For traditional country pursuits

British Country Sports           

As well as the various well known Hound breeds such as the Wolfhound, Foxhound, Staghound and Beagle, Britain has a long tradition with its “home-grown” Gundogs, which have been developed for specific hunting purposes over the centuries; breeds such as the Pointer, English and Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setter, Gordon Setter, Golden Retriever, English and Welsh Springer Spaniels, English Cocker Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Clumber Spaniel and Sussex Spaniel.

The Labrador Retriever, possibly the most iconic of gundogs in Britain (even though it originally came from North America) is still the most popular gundog breed with in excess of 35,000 puppies registered with the English Kennel Club in 2013. The English Cocker Spaniel with 22,943 and the English Springer Spaniel with 11,316 registrations maintained their continued popularity.

While there will always be a place in the UK sporting field for its native dog breeds, more Guns, Beaters, Pickers Up and Field Trial competitors are turning to European gundogs especially the Hunter, Pointer, Retriever (HPR) breeds such as the German Shorthaired and Wirehaired Pointers, the Korthals Griffon, Weimaraners, Viszlas and Spinone. The versatility of the HPR breeds makes them an ideal driven and rough shooting companion.

While the main shooting and trialing season in the UK extends from mid August to the beginning of February, the summer months are taken up with introductory and corrective training, fitness work and competitions like Spring Pointing Tests.

Spring Pointing Tests are an excellent way to assess a dog’s working drive and its ability to hunt and point game, in particular, pheasant and partridge. Spring Pointing Tests are primarily held to give young dogs and novice handlers an introduction to field hunting and trialing and are meant to be conducted in a relaxed, social environment.

As the name suggests, the Spring Pointing season in the UK is March to April, the crops being just high enough to “hold” birds, thus giving the young dogs the chance to hunt and point them.
Share by: