Tests 2026
Kindly sponsored by Essential Foods UK
Open AV Retriever Working Test
Saturday 18th April
Held at: Thelveton Estate BKPO The Mann Family
Judges: Peter Hurst, Karen Hurst, Mike Hamilton, and David Wall
1st - Birdsgreen Lyric of Bobwalden (Tammy White) [Dunlin Cup winner]
2nd - Anningtonbay Loyal (Cynthia Thackwell)
3rd - Hullabaloo Thunder of Thorchase (Vince Thorby)
CoMs - Pinfeathers Excalibur (Callum Raywood), and Pinfeathers Galahad (Callum Raywood) [Thomas Kidner Shield winner for youngest dog in the awards]
We held our Open Working Test at the beautiful Thelveton Estate BKPO of The Mann Family (thank you Georgina Mann for coming to support us). This Estate is beautiful and I was spoilt for choice when keeper Adam took me round to chose. I decided on The Larches which had the most choice of different types of cover and terrain and it didn't disappoint. Four sets of two retrieves in the morning including a mark down an avenue of trees, and a blind through reeds across the river through a hedge, this retrieve proved the undoing of a few dogs. A hunting exercise in thick bracken sending the dog back to the same area. A mark in long grass out of a wood with a blind under a large rhododendron in the wood, and lastly two long marks down hedge lines in thick lush grass. The dogs were given every chance to pick and most dogs did. My merry team of helpers were fabulous: Sam Daniels, Melanie Newton, Jane Digweed, Ollie, Phil Askew, Margaret Askew, Jac Garrard, and Gill Stebbings. They were excellent and very nice to get some newbies out helping. Big thanks to Essential Foods for their very generous sponsorship. Big thanks again to everyone, there was a really nice atmosphere all day, helped of course by the lovely weather.
Puppy/Novice Test
Sunday 5th July
Held at: Shadwell Estate
Judges: Peter Abbs, Jennie Hankey, Kelvin Smith, and Tim Briggs
Puppy Test
1st - Saxthorpe Xray (Karen Hurst) [John Morgan Trophy winner]
2nd - Humberflair Morning Glory (Mick Elsey)
3rd - Saxthorpe Lucius (Sara Gadd)
CoMs - Styliedawn Minnie Mouse (Michelle Bullen)
Novice Test
1st - Birdsgreen Integrity (Sara Gadd) [Daint Trophy winner]
2nd - Caulaincourt Ffion (Ben Southam)
2nd - Sirenbirch Gunnerside Gill (Jenny Hookham)
3rd - Styliedawn Dumbo (Jason Forder)
CoMs - Bellspaddle Beetle (Sharon Dingle)
The East Anglian Labrador Retriever Club held it's Puppy/Novice Test BKPO of The Shadwell Estate. Jessie Musk very kindly facilitated the use of this lovely ground for us and we are indebted to her and Bob the Keeper for use of it, it is a fabulous piece of ground just off the A1088 near Euston, undulating and tricky! Not only did she get us the ground she stayed and helped all day putting blinds out. Our judges for the day were: Peter Abbs, Jennie Hankey, Kelvin Smith, and Tim Briggs. Thank you so much for giving up your time. They judged a total of 43 dogs, a really good entry with a lot of new faces which was great to see. The puppies had a total of 6 retrieves and the novices 8. Test one with Kelvin was a double mark up 2 separate banks which looked easy, it turned out to be the most difficult of the tests as it was hampered by a track. Test 2 with Jennie was a mark through rushes then a blind in the same place. Test 3 a two dog walk up on heath land with Peter and last test 4 with Tim which was 2 long blinds up a bank between gorse bushes, we thought this would sort the dogs out but proved to be fairly straightforward. My team of helpers were all stars today: Melanie Newton (who made cakes), Keith Golden and their friend Ed, Sam Daniels, James Payne, Jane Digweed, Phil and Margaret Askew, Clare Webb, and Nick Law (who made sausage rolls). They did any job asked of them. Thank you to Gill Stebbings for selling raffle tickets. Unfortunately due to a misunderstanding there was a problem with the scores on the novice test. We decided as everything was done and dusted and people had gone, that we would just award two 2nd places. Apologies to Jenny Hookham. Huge thanks to our sponsor Essential Foods bags of food for all placed dogs and to all those people that bought raffle prizes, they were gratefully received.