My Saturday activity turned out to be one of those spontaneous decisions, a result of a phone call from a close friend. February is usually one of those months with nothing planned and not much enthusiasm, after a long shooting season of competing and training.
Nevertheless the opportunity to catch up with a close friend who has probably shot over nearly all the best shooting grounds in the UK. Was a opportunity not to pass over, It was probably going to be a Saturday cleaning up and collecting feeders!. I mention this to my training ground landlord, who had the same thoughts as me. So all three of us set off from Leicester at 8.45am for the The Great British Shooting Show at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.
The short journey of 45mins and no hassle parking was a great start with a short debate over the temperature for the day, we decided that as it was all under cover, just jackets or a fleece would be ok.
Not anticipating the long walk to the entrance, I did start to question my wisdom on my jacket choice that said the brisk walk in the cool air was refreshing passing a quasi lego land of buildings most of which had seen better days.
When entering the show, the temperature improved significantly and after a quick coffee stop it was off to the William Powell stand for an education in new and used guns. Like all good suppliers they have a bespoke range of shotguns to suit your budget. I particular enjoyed the conversation about a personal gun fit, which I now would regard as essential if spending over £2000!
Close by Cheshire Gun Room had the Nite Site Wolf on show, I have a LEDRAY torch beam mounted on my moderated TIKA 22-250 with Schmidt & Bender 8x56, I have a lot of light bounce, which is really annoying, so rather hoping this may be a solution to the problem.
Nite Site have produced a number of models
I have a lesser quality sights on my 22, so this may well be the way forward but at a starting price of £450 it need to be right.
Since training spaniels, I have been on the look out for a fully moderated 20 bore, never found one at the show, but got to see a number of moderated 410's also a pump action certainly got me thinking of different options.
Rather pleased I left the plastic and shot gun license at home on the fire arms front may be applying for an auto or pump action soon?
Needed to move on a bit quicker as we had over 300 exhibitors in 5 halls to get round.
Just before lunch spent some time with Legelelas safari's enjoy a beer and planned a trip for 2016! watch this space
Time for a spot of lunch, so decided to have that full breakfast we avoided at 9am.
In the afternoon lots more to see, they had a complete hall for the airgun enthusiasts, but the gundog signs drew my attention, so i decided to got and introduce myself to Andy Cullen of Laochin Gundogs, very experienced gun trainer who specialises in HPR's .
I have been following Andy's gundog work on the internet for a number of years with interest and he has been a member of my working gundog social media network for sometime.
Having been a Labrador trainer for a number of years and recently having some success with a working cocker spaniel, I have always wondered how ell I could do with a HPR! in the field trialling world.
Always being one for new adventures, I chatted with Andy, about recent success and sought his advice on training a Hungarian Wire haired Vizsla a breed I have had some success with on the training ground.
Andy, introduced me to Julian Apps from Harrigoss Gundogs who has many years experience training HWV, I found the conversation very interesting, looking forward to exploring future possibilities!
At this stage I had lost my companions, thank goodness for mobile phones, caught up at a coffee stop then onto view some bespoke gun boxes and Perazzi.
Had a very enjoyable tasting session at Bruadar is a perfect marriage of single malt Scotch whiskey and honey, balanced with just the right amount of sloes.
My Schoffel fleece is looking a bit worst for wear, so was about to treat myself and discovered Alan Paine equivalent at half the price, I presume after a few washes I will discover if it really is a bargain, certainly looks as good as !
Made such a saving also purchased some new over trousers, barb wire had destroyed my duck dry leggings, rather disappointed they tore so easily.
It wasn't until around 3pm, I was reminded by text that it was valentines day, a day that should be significant in my calendar being the start of 37 year relationship, which prompted me and my 2 friends to vacate a head of the traffic, stop off on route for that valentine Rose, card and chocolates to appease my disappearance for the day.
Feeling guilty, decided to book dinner at a regular Italian, had to use all my influence as a gundog trainer to get a table at 6pm, very lucky the mangers gundog needs training next month!
