Open AV Retriever trial on the 3rd January at Lyneham Eastate
West Dartmoor Working Gundog Club held a 12 dog Open AV Retriever trial on the 3rd January. The trial was held at the Lyneham Estate, Yealmpton Devon, by kind invitation of Mrs S Harvey & Mr D Harvey. Many thanks to the Head Keeper Mr Eli King, who organised transport for our competitors and superbly ran the day with his team of pickers and beaters. Mr Harvey arranged soup and cake for all competitors, judges and helpers. This was most welcome on a very cold day and gratefully received.
This was a driven trial in a stunning setting; the guns provided us with plenty of birds. Our judges, Paula Cullis, Kim Jinks, Helen Goodwin and Charlotte Wilkinson, worked well as a team with excellent communication to our competitors and stewards. They set some challenging retrieves, securing the following results:
1ST TILDAROSS ECHO, LAB RET, DOG, NIKKI URQUHART
2ND HIGHROOST OAK, LAB RET, DOG, SIMONE BARRATT
WINNER OF THE “HONEY” BOWL, BEST GOLDEN RETRIEVER:
ELKSHEAD SKYE OF HEATHERBOUND, LANES GOULD
The Guns decided to award Guns Choice to:
ZENNAWOOD VIVA VERA, LAB RET, DOG JESSICA LATHAM
I would like to thank my stewards, Helen and Janice, who did a fantastic job in keeping me informed of competitors progress and my talented bird markers, Helen, Sarah, Josh and Margaret. A special thanks to Sarah and Lou, who very kindly used their own vehicles to transport judges and helpers around the shoot. A big thank you, to my catering queen, Ute, who got up at 4am to make sandwiches, soup and sausages.
Open Retriever Trial on 13th December at Seaton
On Saturday 13th December, we held our walk-up Open Retriever Trial at the fabulous Seaton Shoot near Axmouth. For the club it was the first time in many years that we ran a walk-up trial. Our thanks go to Head Keeper Ben Nicholls for giving us permission to hold our trial at this challenging ground and to Keeper Liam Hartnell for running the line so superbly and organising the transport to the ground for our guns and competitors. Our thanks also go to the shoots stoppers and picking up team for all their hard work.
Our team of guns, lead by Nick Jordan gave us an exemplary display of superb shooting and provided us with plenty of birds, producing some challenging retrieves. The two dogs that finished the third round had been thoroughly tested by our judges Robert Atkinson, Sara Chichester, Jill Gardner and Judith Evans.
Thank you too to our wonderful helpers, many of whom are on the WDWGC committee, to Jess and Margaret our line stewards, to Beth for helping me as chief steward and to Simon and Ute for carrying game. A special thanks to Jess and Simon for transporting the judges and helpers to the ground. Your support and help is so appreciated and means the days run seamlessly. You are all stars!
The results were as follows;
1st place – STUDEBAKER DODGE, Lab Bitch, Owned and Handled by KATE OPIE
2nd Place – FTCH KILPEN NIGHTCAP OF WATERFITD. Owned and Handled by JAYNE COLEY
The committee would like to congratulate Kate on making up her dog to FTCH.
We would like to thank Skinners Dog Food and Gamekeepers Goods for their continued valued support.
Novice AV Retriever Trial on 2nd December at Morval Shoot
West Dartmoor Working Gundog Club held a 12 dog Novice AV Retriever trial on 2nd December. The trial was held at the Morval shoot, nr Looe, Cornwall, by kind permission of Mr James Kitson. Many thanks to the Head Keeper Mr Aaron Copp who organised and ran the day with his team of pickers and beaters.
This was a driven trial in a stunning setting, the guns provided us with plenty
of birds, producing some challenging retrieves. Our judges, Judy Rainey,
Ken Green,Henriette Fletcher and Beth Payne,
did a marvellous job securing the following results:
1st, Zennawood Viva Vera, Owner/Handler Jessica Latham
2nd, Amistad Penny, Owned by Jose Pepe Fanjul, Handler Jon Dower
Thank you to some fantastic helpers: Lou and Janice as Judge’s Stewards, Mary Jane, Jenny, Kate, and Margaret for marking birds.
