The club has just had a fantastic 2 days on the Emblehope and Burngrange Estate by kind permission of the The Kennel Club and hosted by Raymond Holt.

We have been very lucky with the weather, it being fine and dry with us just finishing before the rain set in on Saturday (as you will see the award pictures are inside)

A big thank you to our judges: Grieg Paterson, Andrew Slingsby, Wayne Skett and Ian Palmer, who judged fairly and consistently throughout the two days, giving competitors every chance to succeed.

Thanks also to the people who came and gave up two days to help: Shelly Sandiford, Margaret Traves and Jason Barnes.

The guns were excellent over both days, providing a steady stream of birds and we thank them for coming and making the Trial such a success.

Anne and Raymond were excellent hosts, thank you Anne for keeping us fed and watered.

This was Mark Wilson’s first trial Field Trial Secretary of Three Ridings and he jumped in at the deep end running a two day open but he certainly pulled it off in style – congratulations Mark.

Lastly, thank you to our sponsor Roger Skinner.

As is Three Ridings tradition, we won’t go into long descriptions of the two days, instead the pictures, kindly provided by Raymond tell the story.

The awards winners were:

1st Place – Lindeth Storm owned and handled by Nigel Barton

winning the Oldfield 3 Handled Trophy, also Winning Best Hunting Dog the Jim Murphy statue and Best Marking Dog the Tom Birchall Trophy.

2nd Place – Bellspuddle Mungo owned and handled by Sharon Dingle

winning the Wigfield Cup

3rd Place – Slingley Black Beauty at Minerskin owned and handed by Shane Gilliver

winning the Oldfield Cup, also winning Best Marking Dog Labrador Trophy,

4th Place – Jenberry Mystery Heritage owned and handled by Vicki Rushton

COM – Gunnerspeg Apollo owned and handled by Simon Capstick

Congratulations to all in the awards, and a final thank you to all the competitors who made it an enjoyable two days.

Three Ridings Labrador Club held their 2 Day Qualifying Stake at Checkley Wood Shoot on 30 & 31 October 2023 by kind permission of Mr Ivor Bevis.

The Trial received an entry of 105 dogs and shortly after the draw it became clear that because of several other 2 day trials being licensed on the same days many competitors would need to withdraw. 

The club therefore invited late entries. 

As a result, the trial started with a full card of 24 dogs and several reserves including novice dog with preference being given to open dogs.

Some confusion regarding guns occurred, for which the club accepted responsibility. 

Checkley Wood Shoot were as ever resourceful and the first day was run with four guns provided by them. 

The second day saw Guns led by Will Hawke, who shot a plentiful supply of mixed game.

Thanks go to the judges, Grieg Paterson, Lyn Mitchell, Paula Cullis and Keith Eastwood, who gave up their time to support the club. Thanks also go to Nick Bevis who kept us in order over the two days providing a variety of ground and experience.

As always, these events couldn’t take place without the helpers, Steve Cox and Shelley Sandiford carrying game, Hannah Bramhall Dog Stewarding and Molly Lord picking up, whilst Mark Wilson and myself supported Alan Lord, Field Trial Secretary running the line.

We were very lucky with the weather, only getting slightly wet from a short shower on Monday, providing us with a beautiful double rainbow. 

The rain then came overnight and led to some wet ground on day two. The atmosphere throughout the two days was friendly and supportive, thank you to all the competitors for making it an enjoyable two days.

Lastly, thank you to Rodger Skinners Ltd for their sponsorship of the event.

The results are:

1st awarded the Oldfield Three Handled Cup – Scott Marland with Jaycote Game Brooke

2nd awarded the Wighill Cup – Ian Palmer with Drakeshead Fenton

3rd awarded the Oldfield Cup – Rebecca Thistle with Cardueae Yealands also being awarded the Bronze Labrador donated by Tom Birchall (2021 winner) for the Best Marking Dog

4th Ellena Nunneley – Swiftlands Briar

COMs

Tony Everitt – Tarnedge Shamrock

Anthony Appleton – Abbey Fold Danelion King of Applebriar also awarded the Silver Labrador Trophy for Best Hunting Dog

Guns Choice was awarded to Chris Gore – Sorrelcott Nebraska of Brymoor being awarded the Gun and Dog Trophy.

Once again thanks to everyone involved and good luck wishes go to Scott for the Championship.

5th November 2022

Woodnook, Wentworth Park. Wentworth. Rotherham. S62 7TF.

