Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Fun day, serious tests
David Tomlinson enjoys a well-run charity gundog test in Suffolk that includes three former winners of the Retriever Championship
One Of the best things about competing is that, occasionally, you can run your dog alongside the great names in the sport. It is a bit like finding Roger Federer playing on the next court to you, or teeing off behind Rory Mcllroy. I was reminded of this when I went to a charity gundog test in Suffolk organised by Peter Elmy and Kevin Doughty. Fourteen threeperson teams were taking part, and among their members were three former winners of the Retriever Championship, plus several other top handlers who have qualified and competed in the championship on many occasions.
This was the first charity test that Peter and Kevin had organised on their training ground on the 800acre Hill Farm estate at Hintlesham, not far from Ipswich in Suffolk. Judging by its success, it is unlikely to be the last. It was one of the few tests I have been to where everything ran smoothly and to time, and there were no minor disasters or tests having to be redesigned at the last moment.
This doesn’t happen by chance: it was clearly a case of meticulous preparation and attention to detail, while it was notable that this was a lowtech event, without even a two-way radio to be seen anywhere.
Peter and Kevin had been astute enough to recruit a team of top Kennel
42 • SHOOTING TIMES & Country MAGAZINE Club panel judges for the five tests in the shape of Roger Ketley, Julian Mutimer, Phil Allen, Phil Askew and Kevin himself. These were backed by experienced stewards Sue Laflin, Inger Alexanderson, Val Anderton, Sarah Bond and Rita Dockwray-howard, who made an efficient team.