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78^thEnglish Springer Spaniel Championship

Conholt Park, Andover, Hants21-23 January 2008

Guns and Gun Dogs were very proud to be a sponsor of The Kennel Club’s 78^th English Springer Spaniel Championship Field Trials organised by The Spaniel Club. The Judges (Steve Bolton, Will Clulee, Greg Ford and Ivan Wilson) made a popular choice of winner in FTCh Clover Amethyst, owned and handled by Andy Platt, who won not only 1^st place but also “Best Bitch” and “Dog Placed Highest in Awards whose Handler is Competing for the First Time”.

Phil Judson of Sneyd’s Wonderdog, Suzanne Weir of Calor and Andy Platt with Clover Amethyst(Photo courtesy of The Spaniel Club) The event was very well organised by The Spaniel Club and such a successful day was testament to the hard work put in by breeders, trainers and handlers … and of course the dogs!

Our congratulations go out to both competitors and organisers for a wonderful three days at Conholt Park. For a full list of results and photos of the event, see The Spaniel Club’s website: www.thespanielclub.co.uk.We are also grateful to the following companies for their generosity in providing raffle prizes: Sporting Saint … www.sportingsaint.co.ukWBH Kennelmate … www.kennelmate.co.uk

CSJ Specialist Feeds … www.csjk9.com

Help for Heroes
www.helpforheroes.org.ukSupport for our wounded

Guns and Gun Dogs Ltd have chosen Help for Heroes as their charitable cause for 2008.

“What is H4H all about? It’s about the blokes. It’s about Derri, a rugby player who has lost both his legs, it about Carl whose jaw is wired up so he has been drinking through a straw. It’s about Richard who was handed a mobile phone as he lay on the stretcher so he could say goodbye to his wife. It is about Ben, it’s about Steven and Andy and Mark, it’s about them all. They are just blokes but they are our blokes; they are our heroes. We want to help our heroes.”Bryn Parry, Appeal Chairman

From 1 May 2008, 25p from every ad placed on www.gunsandgundogs.com will be gifted to Help for Heroes. Further donations can be made by visiting www.helpforheroes.org.uk

National Shooting Week
3-11 May 2008

What are you doing for National Shooting Week? All three main political parties have backed the launch of the 2^nd National Shooting Week in 2008.

Add your event to our free Events Calendar. Follow the Events Calendar link on www.gunsandgundogs.com.

Don’t Forget!!!!

Advertising on www.gunsandgundogs.com is still FREE until May 2008 – take advantage now of free advertising with no obligation and no contract!

Do dogs get depression …? Just like humans, dogs can suffer from bouts of depression. They get mopey, lethargic, stop eating, drink only minimal amounts of water, stop wanting to play and even lose drastic amounts of weight.
Grief, change of scenery, or even the weather can adversely affect a normally happy dog. When your dog needs energy or just a general boost, CSJ’s Come On! herbal supplement could provide the answer – as it has for top agility competitors Ann & Stuart Harmes …

“Meg our 13 year old bitch’s activity is now seriously restricted and although she has only ever been a pet we try hard to ensure that her quality of life is good and she remains happy. Meg can get grumpy as she is often in pain and will frequently elect to stay by the fire especially if it is raining or too cold! I have given Meg ‘Come on!’ and even my sceptical husband, Stuart, has been astounded by the change in her! It is truly remarkable! She wants to come for walks and today she has played ball in the snow! It is so nice to see her alert, happy and enjoying life! This product comes highly recommended by Meg! It has certainly made a difference!”Ann Harmes

Come On! is a totally natural product formulated using human grade herbs - it has to be one of the best tonics around and smells absolutely wonderful. Show dog owners are using this product for helping to get their dogs in tiptop condition while others believe it has given their lethargic dogs ‘a new lease of life’. For more information on the combination of herbs in this, or the rest of CSJ’s herbs, treats and working dog foods, visit www.csjk9.com or ring 01745 710470.

