Meon Valley Working Spaniel Club

Webmaster - Chris Bridgwater chris@scherzando.co.uk

 The UK simply cannot cope with snow... ha ha ha ha

Poor bloomin' dogs can only just keep their heads above the snow!

CRUFTS MARCH 2010

There are classes for all breeds of gundog - if you have a Stud Book number go fly the flag in the breed ring by entering the Field Trial classes

otherwise.... BASC have Game Keeper classes for REAL working gundogs (don't ever have to have been in the show ring!)

http://www.crufts.org.uk/crufts-2010-schedule-and-entry-form

Field Trials  2010 - 2011
you are welcome to enter as soon as dates are advertised, before the schedules go out.

Field Trial Entry Fees £30 - Open Qualifiers     £25 - Others 
Please note the Meon Valley rule - £50 Extra Fee for Non Member Handler

SKITTLE EVENING AT THE MILBURYS Saturday 12th September   was absolutely brilliant!

FIELD TRIAL JUDGING SEMINAR   was held at Malshanger Sunday 13th September  Presenters Jeremy Organ and Christine Bridgwater
Cost was £20 per delegate which included light refreshments and (optional) exam at the end. Passing this exam is mandatory from 1st January 2010 before election to any Judging Panel

Only six delegates took advantage of the day - but it was very successful and we hope has swelled the pass rate :-)

BASC TEAM CHALLENGE - 25th May 2009

Report by Shelli Jones - Pictures Glyn Smith

Well...the Meon Valley Team arrived at Sherbourne Castle, Dorset praying that it wouldn't rain on us the way it had the year before last!!   Fortunately it was dry and hot.. a bit too hot for the dogs but never the less, we kicked off at about 10am and lucky old me was first in, the first test was a nice hunt up through a wooded area with a seen retrieve, I ran with my team mate, Steve Roberts who had travelled down from Saffron Walden, Essex....now there's dedication for you, it was his first working test since 1979!!

Test 1  Purdey and I had a straight forward time of it but Steve had to handle his dog onto the dummy as she rather preferred the scent of the hares and pheasants that had been about..what dog wouldn't?? Still, without too much fuss she picked the dummy and was back. Our third team member, Ken Rolfe also had a straight forward clean run and so we had points on the board: Purdey 153  Pickles 124  Tilly 128

Test 2  A little more tricky...a shot and seen retrieve to the right, but we were asked to collect a blind first from the left, just down over a small hill by a tree stump in the woods..not too difficult I hear you say..ha, thats what you think...the blind turned out to be the easier part of the test as when they were sent back for the memory retrieve they all stopped short of the dummy and had to be pushed back off of the HARE SCENT that was giving us all a little trouble. Purdey 13  Pickles 6  Tilly 5

Test 3  We were asked to hunt the edge of a wooded area up a small incline to a track...stop there while a shot was fired further up the track and a seen retrieve thrown out...well, it was a seen for the handlers but there was a bit of a bump in the track making it a blind from the dogs eye view, still we all did a pretty good job of it and moved on for test 4.

Purdey 17  Pickles 13  Tilly 15

Test 4  Was a secret!! everybody was moved away while the judges set the test up..   me first again yippee!!  The test started with a shot fired to our immediate left with a 'rabbit' dummy thrown out, we were asked to leave that and go for a retrieve out in front of us....easy peasy...EXCEPT it was over a large ditch then further out and at the base of a tree...Purdey and I started ok and then struggled as she kept trying to pull to the left, so i had to do a fair bit of handling with her, I later realised that she was pulling on the foot scent of the dummy thrower who had placed the dummy at the tree base, BUGGER!! if I had left her she would have followed that footscent straight to the dummy thus, no handling required (you live and learn) this was EXACTLY what Steve Roberts did and his dog had a nice easy test, as did Ken Rolfe but it tripped quite few of us up. Still it was good fun.

Purdey 10  Pickles 17  Tilly 14

The dogs in our team were all evenly matched and we finished with a total score of 479 points, putting us in 3rd place, only 5 points off of 2nd...maybe a win next year!

Thanks to my team mates, Steve and Ken for leaving me to represent our team in The Main Arena Parade and Presentation!! Cheers Guys!

Thanks to BASC for having us. Thank you to the judges, Dave Rayner, Ben Randall and Trevor Gussey and thanks to all the other team competitors for making the day a real good laugh, we will definately be back next year.

 .           

L - R Judges Ben and Dave, Shelli and Purdeypants, Gallery, very tired organiser, fairly disinterested dog....

Happy Springers!

