I haven’t updated my information in a while, so there is quite a bit of new information to include.  As we approach the Summer Trials 2025, I look forward to competing with a team of Open Dogs and a couple of Novice entries too.

In the Spring 2025, I enjoyed a pleasing trip to Scotland.  Gortinreagh Quiz, one of the dogs who suffered from the lack of trips to the grouse moors during the COVID years, had a particularly pleasing trip.  He was 2nd in the Northern Counties Open at Lochan before winning the Gordon Setter Association Open at Dunphail.  We rounded off the week with Gortinreagh Rose winning the Scottish Field Trial Association Open at Dalmagarry.  I was pleased with the performance of the rest of the team, but some just didn’t have chances on game so I’m very much looking forwards to the Summer adventures.

In the Summer of 2020 the UK Pointer and Setter world are in the unfortunate position of having been very badly effected by the COVID 19 Lockdown – with all trials in Scotland and England having been cancelled due to the pandemic.

In February, we managed to run 3 trials in Northern Ireland before the Lockdown took effect and I was pleased to record a win under Andy Law and Stephen Clarke with FTCh Ballyellen Tango on the challenging Slieveanorra, Co Antrim.  Since then our activities have been very restricted, although I have used recent weeks to get the Trial dogs fit – some events are happening in Ireland and may happen in Northern Ireland, later in the year – if the situation stays stable.

I have also been working with 4 young dogs who I am pleased with and have a couple of Novices prepared during the winter who have not yet got a chance to compete in 2020.