12 dog Novice Stake. 

By Kind permission of The Wentworth Park Shoot.

Judges. 

Mr D. Haycock. ( A) 2624             Mrs S. Hales Lowe (B) 3173

Mrs E. Parish ( NP5010)              Mr S. Probert ( NP4006)

FT Sec Report.

Three Ridings Labrador Club held a 12 dog Novice Field Trial at Wentworth Park, South Yorkshire on Saturday 5th November.

At 05.30 that morning I remembered the mud needed washing from my wellies and stood at the kitchen sink reflecting back on the Covid times, the shortage of imported game and now the need to remind competitors of the on line information and their personal responsibilities for the control of Avian Influenza. This is the new norm!

Chris Flintoft, Head Keeper of the Wentworth Park Shoot was most efficient and professional in organising and providing Bio Security for the event and had to delegate the job of Steward of the Beat to Stan – We were in safe hands.

The club has no record of having held a driven trial before but members came forward to volunteer to mark down and carry game. Judges Dave Haycock, Sue Hales Lowe, Eden Parish and Steve Probert had no difficulty in providing accurate marks for a wide mix of competitors. The supply of game was plentiful, but presenting it to the guns from unseasonably heavy cover and a still heavy leaf canopy was difficult. 

When a request for volunteers was made members immediately came forward to help bolster the beating line and after 3 drives we finished the trial with one bird to spare!

Always good to have guns that can put game down and the team led by committee member Brent Booth did a great job and joined in the event with interest. We ran in dry comfortable conditions and when thanks were given to our host, sponsor’s, helpers, guns and judges the forecast rain made a poor attempt and failed to spoil a great days sport

1st Finefields Goose, owned and handled by Simon Capstick

2nd Stauntonvale Cheetah of Cockle Creek. Owned by David Wall, handled by Nathan Laffy

3rd Isle of Man Gypsy. Owned and handled by Steve Townsend.

Guns Choice Sorrelcott Nabraska of Brynambor. Owned and run by Chris Gore, running in his first retriever trial. 

He now knows how far it is from Hampshire to Gods County!

23rd & 24th September. 

Emblehope & Burngrange Estate. Tarset, Hexham. NE48 1RX

24 dog Open Qualifying Stake.  

By Kind Permission of The Kennel Club.

Judges.              

Mr G. Lowe. (A) 2696.              Mr G. Coupar (A) 2525

Mr P. Stogden ( B )                   Mr J. Murphey (B)

FT Sec. Report

The Three Ridings Labrador Club two day Open Field Trial held at Emblehope, Northumberland, on 23 and 24th September 2022, was a very enjoyable success. The club wishes to thank the following.

Our host, The Kennel Club and in particular Raymond and Anne Holt for their commitment 24/7 in the professional running of the estate, and the event.

Our sponsors Roger Skinners, Dog Food.

Those many club members who supported the event by entering and the final 24 who competed. Many travelled a long way to compete in “Big Sky Country” and found it true that – When it’s tough, the tough really do have to get going! You did so without complaint and with great sportsmanship.

Our Judges, Glyn Coupar, Godfrey Lowe, Jim Murphy and Paul Stogden. 

The ground, the high standard of dogs and handlers all required your full concentration, and you delivered. You were all great company during the trial and evenings.

The clubs working committee who pulled it all together and in particular Hannah Bramhall, Paul Deighton, Steve Cox and Mollie Lord who travelled north to help on the ground.

The Guns had never before shot on a Field Trial and were given a true Baptism of Fire, we could not have got a result without your commitment, determination, and a lot of lead!

Award Winners

1st Simon Capstick. Running Drakeshead Casey.

2nd Allie Hogsbjerg. Hollowgate Red Grouse of Rufriver

3rd Ronnie Laughton. FTC. Wytonruss Finnigan

Guns Choice of best Dog. Drakeshead Casey

COMs John Halsted. Emmanygan Summer. Keith Broomfied. FTC. Lowtrey Klay of Ticefield.

Drakeshead Casey qualified as Simons second Field Trial Champion and they will represent 3Rs at the IGL Retriever Championship. 

The club feels we are well represented and wishes them every good fortune. Those who received awards at Emblehope have every reason be proud of their dog’s performance, and to those who did not have such good luck – we look forward to receiving your entries for 2023!

12 dog Novice Field Trial

Thimbleby Hall 

12/10/2021.