News

Guns and Gun Dogs Ltd have expanded their advertising portfolio – we are now advertising in Shooting Times, Sporting Gun, Shooting Gazette and shortly, Sporting Shooter. The Events Calendar needs populating – please add your event, e.g. game fair, clay shoot, dog trial etc. It’s FREE, so please share your event with others in the gun dog and shooting community. This is your shooting resource, please take advantage of the FREE advertising and give us your feedback to help us to develop the site further. Email us at:

enquiries@gunsandgundogs.com

By the way ….

Nicola Heron, a GB Shooting Team member is protesting about the 2012 Olympic Shooting Sports Arena. If you are not already aware, £18 million is being spent on building, then pulling down, a state of the art shooting arena for the 2012 Olympics. Nicola is petitioning No 10 against this immoral waste of money that leaves no legacy for the shooting sports after the Olympics. Every year, the Great Britain shooting teams bring home medals from competing in ISSF and FITASC disciplines worldwide … surely it deserves a lasting legacy?

To read and sign her petition, go to www.bristolclayshooting.com and follow the link.

The East Midland Gundog Club ran it’s first ever Cocker Novice Trial on the 12th November at the Edmondthorpe Estate in Leicestershire by the kind invitation of Mr John Pochin. The estate nestles in the heart of the beautiful Leicestershire countryside and boasts the densest population of Grey Partridge in the region.

I was fortunate enough to be present as a result of a last minute cancellation in the running order, which meant that my 14 month old black cocker bitch was invited for her first novice trial.

Proceedings commenced with the club’s field trial secretary, Mr Craig Horwill, addressing the competitors with regard to the day’s schedule and introductions, first of all the judges for the event, Mr. John Carter of Somerset and Yorkshire’s Mr. Gary Smith of Ivangar Gundogs. Formal thanks were then paid to the steward of the beat Mr. Trevor Ash who had taken care of planting the cover crops specifically for the trial and who was also taking care of organizing the guns and marshalling of the trial.

After a brief welcome speech from our host Mr. John Pochin, we embarked on our short journey to the mustard cover crops were the trial was to take place. The field of mustard cover strips bordered by ditch and hedge had been planted specifically for the EMGDC. The night had been cold and frosty, and despite the morning sun the temperature was refusing to budge from chilly so the birds were still sat tight in the mustard cover.

We were advised by the judges that the game would have a tendency to run forward along the furrows in the cover strips and also that there would be numerous hares, ample temptation for the cockers to chase, and not the sort of news you really want to hear when you are running a young dog.

The trial was underway and as expected, the ground was very demanding and excellent test for the dogs. Hares were seen in abundance though, as this was a novice trial, the retrieves were restricted to the birds only.

By lunchtime the field had been narrowed down to six dogs as the trial entered it’s final stage. Craig Horwill whose excellent organizational skills had made the day go very smoothly marshalled the remaining dogs into position. The dogs were to work the hedge at the base of the field of mustard crop. A dog was positioned on either side flanked by a pair of guns and the hedge was worked up from each side. The standard of the remaining dogs was excellent and it was a joy to witness such a high standard of working and indeed retrieving.

Every dog completed the final stage and at the conclusion, the two judges made their deliberations before heading back to the farm where our morning had began.

The presentation of the trophies commenced with the club secretary formally thanking the host Mr. Pochin for his kind hospitality and Mr. Trevor Ash, the steward of the beat for his hard work in making the day such an excellent success.

The awards were then announced starting with an award for fourth place to Mr. Martin Deacon with his bitch Woolpitts Peanut. In third place was Mr. G. Evans with Dardnell Dew and in second was Mr. P. Morley with Blue Dot Izzybelle. First place was awarded to Elan Katie owned by Mr. John Prentice and handled today by Mr. David Chudley. The first prize was the Deacon Novice Cocker Trophy, an impressive piece of silverware that the winner keeps until one month prior to the next EMGDC Novice Cocker Trial.

