Wedgnock Gundogs

15/08/2024

It’s been a massive honour to run Cider (FTW Marstonprior Grenadier of Wedgnock) for the England Gundog team this year at the Skinner’s World Cup, Scottish Game Fair and The Game Fair.

Now that the Internationals are over, I’d like to say a huge thank you to Skinner’s for their amazing support for the England Gundog team, and for our whole sport in general!

I’d like to thank England Team Captain Dave Latham for his leadership, organisation and support, and Louise for her hard work in the background.

I’d also like to thank my team mates for their support, (particularly when things didn’t go according to plan!), and good advice, it’s been an honour and pleasure running with you all.

It has been an awful year having lost Otto (FTCh Sothebys Choice of Wedgnock) in April, and then Cluanie (FTCh Birdsgreen Cluedo of Wedgnock) a few days after the Game Fair. To have to say unexpected good byes to two incredibly talented and wonderful dogs, (both of whom had been England Team Members since 2018), was heart breaking, they were like family members.

The thing that kept me going through all of this was the support of my lovely wife Sally, my friends, and my dogs, particularly Cider, because Otto’s his father, and Cluanie’s his grandfather, and so I still have both of them with me through him.

I knew Cider was special, (otherwise I wouldn’t have taken a two year old dog to England Team selections), and to be selected for the 2024 Skinner’s World Cup, Scottish Game Fair and The Game Fair teams was amazing!

I’m immensely proud of how Cider ran for the England Team this year, and I’m sure Otto and Cluanie will be too!

I’m glad to say that Otto’s son 18 month old Bluff (Shooting Vega of Wedgnock) is also coming on really well, so hopefully another chip off the old block!

Onwards now to the Field Trial season…

25/06/2024

The 2023 IGL Retriever Championship video is now available to download. Here’s the trailer!

https://igl.org.uk/news/the-2023-igl-retriever-championship-film

24/05/2024

Very proud of how Cider ran at The Skinner’s World Cup. He had just had his 3rd birthday, and definitely needed his big boy pants on for this one!

I’d like to thank Skinner’s for arranging this epic weekend and for their kind sponsorship of the England team, and I’d also like to thank everyone involved in its organisation.

Huge thanks to team captain Dave Latham, Louise, and my teammates Jayne Coley, Phil Dyson, Tucker Munday and Adam Snare for all of their advice and support - we’re a great team, and look forward to running with you at the Game Fairs.

The 10 tests were really challenging, all with big bunkers!

This video is of the water test, a single blind, however, what you don’t see is that before you are sent, there’s a mark thrown into the middle of the lake, which is then hauled in back in by the thrower!

24/03/2024

A lovely afternoon at the East Midlands Gundog Club Open test at the beautiful Exton estate.

I’d like to say a very big thank you to the EMGC committee, judges and helpers for their superb organisation and hospitality. The tests were fantastic, really well thought out, and very challenging.

Congratulations to Laura Hill 1st place, Pip Wheatcroft 3rd and Lesley Cooper-Shaw 4th.

I’m very proud of Cider (FTW Marstonprior Grenadier of Wedgnock), who was awarded 2nd place in his first working test.

Thanks EMGC! 👏👏👏

11/03/2024

A friend of mine has a litter of Dutch Herder x Mali/Dutch Herder pups available if anyone’s after a kennel minder!
They are six weeks old.
Please call Ian on 07814 514449.

16/01/2024

I think Cider might need to go on a diet!
Lovely day at the Isle of Wight Gundog Club Open on 8th January. Big thanks to FT Sec Wendy Perera, the committee, helpers, guns, our host and the keeper.
Congratulations to Matt Gould 1st with Mitforton Tout de Suite of Hawkerline, Jonny Dower 2nd with Mitforton Tobin, and v pleased that Cider (Marstonprior Grenadier of Wedgnock) was 3rd. Reuben Corbett 4th with Elmertown Blazer of Sussexpark.

20/12/2023

That’s what it looks like to finish judging the IGL Retriever Championship! 🤣

13/11/2023

Very proud of Cider being awarded 2nd place in SEGS 2 Day Open at the beautiful Balcombe Estate, by kind permission of Fiona Martin and the Greenwood family. Such kind and generous hosts.

Huge thanks to Mandy Smith and her army of helpers, and the wonderful judges, who had all travelled so far.

