It is with regret that the Officers and Committee of SWGRC have to announce that we will be cancelling our forth coming Open Show which was due to be held on the 4th October 2020 at Oake village hall.
This decision has not been taken lightly but we feel that the safety of all the persons who would have been attending the show is the most important and significant factor in our decision. We are also following the KC and Government guide lines, relating to the Corona Virus pandemic.
We would also like to say due to the very sudden and sad passing of our Judge for the show, Andrea Swatton, we felt out of respect it was the correct decision to make at this time.
We do hope we will be able to hold our Championship show in March and our April Open show 2021 and hope you will all come along and support the shows.
Until we can all meet up again at dog shows and enjoy our hobby in safe conditions keep well and stay safe.
Glennis Hewitson (Chairman)
24th June 2020
**NEW** Articles from the Kennel Club, Breed Council etc.
Breed Council Update on Glaucoma July 2020
Download HERE
Judges Competancy Framework Review Update Download HERE
Breed Council Update on Glaucoma Download HERE
Breed Council Article on Gonioscopy and Glaucoma Download WORD.doc HERE or PDF HERE
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY PENNY GAYLER on "Wet Puppy Syndrome" Download the Article HERE (Word Format) or HERE (PDF Format)
QUEENS VETINARY SCHOOL HOSPITAL Study into Ureteral Ectopia "Wet Puppy Syndrome" Download the Article HERE
KENNEL CLUB ELBOW GRADING ADVICE Download the Article HERE
MARGARET WOODS HEALTH REPORT TO THE BREED COUNCIL 8th MAY 2014 Download the Article HERE
HOW YOU CAN HELP US TACKLE CANINE GLAUCOMA Download Article HERE
CANINE IDIOPATHIC EPILEPSY Download Article HERE
KENNEL CLUB ANNOUNCES NEW ONLINE ENTRY SYSTEM FOR FIELD TRIALS AND GUNDOG WORKING TESTS Download Article HERE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Report from the Field Trial Secretary (Mr Stuart Robson)
Dear Members.
I thought that this year it would be a good idea to provide an all in one update of our current working activities for the coming year & also a resume of the Field Trials held during the past season. Kim Clunie has stepped down as Working test Sec & our thanks go to her for the hard work she has put in. I will provide cover for this year, & when we host the 2021 Inter Club tests; but if anybody would like to get involved please let me know.
Our Working tests for Open/ Novice / Novice Handler /Vets & pups will be held on the 17th May at the Bulland Shoot ,Wivelscombe, west of Taunton. There are a few reasons for holding the tests there but the main one is that it is a fantastic Exmoor shoot & the ground will provide for excellent tests. So I hope that members will take the trouble to enter & if necessary travel the extra mile or two.
Schedules will be on the web site soon & entries should be sent to me.
HELPERS – The success of tests really on volunteers & if any of you have the time I wold be most gratefull to hear from you.
I have arranged 2 trials for next season. 20/21.
The Breed Novice will be held at Windsor by gracious permission of Her Majesty the Queen & a team of Guns will provide walked shooting for the trial on Saturday 10th Oct. The ground is out of our area but the opportunity to hold a trial there could not be turned down so again I hope member will support the trial.
The AV Open will be held at “Holway” on Friday the 4th Dec , again with a team of guns shooting for the trial. I hope owners of Goldie open dogs will enter in strength from all parts of the country. Schedules & forms on the web site soon ; but NOT FTMS.
19/20 season - trials results
Novice ;- Held by kind arrangement with the Mann family on
their farm shoot at knowle farm
Bowerchalke. This is a very traditional shoot run by the family & providing
a mixture of game through small drives but on this occasional walked up
shooting with birds coming across the line from outer fields making for some
excellent shooting & towards the end a high standard of dog work by the
remaining 4 dogs.
Craig Gardener’s dog in only his second trial produced some first class retrieves to win ; with quality work coming close behind by Jane Mann & Frank Skjerping’s dogs .
1st C Gardener’s Bitch Polihale Hor Tikka of Foxcote (also guns choice)
2nd Jane Mann’s Bitch Windwithe Brandy of Holway
3rd F Skjerping’s Dog Jacklaine’s Ex Stitch
Open:- Held at “Holway” by kind permission of the Atkinson family & a team of guns ,who provided a day of excellent shooting over a mixture of small drives & walked up.
Again excellent work by the remaining 4 dogs over extremely difficult terrain resulted in worthy awards to the top 3 dogs with commiserations to Sue Jordan with the sole remaining Golden who was eye wiped by the winner on what would probably have been her last retrieve of the day.
1st M Tallamy’s Lab dog Brindlebay Briganda
2nd D Field’s Lab dog FT Ch Artistryn Ulrich
3rd D Latham’s Lab Dog Fendawood Harold ( also Guns choice)
My grateful thanks go to the hosts, guns, judges & helpers who have contributed to our tests & trials.
Stuart Robson
FT Secretary
Happy New Owners of Rescued Golden
Letter recieved from ******* New Owner
He's doing so well. He is so obedient and loving. He's also got a new doggie best friend 'Boris'. They run up and down the stream at the back of our house and chase each other constantly. He loves walking in the woods and is such a pleasure to have.
I have added a photo taken last weekend when on a walk in the hills. Im told he's grown so much but can't really see it myself ! He's also well known around our village as everyone knows who '******' the rescue golden is ! He makes everyone smile.
