20 April 2025
My grateful thanks to Debbie Herring for this report of yet another get together of Chesapeakes and their people for gundog work. It is so refreshing that all of these attendees, who also show their dogs, are keeping the dual purpose aim well and truly alive.
Last Sunday the Working Minority Club hosted a Working Test Training Day in Selborne, Hampshire.
The purpose of this day was for members to gain a better understanding of what is required when running your dog in a working test. The day started with a talk from our judges explaining expectations from a judge’s perspective. Our judges Ken Green, a B panel kennel club Field trial judge, and Jane Manley talked about etiquette and dog and owner behaviour, including the importance of thanking judges and helpers, wearing smart clothes and being respectful of the land we were on.We then ran through the importance of reading and understanding the Kennel Club J Regs (for those who don’t know, J Regs is a book of rules and guidelines that judges abide by when assessing dogs and handlers at a field trial or working test) and how some areas can be open to interpretation such as agreeing in advance of a test whether a dog peeing or pooping could be a zero score or points deducted.
The judges also explained that they might also look for things like how direct a dog retrieves and follows guidance, the pace and enthusiasm of the dog going out and back, looking for a dog’s ability to use its nose and hunt an area, and how they would assess a dog if they put a dummy down to reposition it for a better hold, as opposed to dropping a dummy to go and sniff or take a pee. The J Regs is an essential read for anyone considering entering Working Tests or Field Trials and can be downloaded from the KC website J Regs Mini Guide 2025.
Once the brief was over, we then split into two groups with our judges and ran through some test scenarios, pretending we were in a test environment. After each dog had run, the judges discussed how they would have scored the test, what we may have lost points on, and ways that we can train to improve those areas. Sometimes they were as simple as working on heelwork or steadiness, other times they were about whether we might give too much or not enough assistance to our dogs when hunting a blind retrieve. For many, with our keen water dogs, it was working on the challenge of doing a blind retrieve along-side water without the dogs deciding to add an impromptu swim to their test!
At lunch time the rain started lashing down, but despite the weather we had some laughs along to the way and learnt a lot about viewing a test through the eyes of a judge. Everyone left with some new insight and something to work on.
It was lovely to have so many Chessie people with us: Sharon and Connie (who split her nail, so Sharon ended swapping and training with her puppy Tasha), Peter and Mink, myself and Indie, Angela and Arya, Fleur and Chester, and Vroni was kind enough to come dummy throwing for us.
Photos are of all the Chessies, and Peter and Mink doing their best centerfold pose.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
13 April 2025
News from Australia where an English-bred Chesapeake, Australian Supreme Champion Sharbae Rose of Tenarda, aka ‘Rose’, was awarded BOB at the Sydney Royal Easter Show and then went on to get BOB at the CACIB Show giving her her CACIB title. This now makes her an International Champion. Big, BIG congratulations to owner Margaret Wedgewood and, of course, to her very modest breeder, Sharon Baxandall.
It was lovely to see Allen Musselwhite of Langstone Wildfowlers, win the wildfowling class at the club show. As many of you will know, Allen has suffered some serious health problems in the last couple of years and is only recently back shooting on the foreshore. Allen secured us some extra prizes for the show from BASC and has always been a great supporter of the breed and of the Club. His first Chesapeake, Arnac Bay Maine, was in 1996, and since that time he has had dogs from Wales and bred his own litters, the last one being represented by Ty, who Allen brought this last weekend.
Ty himself is now a ‘dad’ having sired a recent Battsrock litter for Debbie Herring who brought her own pup to the show to win best dog puppy. Quite a family event. Sadly Sharon Baxandall was unable to bring Tasha, her pup from the same litter, but Tasha made up for it this weekend by winning 1st in the Any Variety puppy stakes at the Isle of Wight Canine Association’s open show. Early promise for these pups.
Just along the coast from Langstone is Chichester Harbour where dire news has hit the Chichester Wildfowlers Association. The Chichester Harbour Conservancy Board has made the decision not to grant renewal of a licence for Chichester Wildfowlers’ Association to conduct wildfowling on Chichester Harbour Conservancy managed land. The decision was made at the board meeting held on 31 March 2025. At the meeting the board heard representations from the Chichester Wildfowlers’ Association and from West Sussex Wildlife Protection.
Following debate, the board found wildfowling on land managed by Chichester Harbour Conservancy to be incompatible with the organisation’s primary strategic focus on the conservation and restoration of nature. Consequently the Conservancy Board took the decision to give one year’s notice of termination from 19 May 2025.
For all of us pro-shooting folk, this looks like the beginning of the end as more voices are heard and acted upon from those who are anti shooting. Sad times and something that no one responsible for developing the Chesapeake Bay Retriever breed could ever have imagined.