I’ve copied Mandy’s report below:

SEGS TWO DAY OPEN
2nd Day
Warm sunshine , dry and little breeze , we headed off to the first drive , open field with woodland looking over the huge lake .
Sadly we lost one dog during the drive and the others took tricky retrieves on the edge of the wood just out of sight of the handlers.
At 11am we rightfully had a 2 min silence before entering into the wood to clear the birds from the drive.
A brisk walk took us to the second drive , the competitors stood in the valley surrounded by wood land, thick bracken and bramble.
The drive produced plentiful pheasant and a tricky pigeon .
Sadly we lost another for picking the wrong bird .
The judges stretched the dogs and the trial declared over.
We are truly blessed to be invited to hold our two day open at the beautiful Balcombe estate , the generosity and hospitality of Fiona Martin and the Greenwood family is truly overwhelming and we thank them for their continued support .
The head keeper, Jonny light and his beat keeper Ross together with their team of beaters did a cracking job and produced the birds at a steady pace over the two days .
The guns , day one kindly supplied by Fiona Martin made up of friends and family and day two by Clive Nickols , were on fire , very little got passed them and they were incredibly patient whilst the dogs worked.
Thank you to our four judges , Mike Rolland, David Logan, Vanessa King and Jill Gardner who travelled from as far as Scotland to judge and kept the trial flowing giving dog and handler the chance to shine .
My army of helpers to whom I am so grateful ,
the two days would not have run so smoothly and been so successful with out the help from you all. X
Thank you to Skinners who continue to support our club and sport and to Game Keepers Goods for donations prizes to the winners.
1st Chris Gore with Sorrelcott Nebraska of Brynambor
2nd Steve Richardson with Marstonprior Grenadier of Wedgnock
3rd Sue Jordan with Tullysedge Inca Gold also won best retrieve and Guns Choice
4th Mike Tallamy with Brindlebay Mead
Good luck to Chris at the Champs 🤞
And so ends a truly wonderful two days, great sportsmanship and a super atmosphere
Thank you to all involved
Mandy Smith

26/10/2023

Absolutely over the moon that Sally and Tully (FTW Emmanygan Damson of Wedgnock) have won the Lincolnshire Gundog Society Novice today! 👏👏👏👏

Tully’s a chip off the old block, and is so like his father (Cluanie), that it makes me very proud whenever I watch him working. They’re a brilliant team, and I know they’ll go far! 😊😊😊

My lovely boy Tully won Lincolnshire novice trial today. Only his third trial and he got a 2nd last week and won today. Super pleased with him having a one dog ewewipe then a two dog eyewipe. He’s such an honest dog, and my pal.
He’s also my first Labrador, in 25 years of running Goldens.
He also got guns choice which is always a huge compliment.
Many thanks to the keeper and judges for giving their day for us in pouring rain.
Many thanks to Morris Abbot and all the helpers.

FTW Emmanygan Damson of Wedgnock ❤️

12/10/2023

I’m so proud of Cider, who was awarded 1st place in his first trial on Tuesday 10th October in the Lincolnshire Gundog Society 16 dog Novice stake at Ingleby, Derbyshire.

Thank you to our host Philip Bishop, judges Steve and Paula Cullis, Beckie Thistle and Eden Parish, Chief Steward Martin Abbott and all of the kind helpers.

Congratulations to everyone else in the awards; 2nd Julia Reed, COMs to Linda Partridge, Philip Bishop, and Jane Fairclough, and Gun’s Choice Victoria Speight.

Cider (Marstonprior Grenadier of Wedgnock) is very special to me because his father’s Otto (FTCh Sothebys Choice of Wedgnock), and his grandfather’s Cluanie (FTCh Birdsgreen Cluedo of Wedgnock)! 😊

08/09/2023

Huge thanks to Gary McCarthy and Wirral Gundogs for offering us his fantastic ground for some England team training on the way up to the Welsh Game Fair today!

08/08/2023

Congratulations to my darling wife, she’s now an A Panel Retriever judge!

Does that mean I’ve got to start doing what I’m told? ……. As if I didn’t already!! 🤣

04/08/2023

The Game Fair 2023 - Ragley Hall
Home International.

Congratulations to Ireland 🇮🇪 on a brilliant performance!

We 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 were a close second.

It was a brilliant weekend with the usual great atmosphere of sportsmanship between all of the competitors.

Huge thanks to our kind sponsors Ben Skinner, Leads and Lanyards and to Annette Clarke for finishing off our v smart team strip from Skinner’s with England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 ties!

Thanks to Francesca Prentice, Karen McCarthy, the huge team of helpers, and of course the judges, who all gave up their time and expertise to make this such a successful event.

