27th December

I hope you have all had a happy and peaceful Christmas, and continue to enjoy the rest of the holiday. Ours has been very quiet, just Keith and I and the dogs and that is just how we like it. We did have a lovely lunch yesterday with friends at a local country pub, which was great. Today, we went to our last show of 2010, and Eula did well, by winning Open and being declared Best of Breed, Isla won the Graduate Class. Our judge was Donna Brandon (Stormjoy), we stayed for the group, but yet again didn't feature. I think there are those dogs that do well in groups and those that don't, we seem to have the latter haha! Never mind, we enjoy what we do, do. It was a very long day today, which was the down side, however, now home and settled on the sofa, bliss!

11th December

Not much news of late, expect for the dire weather that we have had, deep snow and ice, thankfully, it's all gone now, and I hope it stays away.

29th November

It was a FREEZING cold day at Ardingly yesterday for South of England Gundog Club Open show. We had a good entry for a change, which was lovely and nice to see the local exhibitors braving the cold to support the classes. Eula, was 1st in Open and Best of Breed, which we are pleased with and then she was shortlisted for Best in Show. The breed judge was Lisa Bryant and the Best in Show judge was Richard Stafford. We then made a hasty retreat home to the warm and a defrost!

16th November

On Friday 12th November, having finally found something to wear, I set off with Eula and Isla, bound for Dublin. We went with our friend Mark Andrews and his two Pointers Nemo and Summer. After catching the 02.30 ferry from Holyhead, we arrived in Dublin at 06.15 (yawn!!). After a stop to give the dogs a leg stretch we headed to the show venue at Clogrhan. Eula was entered in Intermediate Bitch and Isla in Open Bitch. Both girls went well, and Eula received the Green Star and Isla the Reserve Green Star. Eula was then declared Best of Breed and went through to Group 8, which is for Spaniels and Retrievers, the gundog group is split in two in Ireland and other countries. Mark and his Pointers are in Group 7, for Pointers and Setters. Nemo, received the Reserve Dog Green Star and Summer the Green Star, so between us we had a good day – Eula wasn’t placed in the group – oh well, you can’t win them all. Show over we headed to our Hotel, and an early night.

Sunday was bright and sunny which was a godsend, we walked the dogs and gave them some breakfast, got ourselves ready and headed back to Cloghran for the Junior Contest of Champions that both Eula and Summer were entered for.

The judges for this event were kept secret until the day (not that I would have known any of them anyway). There was a draw to see which judge would judge each group, group 7 & 8, which was combined for this occasion, was to be judge by Marie Hemmel.

Both Eula and Summer were shortlisted in the group, and Eula was one of four gundogs to be selected to go through to the final – how fantastic was that!!!

Each group had four dogs sent through to the final making a line up of 28, the Best in Show judge then selected about 10 dogs from that 28, sadly Eula wasn’t one of them, and then he selected two dogs from his short list. The eventual winner was a lovely Siberian Husky.

It was a great weekend, if a bit tiring, we caught the 9.15 ferry home, and arrived home at 06.30 on Monday morning – vegged on the sofa for most of the day, and just started to feel ‘normal’ today haha!

7th November

Off to Maidstone today with Eula, and picking up Tezz and Toby on the way. No breed classes so under Sally Head (Saltdean) we were AVNSC gundog. There was a lot in all of the classes, so really pleased for Tezz and Toby when he won the Post Grad class and went on to get Res. Best AVNSC Gundog. Eula was unplaced in the open class, but redeemed herself in the stakes class, were from an entry of 62 she was 2nd and won £25.00!!!!

Next weekend myself Eula and Isla are off to Dublin where Eula will take part in the Junior Contest of Champions on the Sunday, and both girls are entered for the Clogrhan show on Saturday - all I need to do is find someting to wear - not easy!

25th October

No real news to speak of, no shows this weekend, so have put a photo from earlier in the year on the front page, of Isla at Camber Sands.