How many times have we bemoaned the fact that we are so widespread over the country and it is difficult to get a training day for our breed. Yes, it is often possible to join a local gundog club and be swamped with black labradors and labrador obsessed trainers, but there is nothing like joining with a group of like-minded Chesapeake owners, and this is what is happening more and more in the Lancashire area (North of Watford). Karen Preece got together this Sunday with Sue Worrall and Anthony Ciraolo and with five Chessies between them in glorious countryside, they put their dogs through their paces and tested them on tough terrain, helping each other with tips and manpower for throwing and setting out dummies. It’s hard training alone and trying to teach a dog to mark when you have no dummy thrower is an impossibility.
If you have access to a training ground (a field) and fancy joining up with some others, even getting in a trainer between you, just let me know and I will advertise it in breed news, or we can put it on the club Facebook page. It is so important for a Chesapeake to use his brain and even if you have no intention of shooting over him, he, and you, will enjoy the training and working experience.
Chudleys dog food who so very kindly and generously sponsored our club show, have asked to remind everyone that Chesapeake Club members get a discount of 30% on any Chudleys food they buy from their website. This is an incredible offer and certainly saves me money, especially with dog food generally being more expensive now than ever before. Chudleys do an amazing range of foods for all palates and ages including some grain-free and for sensitive stomachs. Contact our Membership Secretary Sharon Baxandall if you are a member and don’t already have a note of the discount code.
A gallery of images from last week’s CBRC championship show is now online, with open show images being added over the next few days. You can purchase digital images from the gallery (£5 per image), with all proceeds going directly to the CBRC Rescue fund. This pays for Chesapeake dogs that have come into rescue for one reason or another and helps with any associated costs. Sadly some breeders are happy to take the original cost of a puppy but do not provide any back up if things go wrong, something they are supposed to do. If you would like to purchase any images of your dog, please contact Sue (chesapeakeblue@btinternet.com) or use the contact page on www.watersplashphotography.co.uk.
It’s now less than two weeks to the CBRC working test weekend, so if you would like to join in with the training day and/or enter the working test, it’s time to get those entries in. The closing date for entries is 16 April – that’s this Wednesday! Full details and an entry form can be found on the Events page.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
6 April 2025
This last weekend saw the highlight of the Chesapeake showing calendar with the club show being held at the Kennel Club Building on the National Agricultural Centre showground. This venue proves ideal for our show with an indoor building (useful in wet weather), a hotel on site, and a paddock big enough to run a scurry at the same time as the show. Thankfully the weather was amazingly good for April and our Greek visitor, Maria Kapsali was, for once, too hot whilst her homeland had rain!
Mark Straw once again ran a very successful scurry which was won by Naughty Nutty (aka Oakmarsh Land of Promise) for Amie Jayne. Obviously Naughty Nutty was Good Nutty on this occasion!
With two shows and some specials classes, it was a packed day as usual. All results will be posted on the club website but the main winners were as follows: Championship show best in show Thompson’s Sh Ch Arnac Bay Harvest; reserve best in show was Mayhew’s Sh Ch Next Generations Arnac Arctic Storm, a USA-bred dog; best puppy was Mayhew’s BBs Chesapeake Breeding Dory for Arnac who was bred in Switzerland and arrived in the UK in January this year. Best veteran was Griffin-Wood’s Ch Migwells Soloman’s Puzzle, another with overseas connections having been sired by a US dog via frozen semen.
In the open show, best of breed was Broomfield’s Glaneils Count on Me (sired by Migwell Soloman’s Puzzle); reserve best in Show and best veteran was Pont’s Sh Ch Oakmarsh Dancing Diva; and best puppy, again Dory (as above).
The now established and very popular wildfowling class prompted a very puzzled look from our very experienced Kennel Club judge, Martyn Rees, whose expression was priceless! With two entrants in full wildfowling gear (one complete with stuffed ducks and gun), Martyn said later that he didn’t know at first whether to judge the fancy dress or the dogs. This class always draws spectator attention and amusement and has proved a real success since its inception last year. Martyn said that he enjoyed his day immensely and I have a feeling that this class will stick in his memory forever.
Alexandra Adshead posted on her FB page that she had a lovely time judging the special award classes, saying that everyone was so lovely and welcoming. These classes give her experience to carry on in her judging career with the breed.
The open show was judged by our new secretary, Tracy Boyles, who had been chosen to judge over a year ago before she took on the role as secretary. Tracy is a Chesapeake owner herself and is an experienced judge qualified to give championship certificates in a wide range of breeds, namely Basenjis, German Longhaired Pointers, and Portuguese Podengo. Who would have guessed? Tracy too was very complimentary about the dogs and exhibitors on the day.
This year the show was sponsored by Chudley’s Dog Food who so generously gave small bags of food to all 1st prize winners and big sacks to the main winners in each show. This company also give a good discount to all Chesapeake Club members – that AND having a picture of a Chesapeake on their banner must make them the number one dog food company for the breed. Please support them.
