Mr Billy Lundy Labrador Bitch DOB: 23.10.10 Sire: FT Ch Marranscar Blackcap Dam: Smirnoff Teal Breeder: Mr Billy Lundy Billy qualified his dog for the 2013 championship on 5 different occasions which has to be a record. Firstly by winning the Clodagh Valley Field Trial Association’s Open Stake on 5th December 2012, followed by winning the Labrador Retriever Club of Ireland’s Open Stake on 6th September 2013, winning the Ulster Golden Retriever Club’s Open Stake on 20th September 2013 and the winning the N.I.G.F.S.S’s 2 day Open stake on 18th and 19th October 2013 making his bitch up to an International Field Trial Champion. Billy was awarded the Fred McGuirk Cup at the 2012 Championships for the most stylish yellow bitch, with the same dog. 4th Place Barronstown Angel handled / owned by Mr Alan Leonard DOB: 27.04.08 Sire: Int FT Ch Waterford Edward of Tasco Dam: FT Ch Ffynongain Graphic Breeder: Mr Alan Leonard Alan qualified and ran two dogs at the 2013 championship qualifying his dog in the awards by wining Craigavon Gun Dog Club’s 2 day open stake in October 2013 and also the Clones Open Stake on 16th November 2013. Alan has qualified for the championships on many previous occasions and is not a stranger to the awards. Diploma’s of Honour Tirgarve Claire handled/owned and bred by Mr Eddie Finn FT Ch Quarrypool Rough Diamond handled/owned by John Behan FT CH Watergreen Hunter handled/owned by Thomas Lowry (and also Gun’s Choice) The Winner of the IKC Championship 2013 – Sean Nolan. Following Sean Nolan’s success at this year’s championship I was interested to find out a bit more information about his passion for gun dogs and how it lead him to where he is today with his dogs. Sean’s introduction to gundogs came
The Winner Sean Nolan INT FT CH Tweedshot Trimble of Lettergreen.
approximately 16 years ago while he was out walking a springer spaniel and he came across a working test on the Black Mountain organised by Mr Larry Lee SNR. That day at the test Paddy Magee, a friend from Sean’s youth who was taking part in the working test explained what was happening to Sean. They got talking throughout the day and consequently Sean ended up totally hooked on the sport. Weeks went by and Paddy had advised Sean to get a Labrador and maybe do a few working tests. Sean said he has a lot of good memories of training at every opportunity, working tests in the summer, picking up in the winter and eventually trialling. The first dog Sean ever had was a bitch called Rosie that he got from Sam Polley who lived in Cloughey in County Down. Rosie proved too much for Sean, which he put down to her being too hot and not having the experience to train her. Sean said around this time a friend of Paddy Magee’s, Bobby Robertson, had returned from England and Paddy
suggested they both go training with Bobby on a Sunday. This was the first proper lesson in gundog training Sean had received and he enjoyed every minute of it, and he said the icing on the cake was that Bobby didn’t charge them a penny. Sean said Rosie did not work out in the field so he got another bitch from Sam Polley from the same sire and dam, however this time he had a little bit more experience and he also had Bobby Robertson to turn to for advice. Sean said this bitch was called Mist, she was very clever, could find game and Mist was the first dog he ran in a trial. The trial was at Shane’s Castle in County Antrim and Sean said he was eye wiped on his first retrieve by the late Jim Barr, a gentleman in the sport who won the Irish Retriever Championship three times. Jim told Sean to keep training and that Mist was a good bitch. Two weeks later he got another run in Dundarave, County Antrim and Mist won the trial, she had just turned 17 months. Sean said he was over the moon and this was the start of
Countrysports and Country Life Spring 2014
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