Sunday 15th October was the Clumber Spaniel Clubs Working Match between Clumbers, Fields and Sussex. The venue was a new one at the Highclere estate by the kind permission of Lord Caernarvon. The weather was wonderful and we drove along the drive through the pheasants and fields full of huge mushrooms, that one could imagine magical creatures making their home. We parked up by the Mausoleum under a group of oak trees whose acorns dive bombed on unsuspecting passers by. The judges were Paul Steadman and Tina Smith who are known for their successes with working WSS.
This event is not only an individual event it is also a team event. Each dog running has to try and gain the most points to earn for the team. This is a fun event that is ideal for novices to give the working a try. Representing the Field Spaniels were Judith Harris with Dru (Thandiwe Druid), Debbie Channon with Lara (Dubldee Guaira of Thandiwe), Shula Shipton with Farthing (Can Ch Winfarthing Jonathan Archer for Mishules) and Seven (Mishules Seven of Nine) and Elspeth Hazell with Daisy (Vraibleu Daisy Cutter).

They had a huge choice of ground and chose some woodland at the bottom of the hill we had parked. There was some densely packed bracken through which the open dogs were given the opportunity to hunt. There were also huge patches of rhododendrons which held the odd pheasant to be flushed. The scenery was wonderful with some architectural cedars, a gorgeous hornbeam in full seed, and a huge variety of fungi from red spotted Fly Agaric to another that looked like a pile of manure beneath the oak trees.
Some of the ground was a little soft as Debbie Channon can ascertain as she got her feet stuck and eventually had to be helped out. Unfortunately the ground let go a little easier than her helpers expected and she went flying to the floor. At least it was a soft landing! Sadly I was just about to run with Farting so there is no photographic evidence of her initiation to competitive working events.
All dogs got a chance to do a water retrieve from a lovely lake at the end of the tests. Results were
Puppy
1st Clumberdane Sirrius Clumber John Rudbach
2nd Deanway Foxtail Lily Sussex L Judge

Novice
1st Deuchars Ruan Clumber John Nettleton
2nd Deuchars Remus Clumber Georgina Collie
3rd Antonine Lord of the Ring Clumber Paul Williams
4th Dubldee Guaira of Thandiwe Field Debs Channon

Open
1st Vraibleu Daisy Cutter Field Elspeth Hazell
2nd Micklemess Just George Clumber Chris Page
3rd Deuchars Remus Clumber Georgina Collie
4th Deuchars Ruan Clumber John Nettleton

Elspeth was also Best in Test and Best Field. Debs and Lara got a special mention in despatches as both judges were impressed that this was her first time in a competitive event.