17th October

We went to Woolwich & Bexley Open Show today and with no breed classes we were entered in AVNSC Gundog, and AV Gundog. First up was Toby, and he put in a brilliant performance to win Graduate, Eula was entered in her first Open Class, and was a real baby in there, she only managed a 3rd, but really pleased for Tezz and Toby when he was declared Res. Best AVNSC. Onto the AV Gundog Classes - Toby was in Novice and was 2nd, Isla in Graduate and won the class, which was nice and Eula was 2nd in Open. So, not a bad day for us, and as it was local we were home by just after lunch.

14th October

Good News! Harvey, Trinitas Newky Brown of Meadowdale JW Sh CM and the Father of our litter, was awarded his 3rd and 'crowing' CC at Gundog Society of Wales Championship show yesterday under judge Gordon Haran. Big Big Congratulations to Jane and Steve - so well deserved.

Also, the critique for Toby and Eula from Driffield has been added, see 2nd October.

7th October

It has taken a few days for me to be able to write this, and it's still very hard and difficult to accept, that on the 2nd October, Jane and Steve had to say goodbye to their lovely Ash. Ash was diagnosed 3 weeks earlier with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia a very aggressive form of Leukiemia. As his breeders, we were very proud of everything that he achieved in his short life, and that he was a much loved member of Jane and Steve’s' family. Thank you Jane and Steve for giving him such a lovely happy home.

2nd October

Yesterday we attended Driffield Championship show – our last Champ show of the year, and with the appalling weather, I can’t say I am sorry!! Toby, Woodspa Elm made his Championship Show debut and won his Yearling Dog class – we are delighted for his owners Tezz and Ian. Eula also won her Yearling Bitch Class.

Critique for Toby: Super eye colour on this young boy, his head is coming along nicely Well boned on good, round compact feet. Lovely length to height, short hocks, he moved soundly fore and aft.

Critique for Eula: Moved the better of the two with more control, power and length of stride, keeping her topline well at all times. Has time on her side as I imagine in a year or so she will be challenging the big girls. Feminine head. Handled well, and presented beautifully.

25th September

Yesterday we received confirmation that Eula is an Irish Junior Champion, she achieved this by winner 5 junior classes whilst we were in Ireland. It's Irelands equivalent to the JW here.

13th September

Finaly, some news. We have had a break from showing since Ireland, with other things going on but it was nice to have the break. However yesterday I took Eula to Richmond which is our local show, we had 'all rounder' Muriel Hathaway judging today, and I was pleased that Eula won her first Yealing class. It was also a nice surprise to see Willow had been entered as well, except Sylvia and Jack had entered her in Post Graduate, which is always a tough class, and sadly she was not placed, but she put in a good performance.

Isla has now been retired from the Champ Show circuit, she may put in an appearence at the odd open show - and I am sure she will be really pleased to know that - if only she could read!

8th August

A Fantastic day at National Gundog yesterday - Ash won Junior Dog, and the Res. Dog CC!!!! Eula won Junior Bitch and Isla was 4th in a good Open Class. I travelled with Jacky Mitchell and her puppy Elin, Peasblossom Embrace - won Res. Best Puppy in Show, congratulations Jacky and Dave. The breed judge was Linda Lilly, Freeway

1st August

We went off to Newmarket yesterday to the Rowley Mile Racetrack for the East of England Ladies Kennel Sociey Open Show. Eula was left at home due to a sore foot, so I went with Isla. We met Jane and Ash along the way. Our judge was Louise Scott (Goldcliffe), Ash won Post Gradulate and Best of Breed - Isla was 2nd in Open. Ash then went on to win the Gundog Group under Patsy Hollings (Gunalt) and then Best in Show under Jeff Horsewell (Drakesleat). What a brilliant day once again for Jane and Ash. Also, our friends Lin and Alan Cole had a good day with their puppy Jack - Trimere Touch Control - he was Best Puppy and Puppy Group Four his sister Lilly, Trimere Touch of Romance won the AV Puppy Class as well - well done Lin.