Field Trials

The Southern Golden Retriever Club is unique in that it is also an affiliated Field Trial club.

Each year we hold our own All Breeds Field Trial Championship usually on the last weekend in November. At this trial we hold an All Breeds, Retriever, Spaniel and Pointer and Setter Championship event as well as a Limit, Novice and Puppy Trial.

We work in closely with the Canterbury Gundog Club who hold a Club trial each month, which is a starting point for those wishing to take up the sport. At various times during the year we hold our own training sessions, where we use our own throwers, and these are open to all members who wish to participate.

In field trials the dogs have to retrieve pigeons which are thrown from catapult like throwers and a blank shot is fired in the air.

Puppy is very simple consisting of a simple retrieve over land and one over water.

Novice is similar but the distance is longer and sometimes it is 2 single birds on both land and water.

Limit is more difficult with 2 birds to be retrieved over Land and 2 over Water.

Then we come to the Open and Retriever Championship Trials. These often consist of 3 birds with the 3rd one quite often being blind and the dog having to take direction from the handler.

Venues:
The main venues in Canterbury are at Brooklands, Waihora Gun Club, Greenpark Huts and the L2 River (near Coes Ford).

If you require more information or would like to try field trialling please contact either the Field Trial Officer or the Secretary.