Retriever Trial Results for the
2024-25 Season
Stake 297 All Aged Trial 23rd September 2024
Our first trial of the 2024-25 season was held at the Birch Estate in Essex., by kind permission of Head Game Keeper Mr Carl Barry & the Cottrell family.
Nicholas spoke at the end of the day, informing us that this was now the third generation of family that has welcomed trailers to their estate, our Society is privileged to be allowed to trail here.
It’s such a beautiful estate, we had just two drives, both backing onto Colchester Zoo, with our great guns, organized by committee member Paul Wheeler, they stayed to watch the end of the trail before having a further two drives to themselves. We are most grateful in their financial support to enable us to hold this trial. Messers Steve Copeland, Stuart Priestley, Spencer Priestley, Robert Priestley, Mark Bailey and a last minute replacement a lad called Ditch.
They were later asked to pick a guns choice, this was an “orange dog with a pink shirt” – later identified as Adam Snare with Halorros Milkyway Of Mearecastle.
There's a few others to thank in particular our sponsors Roger Skinner Limited, who gave vouchers for 1st – 3rd places. Thank you so much for supporting our society. We also had sponsorship from Test Valley Landyards, a voucher for first place for one of their landyards.
What would we be without our judges, and am so pleased we had this combination, they had a tough time, but we reached a result, so we give thanks to Mr Rodger Ketley (A2815), Mrs Liz Taylor (B3536), Ms Jackie Smith (NP4066) & Mr Robert Cresswell (NP3996).
First place, and taking the Waring Brothers Trophy, Vince Thorby with Hullabaloo Thunder Of Thorchase.
Second place to Paul Wheeler with home breed Willowrise Midnight Storm
Third place to Adam Snare (he with the pink shirt and our guns choice) with Halorros Milkyway Of Mearecastle.
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Stake 298 Novice Trial 14th October 2024
Our second trial of the 2024-25 season was held at the Cokenach Estate, in Hertfordshire, by kind permission of Estate, with our host being Mr Kenneth Grant.
We thank our sponsors Skinners who provided our certificates and vouchers for places 1 to 3 and Test Valley Landyards, who provided a voucher for first place for one of their landyards.
Our Guns for the day were: Messers Ian Carpenter, Sean Berreford-Evans, Russell Hooks, Ben Driver, Adrian Woods, Craig Pearce, Andrew Beales, Darren Monk, we thank them for financially supporting todays trial, without their efforts were could not have held our trial.
Our host on behalf of the estate was Mr Kenneth Grant, we thanked him with a gift from our society.
Our judges for the day were:
Mr Nick Clitheroe (A2450), Mr Andrew Mutimer (B3733), Mr Andrew Cooper (NP) and Mr Craig Jackson.
We appreciated your efforts in judging this trail, for describing our day as one with well driven game, where the dogs were given the opportunity to retrieve, including a tough woodland terrain.
We also appreciate the efforts of Tom Day, the estates keeper and our Steward of the Beat, to his picking up team of Steve Bancroft ( one of our committee) and Ben Carter. The estates lead on picking up, Anthony Peters had entered the trail and was called up to take a run.
Sadly no dogs finished the trial, so no awards were given, we did not present either of our field trial trophies.
Our guns did make a Guns' Choice in the form of Jane Carnaghan, handling Geordieland Yarrow Marcher.
Stake 299 Two Day Open 4th & 5th November 2024
Our third of the 2024-25 season was held at the Ampton Estate by kind permission of Peter Rushbrooke. with his game keeper David and support staff.
We would like thank in particular our sponsors Roger Skinner Limited, who gave vouchers for 1st – 3rd places, as well as our certificates. Thank you so much for supporting our society. We also had sponsorship from Test Valley Landyards, a voucher for first place for one of their landyards.
Our Guns for the day were:
Messers Matthew Woods, Geoff Allen, Ian Carpenter, Dominic Burke, Ian Bartholomew & Andrew Waters. Without your financial support and superb skills in providing birds on queue to test the dogs, our trial could not have taken place, our winning handlers speech reflected everyone’s feelings towards you appreciated efforts.
We thank our judges for their skills which concluded in a successful trial, they were Mr Jamie Bettinson A2893, Mr Andrew Slingsby A3575, Mr Lee Hayman B3732, and Mr Craig Horwill B2589.
The Bob Baldwin Memorial Trophy for the Best Dog on a Runner or Best Retrieve and the JW Farrow Cup for Guns’ Choice both went to Greig Paterson with Hyndford Flag Of Honour Of Avonstream.
Second place and taking the Copperwheat Cup for highest placed black bitch in the awards. went to Russell Hodgen with Leacaz Octavia
Third place was awarded to Diana Stevens with Helkelbecian Dare Of Wylanbriar.
So, lastly to the winner of our Trial was the person who lives closet to the ground, a delightful but quiet lady, a former member of the Cambridgeshire’s committee, and is taking home to her mantelpiece
· The Neilson Challenge Cup to the Winner
· The Chippenham Cup for the Best Dog handled by the owner
· The Ditchingham Tanner Cup for the Best Golden Retriever in the awards.
So our winner is the lovely Lesley Crompton with Hanwoodgold Breeze, our society is sponsoring her entry to the championship. This win makes up Lesley's dog to Field Trial Champion.
Stake 300 Novice Trial 13th January 2025
Our final trial of the 2024-25 season was held at Bolwick and Rippon Hall Shoot, Bolwick Farm, Marsham, by kind permission of Mr Ben Driver.
The trials was to be a mixture of driven and walked-up.
This was the trial that wasn’t meant to be, originally scheduled for the 9th December, but “Storm Darragh” with trees down and floods on the estate caused mayhem, so on the grounds of Health & Safety, there was no other choice but to cancel.
A logistical nightmare followed, 6 months work unpicked in about 6 hours the day before the trial date, judges, trailers, guns, helpers, had phone calls, texts, plus Ftms wonderful e-mails, but all were updated.
The estate couldn’t give Sue a replacement date within the 14 days required to re-schedule the event so Sue spent the next week organizing a new date of Monday 13th January, 2025.
Our sponsors Skinners quickly supplied replacement award certificates, so we thankyou for your sponsorship and support. We also had sponsorship from Test Valley Landyards, a voucher for first place for one of their landyards.
Our judges for the event were Mr Rodger Ketley (A2815), Mr Tim Brian (A3226), Mr Paul Wheeler (NP3904) & Ms Hayley Drew (NP3453).
Unfortunately the sugar beet fields had just been lifted the week before, so our first drive was in a cover-crop, close to our parking giving some retrieves for the first few dogs, however, not many birds emerged.
We moved on mass to a water meadow. Second drive, the beaters pushed through to a pond so we had both pheasant and duck.
The next drive was again in a marshy meadow, bird were thin, with about an hour before the birds would be going to roost. We had 7 dogs left some with 3 retrieves, the rest only 2 two. The judges, along with the host/keeper and Sue decided to end the trial without a result due to “insufficient game”.
We presented our host Ben Driver with a gift of appreciation .
We did have a guns' choice for a retrieve on the first drive,
Louise Munchaus Adsboel with Mikamores Fahrenheit.
