On 10th April, 2022 NEFRA gave members the opportunity to train their younger and less experienced dogs and offer handlers help and support.

A huge thank you to Garry Ellison, Andy Sweeney and Gill Awty for taking the training sessions in the morning.

The afternoon was dedicated to a working test.

The day was held with very kind permission of the estate management and the gamekeeper

The working test was judged by Garry Ellison and Gill Awty. A big thank you to them and to all who helped throwing dummies, stewarding and generally helping the day to run well, it is very much appreciated indeed. Thank you also to Skinners for their sponsorship.

The results were as follows:

Puppy (8 entries, 2 abs)

1st Mrs Sue Rodgers Signy Never Touching Ground (Imp Che)
2nd Mr Casper Jonsen Casblaidd Espionage
3rd Mrs Carol Tinker Bramatha Lockdown Blues

Novice Dog/Novice Handler (4 entries 1 Abs)

1st Mrs Sonya Jenkinson Skybrook Rock Me
2nd Miss Kelly Holland Woodfinch Highland Fairy for Flatcharm

3rd June 2022 – Once again we were delighted to have been welcomed back to the regular training ground at Hesketh Bank courtesy of Sam Slinger, Ribble Bank Field Sports.

It is with much sadness that NEFRA has been given the news that our friend and colleague Maggie Hammersley passed away on Monday 28th March 2022. She had been a committee member for several years and currently had responsibility for the NEFRA shop.

Maggie & Moses

Maggie’s dogs meant the world to her. She enjoyed showing “her boys” as well as having a keen interest in gundog training with them. Anyone who was a friend on her Facebook page will certainly miss her posts of the infamous Moses and Robin and their hilarious antics. In particular Moses kept us all entertained from sitting in the middle of the dining table to climbing on a bench to look over the fence at what the neighbours were up too! Typical flatcoats: “Naughty but Nice”. She was certainly devoted to them and they to her.

Very much a family person she was married to Steve and had two children and three grandchildren who she loved spending time with. Her youngest grandchild, Bella, certainly kept her spirits up during her illness.

Maggie was a very thoughtful and unassuming person who disliked fuss of any kind but she had a great sense of humour underneath her quiet personality. She was a genuine friend to all who new her.

To Steve, Jude, Tom and the rest of the family we send our deepest condolences. Maggie will be greatly missed by her many friends within our flatcoat family. May you rest in Peace Maggie.

Please note: understandably the family would appreciate we respect their privacy and not contact them directly at this very emotional time

Our first AGM since the Covid-19 pandemic gave members the opportunity to gather once more to celebrate the activities that we have been able to arrange in what have been quite difficult circumstances logistically.

Our chosen charity for the coming year has been announced as:

The NEFRA Annual Awards have been announced today

Annual awards are as follows:

President’s Cup – Joint Winners
Sue May’s  Ronevorg Dark Angel At Lussac JW 
Sandra Stevenson’s Blacktoft Caress Of Steelriver

Ceilidh Cup – Jeni Lawson’s Donascimento Aldair

Inca Trophy – Sharon Tamblyn’s Atherbram Jacob

Our congratulations to the winners

Honorary Life Memberships were bestowed upon Mrs Kate Jubb and Mrs Kathryn Trevor as a gesture of thanks for their dedication to the Association over these past 25 plus years.

The Code of Ethics was modified

Ceilidh Cup Final Standings 2021

Members will have received the notice of the AGM in the latest copy of ‘Wagging Tails’. Here are links to the minutes of the 2021 AGM (held via Zoom) and to the agenda for this year’s AGM.

The twenty seventh Annual General Meeting is to be held at 11:00am on Sunday 20th March 2022 at The Fenton Manor Sports Complex, City Road, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2RR (Gallery Suite – 1st Floor) 

Nominations are now closed for officers and committee positions. Only matters on the agenda can be discussed at the meeting.  Members wishing to attend the AGM must be fully paid up members of the Association 

PLEASE NOTE THAT 2022 SUBSCRIPTIONS WERE DUE ON 1ST OF JANUARY 2022 AND IF PAYING BY CHEQUE THEY SHOULD BE SENT TO OUR HON. TREASURER: 

MR D TAYLOR, Cooks Lane House, Cooks Lane, Bradnop, Leek. Staffs. ST13 7HA

MEMBERS WHOSE CORRECT SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE NOT RECEIVED BY THE AGM WILL BE UNABLE TO VOTE AND MEMBERS SUBSCRIPTIONS NOT RECEIVED BY 30TH APRIL 2022 WILL HAVE THEIR MEMBERSHIP TERMINATED. 

