For the first time, a British competitor has won gold at the World St Hubert Championships for working gundogs. Rob Gould, competing as part of Team GB, won first place in the gentlemen’s category with his German Longhaired Pointer, Wamilanghaar Djynn.
The World St Hubert Championships were held alongside the World Championships for Pointing Breeds in Torrijos in the Toldeo region of Spain where a number of other British competitors also achieved success over the three days of competition.
In the World St Hubert Championships, dogs are run singly with their handler and are judged on their relationship together, the training of the dog, their shooting skill and understanding of gun safety, their understanding and ability to hunt the ground respectfully and thoroughly, their choice of cartridges and handling of the shotgun.
A number of countries compete in the two-day World Championships for Pointing Breeds, each with a team of British Pointers and/or a team of Continental Pointers with from two to four dogs in each team.
The awards for Team GB were as follows:
World St Hubert Championships
Ladies
- Maddy Raynor with Irish Setter, Bownard Carrabullawn of Wiscombe, came 2nd in her group and was 4th in the individual.
- Maddy Raynor with Irish Setter, Bownard Carrabullawn of Wiscombe, and Sara Chichester with Gordon Setter, Wiscombe Tomintoul, came 3rd in the Team placings, taking bronze.
Gentlemen
- Rob Gould with Wamilanghaar Djynn took first place and they became the UK’s first World St Hubert Champions.
- Rob Gould with Wamilanghaar Djynn and John Naylor with Pointer, Goddrib Bari of Bitternboom, came 4th in the Team placings.
Spaniels
- Michael Raynor with English Springer Spaniel, Kenquartz Backstreets of Wiscombe, came 4th.
World Championships for Pointing Breeds
- Maddy Raynor with Irish Setter, Bownard Carrabullawn of Wiscombe, was awarded 3rd in her group with a Very Good.
- Sara Chichester with Gordon Setter, FT Ch Little Treasure of Gawcott, was awarded 2nd in her group with an Excellent, RCACT and RCACIT.
- Sara Chichester was awarded 4th overall individually.
- Team GB were awarded 4th in the British Breeds Team placings.
Team GB was sponsored by the Kennel Club and Skinner’s dog food and led by team captain Meryl Asbury. The team vet was Rob Gould.
Team captain Meryl Asbury said: “This is only the fourth time Team GB has taken part in this competition under different rules and different disciplines to what we are used to in the UK, so it really is an amazing achievement for Rob Gould to win gold in the World St Hubert Championships with his German Longhaired Pointer, Wamilanghaar Djynn. Many congratulations to Rob and Djynn on this super result. The camaraderie not just among the British team but between all the teams made for a very enjoyable three days of competition among people who share a common interest. Long may this continue.”
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “These results for Team GB are very impressive and we send our congratulations to all concerned and especially to Rob for his spectacular win with Djynn. The dogs were working under conditions which were not familiar to them, so this just proves how adaptable these breeds are and also how strong their working instinct is. Here’s hoping we see many more successes for British dogs competing at this event for many more years to come.”