ONE of the soundest pieces of advice you can get when looking for a gundog puppy is to buy one from working stock. That, of course, assumes you want to work your puppy. Conversely, if you want a gundog breed but don’t plan to work it, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t buy an animal from show or pet lines. Working-bred cockers, for example, can be manic in their enthusiasm to hunt every clump of grass they come across; show-bred cockers, in contrast, are usually much happier going for a walk without searching frantically for non-existent rabbits.
I was asked recently about what ‘a lot of red ink in the pedigree’ means: was it something worth having? It’s a term used to indicate that a puppy’s parentage includes field trial champions (FTChs), the names of which will generally be printed on the pedigree in red rather than black. Whether it’s a good thing depends on what you want. Buying a puppy bred from field-trialling stock is essential if you want a competition dog but it’s hardly necessary for a once-a-week shooting companion that doubles as a family pet. True, trialling dogs are bred to be biddable but they are high-performance animals that take serious handling. The best analogy I can think of is hunting on a point-to-pointer. It’s an unbeatable experience for a skilled rider but for most of us a good, solid, Irish draught x thoroughbred is a much more relaxing prospect for a long day in the saddle.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2020 من The Field.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2020 من The Field.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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Rory Stewart - The former Cabinet minister and hit podcast host talks to Alec Marsh about the parlous state of British politics, land management and his deep love of the countryside
The gently spoken 51-year-old former Conservative Cabinet minister is a countryman at heart. That's clear: he even changes into a tweed waistcoat for the interview, which takes place at his London home and begins with a question about his precise career status. Having resigned from the Commons and the Conservative Party in 2019, the former diplomat and soldier has reinvented himself, first with an unconventional but promising run as an independent for the London mayoralty (abandoned because of COVID19 in 2020) and then as a media figure, co-hosting one of the country's most popular podcasts, The Rest Is Politics, alongside Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spin doctor.
Fodder
Local fare with the feel-good factor.
Celebrating the game changers
Once served only in the traditional manner, the fruits of our forays now find their way into all manner of diverse and delicious dishes, say Neil and Serena Cross
The first civil engineer
John Smeaton left an indelible mark on the field of engineering and, three centuries after his birth, his legacy remains as strong as ever
School spirits
From grey ladies and ghostly gardeners to more malign entities, public schools are a rich repository of unnatural phenomena
'A long way from Piccadilly or Pall Mall'
Marking 150 years since the birth of Sir Winston Churchill, Dr Conor Farrington explores this eminent statesman’s often-overlooked 1907 tour of British East Africa: a journey rich with enchanting natural beauty and sporting adventure
Top of the pups
Canines in all their guises were celebrated at The Field Top Dog Awards lunch at Defender Burghley Horse Trials whether eager on the peg, patient at home or perpetually making mischief
Angling for success
It’s never too early to shape up for next season’s salmon and trout, and these top fishing schools are here to help
Talking scents
The canine nose is an astonishingly complex piece of biotechnology that man has harnessed for sustenance and sport for thousands of years
Wall-to-wall excitement
Criss-crossed by formidable drystone walls, the High Peak Harriers’ scenic country provides a day out with an exhilarating difference