MORE than £800 was raised for Save the Children by Worcestershire Gundog Society's recent annual two-day event at Sudeley Castle and the Charlton Abbott estate at Winchcombe.

Both days were well attended, with a significant increase in entries for the retriever heats.

The working test pulled in competitors from all over England and Wales and, at the end of a hard fought competition, the WGDS was fortunate enough to see three of its members in the top four positions in the Open Test - taking first, second and fourth.

The "hunt, point and retrieve" day started off dull but warm, eventually the sun made its appearance and the threatened rain did not materialise.

Four tests had been arranged.

The hunting in the morning in wonderful set-aside gave the majority of dogs the opportunity to point and produce pheasants and the occasional partridge.

The second test, a long marked retrieve over a ditch, should have been straightforward, but proved the undoing of some dogs. The third test, a split, with the long blind being retrieved first, proved to be quite difficult.

By this time it was very warm indeed and dogs had difficulty in locating the dummy in grass on the edge of the track.

The fourth and final test, was a simple blind retrieve across a stretch of water.

First was Tony Sellin's German Short-Haired Pointer (GSP) bitch Castlepoint Inchmurrin, which gave a classic demonstration of quartering.

Second was Steve Parson's GSP dog Rollenwood Sulphar Tuft.

His hunting again was very good, although he did not quite display the style and elegance of the winner.

Third was Jennifer Hurley's Hungarian Viszla dog Istvan Tizen Kilenc, which just lacked the pace of the two higher placed dogs and fourth was Ray Davies' Italian Spinone bitch Freshetin Merletto.

In the Novice Test, the winner was Calvenace Theodosius for Bardantop, an Italian Spinone, owned by Mr and Mrs P Guest. Second was Aston Manor Montagu, a German Wire-Haired Pointer, (GWP) owned by Sandra Limbrick, third was Dewdavion Miss-Chevious (GSP) owned by Lesley Keate and fourth was Eelyrags Poplar (GSP) owned by Lee Loveridge.

The Puppy Test saw a win for Allan Drysdale's Aranys Anya Mit Drysika (GSP), second was Tarkanya Lytas Lassie, a Large Munsterlander, owned by Karen Saynor, third was Questor Eros at Swifthouse, a German Long-Haired Pointer, (GLP), owned by Madge Simons and fourth was Castlepoint Silver with Sasfrids (GSP) owned by Judith Horsefield

The second day saw the AV Retriever heat with competitors required to complete a total of four tests, these were a combination of marked and blind retrieves at various distances and over undulating ground and across water.

The skills of both dog and handler were put to the test during the course of the day.

First was Waterford Covey, with handler Jane Coley, second was Caveral Dew of Bittenam, with handler Jane McHugh, third was Olivertash Mosel, with handler Annie Wales, and fourth was Waterford Calibre, with handler Jane Coley.