Rayner and Kevin John. We had lovely ground over roots, dry weather and plenty of birds. It proved a real challenge for the dogs with difficult scenting conditions and only two dogs finished the trial.

First place was not awarded.

2nd Chadsmyndd Gem – Ashley Jacubowski

COM Springcopse Amber – Simon Parsons

Thankyou to Skinners for sponsoring the Trial, to all the Competitors who joined us and made sure we could run this trial, thankyou again to Gary and his team, Dave & Kevin for Judging, and the Helpers who made sure the day ran smoothly.

Stake 5, Novice Retriever Trial at Bulworthy Shoot

by kind permission of Geoff May and Les Oldham and his team of Guns.

A lovely day at a wonderful North Devon Shoot, we had grass valleys, Woods, reeds, and ponds everything you want for a successful trial.

Thank you to Geoff May and his beaters and picking up teams, Les Oldham and his great team of guns, our Judges Mary-Jane Opie, Ken Green, Henriette Fletcher and Mark Schiller, My fantastic team of helpers that I could not run this trial without any of you and sincere apologies that I forgot you all in my end of day thank you speech- inexcusable, Helen Ford, Zena Churchward, Katie Opie, Sharon Stone, Laurie Pittaway, Julian Smith, Simon and Vicky Tennyson- Horer and Sam.

Results.

1st Nick Gregory lab dog Sympathy for the Devil, 2nd Nigel Probert lab bitch Withyrose Islay of Llagynidr,

3rd George Davies lab bitch Sorrelcott Superior,

4th Alan Rees lab bitch Jockburn Macey at Delfryd,

COM Julian Morgan lab bitch Lochandalmh Pippin of Greyhill, Guns Choice Karen Handley Lab dog Movenne Acorn at Peterspond, Thank you to our generous sponsors Skinner’s and Gamekeepers Goods for prizes and gifts for our winners and judges.

Stake 6, Novice AV spaniel trial, Upton Pyne

Thank you to Paul Bowyer for hosting our trial, to Richard Biggs and Alice Wise for judging.

Thank you to our guns, stewards, game carriers, and stops.

Thank you to everyone for supporting the Club’s trials this year!

results:

1st not awarded.

2nd Ddundant Elysian – Nick Lyons

3rd & Guns Choice, Cornermarsh Ventura – Emily Harvey

COM. Swefen Dashing – Ellie Scott

Stake 7, Novice Retriever Trial. Great Fulford Estate Shoot

By kind invitation of Guy Imray and Geoff Allen and his team of guns.

We had a wonderful day at this beautiful estate with our first drive in woodland and then moved to a stunning grass valley with an amazing backdrop of the lake and house behind. The keeper James Hancock did a fantastic job of supplying plenty of birds and the guns were fantastic and provided us with enough birds to finish the trial in two drives.

Thank you so much Guy, Geoff, your team of guns and James. A huge thank you to my judges giving up their day when they could have been competing with your own dogs and very special thanks to my chief steward Helen Ford and to all my helpers who have helped me at a lot of my trials this year, I couldn’t do this job without them, Zena Churchward, Sharon Stone, Julian Smith, Simon and Vicky Tennyson Horler, Shane Robinson, Julia Birchall-Mann, Louise Latham, Mary-Jane Opie, Laurie Pittaway and Chris Rose and anyone else I might have forgotten

A huge Thank you to Skinner’s for their generous sponsorship at mine and so many other trials and tests throughout the year and another huge thank you to Gamekeepers goods who have sponsored and supported me this year with additional prizes and gifts at all my trials.

Judges for the day

Mr Sean McGrath, Mr Matthew Gould, Miss Jessica Latham, Mrs Nikki Urquhart

Results

1st Place Mendip Fern of Hattoncrest- Olivia Cresswell.

2nd Place Flintsfield Shooting Star – Mandy Smith.

3rd Place Leospring Tiffin- Joy Venturi Rose.

COM Tallamelle Grizzley Bear – Nigel Shepherd.

COM Sorrelcott Superior – George Davies.

COM Swiftlands Hela- Ellena Nunneley.

COM Studebaker Dodge- Kate Opie.