Results from the second days action in the Gundog Scurries and Working Test at the Highclere Game and Country Fair.

Results from the first days action in the Gundog Scurries and Working Test at the Highclere Game and Country Fair.

The Highclere Game and Country Fair is a gundog enthusiasts dream. Highclere hosts a comprehensive portfolio of major international gundog events including The Mitsubishi Motors World Series Gundog Championship, the Mitsubishi Motors Junior Handler Championship and the Skinners International Retriever World Cup this May Bank Holiday.

The Short Fence Gundog Scurry is as simple as the name suggests. A skill often overlooked in other gundog scurries is the ability to leap over fences or into pens, which is an essential part of any gundogs repertoire. The very nature of the land over which game shoots are often situated means that it is highly unusual for a dog to work on a shoot where there are no fences of any kind. Stock fences, sheep hurdles, partridge pens and all manner of other obstacles await. There is not a Gun in the land who can honestly profess the ability to drop a bird precisely where he or she intends, not without at least the hint of a wry smile creeping across their face!

The Hopping Hare Gundog Scurry will identify in seconds whether the many hours of dedicated training have instilled the most basic of gundog skills - self control. How many times has your dog sat patiently beside you throughout countless game drives, marking each bird with eagle-eyed precision, looking longingly at you for it to be their turn, yet waiting obediently to be called into action. Always obedient, never questioning your authority, knowing that one day it will be their turn, and when it is they'll deserve it. This is not practice, this is not one of the many gundog scurries they've entered over the summer. This is the real thing.

The Partridge Pen Gundog Scurry simulates a retrieve that a gundog may be expected to make during the shooting season. As the name suggests, partridge pens are used for rearing young birds before they are released shortly before the start of the shooting season. The pens are typically 2.5 metres square, and about 0.75 metres high. When the birds are released the pens usually remain in situ and shot partridge will often fall into an open pen. Gundogs must be able to jump into the pen to make the retrieves. This is one of the more popular gundog scurries for novice handlers, as each of the 2 retrieves is “seen” or thrown when the dog is able to mark them.

The Long Retrieve Gundog Scurry is all about speed. Although it looks easy, your dog needs speed, stamina and a good memory to mark the long retrieve and bring it back fast. This is one of the most visually spectacular of our gundog scurries, and gives you a great perspective on the vast distances over which gundogs are expected to work.

At Countryman Fairs we recognise that while it’s important to celebrate the achievements of gundogs and their handlers who are at the very top of their game, it is essential that we encourage newcomers to the sport that we all enjoy so much. Each of our gundog scurries is simple enough for novices to enjoy, but also tricky enough to test the mettle of the very best. But sometimes a stress and pressure free environment is the best place to take your first steps. That’s where the Novice Gundog Scurry comes in.

In the Up & Over Gundog Scurry it’s a fast and furious scramble to bring back two retrieves over the obstacle course in the fastest time. The Up & Over is a little different to our other gundog scurries as it is run over a compact course, and usually only takes the fastest dogs a handful of seconds! However the compact nature of the Up & Over makes it a great scurry for novice handlers and younger dogs.

Gundog Working Tests are competitions that artificially simulate shooting day conditions, in order to assess the working abilities of gundogs. Gundog Working Tests are effectively a simulated Field Trial, although our Working Test has subtle differences from other gundog events. Field Trials have been developed to test the working ability of gundogs in competitive conditions, and resemble, as closely as possible, a day's shooting in the field including the use of live game. No live game is shot during a working test, but organisers can choose to use cold game.

PLEASE NOTE: THE PONTOON GUNDOG SCURRY WILL NOT BE RUN AT THE HIGHCLERE GAME AND COUNTRY FAIR IN 2010. TWO NEW GUNDOGS SCURRIES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS TO MAKE THE COMPETITION MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR NEWCOMERS. THANK YOU.

It may not be Vegas, but the stakes are still high. Whether you call it Black Jack or ‘21s’ you’ll need more than lady luck to win in this devilishly tricky gundog scurry. In Pontoon it’s the dog that can collect the highest hand in the shortest time will cash in, and may be on there way to winning the Mitsubishi ASX Crossover worth up to £20,000LP!

PLEASE NOTE: THE POT BLACK GUNDOG SCURRY WILL NOT BE RUN AT THE HIGHCLERE GAME AND COUNTRY FAIR IN 2010. TWO NEW GUNDOGS SCURRIES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS TO MAKE THE COMPETITION MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR NEWCOMERS. THANK YOU.

In the Pot Black Gundog Scurry, this unique game of “Gundog Snooker” challenges the skills of the handler and the receptiveness of the gundog. A popular scurry for spaniel handlers, Pot Black offers a variety of retrieves, with each one getting slightly harder as the points progress. As gundog scurries go, Pot Black is one of the most exciting as it requires a great deal of rapport between dog and handler. One slip, or colour out of turn and its game over!