Date : February 20th 2003

As the year has turned and days begin to lengthen imperceptibly, we feel the beginnings of the New Year and spring once again!

The dogs during these last few weeks of the shooting and trailing season begin to show signs of wear and tear, along with their owner! The hard working conditions and heavy cover encountered on some sporting estates, takes its toll, despite a constant watch on diet, warm bedding and general care of all the dogs, removing burrs and debris from coats and making sure that cuts and abrasions are suitably dressed, ensuring the best well-being of our hard working companions.

Trailing earlier in the season took up a fair degree of time, in preparation and travelling with Flex and Belle. Miss Alexandrovna achieving eight second places, to add to her one first place, in ‘opens’, it was decided to draw a line under her trailing activities. She continues to be the most delightful and truest shooting companion and member of the ‘A’ team!

Lottie of Whistlers Mill, (Belle), ran her first Novice in November, gaining third place. She is a strong, handsome bitch, by our F.T.CH. Willow-Bay Sandpiper, with terrific style and pace, so have great hopes for her future, we shall be breeding her in the spring.

Shooting at home has mainly consisted of training sessions and duck flighting, at Jerdonfield. By far the most experience for the young Labradors and Spaniels, has been the ‘picking up’ on local estates. This has been invaluable for the young dogs to gain experience of seeing a lot of action, while taking part in very limited and selected part of it. While the senior members of the team actually doing the bulk of the work.

Over the Christmas period it was most rewarding to hear of Sealpin successes, from home and abroad, from so many of our satisfied clients. Foremost of which, would have to be the success of Jeff Miller, from Washington State, U.S.A. who won the American Championship, in Minnesota, with F.T.CH. Sundart Solar. Some of you will remember Solar, as a puppy here and featuring strongly in the Springer training video’s, during his training, subsequently trailed and made a field trial champion, before being exported to America. Solar suits the American trial scene brilliantly and we are thrilled with his success.

In Norway, Lawson Vallery’s ‘cup runneth over’, with his excitement at making up his first field trial champion, with a Sealpin cocker spaniel, a son of Miss Alexandrovna, a tribute to Lawson with his training. Others successes in Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland and Zimbabwe, with Sealpin Labradors in Trials and Tests, are satisfying to say the least.

Over the New Year, we had our first snow of the winter, much to the delight of our grandchildren, still here for their Christmas holidays. We all enjoyed those sharp, bright and brilliantly sunny days, when up walking on the hill, one can see and hear for miles, in the distance the ‘pop’ ‘pop’ of a shooting party, all incredibly beautiful.

Our Labrador bitches, Messalina and Tullymoran Maid, have both produced lovely litters to Sealpin Ronde. One of Linnets chocolate puppies went out to Austria, in December, while one of the black dogs is destined for France later on this year. In fact her litter were all spoken for before being born, while Tully’s youngsters are growing away well now. We currently await Wanda’s litter to Sealpin Enigma, the last of her previous litter still with us in training, they produce some attractive and very keen gun-dogs. Some excellent young stock, with good characters and sound working abilities.

After saying goodbye to the grandchildren, at the end of their holiday, it was a quick turn around and pack up for Norfolk and the A.V. Spaniel Championship. Edward was the Reserve Judge and had an excellent view of one side of the proceedings, throughout the three days. The Cockers at Sandringham and the A.V. Spaniels at the neighbouring Ken Hill Estate. A good championship, in great conditions, with magnificent game supply. The hospitality of our Hosts and their Staff was second to none. It is always good to meet visitors who have travelled a long way to see the British championship, as a bench mark, for proceedings in their own countries!

We arrived home with visitors from New Zealand and the U.S.A. having a busy time showing them all we were able, in the snowy conditions. Impressed with how far and wide gun-dogs travel from this country! We enjoy entertaining visitors; Edward certainly prefers it, to travelling himself!

Thoughts are now turning to the imminent schedule of starting on the new batch of young cockers and Labrador puppies in the kennels, like a fresh page in the book, we start anew, with all the best intentions, fresh and full of eagerness, as reflected in the youngsters themselves.

Also very close on the horizon, in the immediate preparation of the team for the demonstration at Crufts again, this year. We shall be using the local indoor riding school facility, to replicate the arena at the N.E.C. Birmingham, though we can never replicate the noise and smells, that so many thousands of people bring with them! We shall also be on the Kennel Clubs’ ‘Dog Days Out ‘ stand each day of the show and will be pleased to see any of you visiting. Along with various dates for summer B.A.S.C. fair demonstrations and our visitors at home, it looks as though we shall be as busy as ever. Enjoy your dogs!