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FIELD TRIAL REPORT by Jane Sutherland

The WSSCSW Annual Field Trial took place on the 20th November at Stubton Estate in Lincolnshire, with thanks to the kind permission of Ivan Bannister.

As Field Trial Secretary the day of the Trial is the culmination of months of hard work to pull it all together on the day. I was joined on the day by Craig Sutherland, Club Vice Chair who was a very capable Chief Steward and did a sterling job of keeping everything flowing smoothly along. The Club Secretary, Sue Evans and Assistant Secretary, Jan Janes, drove up from Wales to be part of the team and help make the day a great success, both proved to be very able Stops throughout the day.

In a long spell of very wet and windy conditions, and sandwiched between two named storms, the day dawned clear, bright and sunny, with only a zephyr of wind to stir the scent for the dogs.

We had a good card of 14 runners, spread across the minority breed spaniels with Welsh Springers, Clumber Spaniels, Field and Sussex Spaniels as well as Spanish Water Dogs.

The ground was challenging, but as is characteristic of these events, the competitors were all determined to enjoy the day, so spirits were high as we set off.

Our judges for the day were David Sowerby and Jaison Toon, Jaison also acting as our Steward of The Beat.

I was also running a dog in the trial, so I joined the gallery as we moved off.

There was plenty of cover to challenge the spaniels; strip woodland edged with deep Lincolnshire dykes, thick hedges, cover crop and standing maize. The birds took advantage of the thick cover and proved difficult to catch up with, and this was the undoing for some of the runners, who went out on their first run, for some unfortunate handlers they went out when they got snagged in the cover and their dog got too far ahead. There were some excellent flushes, but again, the birds proved unwilling to lift above the horizon, so shots were limited.

When they did get up however, the team of guns, John Troop, Dave Hewitt, Gary Shelbourn and Kevin Troop showed the quality of their shooting and brought them down smartly.

At the end of the first run six went forward for their second run:-

Andy Parker with both the homebred Clumber Spaniels he was handling: Parkforth Rock N Roll and Parkforth Woodland Warrior,
Keven Hawkes with his Clumber Spaniel Ruellowhills Zeus,
Andrew Capille with Chanderhill Giant Gamble At Lendever his Spanish Water Dog and
Nigel Stock with his Clumber Spaniel Parkforth Sky Rocket.

Gill Cooper with her Welsh Springer Isfryn Lady Grey Of Gilstonia having just missed out on going through when Isla proved a little too eager after an excellent flush and ran in a fraction before she was sent to complete her retrieve, a partridge well out on plough, which she nevertheless achieved with aplomb.

By now the birds were breaking early and pulling the dogs forwards, and it’s a credit to the quality of the entry that they took this in their stride.
Retrieving was challenging with some excellent blinds out into the crop, notably Andy Parker’s Clumber Spaniel, Parkhill Rock N Roll, handling out of woodland, over ditches, and through crop and plough, ignoring birds running in a stand of maize, to pick a blind.

At the end of the Trial there were three runners still standing, and the judges decided they could award placings without a runoff, so the Trial was declared closed, and we headed back to the cars, on the whole, well satisfied with the day and our dogs’ performance.

Places first to third were awarded:

FIRST, Guns Choice and Best Hunter going to Andy Parker with Parkforth Rock N Roll,
SECOND went to Nigel Stock with Parkforth Sky Rocket and
THIRD to Kevan Hawkes and Ruellowhills Zeus.

The photos below show the winners receiving their prizes (in place order left to right) pictured with Jane Sutherland and judges David Sowerby and Jaison Toon

Lunch was provided for all attending, and it was a very happy and contented crowd who swapped notes on their day and how they had done over pies, quiches, cheeses, and cakes.

The committee blindsided me with the presentation of a beautiful painting, done by the talented Terry Evans, recognising my Welsh Springer Jacranella Solo gaining his Full Champion Title, the only current holder of the title in the breed.

All in all, it was another successful event for the Club, demonstrating the versatility and hunting abilities of these scarce but noteworthy spaniels, proving that it might be time for a re-evaluation of their place in the lexicon of working spaniels.

Jane Sutherland
Field Trial & Working Secretary Welsh Springer Spaniel Club Of South Wales