An Award of merit was presented to Mr A. Creed with his solid liver bitch Kaz Choc Nightmare, and the Gun’s Choice was presented to the winner. Mr. John Pochin presented all of the trophies.

After the presentation was completed the day was concluded by the two judges praising the field and once again thanking the host and Steward of the Beat for the excellent day and also, a resounding thank you was offered to Craig Horwill the club secretary for his excellent organization today and throughout the year on behalf of all of the members of the East Midland Gundog Club.

The morning mist had barely cleared and daylight had just started break through the heavy grey sky over Sleaford as we arrived at Haverholme Park Farm. My red Labrador dog Max and I were the first to arrive at the pristinely kept farmyard which played host to around fifty young pheasants, which quickly dispersed as we entered, and within the space of one cup of tea from my flask, the rest of the competitors had begun to arrive.Preparations for the day ahead began to unfold as dogs and handlers disembarked their vehicles and went about the business of exercising after their journey and donning waterproofs to guard against the morning drizzle. It wasn’t difficult to sense the atmosphere of anticipation in all present with each competitor wondering if today would be the day when his or her luck would prevail and it would be their turn to go home with an award (and as anyone who has ever run in a trial will tell you, luck definitely plays a big part). Despite the competitive atmosphere, as with all Barton on Humber Gundog Club trials which I have attended, the sense of camaraderie between all present shone through and the rivalry was of the friendliest sort. People who I had never met before (and some of whom I knew only by reputation, and revered) went out of their way to welcome me and wish me luck, quickly putting me at my ease.

We were all promptly shepherded into order by BOHGC Secretary Stephanie Smith who issued us with our numbers and running cards. The Judges were introduced and the order of the day was then unveiled to us and proceedings were underway as we made our way to the first drive. The day was to be a driven day and the first drive was to be on driven duck. We all lined out between the guns and the game was on.

It very quickly became apparent that the standard of the competition was very high, making the judges job all the more difficult, with only two dogs out in the first round (unfortunately, mine was one of them). The area was wet and much of the scent was therefore masked, and some of the birds had fallen into the tall yellow grass which bordered the field making it even more difficult for the dogs to pick up a scent trail.

The second drive was a partridge drive on open arable land. An excellent show of birds by the Haverholme Park shoot meant that more opportunities were afforded to us on this occasion and these were exploited to the full by the BOHGC dogs. Once again the remaining dogs were asked to join the line of guns and the judges assessed there steadiness prior to commencement of the retrieving of the downed birds.

By the time we reached the third drive, only eight competitors remained and by this time, it was apparent that the judges were having to increase the level of difficulty of the retrieves which they were setting up for the remaining competitors so when the final drive came round, the four remaining contestants knew they were in for the severest test of all. After another very productive drive and a superb display of shooting from the syndicate guns, the judges positioned the dogs for their final retrieve of the day. The field was bisected by a ditch approximately five foot deep and thick cover. The dogs were positioned in one field in a manner which meant that they had to cross the ditch to collect the fallen bird from the field on the other side. The length of the retrieve was around a hundred yards and there were downed birds in the first field which meant that the dogs had to run past them on the way out to the field beyond (just to make things even more difficult).

With this final test completed the judges got together make their deliberations whilst the competitors returned to the farmyard where soup and sandwiches had been laid on by the club (and very nice they were too). The first prize was the beautifully ornate silver Brackenbelle cup which had pride of place on the refreshments table and once everyone had enjoyed their fill of soup and sandwiches, the closing announcements commenced.

The chairman thanked the Haverholme Park shooting syndicate for playing host the the trial and paid particular thanks to the shoot captain Mr Barry Callaghan who was presented with a bottle of sloe gin, which he assured us had found a good home! Next in line for our vote of gratitude was the Steward of the beat Mr Nigel Partridge, who had ensured that we had seen an excellent show of birds, and for their extremely fair and diligent adjudication the judges, Mr M. Tallamy, Mr B. Barker, Mr R. Daws and Mr R. King were then thanked.

