The deadline for articles, adverts, and items for the Club's winter newsletter is Friday 14 November 2008.
Please send by e mail if possible to Louise at Louise@octobercottage.freeserve.co.uk
If you need to send hard copies please phone her on +44 (0)1782 551026.

A lot has happened this year so it would be great to get a lot of contributions

A large turn out of members from the Sporting Irish Water Spaniel Club meant that the Club could once again put on an excellent working demonstration and man the Gundog Pavillion at the 50th CLA Gamefair at Blenheim Palace, near Oxford on 25 -27 July.

Despite extremely hot temperatures, Club members put on three working demonstrations and participated in six parades of gundogs throughout the long weekend. In addition, members and dogs took turns to man the gundog pavillion from 8.00am to 5.00pm for the three days of the Gamefair. The IWS booth was busy throughout the weekend with a lot of interest being shown in the dogs. 
The CLA is quite an undertaking for the Club as it requires a large number of dogs and people and we are extremely grateful to those members who participated.

On Saturday 26 July a BBC film crew working on the Countryfile programme filmed some of our dogs and handlers as part of their coverage of the CLA Gamefair. The particular item was for John Craven publicising their photography competition. The IWS got a mention and a number of them were shown whilst John was talking.
The programme was shown on the BBC on 3 August.

This is the second time this year that dogs from the SIWSC have been shown on Countryfile. On 24 February they were featured in an item on British and Irish native vulnerable breeds. If you missed that programme you can now see the vulnerable breeds item on You Tube, just click on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfukzUGDn1U 

 The Sporting Irish Water Spaniel Club held it's Centenary celebrations in the magnificent setting of Chillington Hall near Wolverhampton on 19 and 20 July courtesy of John and Crescent Giffard.
Comprising of the annual water test and breed confined gundog working test together with an evening of socialising, the weekend marked the centenary of the original formation of the SIWSC by Lady Dunleath of Ballywalter Park, Northern Ireland and Mr CE Wright of Camberley.
The original Club disappeared in or around 1910 but was re-formed in 1989.
It was a great honour for the Club that it's Patron and great grandson of Lady Dunleath, the current Lord Dunleath (Brian Mulholland) and his partner Visbe Lunn came to watch the Open working test on the Sunday.

Lord Dunleath & Visbe Lunn
On the Sunday Lord Dunleath then graciously presented the prizes to the winners of the various tests that had been held on the day.
As far as the competitions over the two days were concerned, it was a great weekend for the Cuvana Kennel led by Sue and Judy Hempstead, who, between them were running 3 dogs and had much success.


Special mention should be made of Sue's dog Zac (shown below), who won both the novice and open water tests on the Saturday and then came second to Ian Probert's dog Doyle in the open working test on the Sunday. The photo right, shows Sue receiving one of numerous prizes from Lord Dunleath.

Three American imports were on display and certainly made their presence felt with Melvyn Hurst's flying machine, Bentley leading the American charge by winning the novice working test with great style.

Saturday evening had the usual socialising with what turned out to be the big hit of the weekend: the hog roast which was thoroughly enjoyed by all who sampled it.

On the Sunday, the Giffard's hosted the food and country fair close to the location of the working tests. Quite a number of people wandered past to have a look at the IWS in action, which of course gave great publicity for the breed. 
Also on Sunday Britain's leading canine photographer and gundog editor of Sporting Shooter magazine was in attendance photographing the competitors.

The test results can be found here
See Nick Ridley's photos here
See members' photos here

The SIWSC were at the inaugural Yorkshire Game Fair at Harewood House on 25 and 26 May organising and running the working gundog pavillion and gundog ring. In addition, members put on twice daily displays in the gundog ring and at the last minute, were asked to perform in the main arena.
In addition to our own IWS, there were also displays by the Clumber Spaniels and Golden Retrievers, a parade of gundogs and a finale involving Alan Penny doing a training session with many of the breeds of gundog on show.
In recognition of the SIWSC's organisation we have been asked back next year. 

