EVERYTHING is exciting for a golden retriever,' states Sue Jordan, owner of five working goldens. 'I love watching them work. They air scent, so their noses are up and they're working away, tails in the air, looking fantastic. When the sun is out, they're glowing—they know they look good out there, I'm sure of it.'
With long, flowing locks, feathered tails, and gentle eyes, the golden retriever is a handsome gundog and a joy to see out in the field. Darker and with a slender, more athletic frame than their heavier, pale-cream show strain counterparts, working goldens are often mistaken for another breed—'I've been asked if they're setters, fox-red labradors or flat coats,' Mrs. Jordan admits—and still fairly unusual to spot on a shoot. The golden retriever's good looks, sunny personality, and popularity as a family pet can mean its prowess in the shooting field is overlooked, but this intelligent, biddable and steadfast gundog should not be underestimated.
'A few years ago, my bitch, Nell, caught the scent of a running partridge, and off she went after it and disappeared,' Mrs. Jordan recalls. 'She was away for a good few minutes and everyone assumed she was just running around. I think they half expect goldens to turn into clowns out there. Then, a dot appeared in the distance and it was Nell returning with the partridge. Someone had seen the whole thing: she'd gone over three fields to retrieve it. They said it was spectacular to watch.'
Denne historien er fra April 20, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra April 20, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
