Gundog Training Forum

Judy wrote:Except to those of us who use Spaniels for the wrong thing. And used a Flatcoat for beating.

Not much choice on one of the shoots I took Rhuna on this year, it's a small shoot where the beaters and pickers up walk through together, the guns sometimes have their own dogs but there is no separate picking up team. Rhuna got pretty good at getting in under brambles and bracken, although not as busy as a spaniel, she didn't do a bad job.

Naj wrote:I used to love watching the Holway dogs work. Is the kennel still on the go?

Naj

The Holway dogs are still very much on the go in the capable hands of June Atkinsons' son (Robert Atkinson) and daughter (Jane Mann). As you may remember Robert won the Championship in 1982 and has run in several championships with Holway goldens since then - he missed out this year failing to get a third B qualification. Jane also trials her dogs but has not been as active as Robert. They are still considered one of the top lines in working goldens and June made up 35 FTCh godlens in 60 years of trialing. http://www.thegoldenretrieverclub.co.uk/workja.html

Thanks for that - interesting reading. I'd heard that June kept her dogs in the house. Also heard that she exercised them on horse-back. I remember seeing June &, latterly, Robert competing & think I was there when he won the Championship (Sandringham?). Glad to hear that the kennel is still on the go.

Naj

I competed against June in a trial or two and also in a game fair test. Her goldies were damned good.

Wullie