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Another Rescue Success
Marvellous Marmite
By Jenny Clarke
As some of you may know I have used my lovely Sunnyoak Golden Retrievers for many years to help the children of Poole with reading & social issues such as friendship, anxiety, self-asteem & behaviour. I have recently been working with a local teenager, Rowan Weaver who suffers from anxiety & low self-esteem making it hard for him to form friendships & attend school.
To add to Rowan & indeed the whole Family’s problems they lost their much loved dog, Nancy in the spring of 2018. In August, Sarah Hughes our lovely, hard working Rescue Officer was made aware of Marmite who needed to find a new home. Sarah contacted me as she thought 1 year old Marmite, could be the perfect dog to help the Weaver Family & so with much excitement & anticipation, Marmite came to live with them at the beginning of September.
The whole Family & especially Rowan are over-joyed to have a new friend & companion in their home & we recently received this amazing message from Adele Weaver…..
“I just wanted to say how happy we are to have recently re-homed the adorable Marmite, through the SWGRC rehome and rescue service.
Marmite is a cuddly friendly happy boy who has settled in really well to his new home and is enjoying life as part of his new family.
He has been an extra special gift at a difficult time for my son, who has anxiety and low mood and hasn’t been able to access school for over 9 months. He’s been doing some dog therapy with the lovely Jenny Clarke, which has had an amazing impact on his self confidence & self esteem and has helped to reduce his anxiety levels.
Marmite has become his very special friend and they have formed an incredibly strong bond, which has helped Rowan to get out and about, giving a sense of purpose and value and to feel more in control, and feel needed and loved.
We cannot thank the club enough for re-homing Marmite with us, who is full of fun and fills our house with smiles and laughter every day ! “ Adele Weaver
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Buster came to SWGRC as a rescue , just 15 months old with aggressive possessive tendencies, the owner could not cope with him and asked us if we could find him a suitable home; but how could we help, where could we rehome a dog that was clearly capable of being aggressive when it suited him; Thinking caps on – far too young to give up on him but what to do? Answer, Buster was sent to a lovely lady called Tricia wills who is a trainer and behaviourist spending nearly 5 weeks with her living in the house as family with her other dogs , he received daily training to learn that good behaviour pays off and there is no need to be so bad mannered! What a difference that time and training made! He is now happily settled in a new home with owners who are delighted with him and report he is a lovely dog with good manners and showing no possessive tendencies at all – he also has a toy box of his own!
Just look at me now (April 2020)
Obviously SWGRC rescue spent quite a sum on getting this boy back on track and without the generous gift that was left to the club for just such cases his new happy life would not have been possible, how grateful we are for that bequest.
Sarah Hughes (Rescue Coordinator)
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This is not intended to blow either my or Becky's trumpet, but to express my thanks to my best friend.
Stuart Robson
Please note that membership renewal is due on the 1st January.
For your convenience, a form can be downloaded HERE
Please Note New Fees from 1st January 2013:- £10 Single & £12 Joint
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A BIG thank you to Mr and Mrs T Dingle who live at St Columb Cornwall who have this year raised a total of £2136.50 for SWGRC Rescue mainly from sponsorship of their dog Freddie on a "sponsored slim" which is difficult for him as he spends the day in their pet shop!
They also recently had a "Name the Scarecrow" competition
We used these qualities of sensitivity and gentleness now by taking him into Nursing Homes as a Pets As Therapy dog. He is never fazed by anything and has brought so much enjoyment to staff and patients. He is particularly good in the dementia unit with patients who are severely locked in. He looks at them with his deep liquid brown eyes seeming to say I’m here just for you.
Likes—old well chewed bones
Dislikes—Being kept waiting for a walk!
Finest Hour—Showing us some of the extraordinary qualities of dogs and their devotion to humans
Golden Retrievers New Field Trial Chanpion (subject to KC confirmation)
Many congratulations on behalf of the Group to Judith Evans and Haddeo Snipe, a new FT Champion, after the GRC Open Qualifying Stake. I send many messages to new Champions, Show Champions and Junior Warrant winners and I repeat our congratulations to all of them but it is great to send this one.
Sonny helps children with their reading and is a good listening ear, by creating a lovely calm atmosphere. He has children visit him who are not good at socialising with other children. We talk about how we should care for animals and each other. We discuss how we keep Sonny healthy and happy and relate this to leading a healthy lifestyle themselves. Sonny has cuddles from several children who unfortunately do not have a perfect home environment or are in care and he gives them a little bit of much needed love and attention.
Sonny has now worked with over 50 children and the successes are far too numerous to mention, however some examples are:-
- Children who were unhappy coming in to school, suddenly coming in smiling (sometimes with dog treats in hand)!
- Children with behaviour problems, learning to behave well in school (just like Sonny)!
- Children with movement difficulties, playing ball with Sonny.
- Children who do not like reading, picking up books and reading to Sonny.
Sonny has been undertaking his visits now for a year. We initially started with visits just once a week but due to the success of the project he now visits School twice a week. Everyone involved has been astounded by the positive feedback we have received from children, parents, governors, local social workers and Ofsted. It has truly become a very special experience for many special children.
Sonny too is enjoying all the attention, including articles in the local newspapers, receiving his own letters, presents, paintings and of course plenty of cuddles - oh and clearing up the crumbs on the staff room floor!!!
Jenny Clarke
Sonny’s info: Bramblebriar Coachman at Sunnyoak (Gatchells Lone Ranger at Seruilia x Mulfield Starlight of Bramblebriar)
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