Dove Valley Working Gundog Club.

Words and photos Elizabeth Bedford.
Background photo - Our Guns - L to R. Alistair Duncan, Ivan Pick, Nick Potts, and Simon Bedford, to whom we are extremely grateful.

Results of Open English Springer Spaniel Field Trial, The Longner Estate. November 13th 2009.
By kind nvitation of Mr Andrew Bailey.

Judges.
Jeff Rayner and Dai Lloyd .

Once again we are indebted to Andrew Bailey for giving us such a successful trial at the Longner Estate. They shoot a lot of days at Longner and we are grateful that we were afforded such a superb facility and that Andrew, Steward of the Beat Keith Carter, Head Keeper Oliver Deeley and his Team, gave so much of their time out of a very busy schedule. Our Judges, Jeff Rayner and Dai Lloyd saw some excellent dogs and Jeff commented at the end of the trial that several of them should go on to win higher awards. He said he had seen some lovely dog work with dogs facing some fierce cover. However, after finding a comfortable spot to determine their results the Judges did not require a run-off and the trial was declared over at 1.15pm, thus enabling the awards to be made in good time for the handlers to be well on the road home before the forecast heavy rain developed.

The Westray Trophy for first place, presented by John Duke, The Gavosie Trophy for the Best Hunting Spaniel, presented by Graham Evans, and the Blackwall Trophy for Gun’s Choice were all awarded to the bitch, Cheweky Snickers, owned and handled by Mark Whitehouse. Mark now automatically qualifies for entry to the Irish Kennel Club’s Championship Stake for AV Spaniels to be held in County Wicklow at the end of December, and The Kennel Club’s English Springer Spaniel Championship to be held 11^th to 13^th January 2010, at The Glenarm Estate.

Mark Whithouse with Cheweky Snickers.

Second Place was awarded to Mr Ian English’s Helmsway Halo.

Third Place was awarded to Mr M R Ashman’s Clanicker Mick handled by Ian Openshaw.

Fourth Place was awarded to Paul Dyson’s Helmsway Hazel of Whitehope handled Pauline Dyson.

Certificates of Merit were awarded to Syncerus Sally owned and handled by Mr G Devine Jones, Mr Ian English’s Helmsway Honey and Mr Dave Horsman’s Caprons Chloe.

The Dove Valley Stewards with Keith Carter - Steward of the Beat, (2nd right)
and Head Keeper - Oliver Deeley. (3rd right)

Keith Onions handling Goldhead Barbil of Kanreith.

Winner, Mark Whitehouse awaits instructions.

L to R. Guns - Nick Potts, Simon Bedford, Alistair Duncan and Ivan Pick;
Judges - Jeff Rayner and Dai Lloyd;
Host, Andrew Bailey and Steward of the Beat, Keith Carter.