Curly Comms
The Minority Gundog Breed Challenge at The Game Fair, 26 July 2026
The Curly Coated Retriever Club Working Gundog Team took part in the Minority Gundog Breed Challenge on Sunday morning in the Hertford Arena, along with Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and Irish Water Spaniels. The event was organised and run by Judy Hempstead of the Working Minority Retriever Club.
The final placings were:
1st Chesapeake Bay Retrievers
2nd Irish Water Spaniels
3rd Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers
4th Curly Coated Retrievers
The Curly Coated Retriever Team this year was made up of:
Jeannette Findlow with Roughyeds Gold Stick Cellar SGWC (Marion)
Bea Barber with Tonispada Vuori Vincent By Blanshard SGWC (Edgar)
Beverley Snudden with Roughyeds Regal Return (Olive)
Reserve
Bea Barber with Sh.Ch. Foxriever Picture Perfect For Blanshard (Giles)
Beverley said, ‘Olive & I were part of The Curly Coated Retriever Clubs Working Team, competing in The Minority Gundog Breed Challenge. It was an amazing experience, we should be very proud – each of us scored a 20 & a 19!! There’s always things that don’t go so well but wow, it was amazing! We couldn’t have stood beside a lovelier team, Jeannette with litter sister, Marion and Bea with Edgar. All of our dogs are 3 years old.
Thank you to everyone for giving us so much support & kind wishes x‘
Jeanette said, ‘It was a privilege yesterday for Marion and I to join the Curly team alongside Bea with Edgar and Beverley with Olive who is Marion’s sister, in the Minority Breeds test at The Gamefair. We had a lovely time and it was great to meet Olive again as well as everyone else.’
Breed Representation at The Game Fair, Ragley Hall, 24 to 26 July 2026
Curlies have been in the Meet The Breeds – Sporting Dogs Pavillion, at The Game Fair over the weekend meeting the public and taking part in the demos and parades.
The team was made up of Jo & Brett Clayton with Clover & Sorrel, Jo McKenzie with Tuppence & Tresco, Heather Driscoll with Iris, Nick Eden with Creme, Sue Margerison with River & Dusk, Rachel Arnold & James Dobson with Kopis, and Nigel Spraggins with Merry & Hoolit.
Curly Coated Retriever Club Chairman, Nigel Spraggins, said, ‘Hot but heartening three days at The Game Fair at Ragley Hall. Lots of interest in the breed and meeting folks who have Curlies because of encountering one on a breed stand makes it so worthwhile. Seeing the CCRC team compete in the big arena brought a lump to the throat. This is the same arena where on Friday and Saturday three dog teams from Belgium, Germany, GB, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands and Switzerland competed in the Eurochallenge.‘
Leeds Championship Show, 23 July 2026
There were 27 Dogs, making 28 Entries for Breed Judge, Mrs Jacqui Ward, at Harewood House, Nr Leeds, and her main winners were:
Best of Breed: MERCER, Miss C & THOMAS, Miss LA Crimwell Trouble Maker At Stormacre
Dog CC: STEPHENS, Mr & Mrs J & M B Brightmeadow Rumour Has It JW
Reserve Dog CC: DAVIES, Ms R & BRADSTOCK, Mr L & THYGESEN, Mr J S Skaringen’s Isinglass VIII Con Redanimo (Imp Nor)
Bitch CC: MERCER, Miss C & THOMAS, Miss LA Crimwell Trouble Maker At Stormacre
Reserve Bitch CC: STEPHENS, Mr & Mrs J & M B Sh Ch Ravenho Up Town Girl For Brightmeadow JW
Best Puppy: DAVIES, Ms R & BRADSTOCK, Mr L & THYGESEN, Mr J S Skaringen’s Isinglass Viii Con Redanimo (imp Nor)
Best Veteran: CLACK, Mr & Mrs Stephen & Elaine Bazzy Inti Anka At Molokain (Cze Imp) & shortlisted in the Gundog Veteran Group under Group Judge, Mr Howard Ogden.
Special Congratulations to:
– Cathrine & Louise after ‘Tiffany’ won her 3rd Challenge Certificate at just 16 months old. She will now be known as Sh Ch Crimwell Trouble Maker At Stormacre (strkca), and we have out first new Show Champion of 2026.
– Maggie & Jerry for ‘Tyson’ – Brightmeadow Rumour Has It JW winning his first Challenge Certificate, to go with those 4 RCCs.
– Roz, Lee & Jostein for ‘Antar’ – Skaringen’s Isinglass VIII Con Redanimo (Imp Nor) winning Best Puppy & the Reserve Dog CC at just short of 9 months old, and qualifying him for his Studbook Number (strkca).
The full results can be found here on the Show Results Page.
National Gundog Association Championship Show, 2 August 2026
The entries have been announced for Breed Specialist Judge, Mrs Liz Lacey (Fleetpaw) for National Gundog Association at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern – 35 Dogs, making 39 Entries.
United Retriever Club Championship Show, 5 August 2026
The entries have been announced for Breed Spcialist Judge, Mrs Adrianna Griffiths (Glenkerry) for URC at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern – 52 Dogs, making 58 Entries.
Pembrokeshire Canine Association Premier Open Show, 26 July 2026
Judge: Sian Evans Bowsian – Breed & Gundog Group
Post Graduate D/B – No Entries
Open D/B (1/0)
1 Brightmeadow Rumour Has It JW (Mr & Mrs J & MB Stephens) BOB & Gundog Group 1
AV Vulnerable Native Breed Gundog
Judge: Sian Evans Bowsian
Open D/B (6)
1 Brightmeadow Rumour Has It JW (Mr & Mrs J & MB Stephens)
What a day for Maggie & Jerry Stephens – their GSD ‘Rooster’ won Best In Show, and ‘Tyson’ – Brightmeadow Rumour Has It JW won Reserve Best In Show, under Best In Show Judge, Mr John Scanlan.
Wiveliscombe and District Canine Society, 25 July 2026
Judge: Graham Hart (Gilliegrae)
Class 258. Graduate (1/0)
1st 506 – Brightmeadow Wish Come True At Dreamcurl (Miss A Harris)
Class 259. Open (5/1)
1st 504 – Maycourt Cover Shot (Miss D M Courtier), BOB
2nd 505 – Maycourt Take Me to The Top JW (Miss D M Courtier), RBOB
3rd 507 – Maycourt Miss Sweetness at Tengore (Mr B J & Mrs S M Perkins)
Res 506 – Brightmeadow Wish Come True at Dreamcurl (Miss A Harris)
Curlies into ‘Battle’, 26 July 2026
Su Carlin, and her Curlies, Rose & Kyri attended the re-enactment of the Battle of Shrewsbury at Battlefield on Sunday. The Medieval weekend is one Rose & Su have been attending together for years, and this year Kyri went along too. Su told us, ‘The re-enactors generally love the Curlies, after all their ancestors were probably around in 1403… Rose worked her way into the hearts of the group with the Ginarm Siege Engine, catapult that looks a bit like a mini trebuchet.‘