Prizes of gundog dummies (or bumpers, depending on where you live) were very popular for our working breed and their owners, and the majority of these were from Sporting Saint who also donated small dummy keyrings and lanyards to all exhibitors. Again, another really good company who have a great selection of gundog equipment on their website at very reasonable prices. I have used them for many years and have found them to be very competitive.
An unexpected and unusual parcel of goodies for prizes for working dogs came from John Rothery wholesale gun supplies via our local pub network and the amazing huge canvas goose dummy donated was admired by many. Those who won the dokken dummies provided by John were thrilled as these are much sought after, being very life-like in both looks and weight, so a very big thank you there.
I think we all felt for Sharon Baxandall who was unable to bring her dogs as they had caught kennel cough at a recent show, but Sharon still made the long journey from the Isle of Wight in order to provide the judges’ lunches and organise the raffle. What a girl!
One not often seen face was Sandy Hastings (Chesabay Chesapeakes) who came to steward the specials classes very efficiently.
We are very lucky in having a good committee and friends, all willing to roll up their sleeves and pitch in with the enormous amount of work needed to run any event but particularly the club show. The team work shown this year was splendid and, like a hive of bees, everyone worked together. I have never seen the show dismantled and the site cleared at such an incredible speed. A case of many hands make light work.
With Molly Barker retiring as secretary this year, a presentation was made of a picture of one of her dogs to mark the occasion. Molly has been part of the Club for so many years and has put in so much time and dedication that she was recently made an Hon. Vice President of the Club. Luckily she is staying with us as a committee member where her years of knowledge in the breed will be so very useful.
And so another show comes to an end, this time organised and prepared for by the exceedingly calm and efficient Gemma McCartney. The hall is booked for next year for Sunday 22 March, with a seminar on the Saturday, so book the dates in your diary. We look forward to this annual get-together.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
30 March 2025
First, to all those attending the club show this coming weekend. Sue Worrall will be taking photos at the CBRC shows next weekend as a fundraiser for Chesapeake Rescue. High-resolution digital images will be available after the show for a donation of £5 to Chesapeake Rescue. Any payments will made directly into the Club’s bank account. This generous offer is not only a bargain for the buyer, but a chance to continue to build club funds.
There was another notable show win for a Chesapeake when Sharon Augustus won best puppy and the reserve best in match at the Isle of Wight Gundog Club last week with her pup, Battsrock Ashes to Ashes, bred by Debbie Herring. A very appropriate name for this beautiful ash-coloured Chesapeake.
I know that I have said this before but there was a time not so long ago when a Chesapeake never got into the main awards and, even if a really good specimen, we were overlooked time and time again for the more popular breeds. It is so nice to note that judges are considering our breed. Maybe it is because they are now more knowledgable due to judges’ education? I do know that if a judge is unsure about how the breed should look and match the breed standard, they are unlikely to pick them. It is good to have a fair crack at the whip
The Club’s annual awards were announced at the recent online AGM as follows:
- The Corrie Cup for top working dog or bitch: Franeo Ebbing Tide
- The Isis Shield for top working puppy dog or bitch: Riptide Gentleman’s Relish
- The Mr Cree Memorial trophy for top working veteran: Arnac Bay Grebe at Riptide
- Ted’s Challenge Trophy for most species retrieved: Sh Ch Arnac Bay Hebe
- Dawnflight Trophy for best field trial dog or bitch: not awarded
- The Battle Award for most improved handler: Angela Corcoran
- The Westering Plate for top dual purpose dog or bitch: Sea’nland Master of the Sea
- Chesabay Trophy for top dual purpose dog or bitch puppy: Riptide Gentleman’s Relish
- Chase’s Challenge Shield for top obedience: not awarded
- The Barry Shield for top show dog: Sh Ch Arnac Bay Huron at Bergelle JW
- The Glaneils Cup for top show bitch: Sh Ch Arnac Bay Hebe
- The Fudge Tankard for top show puppy: Oakmarsh Little Acorn
- Sharbae Rebel Rebel Trophy for top show veteran: Sh Ch Arnac Bay Flax
- Top Special Beginners in Shows: Angela Corcoran and Oakmarsh Kingsley Adsila
- Chessie Chat Trophy for best article in the previous yearbook: Gemma McCartney for her tribute to Ice
Congratulations all winners. A sample of photos here and we hope to publish photos of you all in future news. Please send me any news of you and your dogs.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
23 March 2025
This weekend saw a two-day gundog training event for Chesapeakes take place at Cowdray Park in West Sussex with resident trainer, Jason Mayhew.
