At the recent AGM, Gillian Smitherman has agreed to try and fill the boots of the wonderful outgoing Show Secretary in Paula Goulette.
Gill has taken on the role with immediate effect, and with the support and help of the outgoing Show Secretary, and the rest of the committee, we are sure she will put her own stamp on the position and do a great job in taking NEFRA forward in the foreseeable future.
Gill brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, being a UK and Overseas Championship Show Judge, Breeder, Exhibitor with a good understanding of working events. She also has a strong fundraising background, which I am sure will also help her in the role, whilst running her own businesses, which I know many have bought items from.
Gill’s Family have long been associated with NEFRA, with her Mum being a founder member.
So we warmly welcome Gill to the team, and hope that there will be a thriving future for NEFRA
At the recent AGM Paula Goulette stepped down as Show Secretary after a wonderful 15 years of dedication, hard-work and service to this NEFRA role.
Paula has been an amazing officer on the committee, and the rest of us are sad to see her step down, but with a wonderful legacy of great shows and events, Paula has decided that it is now time to do so.
Paula was presented with a memento of thanks from the club for all her amazing service as a NEFRA officer.
However, we have not allowed her full retirement, as due to Bob Allen stepping down from his role of President, Paula has kindly agreed to step into the role for the foreseeable future, until we decide on Bob’s Full-Time replacement.
This will also allow her to pass over all her knowledge and advice to the new Show Secretary, as we knew she would kindly do anyway.
At the recent AGM, there was a vote for committee member roles
With 7 applicants for the 6 roles available, the members and committee voted on who would fulfil these positions.
Four of the positions were three-year terms (Due to current terms expiring), and two were two-year positions, due to co option of two persons in 2025.
After a very close vote the following people were elected: –
Helen Fox and Dominic Salt-Both 3-year terms.
Harry Vasey and Anna Hazelton-Both 3-year terms (New Committee Members).
Ros Tierling and Anne Haley- Both 2-year terms.
Thank you to everybody that voted and good luck to the committee members filling these positions.
Anna Hazelton was voted in to her 3-year term on the NEFRA committee at our recent AGM.
Anna had been co opted into the committee role for the 2025 period and has started to learn various roles within the association. She has stewarded, helped with results uploading, sold raffle tickets, and worked on refreshments, along with many other jobs and roles at show and working events, and attending and helping out at other club events. Anna has learnt a lot in her time so far with NEFRA, and whilst owning, showing and working her Flatcoats has shown a big interest in the breed whilst maintaining an urge to learn more about our wonderful breed. Anna has provisionally agreed to take on the role of Wagging Tails Editor, with outgoing Wagging Tails Editor Melanie Salt and other Committee members help where necessary.
She has also agreed to continue her role uploading the Fossedata results at the shows, with the help of Chris Hewison.
Harry Vasey was voted into a 3-year term on the NEFRA committee at our recent AGM.
Harry had been co opted into a committee position for the 2025 period and learnt a lot in the process. Harry is a very experienced tech-based individual, with a wonderful knowledge of computing and photography. Many will have seen some of Harry’s photographs in the past, and he now becomes our official show photographer, aswell as agreeing to maintain and update the Facebook and Internet web pages, with the help and advice of Chris Hewison and other committee members. Aswell as show photographs, Harry has Stewarded at shows, and attended and helped at other events, taking part in working events, and has also been responsible for moving our communications forward within the committee and beyond.
We are sure that Harry will provide the club with young exciting ideas, along with his partner Anna Hazelton, and create a good base for the future of NEFRA.
We wish them both good luck and welcome them to their first 3-year term with NEFRA committee
NEFRA will be holding a full-day gundog training event on 27th June 2026 at Burton Salmon, a well-regarded venue that provides excellent ground for practical gundog training.
The day will focus on practical gundog work, covering key skills and techniques suitable for working dogs at different stages of their training. The aim is to give handlers clear, effective training approaches that they can take away and apply in their regular training, whether preparing for the shooting field, working tests, or improving overall control and reliability.
Training will be led by Mr Andy Sweeney and Mr Gary Ellison, both highly experienced and respected gundog trainers. They will deliver instruction throughout the day, sharing their knowledge and experience across a range of areas, including:
Basic and advanced handling techniques
Steadiness and control
Retrieving and delivery
Use of dummies and training equipment
Troubleshooting and solving common gundog training problems
The day is designed to be practical, informative, and suitable for a range of abilities. Handlers will have opportunities to observe demonstrations, ask questions, and gain hands-on guidance to support their own training at home.
Further details regarding timings, participant numbers, and booking arrangements will be released shortly.
Entries for the Ceilidh Cup are now being accepted. Points for the trophy will be counted from 21 February to 20 February of the following year. This timeframe ensures that all working tests and the shooting season are completed.
Lists of qualifying tests, together with the relevant picking-up certificates, must be submitted to the Working Secretary no later than 1 March.
This award is made to the dog, not the handler. A single handler may therefore enter multiple dogs, provided each dog qualifies. Dogs may be handled by different people at different tests or on different days; it is the dog’s performance that earns the points.
To qualify for the award, a dog must have spent a minimum of four days in the field, either picking up or working with game. A certificate confirming this must be signed and dated by the keeper or shoot captain.
The award is open to NEFRA members only. The owner must have been a member for the entire year in which points are being claimed.
Link below to the claims from and more about this Trophy.
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