Leconfield Working Spaniel AV Novice
11th November 2013
Norfolk Estate near Arundel West Sussex.
By kind permission of his Grace the Duke of Norfolk
1st Place Vicky Delf-Smith with her bitch Shallow Oak West Stream
2nd John Pay with his dog Stokewood Kicking King
3rd Elizabeth James with her dog Warrenby King of Surefly and Guns Choice
4th Shane Nash with his dog Ladecourt Ventura
COM Paul Blakeney with his dog Lawanna Jumpin Jed.
We thank our kind Sponsors for the day BASC who donated some wonderful engraved glassware for our trophies.
Photos by Jon Hawkins (see note below)
Head Keeper Charlie Mellor
Guns: Chris North, Joe North, Andrew Stinger and Beau Whitley
Many thanks to the helpers Louie Adshead, Robert McLaren, Loulou Brister, Sue Gilbert ,Angelo Lo Curto, Jo Tucker, Myra and Paul Lewis. Without all these people we couldn't run the trial. You all did a brilliant job.
Our Judges were Steve Jones and Andy Skinner with Stewart Seward as Chief Steward and me Kathryn Holmes Assistant Field Trial Secretary.
We all met up at the George in Burpham for a wonderful start to the day of breakfast and coffee, this was the one and only part of the day which was dry! Armbands and chat done we headed off to Peppering Barns.
We were all very honoured to be on the beautiful ground at Burpham which is all laid down for wild birds and English Partridge. But our spaniels found plenty of pheasants and hares.
The weather for the day was what is known as a ‘Soft’ day in Ireland, heavy constant rain and mist. No sign of the beautiful South downs looming next to us. A test for all waterproofs.
We began with in a large field of fodder crop the first three dogs had long runs and hunted nicely with good patterns. There were plenty of rabbits but the Guns found it tricky to get a shot in due to the density of the crop. Steve Gibson had a nice flush towards the end of the field, the bird was pricked and not picked by he or Graham Wallace’s dog , judges also failed to locate, bird had run on and was picked later by our Picker up.
Photos by Jon Hawkins (see note below)
Head Keeper Charlie Mellor
Guns: Chris North, Joe North, Andrew Stinger and Beau Whitley
Many thanks to the helpers Louie Adshead, Robert McLaren, Loulou Brister, Sue Gilbert ,Angelo Lo Curto, Jo Tucker, Myra and Paul Lewis. Without all these people we couldn't run the trial. You all did a brilliant job.
Our Judges were Steve Jones and Andy Skinner with Stewart Seward as Chief Steward and me Kathryn Holmes Assistant Field Trial Secretary.
We all met up at the George in Burpham for a wonderful start to the day of breakfast and coffee, this was the one and only part of the day which was dry! Armbands and chat done we headed off to Peppering Barns.
We were all very honoured to be on the beautiful ground at Burpham which is all laid down for wild birds and English Partridge. But our spaniels found plenty of pheasants and hares.
The weather for the day was what is known as a ‘Soft’ day in Ireland, heavy constant rain and mist. No sign of the beautiful South downs looming next to us. A test for all waterproofs.
We began with in a large field of fodder crop the first three dogs had long runs and hunted nicely with good patterns. There were plenty of rabbits but the Guns found it tricky to get a shot in due to the density of the crop. Steve Gibson had a nice flush towards the end of the field, the bird was pricked and not picked by he or Graham Wallace’s dog , judges also failed to locate, bird had run on and was picked later by our Picker up.
Elizabeth James black and white dog Warrenby King of Surefly hunted well again with a nice pattern back through the fodder field but we left there without another flush.
We then crossed the road into game crop and fodder here we met up with plenty of birds and hares. We were soon into the rhythm of the trial and didn’t even notice the heavy driving rain. There were some good runs by many dogs’ excellent flushes and some superb long retrieves which is always challenging in very lush green fodder. It did though show the dogs at their best.
John Pay and Vicky Delft-Smith and Shane Nash all had some good business like runs and flushes and retrieves .
Paul Blakeney was running his very consistent dog Lawsanna Jumpin Jed who did everything right hunting wise and had a lovely retrieve on a large hare. His work was rewarded with a COM at the end of the day.
Ana Sole with her bitch Surefly Cherie had two really good tidy runs but failed on a hare at the last knockings which was a great shame, but her day will come.
A couple of the dogs missed game or failed on retrieves but in the end it was an excellent trial with just the amount of challenge that was needed. Game was well produced by Charlie and his team especially as neither man nor beast should have really been out in that weather.
The trial was a great success with the usual friendly but competitive atmosphere that we are used to seeing at all our field trials.
It was back to the barn for a wonderful well deserved cup of tea and a large piece of cake Judges soon agreed the order.
Once again I must thank BASC and Justin Clark for the exceptional trophies and their sponsorship of the day.
The Ken Walker Memorial Trophy (our founder treasurer of the club who recently passed away) was deservedly won by Vicky Delf-Smith with her bitch Shallow Oak West Stream
It was all homeward bound for us to many hours of drying out and we are already looking forward to our next trial on the Duke of Norfolk’s Estate with the hope of our very first Open Springer Spaniel Trial. Watch this space and keep in touch.
Happy Trialling
Kathryn Holmes
Field Trial Secretary
We then crossed the road into game crop and fodder here we met up with plenty of birds and hares. We were soon into the rhythm of the trial and didn’t even notice the heavy driving rain. There were some good runs by many dogs’ excellent flushes and some superb long retrieves which is always challenging in very lush green fodder. It did though show the dogs at their best.
John Pay and Vicky Delft-Smith and Shane Nash all had some good business like runs and flushes and retrieves .
Paul Blakeney was running his very consistent dog Lawsanna Jumpin Jed who did everything right hunting wise and had a lovely retrieve on a large hare. His work was rewarded with a COM at the end of the day.
Ana Sole with her bitch Surefly Cherie had two really good tidy runs but failed on a hare at the last knockings which was a great shame, but her day will come.
A couple of the dogs missed game or failed on retrieves but in the end it was an excellent trial with just the amount of challenge that was needed. Game was well produced by Charlie and his team especially as neither man nor beast should have really been out in that weather.
The trial was a great success with the usual friendly but competitive atmosphere that we are used to seeing at all our field trials.
It was back to the barn for a wonderful well deserved cup of tea and a large piece of cake Judges soon agreed the order.
Once again I must thank BASC and Justin Clark for the exceptional trophies and their sponsorship of the day.
The Ken Walker Memorial Trophy (our founder treasurer of the club who recently passed away) was deservedly won by Vicky Delf-Smith with her bitch Shallow Oak West Stream
It was all homeward bound for us to many hours of drying out and we are already looking forward to our next trial on the Duke of Norfolk’s Estate with the hope of our very first Open Springer Spaniel Trial. Watch this space and keep in touch.
Happy Trialling
Kathryn Holmes
Field Trial Secretary
Photography
Our grateful thanks to Jon Hawkins of Surrey Hills Photography for braving the shocking weather with his camera, by no means an easy task.
The album can be viewed on his website by following this link: http://www.surreyhillsphotography.co.uk/country-life-client-area/gallery/country-life/30/
Our grateful thanks to Jon Hawkins of Surrey Hills Photography for braving the shocking weather with his camera, by no means an easy task.
The album can be viewed on his website by following this link: http://www.surreyhillsphotography.co.uk/country-life-client-area/gallery/country-life/30/