This weekend is organised every year by Sue Worrall and, as usual, places were filled very quickly with the regulars who make the trip, several coming long distances from way up North. As always, a great and friendly atmosphere prevailed, with laughs a minute from Jason’s antics.
We all had a great time, everyone encouraging each other and joining in with their failures and their successes, taking the micky out of each other and generally having a good time socially.
Work was centred on gundog obedience incorporating the timing of commands and encouragement, the use of the whistle. We are always reminded of how deaf our dogs are if we only use our recall whistle and don’t use our voice and body! I don’t think a single dog completed this exercise first time which was a bit embarrassing as we were all confident that they knew what we were asking for.
With this being the first training session of the year for many, it was surprising how the winter months, the different ground, and the presence of an audience, caused our dogs to seemingly forget so many of their previous knowledge. Or was it just their way of having a good joke at our expense?
With this weekend in the bag, everyone departed on their journeys with the intention of working hard on their homework. Jason is the trainer for another weekend of Chesapeakes organised by Molly Barker later this year where I am sure everyone from this session will be word perfect … but knowing dogs, maybe not!
I don’t normally mention dogs’ birthdays in BNW but there is an exception to the rule for those who have achieved a significant age and this week it is the turn of Gemma McCartney and Margaret Woods’ Sh Ch Nunneyswood Drifting Snow who reached the grand old age of 15. Drift had a great show career in her day and won best of breed at Crufts in 2014 with Gemma handling her.
I have told the story many times but when Margaret needed to breed Drift’s mother to produce this litter, the snow fell on southern England like we had not seen for many years. We hardly ever get more than a few inches but on the day of the planned mating, it fell and fell. Margaret was in the Isle of Wight and her plan of coming over on the Ferry and driving ½ hour to Midhurst was scuppered as she didn’t feel comfortable that she would make it in her car. I had the stud dog and a Landrover Defender and so the solution was simple – I would drive to Portsmouth dockyard and meet Margaret who would come over as a foot passenger. The plan worked and the snow did not defeat the Defender, although the roads were littered with abandoned vehicles. We met, the dogs met, and the only hiccup was that the car park and all the surrounding area was so icy that the decision was made to mate the dogs in the back of the Landrover where the rubber mats provided some grip for the love making! It worked and the resultant litter were named with snow related names!
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
16 March 2025
Entries for the club shows close on Monday evening! With so many great prizes to be won, don’t forget to enter.
There will be a scurry at the show with the fastest times winning prizes. For those who are unfamiliar with this, a training dummy is thrown a short distance and the dogs are timed on their speed of retrieval. All good fun and not taken very seriously!
Whenever I had a litter of puppies and they went to their new homes, I would give the new owners a membership form for the Chesapeake Club and encourage them to join. Why you may ask? Well apart from the obvious advantage of knowing about any events or activities for the breed giving people a chance to join up with other Chesapeake owners, members would annually get the yearbook which contains a mountain of information about our breed in the UK, from stories and reports of what has happened the previous year, to health test results and breed information, etc.
These days the Club has a website that covers so much of the information previously only found in the Chessie Chat, and the Kennel Club has an online health checker facility for the results of individual dogs, but with more and more information gathered each year, the yearbook is a godsend and a lovely keepsake for years to come. I still have the very first book, then named Chesapeake Chat.
But what other purposes does the Club fulfil? The Club runs two gundog working tests each year, which are usually weekend get-togethers. Most of the dogs running in the tests will not compete in any other working tests all year; they may be picking up dogs who like to get together with other Chessies and watch each others’ dogs work. The Club also runs one championship show and will again this year be running two open shows. These shows are the most well attended Chesapeake events of the year, with the avid showing owners being joined by those Chesapeakes who don’t enter any other dog shows all year – it’s all about getting together and enjoying the dogs. The Club runs breed seminars, for both owners and show judges to learn more about the breed, its history, function and conformation. As well as these main events, there are gundog training days, the Working Chesapeake Tests, opportunities to run in team events, and a platform to promote your breeding.
Every club has to appoint a chairman, secretary, treasurer, committee members, and in the case of a breed club, a breed health co-ordinator and a judges education co-ordinator. Most breed clubs, like us, also have a rescue section to help re-home dogs. In our club, as a working breed, we also have a working test secretary. All these positions are filled by volunteers.
The Royal Kennel Club overseas the rules for shows, field trials, official working tests, obedience, agility and many other events. They hold lists of judges for all approved events and their online ‘find a judge’, recently activated, is proving a great success for show judges and societies looking for a judge.
As it has done for many years, the KC deals directly with and ‘polices’ the breed clubs for want of a better word with rules and regulations. The KC is also there to advise and offer help should any section of Club have any queries.
Club members can also take advantage of a really good discount code for Chudleys dog food.
All this for £10 single UK membership a year, £12 for joint, and overseas at £15.
A real bargain!
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com