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WATER TRAINING DAY 18 MAY 2014
With Allan Hender in West Berkshire

The HVC held a water training day with Allan Hender in West Berkshire, the weather was kind to us and it did not rain until the very end of the training. Unfortunately the original water training area was not available to us and we therefore trained at the West Berkshire Gundog Club training ground which has a fast flowing river and to ensure that there was not too much hanging around we also done some general training.
Arron Busby came along to photograph the day.

We met at 10am at which time Allan ran through the various disciplines that he had prepared for us. The idea was that folk went to whatever activity they wanted rather than going in groups.

In the morning there were water retrieves which could be challenging as the river does have a fast flow, however, downriver there was a trusty dog to retrieve any dummies not retrieved by the dog training. Some dogs retrieved from the bank on the other side of the river and some went in a river and swam for the first time.

On land there was a rabbit bungee, this required the dog to be sent out for a seen retrieve and on the dogs return to the handler about 6 feet to the side of them a rabbit bungee was let off with the hope that the dog would ignore this and carry on with the return to hand. Ha Ha some dogs decided that the rabbit looked far more fun and tried desperately to get it.

There was a retrieve from a pen and with the dog sitting some distance away and the dummy was thrown into the pen and the dog then sent to retrieve it, something a bit different and as most folk do not have access to a pen it was very a useful exercise.

Further down the field a dummy launcher was being used for longer retrieves and was again good practice for those dogs who get over excited at the sound of the launcher.

Allan was taking the hunting and we had a fabulous wind blowing just right to encourage hunting and to see the dogs natural ability.

At lunch break the HVC provided cakes and soft drinks

In the afternoon the dogs could do a water retrieve from a different entry on the river.

Neil was giving tuition in getting your dog to deliver the dummy to hand and those who took advantage of this found his suggestions very useful.

The day ended with some exhausted dogs (and handlers) and hopefully everyone gained something from the day.

Thank you all who took part and thank you for your support.

Training Day – 2nd June 2013
at the Drummond Estate, Enderby, Leicestershire by kind permission of
Mr Fred Drummond and his gamekeeper Brian Griffiths

The weather had been kind to us – no rain, some sunshine and a light breeze ideal for hunting. We had 9 dogs attending (5 Vizslas, 3 Weimaraners, 1 Cocker Spaniel) and started the day at 10am with some basic obedience training. We worked our way up until all dogs present where shot over.

We also had some spectators and a family attending who are waiting for their Vizsla puppy to be born.

Everybody enjoyed their day and came away feeling a lot more positive about what they can achieve with their dogs. They were all presented with a Certificate, Rosette and HVC trolley token keyring.

Unfortunately we were not able to hold a raffle on the day but I wanted to give a special mention to Susan Northwood who very kindly sent a cheque for £15.00 towards raffle prizes. Susan attended the first training days we held in 2011. She learnt so much on these days and has entered many working tests with her Hookside Gabor (Rudi) since.

Shot Over Day 21st January 2012
Following on from the successful training days held in March and April 2011, the Draycott family (owners of the Tooley Park shoot) offered the ground for a shot over day towards the end of the season. This took place on 21st January and was attended by 6 novice dogs and handlers. I was generously assisted by Penny Simpson and the guns on the day were Peter & Andrew Draycott, Mark Hill who owns the adjoining farm who also made ground available to us on the day and Nick Hart who handles the financial side of the shoot.

We began the day with a walk through a cover crop of mustard; each dog was run individually to assess obedience and steadiness in an area where we did not expect to find too many birds. We then took a long walk via hedgerows and ditches to one of the larger spinnies where all the dogs were run as a beating line, several birds were shot and retrieved. After lunch we boarded the shoot bus to Mark Hill’s farm and worked the dogs through maize and a spinney. At the end of the day all had at least 2 retrieves ad everyone had been given an insight into working their dogs on live game under gun fire and hopefully now have the confidence to join a shoot local to themselves and enjoy and fulfil their dog’s abilities.

I am also grateful for the assistance on the day of Jim Novis and Simone who brought 2 experienced Vizsla bitches in case any wounded birds proved too difficult for the novices, in the event they were not really needed.

HVC Training Days – 27 March & 9 April 2011
The HVC recently held 2 training days for novice handlers as an introduction into working their Vizslas on a shoot, working test or field trial. 12 Vizslas and their handlers attended either one or both days and hopefully all have learnt something and more importantly enjoyed the days.

Both days were held on Tooley Park Shoot in Leicestershire and a special thanks should be given to the owners, the Draycott family, for allowing us free range over the shoot and the use of the shoot’s lunch hut for refreshments.

The trainers were Penny Simpson, well known in Vizsla circles, Geoff Thompson, a very experienced handler and respected in GSP circles and Derek Whitfield, Acting HVC Field Trial Secretary.

The weather on both days has been extremely kind to us, especially on the 2nd day when we had glorious sunshine all day.

We started both days with a demonstration by Geoff Thompson and his 10 months old GSP, Max. All those present were astounded by his ability to stop at distance on the whistle and his prowess on retrieving both seen and blind dummies.

After this we were split into 3 groups with Penny teaching hunting, Geoff teaching retrieving and Derek teaching basic obedience and also explaining the working of the shoot and how we beat with our dogs through woodland. Some handlers were treated to a visit to one of the laying pens holding some of the more exotic pheasants.

The trainers felt that all of the dogs had some degree of ability and felt they could all progress and be a credit to their owners so hopefully this will just be a start to their working careers.

Also thanks to Queenie Whitfield for providing some delicious cup cakes.

A total of £435.00 has been raised for the Polymyositis Fund.