For Whom The Bell Tolls

Team GB had great results at the World Championship, where the cover was a challenge for handlers and HPRs

- David Tomlinson

FOR MOST OF us the dream of representing our country in a world championship in any sport, whether it is shooting or show jumping, is just that: a dream. It was for Linsey Whitley, who only started trialling HPRs — German longhaired pointers in her case — last year.

However, having lived with professional gundog trainer Howard Kirby for the past three years, she knows how to handle a dog. And a little of Howard’s competitive instinct must have rubbed off, for she achieved remarkable success in the 2017 World Championship for Hunting Dogs (News, 13 December).

Linsey went to the GB team selection to watch the top dogs and handlers in action. As some of the handlers could not be there, she was offered the chance to run and earned a place on the team.

The World Championship is one of those events that I’ve always wanted to go to but have never managed to attend. Team GB has only competed for the past three years and the first two were a steep learning curve as our handlers discovered what was required of them and their dogs.

HPRs and pointers and setters compete in the event: it includes a number of trials, such as the English Setter Championship and the Mediterranean Cup, as well as the World Championship itself. The fact that there is a UK team is largely due to the enthusiasm and organisation of captain Meryl Asbury, while Skinner’s provides essential sponsorship.