Last stop for this year’s Internationals is the Welsh Game Fair at the Vaynol Estate near Bangor on 9th September.

20/07/2023

Just polished this small, slightly battered, but incredibly sought after trophy before sadly returning it next week. Feeling very humble and proud of my dog after looking at the names of previous winners engraved on it. A bucket list job for sure! Thanks Otto!

28/04/2023

Happy 10th Birthday Cluanie (FTCh Birdsgreen Cluedo of Wedgnock)!

Having a nice cuddle with his grandson Cider, and 🥩 for dinner!

20/04/2023

Very proud that Otto (FTCh Sothebys Choice of Wedgnock) is back in the England team again this year!

Huge thanks must go to our hosts Peter and Bobski Mather, England team captain Dave Latham, Chief Steward and judge John Yarwood, the other judges Annette Clarke, Keith Broomfield, Dave Jackson and Andrew Slingsby, and all the wonderful helpers for organising such a brilliant selection test!

This year’s competitions start with the Kennel Club’s 150th year celebrations, and our team is Ronnie Laughton, Adrian Slater, Debbie Mould, Suzi Burton and myself.

Next is the Skinners World Cup with Nathan Laffy, Simon Capstick, Dave Latham, myself and Res. Ronnie Laughton.

The Scottish Game Fair with Dave Latham, Simon Capstick, myself and Res. Ellena Swift- Nunneley.

The Game Fair with Dave Latham, Nathan Laffy, Ellena Swift-Nunneley, Ronnie Laughton, myself and Res. Phil Dyson.

The Welsh Game Fair with Dave Latham, Phil Dyson, Simon Capstick, myself and Res. Ellena Swift-Nunneley.

It’s going to be a fun, and busy year with my fantastic team mates!

24/11/2022

I am delighted to say that Otto won Shropshire Gundog Society’s one day open trial at Bitterley yesterday. This makes him up to a Field Trial Champion and qualifies him for the Retriever Championship. Huge thanks to Norman and Sandra Onens for being wonderful hosts, to judges Lynn Mitchell, Graham Bird, Helen Goodwin and Simon Hagain, Grace Brown FT Secretary, all the helpers and the guns!
Congratulations to everyone else in the awards:
1st FTCh Sothebys Choice of Wedgnock
2nd Etomanni Apache Pete Whelan
3rd Forever Stormking Pat Dixon

10/08/2022

Some nice photos and memories of the 2022 Game Fair Home International

01/08/2022

Very proud of Otto who won the Highest Placed Retriever award at The Game Fair Home International. It’ll take a few days to sink in, because it’s definitely a bucket list moment looking at the names on the trophy!
Congratulations to my team mate Simon Dixon for winning the Highest Placed Spaniel and top overall dog, and to the Ireland team who won.
Huge thanks to the judges, organisers and helpers for all of their hard work, and to our sponsors Skinners and Leads and Lanyards.
Thanks to team captain Dave Latham, my team mates and all of the other competitors for the camaraderie and support, it was a lovely atmosphere throughout and a pleasure and honour to run alongside them.

29/07/2022

⚠️ STOLEN DOG ⚠️

Ivy was stolen from The Game Fair today. There is now a £5,000 reward to get Ivy home safely. If you have any information, please contact Skinner’s.

Let’s make Ivy too hot to handle and get her reunited with her family as soon as possible!

02/07/2022

Scottish Game Fair Four Nations International Gundog Competition.
England 1st, Ireland 2nd, Wales 3rd and Scotland 4th. A superb team effort! Congratulations and a huge thank you to my teammates Team Captain Dave Latham, Brian Chesser, Adam Snare, Ian Clark, Chris Slater, Ian Dixon Garret Marson and spaniel captain Adrian Slater. Huge thanks to the judges John Yarwood, Chris Green, Eddie Scott and Ronan Gorman, and to the organisers Sam Drysdale, the gundog committee and kind helpers. Also, big thanks to the gundog competition sponsors Kronch, and our team sponsors Skinners and Leads and Lanyards

28/06/2022

Unbelievable, I had to check the scans three times! Our pups Cider (by Otto on to a Cluanie bitch) and Tully (by Cluanie) are both noughts all round for hips and elbows!! Thanks so much Wayne Skett and Helen Maynard for breeding two lovely pups!!! 🤣🍾😊

23/06/2022

A lovely day out raising lots of money for Hounds for Heroes! Huge thanks to Tess, Alan, Sandra, Norman, the army of kind helpers and the lovely judges!