A day of Pointer and Setter Club Natural Game Trials at Poronui Station ran this weekend as Cyclone Vaianu moved in on NZ. Emergency weather warnings had reduced trials days from 2 to 1, actual trials from 4 to 2 and the running list to just seven, but oh, the fabulous hunting grounds of rough white grass, steep covered banks, rushes, streams and fallen trees allowed many of the new season birds to keep our braced runners busy, constantly tricking and tempting the dogs.
‘Oxo’, Aytee Oceania, revelled in the work, coped with the bird numbers and I was very proud for her to be awarded a 1st in Saturdays Wingfield Natural Game Championship, which was the only award of the day. Thankyou to Poronui for allowing us on their wonderful estate, to NZ Gamebirds Ltd, for such fabulous birds, to the judges Rob Meredith, Robyn Gaskin and Helen Sansome and to Robyn and FT Sec Peter Hay for all their work.
An amazing coincidence was that the previous week I had been lent a book by very kind spaniel trialler and friend, Peter O’Neill. Written by Leon Mortensen, an icon from Pointer and Setter Trialling in NZ back in the day, it was a fabulous read and I can recommend to anyone who loves working, breeding and training air scenting hunting dogs. The author was also owner of the Wingfield Kennel and had, along with his wife Joy, originally donated the trophy that was in my airline bag on the way home!
Getting a late flight with Oxo out of Auckland before the cyclone and being collected at midnight after such a day, was indeed a day of memories to stay forever and I will treasure having her name on the Wingfield Trophy.
