How much of a handicap is it for a gundog to lose its sight in one eye? Moss, an English springer spaniel, lost an eye when he was three but it hasn’t stopped him enjoying a long and successful career. According to his owner and handler, Lyn Doubleday, he wasn’t the easiest dog to train but went on to become “a tidy beating dog, tackling any cover that faced him, an efficient pickerup on shoots, both large and small, and a great dog to shoot over”. On one occasion, he even ran in a trial to make up numbers – he was only there to pick up – and ended up in the awards.
Now aged 11, he’s slowing down and doing fewer outings (much to his disgust), but he hasn’t lost his enthusiasm and has a new role: assistant trainer to the younger dogs. According to Doubleday: “he sits patiently while they train around him, retrieves when told while they sit, and hunts alongside them to show them the way. He is still invaluable and a joy to be with in whatever role he undertakes.” With a CV like this, it’s not surprising that Moss was the first choice of all the judges for the prize of Best Veteran in this year’s Field Gundog Awards, held in association with Chudleys.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2021-Ausgabe von The Field.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2021-Ausgabe von The Field.
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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.
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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