The Kintbury Annual Inter Club Team Event

Kelly Loade, Kathryn Holmes and Paul Bone represented the Meon Valley in the Kintbury Inter Club Team Event held on 19th April at Highclere     Kelly took some brilliant photos - see below. You can see what lovely weather they had and there were some fantastic dogs, brilliant ground and lots of friendly faces. 

The winners were

1st - Cornwall - Margaret Cox and Alice Wise

2nd- Wiltshire

3rd-  Bristol and West

Meon Valley's Annual General Meeting was held on 26th April 2009.

Nothing contentious... 'cept Trial Entry Fees have gone up!

We are going to hold some training for FT days with live game. We will hold a Judging Seminar. Weekend away also in the planning stage.

Lady Colman kindly remains as our President

Chairman - Ted Cleary michaelcleary@tesco.net

Sec / FT Sec - Chris Bridgwater chris@scherzando.co.uk

Treasurer - Nick Cook nick_p_cook@hotmail.com

Gordon Bowers BGWB1@aol.com

Shelli Jones f1intwell@btinternet.com

Chas Lister chasbite@hotmail.com

Keith Roe keithroe665@btinternet.com

Phil Stubbings phil.stubbings@btinternet.com

 All the above Committee are happy to make themselves available to any Meon Valley member should there ever be any queries or problems... from basic training to Trialling.

MEON VALLEY WORKING SPANIEL CLUB's VERY OWN

GUNDOG TRAINING CLASSES 2009

IN ASSOCIATION WITH HAMPTWORTH GUNDOGS

Kindly Sponsored by CSJ Dog Foods - a Gift Pack to each person enrolling at the first session
www.csjk9.com

We have joined forces with Hamptworth Gundogs to bring you a second course of gundog training classes starting in April 2009

The course will comprise of one 2hr group training session every fortnight lasting for a total of 12 sessions & concluding in October with a Working Test and Trial Training day, where your dogs will be judged and marked as if in full competition, allowing you to put all that hard work into practice and show off your new or improved handling skills!

There will be an Initial Induction Day (open to all) where you will be assessed and divided into two groups ‘Puppies & Novice Handlers’ and ‘Novice Dogs’.

Hamptworth Estate boasts facilities such as Lakes, Rabbit Pens, varying types of fabulous training ground, and the opportunity to shoot over your dog in a controlled situation.

INDUCTION DAY WILL BE IN EARLY MAY

£15 per session Non Members      £10 per session Members

PAY PER SESSION OR IN ADVANCE

Sunday 3rd May  (Induction Day)

Sunday 17th May

Sunday 31st May

Sunday 14th June

Sunday 28th June

Sunday 12th July

Sunday 26th July

Sunday 9th August

Sunday 23rd August

Sunday 6th September

Sunday 20th September

Sunday 4th October  Working Test
To be run as a Trial as an Assessment of progress during the training

for more info please contact:

MV Contact Shelli Jones fl1ntwell@btinternet.com 02392 632858

Nick Gregory www.hamptworthestate.co.uk (select Gundogs)  07799 316037

SPANIEL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2009

Cockers - 14/15 January Shadwell Estate, Suffolk - won by Nick Gregory!
Cocker Champs details from Mike Smith  01786 825163 mike@mailscotgundogs.co.uk

Cocker Winning Handler - our own Nick Gregory!

Winning Cocker - Randalyn Black Jazz

ESS - 8/9/10 January Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire
ESS Champs results on the Spaniel Club's superb website http://www.thespanielclub.co.uk/chinformation2009.html

A/V Champs Secretary is Liz Russel who may be phoned on 0121 608 9523

Meon Valley October 2008 Newsletter and Trial Schedule

Click here to download pdf version of    NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2008.pdf   it will take a minute or so to download..

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AKC Canine Health Foundation Media Alert   re   Exercise Induced Collapse
American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation Announces Genetic Test for Exercise Induced Collapse [Tuesday, September 23, 2008] Researchers funded by the AKC Canine Health Foundation at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine have identified a gene in Labrador Retriever dogs highly associated with the condition exercise induced collapse (EIC). After intense hunting or retrieving exercise, activties these dogs are trained to perform, affected Labradors start to lose control of their hind limbs.  In most cases, their legs get wobbly and the limbs give out, and in rare cases the dogs may die.  Labradors are the most common dog breed in the world and an estimated two to three percent of Labradors have this condition.

The research team identified a mutant form of the dynamin 1 gene as highly associated with EIC.  The dynamin 1 protein normally functions to maintain proper chemical communication between adjacent nerves, or synaptic transmission.  However, the mutated form of the dynamin protein appears to have diminished function, interrupting synaptic transmission during intense exercise, and causing the muscle-controlling nerves to not fire when directed to do so.  This is the first natural mutation of this gene identified in any mammal, and its discovery could offer insight into normal as well as abnormal neurobiology in both animals and humans.

