You are as likely to see an HPR as a baseball cap at a smart shoot, says David Tomlinson. So, if you’ve done the training, how do you get to work your well-trained continental pointer?
OLD taboos take years to die in the shooting field. Many decades passed before over-and under were accepted and if you go farther back you will discover similar prejudices against hammerless guns, even yellow labradors. Of course, some prejudgments still remain. Turning up at a smart shoot wearing a baseball cap is hardly acceptable and nor is having a continental gundog sitting beside you at your peg. In the past 20 years, I can recall only seeing one HPR being used as a peg dog. It was a weimaraner and acquit itself satisfactorily. I’m sure that if it hadn’t its owner would never have been invited again.
It’s some 70 years since the first German shorthaired pointers appeared on shoots in the UK and, since then, those pioneering hunter, pointer retrievers have been joined by a host of other continental breeds. The choice today is considerable. Would you like a lovely russet-coloured vizsla from Hungary or, perhaps, a big white spinone from Italy? If neither appeals, there’s always the Spanish water dog, a game little animal that looks like a sporty poodle. I like the Brittany, the most spaniel-like of the pointing breeds, while I’ve seen some great work by Korthals griffons.
Denne historien er fra April 2018-utgaven av The Field.
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Denne historien er fra April 2018-utgaven av The Field.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Going over old ground
Forget modern tractors and minimum tillage - there is something glorious about the sight of farmer, horse and vintage plough in perfect harmony
Return of the natives
There is nothing as satisfying as creating a magical miniature woodland or conservation hedgerow using our native trees - and now is the best time to start.
Tagging the Cornish tunny
Enormous Atlantic bluefin tuna are once again making waves in UK waters almost a century after their showstopping appearance in the North Sea
In it for the long haul
It may have fallen out of favour at the elite level but long-format three-day eventing is still proving popular with grassroots riders
Unpicking the story of hunt buttons
These treasured tokens are bestowed only upon those who go above and beyond in service of their hunt but the rules around them can be complex
A place of tradition in the heart of town
Cordings has helped shape the sartorial landscape of Britain for 185 years, with its classic country tailoring a firm staple of many sporting wardrobes
Don't play it by ear
Hearing loss can have a devastating impact on day-to-day life, making ear protection a non-negotiable piece of field kit
Back to base-ics
Britain's famously unpredictable climate can make staying comfortable in the field a challenge but the right under layers can be a game changer
Stand and deliver
A good stance provides the platform for shotgun marksmanship and is fundamental to consistent success in the field or breaking clays
Heaven is a High Four
A team of guns enjoy a day of the finest sport Devon has to offer, courtesy of the GWCT and a quartet of generous shoot owners