!! DATE CHANGE FOR VHDTA !! Training

Training will now be held on Sunday 16TH AUGUST for the Versatile Hunting Dog Test Assn. from 0930hrs in Cust, N. Canterbury NZ.

Aimed at everyone who wants to work their Versatile Gundog towards VHDTA tests in the future, which will include, hunting, pointing, retrieving, tracking and swimming and you will learn to work in partnership with your dogs natural ability.

If you already know about the VHDTA or are just curious and want to chat please msg me on FB or email luciehustler@me.com Trainers on 16th August will be Rose Gilbert and myself - all abilities are welcome and I hope that regular training will take place next year if enough interest is shown so please share this post

Great start for Kiwi detector "AHU"

The first Aytee bred dog to take his NZ Conservation Dog Assessment exam has achieved a PASS this being the first step of the road to qualify him as a Kiwi Detection Dog.

At 14 months old AHU is a star pupil and works with owner/handler Martin Slimin. Having proved obedience and steadiness pointing and flushing quail, pheasant and pigeon he is now allowed to train on the Kiwi’s themselves. Ahu’s first point and then sight of the bird says it all.

AHU now an Interim Certified Species Protection Dog

Great Job Martin and Ahu and thankyou for the wonderful pix …Ahu cant believe his eyes 😅

Poronui Preserve

This fabulous hunting country at Poronui Station NI has to be seen to be believed. Good friend Dave Sheely, a crack sh*t, I discovered this weekend is also a great cameraman. He can be seen wearing a go pro in our Poronui post yesterday -and here is one of those videos of Mavis at work. Wow, thanks Dave, what a Pro !

Mavis waiting to flush

The Best Day ❤️

A day hunting and sh..ting over our dogs at the fabulous Poronui Station, North Island this weekend was everything we could have dreamed.
With three friends Robyn, John and Dave and their two Irish Setters plus yours truly and GSP Mavis we had a simply amazing day of sport and great company. Guided by manager Jeff Niblett and with top sh..ting from Dave and John we saw some spectacular work from the dogs. 
Hunting through young pine plantations in expansive white grass, crossed by Manuka and eucalyptus gullies and also working rough pastures full of streams and rushes, Jeff even managed to squeeze us in lunch in the warm and luxurious Lodge. Finally, as we drew to a close after 3 o’clock Mavis found once again, and flushing off a staunch point Dave dropped her a last bird with his last single cartridge, across the gully for another great retrieve. YAY what a finish!
Massive thankyou to Robyn and John for their wonderful hospitality and thanks to Dave, here, celebrating that great finish with Mavis ! So many wonderful memories made, thankyou so much to you all 👏😄🐾🥂

Mavis getting loaded….. not her favourite part of the weekend

Shortest & Hottest

With New Zealand approaching mid winter, Aytee dogs are enjoying plenty of HPR sh**t days as well as driven days beating and picking up and beautiful and varied countryside are always guaranteed. We coincided this weekend with the shortest day and, unbelieveably, the hottest June day ever recorded at 25 degrees. Here a photo of a wonderful driven day at Craigmore Valley Shoot Preserve and congratulations to the young g*ns who did so brilliantly. Roll on Canterbury’s next pheasant day on July 4th.

There is a lull in Pointer & Setter competitions at the moment and the dogs own small ‘wins’ have been in game handling and steadiness. I’ve also been getting our pigeons organised and the last of 5 squeakers will soon have its first flight. With birds now hatched in the loft it should make homing from trap training much easier. Happy Days, enjoy your dogs 😊

Ripples on a pond

Loving to see Aytee sired bitch Kinlochmhor Scree winning Novice and Open classes at the Highland Group GSPC Working Test for Ailsa Cunningham. Congratulations to Ailsa and her homebred bitch “Corrie” who is sired by Aytee Kalimar owned by Ben Barrett.

Breeding dogs is like ripples on a pond and successes are wonderful to share, well done Ailsa!

Kings Birthday Weekend

Some super work from the dogs this 3 day weekend with pheasant shooting opening. A great rough shoot with friends and a couple of days local. Lovely to share our sport with so many g*ns that love their dogs 🐾❤️🐾

An exciting discovery

Described by NZ Fish & Game as “a thrilling, fast paced upland game sport in New Zealand” it was all of those when Oxo hunted & pointed her first covey of Californian Quail in a dry riverbed today. On the flush they simply exploded into the air and with a flight so rapid I was amazed to see the bird drop. But right on cue she followed it up with a stunning blind retrieve in deep cover. Mavis looked on in wonder as it all happened so fast 🤣

Braided river beds make for good hunting