 Researchers also determined that up to 30 percent of Labrador retrievers are carriers of the mutation, and they developed a genetic test to indicate whether dogs have the normal or mutated forms of the gene.

   Click here to read more about this genetic test <http://sdm3.rm04.net/ctt?kn=5&m=2195646&r=MTAxMTI5Njg2OTQS1&b=0&j=NTgxNTc5NDgS1&mt=1&rt=0> . Information about how to have your dog tested is available by clicking here <http://www.cvm.umn.edu/vdl/ourservices/canineneuromuscular/home.html> . Click here to support important research at the AKC Canine Health Foundation and please consider a recurring gift <http://sdm3.rm04.net/ctt?kn=10&m=2195646&r=MTAxMTI5Njg2OTQS1&b=0&j=NTgxNTc5NDgS1&mt=1&rt=0> .
Contact:
Erica Kitchen
Acting Director of Development
AKC Canine Health Foundation
919-334-4010
888-682-9696
www.akcchf.org <http://sdm3.rm04.net/ctt?kn=4&m=2195646&r=MTAxMTI5Njg2OTQS1&b=0&j=NTgxNTc5NDgS1&mt=1&rt=0>  The AKC Canine Health Foundation, founded in 1995 by the American Kennel Club, is the largest nonprofit worldwide to fund health research exclusively for canines. Our goal is to help dogs live longer, healthier lives. The AKC Canine Health Foundation is the leader in non-invasive genetic health research, stem cell research, and biotherapeutics benefiting both canines and humans.  Through the generous financial support of the American Kennel Club and the Nestlé Purina PetCare Co., we’re proud to announce we have allocated more than $20 million in canine health research through more than 75 schools and research institutions worldwide.

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WARNING

I have had a few e-mails from various sources.... Chas, being a Fang Farrier (orthodontist) particularly picked up on poisoning from sugar free gum..... 

The facts are

Although chewing gum products are not intended for use by dogs, cats or other pets, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has reported that xylitol may be toxic for dogs.

In fact, in addition to food products containing xylitol, the AVMA recommends that many foods that are perfectly safe for humans be kept away from pets because of potential harm - including coffee grounds, grapes/raisins, chocolate, onions, yeast, dough, tea, macadamia nuts, alcohol, fatty foods, salt, avocadoes and garlic.

For more information, please go to www.avma.org also see   http://www.wrigley.com/wrigley/products/products_faqs.asp  and

http://search.avma.org/search?q=xylitol&site=avma_index&client=avma_index&proxystylesheet=avma_index&output=xml_no_dtd&restrict=sitewide

UK's  BVA Animal Welfare Foundation website www.bva-awf.org.uk/resources/leaflets/pets_poisons_leaflet_2008_FINAL1.pdf

There are new DEFRA Regulations that cover the welfare of the transportation of dogs

If you phone 0845 603 8395 they will send you a form for Authorisation of Transport

DOGS FOR SALE

e-mail chris@scherzando.co.uk  for further details quoting reference. Area of seller is shown along with date ad was placed

TO ADVERTISE ON THIS SITE CONTACT  chris@scherzando.co.uk
 

1   Cocker pups born end March 2009 in Fulham, London. Tawnyhill breeding. Docked / dew clawed. £600 dogs / £700 bitches. Will be chipped and jabbed. Black/white and blue roan -  Ref Annie / 2nd April

WARNING

Just as the Kennel Club offer no guarantees about pups on their website, neither can we.
All dogs ever advertised  come with "a fantastic pedigree" but that is all relative to the breeders knowledge / bias.
YOU PAYS YOUR MONEY AND TAKES YOUR CHOICE! NEVER BUY A TRAINED DOG UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN IT SHOT OVER FOR YOURSELF!
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ALSO...     PLEASE BE AWARE THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE FRAUDULENTLY "CREATING" THEIR OWN PEDIGREES USING TOP DOGS' DETAILS - BEWARE!!

DOGS WANTED

We can add YOUR requirements to the Dogs Wanted list with your phone number!! Also it's possible to e-mail all of dogdom to see who has what - that might suit your purposes!!

For Docking Regulations... check DEFRA's site

Meon Valley's local Vet who will only dock working bred puppies is Mr Cartmell in Wickham 01329 834030

This wasn't specially set up - I took this picture myself !