NEFRA held a KC Working Gundog Certificate on game at Rainford, nr Wigan.
A huge thank you to Ian Clarke, the keeper; Lisa-Jane Mappin, for organising for us to visit and Philip Smithies and Chris Hewison for judging on the day. Thank you to the team of guns for enabling a steady supply of game for the dogs, to the beaters, and to the picker up and all other helpers on the day.

Two certficates were awarded to

Patty Goriainoff and her flatcoated retriever Sweet Licorice Secret’s Surprice (Imp SWE)
Lisa-Jane Mappin and her cocker spaniel Casblaidd Abyssinian

Thank you to everyone for taking part and supporting the day.

Fantastic show as usual and made a change not being on the committee so Val and I were able to enjoy the show . We would like to thank everyone who bought tickets for the walking stick I’m pleased to say we raised £310 which will be donated to Maggie’s cancer charity . A heart felt thank you Val Den xxx

Thank you everybody for supporting them, and congratulations to the winner, Charlotte Jarvis, pictured with Apollo and her new stick. Well done everybody.

We were delighted that exhibitors entered so many dogs at our Championship Show today for our judges Mr & Mrs Goodman. Our new venue in Biddulph allowed us to use their sports hall to celebrate our 25th anniversary – there was cake for everyone and such a friendly spirit in the air.

Many thanks for your entries – we were delighted to see you all after such a long break imposed by the pandemic. Congratulations to all our winners.

Full Results – complete with absentees

Dog Judge’s Critique
Bitch Judge’s Critique

NEFRA held a working test at Castle Howard today by very kind permission of the Howard family and Clive Harrison the gamekeeper.

Once again we are indebted to the wonderful staff of the Castle Howard Estate near York. They once again offered to host our test in their stunning setting in the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported the event, some travelling a very long way to attend, we very much appreciate your commitment!

A few eleventh hour changes on Friday night with the loss of two judges, a few competitors and several helpers nearly meant it didn’t go ahead at all.

We thank Philip Smithies for stepping in at the last minute to ensure we had a panel judge for the day and so the open test could go ahead. Garry Ellison did a sterling job as always having set all the tests a couple of weeks ago, and also stepped in at the last minute to be the fourth judge, who, along with Casper Jonsen and Theresa Jonsen ensured all the dogs had a fair chance at the tests.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped on the day whether that be dummy throwing, stewarding, placing blinds and catering. We really cannot manage without your help. Lastly thank you to Chris who also does so much behind the scenes and helps make the day a bit easier to manage.

Well done to everyone in the awards, lovely to see so many newcomers, and I hope everyone enjoyed their day!

Results:

PUPPY (3 entries)
1st Sue Rodgers with Signy Never Touching Ground TAF
2nd Fred Newton with Jarvo Supermoon

NOVICE DOG/NOVICE HANDLER (6 entries)
1st Anne Haley with Castlerock Return to Sender at Skybrook
2nd Rochelle Richards with Hopevalley Morning River through Kimberfield – also winning the Yonsaff Cup for Best Newcomer
3rd Sonya Jenkinson with Skybrook Rock Me
COM David Foster with Kenyten Styx
COM Janet Botterill with Frankie Be Good for Gracie

NOVICE (18 entries, 2abs)
1st Not Awarded
2nd Andy Sweeney with Wolfthistle Mr Miracle
3rd Caroline Hewison with Casblaidd Island in the Sky
Judge’s Choice Janet Botterill with Chanangel My Swallow

OPEN (8 entries, 2 abs)
1st Caroline Hewison with Donascimento Danilo from Casblaidd
2nd Andy Sweeney with Norfolk Flyers Rosie’s Thorn of Wolfthistle
Judge’s Choice Amber Nicholls with Featheringay Raven Prince

Well done everyone, hope you all had a safe journey home.