Gundog and handler training at a small private kennel in East Suffolk.
(3)
Our friends at are doing some great things - this is just one of the exciting projects happening. If you’re interested in real wild food or would like an introduction to stalking and sourcing your own venison, give them a message - this will be awesome
Great first day at Chatsworth 2024 - great fun and we’ve seen some top dog work on the team test (technically challenging 😳). Very happy to represent the East Midland Gundog Club with my pals Jonny Dower and Captain Tom Birchall. If anyone can tell me who’s truck drawer this is - you win a prize! 🙏🏆
Halorros Milkyway of Mearecastle - Quinn at stud East Suffolk
FTW, Open Test Winner
Peg dog
Competition dog
Best mate, sit by the fire dog 🔥
https://www.mearecastlegundogs.com/stud-dogs
East Suffolk. What a place. Thank you to the landowner/farmer for permission to train there
7 days
Tuning up for the Italian Spinone Test next weekend… Dennis smashed it today. A year ago this performance would have been unbelievable- absolutely nailed his blinds/marks in test splits. Super job 👌
Had some great photos back from - thank you.
This one makes me smile - Harley met and didn’t like the (very impressive) Piper at Scone in 2022 - and he definitely didn’t like him this year…
What’s a bit of growling between old friends? 😂
Penultimate River Alde training group - another great night. Labs, Cockers, GSP’s, HWV and some good people. Thank you for coming
Nice Sunday session with some youngsters today. Lovely young lab as well as the GSP’s - she just didn’t make the photo 😉 Thanks for coming.
Interesting…. Makes you think 🤔
We’ve had a few lessons now and these partnerships are starting to really do the business. The little Cocker is one of the nicest I’ve seen - and very nicely trained. The young HWV is already a Show Champion and now working towards FT readiness. Lots of hard work at home is showing its benefits 🏆 Thank you both for coming.
Our friends showing what a top level retriever is capable of 🙏 Humberflair Gundogs
Our friends near Framlingham 👌
Great weekend
East Suffolk mixed group tonight - wow, something special this place. Thanks for coming along and special thanks to the keeper and landowner for allowing us to train here.
A great test to judge yesterday with my A Panel co-judge Rodger Ketley who taught me a lot.
We saw some beautiful dog work with hardly anything to split between the top 5. Report below from UGS EC FT Sec Peter Fulcher.
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UGS Eastern Counties branch had their open working test on Saturday 3 August by kind permission of Loose Hall Farm.
The weather was just right for the dogs - 36 dogs entered.
Judges Rodger Ketley Adam Snare - they made the test a good day, offering retrieves to the other side. The field of dogs was a very high standard and the thrower made demanding retrieves.
In first place was Anthony Peters dog Atikonak Bullrush, second Cullum Raywood Pinfeathers Excalibur dog, third Julia Reed Santana Moonflower bitch, fourth Andy Ince Naughtland popcorn bitch COM Jo Rollinson Fenbbreck Talliger bitch. Best marking dog Cullum Raymond dog Pinfeathers Excalibur.
UGS would like to say a big thank you to our sponsor Dog and Dog & Field Skinner’s dog food all the helpers Sarah Bond for doing the food judges Rodger Ketley Adam Snare
Thanks 📷 🙏
Quinn was fortunate enough to win this fabulous trophy last year at the SGC Sugar Beet Open Test. We are handing it back today.
The Balafayle Cup - presented by Mr R J Canham.
——————-
I love looking at the names of winners on these long-standing awards. Some real legends in the gundog world have their names on this cup… I would have loved to have seen their dogs run.
Just a few of them below…
Back in 1979 it was won by Mr P Hammond
1987 Mr R Harvey
1988 Mr Nigel Mann
1990 Mr P Hurst
1996 Mr P Sinclair
2000 A Peachment
2005 Mr J Bailey
2008 Mrs L Ingram
2010 Mrs S Gadd
2012 Mr M Tallamy
2016 Mr R Ketley
2019 Mr B Chesser
2021 Mr A Wright
Some of the latter names I’ve been lucky enough to know, some of the earlier names I’ve heard spoken of in legend.
And that’s not even talking about the incredible dogs the winners would have been. I’d have loved to see them run.
The test is being held again this weekend with Angie Musk and the rest of the great Suffolk Gundog Club putting on a stiff test on some superb ground near the coast in Suffolk.
I’ve seen the card - and it’s going to be some competition - quality dogs and fierce handlers - every one.
Best of luck to all running and thanks for all you do to the club 🏆
Interesting post series from respected ‘A’ Panel Retriever Judge and owner of the Waterford kennel in the UK - Jayne Coley.
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Know your Kennel Club J Regs….
3. Judging
a. The task of the Judges is to find the dog which, on the day, pleases them most by the quality of its work from the shooting point of view. They must, therefore, take natural game-finding to be of the first importance in Field Trials.
