As we all know in gundogs or at least should know to make a Show Champion into a Champion you need to prove it in the field on live game. For some people this can take years of training and a mass of courage. I once rang the KC and spoke to a lady there regarding one of my dogs which was now a Champion – CH. The lady said that it was only a matter of removing the SH!! I do not think this lady had ever trained a dog in her life!
There are 3 different ways to compete to gain a SWGC – if you win an award at a field trial or if you compete alongside a field trial or on a separate day organised for the SGWC. These are not competitive against other dogs but a level of requirement. This again is split into 3 variations for the dogs in sub groups and what these breeds would be required to do. Over the years I have qualified with many dogs, I have run at both field trials and SGWC days. There are hundreds of field trials but only 3 or 4 SWGC days. When I found The Eastern Counties Golden Retriever Club were running a certificate day I applied to run and hoped for a place. In a card of 16 dogs I managed to get a run with Tweed – Bay Moss Tweed Of Penrose. Tweed is from a long line of Full Champions, her father CH, Int CH, Lux CH Penrose incredible also gained his certificate with the SGWC. I felt reasonably confident with this linage that Tweed would perform well, but as we are all well aware you never know! A long drive the day before took me to the door of Chris and Ed Hutt, with warm hospitality and a bed for the night. It rained all the way there and the night and the next day.
I left early for the drive north to Bury St Edmunds and the venue of The Ampton Shoot, Great Livernere, Suffolk. One of the biggest estates south of Scotland, in fact the estate were also hosting a field trial on the same day and we never heard a shot. Driving for 2 miles to the drive and we were still on the same estate. Field trial secretary Mrs Di Ewings had everything superbly well organised. Unless you have run working events, especially on live game you will never know how much work is involved, but believe me it is massive. At the end of the day there was much praise and appreciation shown for Di’s work and dedication. In the meantime we all met up as instructed, received the necessary information and armbands, then we were off to the drive.
Judges Dr Mike Hamilton and Mrs Sara Gadd split into two taking 1-8 and 9-16 into a large field of roots, just high enough to hide a cock pheasant.
Coming from the foothills at the beginning of the Black Mountains I found it quite a foreign land being as flat as a pancake with nothing to stop the bitterly strong wind coming from Russia, this was compounded by driving rain and even some flakes of snow. Standing in line seemed like an eternity while the beaters dogged through a spinney of wood and root crop, flushing a good few hundred partridge and pheasant. The guns had a tricky job as birds would not lift in the wind and as the land was so flat there was only a boundary hedge to fly over. Birds flew and came down, I’m sure I could hear a couple of hearts beating down the line with birds flying right, left, over and in front. Thankfully at the end of the drive there were enough birds down to test all dogs, for steadiness, quietness and not showing any signs of being gun-shy. One would think with such a good wind scenting would be easy, but there was none of it. With 2 days rain, very low almost freezing temperatures and such strong winds scenting was some of the worst I have known, dogs had to be almost on top of a bird before they could find it. I love to see a dog hunt scent and/or take the wind. I enjoy the whole thing – the noise of the beaters, a muntjac or a hare that breaks cover and zooms off testing a dog’s steadiness and the nerves of some handlers. After many hours standing in this weather and all birds picked we moved to a pond for the water retrieve, a straight forward in and out and the job was done. It was then back to the cars and as is always the custom of the ECGRC hot coffee and a cake. My fingers were froze, just barely flexible enough to hold my cup. It was the best cup of coffee ever, plus a slice of a Mary Berry Christmas cake.
I kept thinking I must be mad to drive 4½ hours each way plus 1½ that morning, plus £50 entry fee, not to mention 12 months training until I found out one of the other competitors had driven up from Spain and was using her swimming pool to train the water retrieve. Another lady travelled from Hungary, Wales didn’t seem so far after all. Well done to both of them and to everyone who took part, to the owners of the shoot Mt Peter Rushbrook and Mr Andrew Campbell and to the guns without whose generosity this event could not take place. A big thank you also to the beaters, the bird markers, the keeper, the picker up, the game carriers, to Di Ewings and especially the lady giving out the coffee, lastly to the judges who were professional, sympathetic, encouraging and supportive.
16 dogs entered, 13 gained a certificate. The really nice thing is that all 6 of the retriever breeds competed with at least one of every breed gaining a certificate.
Good news from Kirsty Watts at Wealdstone & Northolt Canine Society Open Show. Her young bitch Vixen – Oakmarsh Little Acorn won BOB – G3 under judge Colette Perkins and was 3rd in the AV Junior Stakes, judge Mr Tim Ball. Kirsty’s bitch Oakmarsh Freedom went RBOB.
Janet Morris
01873 880271
penrosechesapeakes@gmail.com