 
Tail docked too long! ESS running in Trial January 2008

Kintbury Team Event 2007

First Bristol and West's Team

Second Wiltshire Working Gundog Society

Third was a stunning Team from the Meon Valley

L-R Steve Shears, me (the Chief Cheer Leader), Shelli Jones, Alan Ward

L-R  Ed Hughes and Val Maskell,   Paul Rawlings,   Rod Chapple watches Shelli Jones,   Pete Castleman and Ed Hughes

THE TEAM TERRIFIC!!

April 2006 was our 21st Birthday Year!!

Sunday 15th October started at 4.00 pm
Greatest Field Triallers of our Time

at Malshanger Social Club near Basingstoke

Jack Davey   presented  "What happened was...."
His personal story of just how he got into the Field Trial game... when all he wanted was to buy a terrier.

Mike Budden presented his wonderful film...
"Spaniel Championships from the 1980s"

 Superb display of old photographs
and sound recordings

...of some of the departed great handlers.. listen to Peter Moxon, Joe Greatorex, Jimmy Wylie and Keith Erlandson
...presented by Pat Smith

Meon Valley Demonstrations were at CLA Game Fair 2006
in the Working Gundog Ring - every day at 3.30

Above - Meon Valley Demonstrators and Helpers getting ready        Below - Coke the 8 week old cocker

Mark Dowling, Nigel Stirrett, Chas and Sam Lister,  Karen Gamblin, Ian Graham and Sue Hewitt helped yours truly with demos of spaniel training from 8 weeks to fourteen years of age. I had an eight week old Cocker to start with who was as bold as brass, followed by a four month old ESS who tore around the arena like a demon after her initial debut shyness on the Friday. Then we had various youngsters - Nigel's ESS pup, Chas's cocker, Mark's ESS 14 mths. Followed by the fully trained dogs dropping to shot, flush, whistle; retrieving whichever dummy they were directed to and only on command. Mark's spaniels appeared all three days and Ian and Nigel shared the weekend. Ian had a lovely stamp of a dog that had passed thru' six pairs of hands before being rescued . Nigel's Piper went like greased lightening - must be a winner this season? Finally Ian's 14 year old and Mark's 12 year old showed just how a dog would remain a faithful obedient shooting companion right thru' it's twilight years. They were all SUPERB! A real credit to the Club.

Left - Don't you think the headset makes me look like Madonna?  Right and below - Nigel Stirrett handles Piper his ESS

I had a couple of slots myself to show retriever / spaniel training. Aided and abetted by Chas and Sam with their dogs.
My puppies were great - 8 week cocker and 9 week Lab. Then a 4 month old ESS quartered beautifully whilst I was heard to say "training a spaniel is soooooooo easy". (How much fuss can one person make?) I was banging on and on about the do's and don'ts of training such as "always building on firm foundations", and "never putting a dog in a situation where it could possibly get anything wrong", and "never giving a command if you are not in a position to enforce it" ....   My older ones were getting a bit wise by the Sunday morning.  Two of my so-called reliable / well trained / never put a paw wrong dogs decided to let me down BIG TIME - just when there was a good sized audience. David Tomlinson on hand complete with his Shooting Times camera.... oh well!

It was Chas' 50th Birthday on Sunday 30th and when anyone normal might have expected a lie in and  a day of pampering... he was up at the crack of dawn and running around like a lunatic all day. By the time we went out to celebrate with champagne he was whacked!

Leonberger pulling cart,  Cockers in Gundog Breeds Tent ,  two happy tri-coloured spaniels,  HPR shaking off the water

Working Gundog Ring,    Jim Clark in the Int'l Arena ,     Clumbers

Left - David Tomlinson's ESS Fleur by the lake                        Right - the International Arena's Grandstand

Pictures above from around the show by David Tomlinson - thankyou!!

Saturday 20th May 2006 - to be repeated 19 May 2007!!

We started our 21st birthday celebrations with a party at Highclere Castle. Tickets were sold in aid of the Countryside Alliance and there was fabulous entertainment.... Mike Rutherford, Eric Clapton, Brian Ferry, Dave Gilmore, Roger Waters, Georgie Fame, Gary Brooker, Band du Lac plus several support bands through the afternoon....... the final line-up was stunning. The guest list included many of the great and the good... even Jeremy Clarkson turned up on stage.

Joan Titchener, Mrs Happy and Ray Titchener

The sun went down over the beautiful Castle and the bands played on.....

Highclere Rocked that night indeed.......
I have some excellent video footage of various artists... files too big to send by e-mail.

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Sunday 18th June 2006

Birthday Extravaganza with Barbeque

L - R   Shelli Jones waiting to go in, Paul Bone coming out.     Head 'Keeper Ed Hughes.     Martin Ashman.     Valerie Maskell with Fen.

