A Taste of the Trials

[Susan Stone]

Glen admiring the Cairngorms.

No Crufts for us... we had decided to head north to the Scottish Spring Trials this year. Imagine my surprise when I heard Glen was at Crufts! Not caged or benched, but larger than life and full of enjoyment together with his Pointer friend Beckett.

Unknown to myself (the KC says their email to me must have got lost) the photograph I had sent in for the KC photo competition had impressed the marketing department and was chosen for the KC's 'Breeding for the Future' stand at Crufts.

Thank you Hredar & Elin for sending me this fantastic photo:-))

On the weekend following Crufts, Glen and I were in Reeth for the KC training course in Yorkshire, trying for the Working Gundog Certificate. The training was fantastic, but none of participants for the WGC were lucky this time. Glen, who had behaved perfectly during training, finding & pointing grouse on the Saturday, dropping to flush, decided to have fun on the day of the test...  Admittedly the conditions on Sunday were very difficult and birds were scarce, scenting condition bad and the grouse not sitting tight. In the end after three runs with no find Glen just lost his nerve and decided to chase the one pair of grouse that he found!

Glen and I, setting off for the WGC. Thank you Diana for these photos.

Glen hunting...

Glen roading in on scent.

Next we drove North to various trials in Scotland. A record warm spring made this trip very memorable: we were sitting out in the garden of our B&B eating ice cream! The trials were most enjoyable and despite not being placed this year we had a wonderful time. Glen ran better at each trial, had some excellent finds and pleased me by backing his brace partners really well. OK, he was not always helped by his handler... ;-) We were running in the novice trials that took place on alternate days to the Opne trials. We went to watch the open stake and I was extremely impressed by the standard of these top working dogs. The ease, speed & style with which they hunted the rough heather was breathtaking.

A working bred Irish Setter. 

Glen backing a Pointer at a Novice trial.

Glen taking his job seriously!

 Glen backing, Gordon on point.

Dropping to flush.

We headed home on Sunday.. by Monday Sotland was covered in snow!

[Chantal McIlveen-Wright]

Glen you are just fabulous, but hey, nothing new here, you know that very well  :-)  A really beautiful set of pictures of your so handsome young man Susan, my preference goes to the action ones, but they are all so beautiful!!!! 

[john murphy]

So Glen is the poster boy for future setters :-) .... model and hunter...perfection

[Sharyn Latchford]

Superb photos .....

[James Doran]

Nice taste it was too! Very enjoyable.

[Maggie Smith]

How very proud you must be of your boy. Congratulations Susan - Glen is a credit to you and the breed. He must surely get all the girls??

[Rieky van Hal]

verry beautiful fotos susan they are super

[Pat Aldridge]

That first photo of the dog on the rock is simply stunning!

[David McIlveen Wright]

Wonderful photos! and it looks like you had a lot of fun there too!

[Cornelia]

That first photo is indeed stunning! Looks like you had a great time! Thanks for sharing.

[Ingrid Noyelle]

Beautiful Susan, well done ! And congratulations with the beautiful photo of Glenn at Crufts !!!