A Judge must also have a very good working knowledge of the breed or
breeds under Trial and have the interest and future of the breed or breeds at heart since final placings may influence breeding plans and so determine the course of breed development.
With this in mind they should conduct themselves generally as might be expected of them
on a normal days shooting. In particular they should make themselves known to all the
principal participants, the host, gamekeeper and others and be courteous and polite to all
concerned, including the competitors. Having done all these things they should bear in mind
that they are engaged in a shooting day, and as far as possible, judge the dogs on the basis of what might be expected of a top class shooting dog.
A Judge must also have a very good working knowledge of the breed or breeds under Trial and have the interest and future of the breed or breeds at heart since final placings may influence breeding plans and so determine the course of breed development.
There are differences in the methods of working across the different breeds of Retriever and
Judges should recognise these differences and judge the dogs accordingly.
Judges need to know that there are different styles of work across the breeds, some carrying a higher head than others, more typically relying on air scent and so on. All breeds have different styles and the Judge should be able to appreciate those styles and judge the best of the dogs in the Trial without any preconceived ideas about working characteristics.
The above has been taken from the
GUIDE TO
KENNEL CLUB J REGULATIONS FOR
RETRIEVERS
FOR
JUDGES & COMPETITORS
which can be found on the Kennel Club’s website
Great club
Have a look at the HPR’s on Friday and the Spaniels and Retrievers on Saturday/Sunday 🏆 The Game Fair
(And our friends below 👇)
Counting down the days to 2024!
Friday 26th- Sunday 28th July at Blenheim Palace
Friday is HPR international day!! If you’re there on the Friday, absolutely make time to see a little bit of what this fabulous group of gundogs can do. There is at least one GLP competing also 😁
Saturday and Sunday showcase the Spaniels and Retrievers- be sure to head along and see our good friend and fabulous patient trainer Adam of competing with his awesome Labrador Harley for the England Team😁
Erik and Ivy will be in attendance for all 3 days! Come along to the sporting dog pavillion, where you’ll get the chance to meet some of the lesser known gundog breeds. The German longhaired pointer stand will be manned for all 3 days by various fabulous GLPs and their owners, ready to greet you and answer any questions you may have. We’ll be taking our turn each day 😁 we hope to see plenty of old friends and new!
•
Some things we love:
Pressure? What pressure 😊🔥
Our young guest - the super Ron - ruptured his cruciate ligament.
A bit of a blow but with some expert surgery from they’ve done what seemed incredible when explained.
By removing a slice of bone from the lower leg, a change of angle of the head/knee joint means he can do without the cruciate. Quite incredible.
8 weeks of rest in a crate isn’t easy for a tiger like Ronnie, but we are making use of the time with more basics. This little dog is super, he absolutely loves it. In 12 weeks he’ll be full on training again.
This is so good to see! Absolutely deserved 🏆
Woodbridge
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After a summer of competing and performances not being good enough, one thing I realised is I don’t practice marking enough. Simply put, our marking was poor. The tricky stuff we do in tests is often made up in some way of a mark and a blind… the mark being the distraction or at least the second bird/dummy picked. This leads us to train the dog to disregard the mark and take on the blind. Then when it’s time for the mark, more often than not we handle the dog onto it. (TBH I’ve spent longer getting myself better at marking than getting the dogs good at marking.) Marking ability is a highly prized quality in a working/competition dog - and I’ve certainly realised I need to do more of it. In competition I really think there’s a need - and a movement - back to more quality ‘dog-work’. Beautiful handling is one thing but in robotic control, we really lose something special. Keep thinking, keep training - there’s work to be done. #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #gundog #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories #ukstudlabradors #britishlabstuds
Home International at the Gamefair 2024. What an incredible experience to represent England alongside a team of legends - I am hugely grateful for the opportunity to be there and amongst them. Our Captain was exemplary - I can’t say enough about him. The level of competition in a really tight, technical heavily covered course was outstanding. Harley gave me everything as is his way - what a dog he’s been for me. So lucky to be able to stand next to him every day. 105/120 was a solid performance but still not good enough - out of all the decisions made over the 20 min run and 6 retrieves - on reflection, 2 were poor. This cost us. @skinnersfieldandtrial were incredible with their sponsorship and support of our sport. Thanks also again to @leadsandlanyards and @acme_whistles for their generous support. Congratulations to Team Ireland on the win and an incredible run by Roddy Forbes to win top retriever. Outstanding performance. Had some great chats to old friends and new ones. What a great sport to be involved in. Now moving onto the trials - there’s work to be done. Best wishes to you all for this season. 🙏 #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #gundog #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories #ukstudlabradors #britishlabstuds
First Novice Test for Ace. Beet walk-up. Delighted with him - handled the day really well. Here he’s on a blind. Straight out, stop, handle, hunt and pick. We do ask a lot. Saw some really nice novice dogs - congrats to the winner and my pal @kanzanglaze_labradors for 3rd with a nice young dog. #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #gundog #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