With an entry of over 90 dogs those members lucky enough to run at this trial were reminded of just how good our sport can be. 

A truly great ground with a plentiful supply of mixed game, shot by a team of competent guns with dogs judged fairly by Panel and experienced NP judges in fine autumn weather. 

The club membership came forward to support with new members keen to learn and get involved, and they received our thanks, as did our sponsor- Roger Skinner Dog food.

Judges, Greig Patterson A, Keith Eastwood B, NP, Andy Curtis and Tom Birchall claimed to enjoy the trial as much as the competitors, (and it showed!) The club extended our thanks to them, the estate staff, the guns and to Mr & Mrs Andrew Shelley who were so kind in inviting the club to run on their ground.

1st Drakeshead Flycatcher, Owner Mrs Sandra Halstead, Handler Mr Simon Capstick.
2nd Hawksgarth Maddison. Owner & Handler Mr Garry Collier.
3rd Baldbirnie Morgan. Owner and Handler Mrs Karen Vere-Hodge

Our Photograph shows, left to right, Andy Curtis, Tom Birchall, Geig Patterson, Garry Collier, Simon Capstick, Keith Eastwood, Karren Vere-Hodge. It demonstrates how kind Photoshop can be to gentlemen of a certain age!

Checkley Wood 

November 8th and 9th 2021.
24 dog two day Open.

The Three Ridings Labrador Club Two day Open Field Trial was held at Checkley Wood Shoot on 8th and 9th November 2021. With an entry of 110 dogs it was very surprising that the day before the trial we only had 23 dogs on the card. A draw was conducted on the day from two spare Open dogs to give a full card of 24 Open dogs
Ivor and Nick Beavis and the team at Checkley Wood provide great Field Trial facilities that are second to none in the UK. We thanked them sincerely.

Gary McCarthy provided a team of paying Guns who shot a consistent supply of game over the two days and were excellent company in the field.
A Panel Judges, Keith Broomfield and Brian Barker together with B panels Vicky Stanley and Wayne Skett, were presented with some technical decisions on testing ground and their experience was appreciated in achieving a final result. Vicky gave an excellent judges speech that was well received.

Julia Reed was a well-deserved second place. A beaming smile and fine sportsmanship were exemplary.

I believe our winner, Tom Birchall, will be the youngest member of the club to go forward and compete in the IGL Retriever Championship. His kind compliments to the shoot, the committee, the guns and his fellow competitors were a fitting conclusion to our 2021 Two day Open Field Trial.

Left, Judges Brian Barker, Wayne Skett, Keith Broomfield and Vicky Stanley. Gary McCarthy is in Blue with a red shirt and was Capt of the 4 Guns. Alan J Lord is on the right in a jacket that shrunk in the last wash. 

He thoroughly enjoyed your company over two days of good sport!
The kids with the Silverware are Tom Birchall and Julia Reed and the dogs were quite good too!

Open Field Trial

Checkley Wood Shoot 

December 7th 2020

Tier three travel restrictions generated a lot of work for the club and disappointment for members who could not run. The club however received tremendous support from Judges and many others. Checkley Wood Shoot had prepared well and everyone was greeted at the gates and C19 preventions explained and individuals were registered and temperature checked before being presented with a cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich – outdoors.         

A heated Marquee with tables and chairs available for Judges and Guns resulted in no one needing to go into the manager’s cabin with only one person allowed in the toilet equipped with hand wash. The clubs own C19 prevention protocol dovetailed with the shoots.

Judges John Yarwood, Allie Hogsbjerg, Michael Jones and Judith White displayed their experience and that produced a smooth flowing trial. 

This was complemented by a team of 5 Guns captained by Gary McCarthy who, on this superb ground produced a steady flow of game. Our thanks to the guns for their generosity in paying to shoot for us.                         

The results were as follows.

1st       David Latham running Meadowlark Big Rock.
2nd      Kirsty Cousins, running Westerkames Righne of Brogdenview
3rd       Clare Baker, running Arcklebear Caribou
COMs  Lesley Crompton, running Hanwoodgold Breeze
Jason Mayhew, running Berrryshot Widgeon
Guns Choice     Clare Baker and Arcklebear Caribou.

Five awards in a 12 dog stake reflects the high quality of dogs and the standards of handling in this lovely trial held in dry weather with everyone in high spirits to be back out trialling again our thanks to Checkley Wood Shoot and sponsors Roger Skinner Ltd, Orvis of Harrogate, and Gundog Gear.