Thursday 26 March 2015

BACK ON THE MOORS, AND DOING IT ......

THE LAOCHIN WAY


It's always nice to meet new people, and on Thursday I headed north to spend a day on the Moors with Andy Cullen from Laochin Gundogs and a group of dogs and handlers.

We were in search of grouse to point !

As a photographer you can end up becoming addicted to weather forecasts, and the morning of the eclipse we were forecast heavy cloud.   As it transpired the day dawned very bright, if not a tad windy and not too cold, which to be honest is a change from the norm of late.

AN OFFICE WITH A VIEW

Once at our base , a brief outline of how the day would run by Andy and we headed out across the moor, 8 dogs and handlers.

HEADING OUT

LISTEN AND YOU WILL LEARN.

Having plenty of spaniels and labradors at home, it is always really interesting to watch how the HPR breeds work.  Reading the wind, and working at distances that would make me feel uncomfortable.

The rangey strides of the pointers moving them across the moor  with such fluidity and grace ..


POWER & GRACE COMBINE

… a nose that lifts into the wind, takes a scent, then POINTS !!   

For a few of the dogs and handlers, the moor and it's grouse  was a fairly new experience and with the amount of scent around it was a case of learning if the dog was in fact pointing a bird or the scent of where a bird or hare (and there were plenty of those about) had been.    Learning to push the dog on and letting the dog work it out for itself and thus building on the teamwork.

Then once you've mastered that,  you have to stay steady to a flush !!!.. so all in all lots to have to understand and learn.

Andy, with his years of experience, I found to be an extremely articulate and fair trainer, and more than happy to share his knowledge with an extreme novice.   It's one thing knowing what your pupils need to be doing but something very different  being able to "teach and instruct"them how to do it.

Sometimes being firm and fair is difficult but throughout the day as the handlers relaxed and understood that critique is a positive tool (and not meant personally) so the improvements started to become very obvious.



CHRIS HOLDING MILO STEADY AS THE GROUSE FLUSH, AFTER HIS POINT.

The term HPR (Hunt, Point, Retrieve), covers a host of breeds and I was lucky enough to watch young Belle "The Bracco" learning her trade …


BELLE TAKING THE AIR

as well as the two stunning Brittany Spaniels Gypsy and Mya, although I would have to say that Brittany's aren't for the faint hearted !!!



GYPSY


MYA


We stopped for a bite to eat, and to let the dogs have a moments rest and then headed out again for an afternoon session. 

The weather by this time was "changeable" and the wind took a chill edge, although we did manage to stay dry all day.

The moors are an incredible place to be, whether it is Scotland or Yorkshire or anywhere in between… stunningly beautiful but also formidable.  We covered nearly 10 miles on the day, (I couldn't guess how far the dogs ran), across ground that doesn't always make for the easiest walking. 

But with this as "the office" why would a gundog trainer or a photographer want to be anywhere else.   We are very privileged to be allowed access to this beautifully managed land, that without the work of the owners and keepers would not hold the plethora of wildlife that it does. 




FAVOURITE SHOT OF THE DAY !!

This was a difficult choice, but for me the shot of this Wirehaired Vizsla, flushing a hare on the wrong side of the wind and then being steady enough to turn away and not chase, captures the spirit of the HPR.



 As a footnote I would like to add my congratulations to Dawn and Julian, two of the handlers on the moor that day, that went on to be graded "excellent" in their tests over the weekend. 

for the full gallery from the day CLICK HERE 


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Saturday 14 March 2015

KIRKBOURNE SPANIELS 
SPANIEL TRAINING DAY

Well time has flown and it is a year since I attended my first session with Kirkbourne Spaniels.  It was a cold dark March day in 2014 and it was much the same this year…. what hasn't changed is the handlers enthusiasm to learn , the dogs obvious enjoyment and the good humour which pervades the day…. ( unless the trainer is in a bad mood) 

Listen, Look and Learn

Having at least one young spaniel of my own, which I am undertaking to train, these spaniel days are as much a learning day for me as a day at work, team work seems to be the order of the day.
Team Work

So, looking forward to the next 12 months, we have Young Gem's diary to keep up to date with, Game Fair Scurries to attend, Multi-Trainer Days, and Working Tests but to name a few..

See you there !

To view the gallery from the spaniel day click HERE


To book us to attend your training day, working test, field trial or any other event, please contact us ..

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Sunday 8 March 2015


HORSE "N" HOUND COMMISSION


I had the pleasure of joining Sam and Sue for a fabulous "horse n hound" commission set in the grounds of the  stunning Chatsworth House.


The beautiful Robin is Sue's horse and her daughter Sam had booked the commission as a mothers day present, only letting Sue in on the surprise the morning of the shoot. 

There aren't many people that openly admit to enjoying having their photograph taken and I think Sue would rather I had pointed the camera anywhere but at her… but as time passed the easier it became and the more Sue smiled.   

I always try to encourage people to relax and smile, even if you don't really want to, everyone looks so much nicer in a photo smiling, than scowling (unless that's the look you want !!). 

The weather had decided to not to help us, so we set of into the grey mizzle determined to grab at least a few shots. 

A fair hike later, up hill and down dale we finished with a gallery of shots that everyone was happy with. 


A Ride with a View


Robin was a complete Gentleman and considering I had been told he didn't like the camera's, was happy to show off his complete range of ear muscle control !!!!


Robin



With Sue and Robin safely loaded back abroad the horse box, Sam and I headed to the Moor with Archie, her young rescue Springer Spaniel.

By this time the rain was set and the camera became redundant but it gave Archie a good excuse to stretch his legs and practice some hunting.  A shoot which is to …. be continued…..

Archie



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Monday 2 March 2015

THE FIRST TEST OF THE SEASON .....


HUNT, POINT, RETRIEVE GUNDOG ASSOCIATION
SPRING POINTING TEST, YORKSHIRE



Can the first week in March really be classed as Spring… !!!!


A "spring" pointing test, high up on the Derbyshire Moors … after meeting at the allotted point, we all headed up the moor as the skies darkened and the weather closed in.



It took a while and a fair hike out across the moor in order that the dogs could work back into the wind.



It was bitterly cold with driving snow that hit you so hard in the face that it stung.  It was bad enough hiding behind a camera let alone being out front and trying to handle a dog, or judge one, come to that.

And then, the snow would pass and the landscape would be revealed in all its magnificence…



what better backdrop to set off these beautiful dogs at work …





The weather conditions proved especially difficult for the young dogs, a few whose first time it was on a grouse moor.

All the dogs had a run and then a number were called back for a second time.  The afternoon proved a little better in terms of snow but still no birds to be seen.  

As we turned and headed back into the wind the judges made their final decisions and the test was over.

Congratulations to all of those in the awards ….



A mention also the Leigh and Mark from the HPRGA for organising the day and thanks to the Game Keeper and his staff.