A big thank you to Skinners Dog Food for their continued generosity and sponsorship of the clubs field trials in providing vouchers for bags of dog food for the winners
Nov AV Spaniel FT at Delamore on 28th November
Big thanks to Simon Sandover, Head Keeper at Delamore Shoot, who provided traditional spaniel 'rough shooting' ground consisting of rushes, bogs and white grass with plenty of birds - assisted by the guns, Will Pitts, Adam Pearce, James Mudge and Simon Sandover
Grateful thanks to the judges, Jud Lascelles and Dave Locke who sifted out the award winners unanimously, despite testing cover for dogs, handlers and all connections
Appreciation as always to stewards, game carriers, picker ups and all helpers who ensure the day runs smoothly and make it fun!
Final thanks to our sponsors, Skinner's and to Test Valley Lanyards and Persie Spaniel Gin for their contribution to prizes this season
Congratulations to the following:
1st) Chinachgook Continuous (Chinachgook Epatante X FT Ch Chinachgook Minding) - Emma Nurse
2nd) & GC Endashaw Empress of Edwardianan - Mike Hoskins
3rd) Chancegrove Gwen - Charles Hard
4th) Ferula Selene of Woodabudge - Alice Wise
OPEN SPANIEL Trial at Upton Pine on the 30th October
What a great day with testing cover and loads of birds thanks to the keeper, Paul Bowyer - plus a full card!! Big thanks to our judges, Margaret Cox and Tommy Giles, also to the guns, Richard Maddicks, Roger Davis, Andy Leigh and Tom Tanner for working well on tricky ground
1st Countryways Barnaby Boy - Dave Templar
2nd Teybrook Swaledale - Martin Ashman
3rd and GC Bucklawren Berry - Simon Jones
4th Beggarbush Lennox - Ben Randall
Countryways Octavia - Dave Templar
Episcopi Waffle - Anita Jones
Rhanna Backaction - Liam Morris
Shiveck Sovereign of Craig's court - Craig Killpack
Thanks as always to willing helpers: stewards Donna Wyatt
and Sara Warren, picker up Ade Stride, game carriers
Nicky Chapman and Susie Pine, stop Julia Griffiths and to
Dave Lanfear for expertly handling the flag!!
Results of the AV Spaniel Fild Trial at Castle Hill 22nd Oct 2025
1st Swefen Dashing - Ellie Scott
2nd Stockingford Mercury - Caroline Rawlings
3rd Chinachgook Alpinista - Dave Lanfear
4th and Guns' Choice - WessexMac Blue of Episcopi -
Anita Jones
COM Talyclun Misty - Kevin Johns
COM Nantcanna Roughstuff of Fallowmist
Results of the 2025 Pointer & Setter Trials
West Dartmoor Working Gundog Club held a Novice and Open field trial on Sunday 20th July. We are extremely grateful to Head Keepers Mr Phil Savage and Mr Louie Smorfitt for their very generous support and help in running the trial.
Thank you to our judges Ms Sara Chichester and Mrs Tilly Thomas, and all the others who worked so hard to make the trial run so smoothly.
Congratuations to the award winners
Novice
1st: Mr I Heard, SOLENDRIK ROSE, P, B
Winner of the The Sparkfield Trophy & The Gypsy Trophy for the best performance by a pointer
COM: Mr G. Pitman, AMSCOT TEMINATOR TOO, GS, D
Winner of the Clitters Trophy for the best performance by a setter
COM: Mr G.W Ross, LOCKAMA BOOK OF DAYS, GS, B
Guns Choice: Miss N Harris, CLITTERS HARELOW HEATHER, GS, B
Winner of the Bowes Trophy for the best exhibition of quartering.
Open
1st : Ms L Westron, BALLYDAVID OENGUS AT AURICHALCUM, IRS, D
Winner of the “NEILL Trophy” & Guns Choice.
2nd: Mr T Harris, SPARKFIELD AIRSTREEM, P, D
3rd: Ms L Westron, BALLYELLEN MERKEL AT AURICHALCUM, IRS, B
4th: Mrs S Stone Amport, PINEBAY COPPERSHEEN COLUMBUS, IRS, D
COM: Mr B Long, HANNEBURGH BONNIE, P, B
COM: Miss N Harris, SPARKFIELD ANAIS, P, B
COM: Mr I Heard, SOLENDRIK ROSE, P, B
COM: Mr T Harris, FTCH KORAM GEMMA SPARKIELD, P, B