Ace ♠️ #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #gundog #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
So very proud of Helen and Dennis. They’ve been coming for sessions for a while now and he was a wild man at the start! But they have worked hard, done fantastic homework and now we’re starting to see a gundog. More importantly and impressive is we are now seeing a real handler… with confidence, understanding and timing. Fabulous. These guys have been my greatest success. 🏆🏆 Here they are working on a split like you’d see in a test - and smashing it. #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #gundog #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
🔥🔥🔥 #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #gundog #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
Two lovely young Open GSP bitches owned by previous HPR Championship winner and consummate dog man Jim Bird. 2yr old Isla working a back wind and 3.5 yr old Heidi pointing and working a moving bird. Working the hills of Rothimurchus, Highlands for grouse, it doesn’t get much better than this. Beautiful to watch . #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #gundog #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
Interesting this… and shows a big hole in my training with these two. (Not surprising as they don’t see many hills, but a huge opportunity nonetheless ) They both take super lines to the base of the hill/bank - and would have been perfect to pick half way up if they hadn’t faltered at the hill - they gave in to it, and chose to face the factor head on. We’ll be practicing this in minute detail so they face and complete the obstacle at the angle they approach it. They must. So much to this game... Plenty can train a dog not many who can finish a dog.
Harley #thegreatwhite Scotish Gamefair Scone Palace 2024 Home International Team England 🏴 #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
“Train for momentum and perfection will arrive. Train for perfection and momentum will depart.” ——————————- @mallardrun @campbells_hillside_kennels #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
Working with a young dog (9months) to build skills and mental elasticity. This may look simple but there’s a lot going on if you break it down… He’s focussed on the thrown dummy but gives me some steadiness - but then takes a cast away from that temptation. He comes home with the sent-for retrieve but ignores the first. Then he’s walked away, sits on whistle and stays while I walk away from him. If he has remembered the thrown dummy, I call him away from it and then stop on whistle. Then a send back. There’s a lot going on and it’s quite a challenge when you look at it like this. These dogs are incredible. Have your dog trained at @meare_castle_dogs @akgundogaccessories #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
A bit more of the technical work from last night. Quinn is at the stage of knowing quite a bit but he’s still making decisions for himself on how to get from A to B. I break away from ‘showing exactly’ to a test, only occasionally… and this test showed up that imperfection. I’ll go back and drill A to B to A in detail and small increments to try to further polish this part of his game. Under battle conditions you’d work around the swerves they give you, but in this training I’m trying for perfection. (You never get it, but certainly try 💪) #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
Really tricky getting a line through these bunkers… cut paths and changes of ground…and then keep the line coming home. Bit of a battle and it took a number of attempts with it getting simpler and shorter to achieve something way less than perfect. (It was a memory) I’ll be going back tomorrow to break it down even further. Keep getting better - there’s work to be done. #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
Great to hear from a client on Copper’s progress 🙏 “First time on the launcher across the pond (first time across the pond to be fair) and a tiny bit rangey but stopped when asked and managed to find it and returned straight back. Would not have been able to do this without you instilling some manners and the foundations with him, so thank you! After Goose -gate I’m really hammering his training and really enjoying his company!” #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
Young fella first time introducing directional work. He’s young but doing well naturally so I thought I’d just see if he’d give me any steadiness on the training field. It went nicely but this is purely from natural ability/temperament and the connection we’ve got. Delighted with this as a sign of what he might give. I’ve made mistakes in the past of thinking something is trained when actually you’ve got a clever dog who’s doing it for you without embedding it. If it’s not truly trained this will come back to bite you later. I’ll gently continue with this once a week as we go forward - very little pressure. Lovely pup to train - I’m grateful to his owner letting me have him. 🙏 #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague #akgundogaccessories
#uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague
Running the big dogs is cool, but building these pups from the ground up is something else…and this is a real nice one 👌 #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague
‘Never settle for second best.’ Graham Slater. This isn’t good enough.
“Don’t ever settle for second best..” Graham Slater Not happy with this… dog was determined to cheat my line. Must get better. #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague
Training with people better than me. FTW Halorros Milkyway of MeareCastle first time on the moor. #uklabs #britishlabs #gundogsofinsta #fieldtriallabrador #workingdogsofinsta #harkila #shootingdog #essentialfoodsofficial #duckdogsofinstagram #uplanddog #wirehairedvizsla #pheasants #gundogjournal #acmewhistles #gentlemansgundog #gundogtraining #labpup #workinglab #labpuppy #gundogtrainer #internationalgundogleague
