The Midland Counties Field Trial Society Novice Retriever Field Trial at Belchford
Lincolnshire
The Midland Counties Field Trial Society held its 12 dog Novice Retriever Field Trial on Belchford
Lincolnshire and by kind invitation of Messrs Andrew Tuxworth and John Bryant
The judges were Messrs. P. W. Parkins (A1904) R. S. King (B3102) Mrs. C. E. Munn (NP3238) and Mr.
G. Iacono (NP) and the dogs competed for The Richard Naylor Trophy (Winner) and The Tuxworth
Goblet (Guns Choice)
Dodson & Horrell Limited through their "CHUDLEYS" product had once again most generously
agreed to sponsor the prize money for all of the Society’s stakes and all winners received a bag of
"CHUDLEYS".
The day began in orange sunshine as the rising sun melted away a layer of thick mist punctuating a
perfect view of the rolling Lincolnshire Wolds.
The trial started with a drive in game crop as the line walked toward a duck drive in progress over
four lakes surrounded by bracken, gorse and high reed; enough birds were down to allow the judges
to assess the majority of the dogs through the first round. Our Steward of the Beat Mr Andrew
Tuxworth then led us to an undulating grass meadow which was walked up towards a thick bracken
bedded wood.
Stephanie Smith was working her Springer in the cover to flush the birds and we saw a steady flow of
woodcock and pheasant with an occasional wood pigeon. The dogs were in and out of line on their
second third and fourth rounds with some excellent work for the gallery to watch as the dogs
worked both in the wood and out on the open meadow and in mist which came and went
throughout the day.
At the end of the wood, we had four dogs in contention and the judges had their huddle and decided
to take all four through for one more retrieve each.
A long walk later and the line and the gallery found themselves in a copse at the foot of a high
terraced hill when a rabbit was shot. Pip Williams sent her young dog Castlemans Sonoran straight
up for a very smart retrieve.
The line then walked up a through a thick copse when a hare was shot on the edge of the adjacent
field. Terry Prentice’s young dog Flagonhall Silenius of Findpoint was sent and efficiently returned
with a very large quarry.
The final walk up was in sloping crop where Cris Busse’s dog Leacaz Leo of Lincswolds made short
work of a pheasant which had dropped over a hedge into low cover.
The final retrieve was taken by Steve Polley’s Shallowbeck Baker Boy; a treat to watch as he silently
went down the field, through the hedge and up to the top of the next field for a fallen pheasant.
A final huddle from the judges and the decision was made and we decamped back to the estate’s
shooting lodge.
The results were as follows –
1st and Winner of the Richard Naylor Trophy (Winner) and the Tuxworth Goblet (Guns Choice)
Mr Steve Polley with his Labrador Dog Shallowbeck Baker Boy
2nd Mr Chris Busse with his Labrador Dog Leacaz Leo of Lincswold
3rd Mrs Pip Williams with her Labrador Dog Castlemans Sonoran
4th Mr Terry Prentice with his Labrador Dog Flagonhall Silenius of Findpoint
Congratulations to the winner and to all in the awards and a very special thank you to everyone who
supported this trial – we enjoyed the welcome and hospitality of an excellent host, a team of good
humoured judges and a fabulous variation of game from our steward and keeper all supported by a
great team of guns – thank you to all who made this a very enjoyable day. What a special place
Belchford is.