Then on to the prize giving. Second place was awarded to Dalvoulin Fraser of Drakeshead, owned by Mrs Sandra Halstead and handled today by her husband Mr John Halstead. The first prize of the Brackenbelle cup and three bags of food from the club sponsors Sneyds were presented to Levenghyl Silvercloud of Drakeshead which was owned and again handled by Mr John Halstead of Drakeshead Gundogs. Mr. Halstead was invited to say a few words after the prize giving and very kindly thanked his fellow competitors for the friendly and sportsmanlike conduct and also thanked the Haverholme park shoot for and excellent show of birds and the superb performance by the guns, all of which contributed towards a thoroughly enjoyable day. Senior judge Mr. Mike Tallamy praised the level of the competition and remarked on how difficult judging such a high standard was, a sentiment which I wholeheartedly agree with. The standard of all the dogs on the day was quite spectacular, a real joy to behold.

As Max and I began our journey home, I can say in all honesty that, as with all Barton on Humber Gundog Club events which I have attended, I felt privileged to have spent the day among such genuine and dedicated people, all of whom take their dogs and their training to a new standard of excellence and made the day a truly memorable and thoroughly enjoyable one.

The terrible weather conditions in June this year, inflicted untold damage on crops throughout the country causing yields to be down by 25%. It is little wonder that game crops suffered a similar mortality rate with some shoots being hit worse than others.

My own shoot at Braithwell in South Yorkshire is certainly a point in case. After planting a crop of Kale in all three areas of game cover in early May, the summer’s torrential downpours turned the ground into a quagmire, leaving it waterlogged for nearly two months. This caused the newly planted seed to basically rot in the soil.

It was known from previous seasons that without game cover, the birds would just drift away onto neighbouring shoots, whose cover crops had faired better through the summer months. Woodland cover, pasture and arable land alone were not enough to hold the birds that were being introduced. The shoot depended on it’s game cover to produce a good head count. Last season had shown that the best drives that had produced the most sporting birds and the largest numbers, were the game cover drives, some eight acres in total.

The effect of this decimated crop was nothing short of disastrous to such a small shoot. After paying for the seed and the preparation of the land and seed drilling (notwithstanding all the other obvious outlays, like paying for birds, feed, etc.), this left a very little within the budget to play with. What was worse was the fact that by the time this came about, it was late July.

In order to rectify this problem, Gamekeeper Roy Harrison, after reading various articles on fast growing game cover crops, took decisive action by contacting David Bright Seed Merchants, Salisbury, whose advertisement he had seen in The Shooting Times.

David Bright Seed Merchants, advised two types of seed that would be most suitable, Utopia, a broad leaved green crop not dissimilar to kale in appearance, and Keepers Release. Both types would yield a full grown crop by early November if planted in mid August. With no other alternative than no cover at all by the start of the season, the go ahead was given to proceed by the shoot committee, despite the additional cost.

The first pheasant shoot of the season proved to be a marked success and the cover crops which two weeks ago did not inspire a great deal of confidence had put on an amazing growth spurt. The broad leaved plants clearly were doing their job and the judging by the numbers of birds seen on these drives, they were as at home here as in the kale which we had planted in previous years.

Shoot Captain Anthony Harrison remarked that he was astonished at the rate of growth of these crops and was delighted with the result. He also stated “Given the present unpredictable climatic conditions, this type of crop may be the safest option for future years, as it can be planted later and it grows so quickly, making it far less of a risk.” He also added, “The main thing is that the pheasants obviously can’t tell the difference.” And I would have to concur with him on this point. Birds obviously require shelter from the elements and predation and will stay where they feel safest.

Gamekeeper Chris Mace commented, that though the release pens on the shoot were situated in the wooded areas and birds were drawn away by mature birds and would tend to gravitate to other areas which were being fed, but would always remain near the safety of the game cover.

I am sure that no one could possibly predict what the weather conditions hold in store for us in the coming year. All we can do is make the best provision we can to guard against it.