 Photo © Grant Hebblewhite

Team IWS won the fifth minor breeds team gundog (retriever) working test, held at Leyton in Shropshire on Sunday May 18, 2008.

SIWSC Team L/R, Ian Probert with top dog, Doyle, Dave Gresty with Oscar, team captain, Melvyn Hurst, Lyn Tombs with Paddy and Sue Hempstead with Zac

1^st Irish Water Spaniels.   500/600 points

Team

Radicott Waterbug (Paddy) handled by Lyn Tombs - 119/150

Cuvana Loutre de Mer (Zac) handled by Sue Hempstead – 119/150

Kirkmarsh Mr Doyle of Hiberna (Doyle) handled by Ian Probert - 138/150 TOP DOG

Kirkmarsh Torrent (Oscar) handled by Dave Gresty - 124/150.

2^nd Flatcoat Retrievers 485/600

3^rd Chesapeake Bay Retrievers 413/600

 Congratulations to all of the team who this year achieved the best result so far in the competition.

The deadline for articles, notices, advertisements and other items for the summer newsletter is 7th April 2008.

Please e mail to Louise at:  louise@octobercottage.freeserve.co.uk

Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly with a selection of the 15 vulnerable British & Irish native breeds filmed by Countryfile. The IWS pictured is American import Bentley (Grainne's Pirate at Kirkmarsh). Photo: © Gordon Ralphs

On Tuesday 12 February members of the SIWSC and 15 IWS participated in filming for an edition of the BBC's Contryfile programme. Organised by Paul Keevil of the British and Irish Dog Breeds Preservation Trust , the 5-6 minute clip for the programme was aimed at highlighting the plight of the British and Irish vulnerable native breeds, particularly the fifteen most vulnerable. This of course includes the IWS with just 162 registrations in 2007, although this is the third highest number of registrations on record.
The aim of the programme was to emphasise the working heritage of these breeds and along with the Otterhound and The Glen of Imaal Terrier, the IWS was singled out for special mention. A number of the IWS in attendance were filmed doing some water retrieves.
The programme is scheduled to go out on Sunday 24 February at 11.00am (GMT) on BBC 1.
If you miss the programme  the BBC will have the programme available for viewing using their iPlayer on the BBC web site, for 7 days after the screening of the programme. Apparently, this is not available to overseas viewers.
Just click the link below and look for Countryfile.

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/atoz/?filter=azgroup%3Acd&filter=channel%3Abbc_one&scope=iplayeratoz

For more information on Countryfile click on the link below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/countryfile/

To visit the British and Irish Dog Breeds Preservation Trust's web site click on the link below.

http://www.nativebreeds.org.uk/

                                                                            SIWSC Secretary Louise Bailey being interviewed by presenter Mirriam O‘Reilly, 
                                                                          whilst Melvyn Hurst's dog Bentley is sent for a water retrieve.

The Field Spaniel Society Health Committee are organising a Health Testing Day (Open to all breeds) on Sunday 10th February 2008 at Great Alne & Kinwarton Memorial Hall, Alcester Warwickshire from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Click for details 

Dogs and handlers from the SIWSC are featured in the January 2008 edition of Sporting Shooter Magazine which is on sale on 29 November 2007.
The article, written by Nick Ridley, the UK's foremost gundog photographer and gundog editor, follows on from an invitation to Nick to watch four IWS picking up at Chillington Hall, near Wolverhampton.
Chillington Hall, owned by IWS enthusiast, John Giffard, and home of the Club's breed confined annual water test and gun dog working test was a fantastic setting for the shoot day. The article is beautifully complemented by photographs taken by Nick.
Entitled "Pretty? Yes. But can they work in the field?" working IWS owners will have no doubt as to Nick's conclusion.

Links:     Sporting Shooter Magazine

                Nick Ridley Web site

               Photos from the IWS shoot day