Held in memory of Mick Newsman and Phil Wagland
On 11 June, an extremely hot day, the North Midlands URC held their Memorial Working Test in fond Memory of Mick Newsam and Phil Wagland who sadly passed away last year. This was held at the Cubley Estate, nr Ashbourne by kind permission of The Honourable Mr & Mrs Legh. Our Judges were Mrs Sue Hales-Lowe (A Panel), Ms Sharon Kitson (B Panel), Mr David Haycock (A Panel) and Mr David Bellamy (NP). It was a fantastic day with many people there who had known Mick and Phil for many years. Steve Crookes, our Chairman and Field Trial Rep said a few words before the day commenced about two gentleman who were stalwarts of the gundog world and how they had helped many newcomers to the breed. Both were very successful in this their chosen sport. He said he wanted this to be not a sad day but a celebration of their lives and hoped everyone would share memories of them during the day. He thanked Mr & Mrs Legh for allowing us to use their ground and thanked the Headkeeper Shane for all his help during the organisation of this event.
40 dogs were entered but after a few withdrawals we commenced the day with 37 runners. These were mostly Labradors with 6 Golden Retrievers and 1 Flatcoated Retriever. Most retrieves were into thick cover and in general most of the dogs coped very well.
Test 1 Sue Hales-Lowe was a Mark and a Blind
Test 2 Sharon Kitson was a Double Mark
Test 3 David Bellamy was a Mark with a Return for a Blind
Test 4 Dave Haycock was a Pick Up (2 dummies required out of 3)
The four tests were finished by 1pm and the Judges decided that the dogs had had 8 retrieves and it was far too hot to continue. Four dogs were then called forward for a runoff, a long mark into some small trees. This sorted the dogs out and it was time for lunch. We were all grateful it was lunchtime and ready to find some shade. We thank Joyce & Philip Smithies for kindly providing a super lunch for the judges, helpers and our two Vice Presidents with no charge. Cherry Wood helped with lunch and made sure everyone was supplied with drinks.
After Lunch Sue Hales-Lowe ran a Heads & Tails game with a bottle of Sloe Gin kindly donated by Sue’s husband, Will. The winner was B Chesser and this made £94 towards the Charities (thank you Sue). Thanks must go to the judges who donated the sum of their usual gifts to the Charities. The proceeds from the day will be going to the Charities that Mick and Phil often supported, St Lukes Hospice, Sheffield and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance.
Thank you to everyone who donated many raffle prizes. Thank you to Roz Bellamy who produced the photos and supplied the board to put them on. Thank you to Sue Rogers who donated a lovely cake with a photo of our duo judging at the European Challenge at the Game Fair. Unfortunately it was too hot to put the cake outside of the Gazebo. She also made us some very tasty Lemon cake and helped on the tests. Thank you to all the helpers, both committee members and non-committee members: you went above and beyond to be out in that heat. I can’t thank you all enough for making this day a huge success.
Mr & Mrs Legh came to join us to present the awards which were:
1st C Probert’s Lab Dog: ETOMANNI LUDO OF CORSEMAIZE
Receiving an Engraved Glass Tankard kindly donated by The Cubley Estate, a resin Pheasant donated by North Midlands URC, a 15kg bag of Alpha dog food and an Alpha Gilet
2nd A Richardson’s GR Dog: RICANDED COMMADOR’S FLAG
Receiving an engraved Whiskey Tumbler kindly donated by David & Roz Bellamy, an engraved glass donated by NGRA for the highest placed Golden Retriever, a 15kg bag of Alpha dog food and an Alpha Gilet
3rd S Barratt’s Lab D: HIGHROOST OAK
4th B Chesser’s Lab B: BIRDSGREEN THEMBI of SPURGATE
Thank you to Sporting Saint Gundog Supplies for their kind gift to all the runners.
Mr Legh then spoke about Mick and said he had picked up at Cubley for about 20 years, earlier on with his wife Gloria. He said he also knew Phil quite well from the Trials that the North Midlands URC had at Cubley. He said that he was so pleased we had held this day in memory of two real gentlemen who will be sadly missed. We then presented Shane Wood the Headkeeper with a bottle as he had done so much for us. (I rang Shane on Sat evening and he was still mowing the grass for the car park.)
A one-off event that will be remembered.
Elaine Whittaker
Hon Sec