The Point Of A Report

Being recognised as a writer can be a double-edged sword, especially if people don’t agree with what you say, discovers David Tomlinson

- David Tomlinson

I’VE WATCHED ALL the different championships: retrievers, springer spaniels, cockers, HPRs and pointers and setters. As social events I have enjoyed every one, as they offer a great opportunity to meet people and I’ve made some lasting friendships from chance encounters in the spectators’ gallery.

Occasionally I’m recognised: “Aren’t you that bloke who writes in Shooting Times?” I admit that I am. Anything is then likely to follow, from praise for something that I have written to verbal abuse for an article that my acquaintance didn’t agree with. Once I was roundly told off or writing about golden Labradors when I should have said yellow Labradors. I don’t think that I’ve ever referred to a golden Labrador except in jest, but my denial wasn’t accepted.

I’ve only once reported on a championship for Shooting Times, which was the 2013 HPR final held on the Swinton estate in North Yorkshire.

It was the first HPR Championship to be held for 17 years. After the 1996 final, the event was discontinued as the standard of gundog work was deemed to be too poor. The world of HPR trialling was put into what might be called special measures.