 Pictured on the left is the superb BBQ area (yes that's me in the shorts) and this young Leveret, pictured on the right, was hiding only yards from it....

Although first discussed in 2005 and the Judges were orignally asked a year ago.... there was still a fair bit of last minute dashing around in the few weeks before the day itself. Competitors are notoriously bad at not entering 'til the last minute (that would include me) and catering was a worry to organise. We had secured the services of the Kintbury Gundogs' Catering Corps (Tracey and Andy) but... would we have enough mouths to feed to justify them coming all the way down?? How many burgers to order? How many rolls?? Drinks?? Oh well - it was a one off after all.

How many classes?? Novice? Open? For what breeds?? I'd organised enough Save The Children Test Heats and Finals in the past... this was only going to be spaniels and should surely be a doddle. But would we fill each class if I subdivided?? As the day approached closer and closer I hatched a plot. Send the announcement out and see what the response was like. I could always put on my thinking cap..

Several novices entered, including first timers, although it was billed as an Open. So I decided that I would chat to the Judges and leave them to mark the dogs according to the dog' status. That's exactly what happened. 

Wesley Thomas, Me, John Corps and Gordon Bowers

Bacon rolls were available for everyone as they started to arrived from 0830. The Judging would go ahead from 10.00 as planned. There was an official card but several people entered on the day, too. There were lots of committee and their friends as helpers which was a Godsend. Gordon Bowers (A Panel) oversaw a water test from a fishing pontoon whilst John Corps (B Panel) and Wesley Thomas were hunting dogs in pairs through young bracken with a gun saluting a seen retrieve for everyone. Most of the dogs hunted extremely well and retrieved promptly unless they had mismarked, as some of the puppies did.

We stopped for lunch when all dogs had completed one of their hunting tests and the water test. A very special mention for Paul Blakey (pictured below) and Rydanlue Elegance. The little bitch struggled trying to actually pick the dummy from the water and, after circling it a couple of times, started to return without it. Paul took his shoes off and looked as if he might be going to wade into the water to help her... not so. He launched himself like a train swimming strongly out 30 or 40 yards into the lake. He took his bitch alongside him, she picked the dummy and he swam back with her. A stunning performance and no bloomin' camera in sight.

L - R Tina Smith handling her Welshie out.    Paul Blakey - Marathon Swimmer!!!    ESS Winner flanked by Natasha and Tom

After a sumptuous BBQ lunch we were off again. An area of reeds was used for the afternoon's hunting test, again with a shot and a seen retrieve, under John and Wesley. There had been several geese seen there earlier in the morning but it was pheasants that were pushed out during the afternoon.

Gordon organised a separate test with a blind retrieve further up the valley for the dogs to finish on.

Back at the BBQ people topped up with burgers, hot dogs and a drink. The marks seemed to take forever to add up and sort out. We needed a calculator. Poor Shelli Jones' dog had his total added up wrong (we know how good he is, Shelli) but the results were finally announced as follows.

Top ESS Martin Ashman's - Dans Rex Glenmakie  - Trophy and £50.00

Top Cocker Alan Ward and Arthur McGregor's - Almazura Augustus of Rowansbourne - Trophy and £50.00

Top Minor Breed John Nettleton's Clumber - Deuchars Ruan - Trophy and £50.00

Best Puppy Chris Page's Cocker - Raycroft Dill at Mickelmess - Trophy

Best Novice Handler - Sophie Neary - Bottle of Wine

Can I thank ALL the helpers that threw dummies, fired guns, sold raffle tickets (which took £96) and particularly those that helped behind the scenes... several people came the night before - I hope they thought it was worth the effort. We more or less broke even which makes it even more fantastic! See you again soon....

Can I 100% recommend a website to you????   
www.thegundogclub.co.uk    

Have a look if you haven't already !

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR EXCELLENT TIPS ON INSURANCE

 http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1130761827,56015

HOUSE SITTERS!!

Maureen and Bernard Grove - 01628 559590 - UK or Overseas.

Or my wonderful Nina - excellent with all animals but expect to pay extra if you have a LOT of them!

Both of these are PERSONALLY recommended by me - any reference!!

Wood Burning Stoves

Excellent supplier based at Highclere, Hampshire

Phone Clive or Julie on 01635 278 768

Would you like a portrait of your dog??

Excellent work from photographs by Nathan
www.nathanart.co.uk
Please have a look at the detail - the pictures are absolutely fabulous

He has designed the logo for our new Banner - it will be at all our Events and on display at CLA Game Fair!!