Wayne Mitchell, England
Lynn Mitchell, England
Ulf Göransson, Sverige
Rita Kökeny, Ungern
David Bellamy, England
Wayne och Lynn Mitchell
Wayne and Lynn Mitchell have been handling and training gundogs since 2000 and, between them, have competed in the International Gundog League Championship 8 times – in 2009 both competing in the same Championship.
Both are A panel retriever judges under the British Kennel Club and have judged numerous Novice, All Aged and Open field trials as well as Working Tests in in Great Britain and in Europe.
They breed gundogs under the Affix ‘Labdom’ and have sold Labdom dogs around the world. They train gundogs which they then compete in trials or sell onto working people who either shoot or compete in field trials. Wayne also trains dogs for guns either as peg dogs or as part of a picking up team. He carries out gundog training lessons on an individual or a group basis.
Currently they are competing with some of their Labdom dogs in field trials and look forward to the trialling season ahead.
They are delighted and honoured to have been asked to judge in Sweden and very much look forward to a wonderful weekend.
Ulf Göransson
Jag är idag lycklig pensionär sedan något år och kan ägna mig åt våra hundar och det som följer med dem i större utsträckning än tidigare.
Vår första retriever, en Flatcoat, kom i huset 1979. Den följdes av flera och den sista lämnade huset i slutet på 90-talet.
Redan 1984 kom labradoren till oss, en av de första labradorer av engelsk jaktstam födda i Sverige. Hilding, blev den första retrievermästaren av den typen 1988 och också SoFJCh.
Genom åren har labradorer av jaktstam följt oss på jakter och prov och för närvarande har vi fyra varav två unga lovande hundar.
Sedan 1989 dömer jag alla former av prov, numera även internationellt.
Det har gett mig möjlighet att träffa många hundförare med hundar i Sverige och Europa. Det är intressant och lärorikt att få studera hundar i arbete, ett privilegium vi domare har.
Jag ser fram emot att få möte er och er hundar på Wenngarn i härlig vårgrönska.
/Ulf
Rita Kökeny – Blackthorn Gundogs
Rita has been training and competing retrievers for 25 years and has made up 7 International, 1 Austrian, 2 Italian and one British Field Trial champions during those years. His most famous dogs are GB & Int. FTCH Blackthorn Ascella, Int.FTCH Garagill Pike at Blackthorn, Int & AT FTCH Blackthorn Aruna.
After qualifying as international field trial and workingtest judge she had finished a practical FT judging course in England organized by the Kennel Club with the guidance of Sandra and John Halstead and John Drury. In the past years she judged field trials and workingtests all over Europe – and in 2008. she had the honour to judge on a Field Trial in England!
In 2019 she started her online Blackthorn Academy which was an essential material during the covid to train retrievers at home and give ideas how to set up excercises to raise up a puppy and improve a retriever to become a solid competition/hunting buddy.
She is operating a kennel called Blackthorn Gundogs breeding her own lines from her champion bitches and dogs.
She is looking forward to judge again the enthusiastic handlers and dogs in Sweden!
David Bellamy
I was introduced to gundogs at an early age, as my Father was a part time Gamekeeper/Head Gardener. I had my first Flatcoated Retriever in 1974. He was Barradon Viscount, a grandson of Heronsflight Tercel. We won an Any Variety Novice Working Test when he was 16 months old and, I had caught the bug!
Over the years I have trained and run Flatcoats which have been successful in Field Trials, Shooting Dog Certificates and Working Tests. Many of these dogs have also been successful in the Show ring.
In the past I have served on the Flatcoated Retriever Society General Committee and for three years, held the Office of Hon. Field Trial Secretary for the Society. I am a Vice Chairman of the Dukeries Gundog Club and a Committee Member of the Northern Golden Retriever Association.
I began awarding C.C.’s in the breed in England in the 1990’s I am proud to say I am one of the few people in the U.K. who give C.C’s in the Show ring and also judge at Field Trial level. I have taken Gundog Training classes and organised Field Trial Training days in this country, Sweden, Germany and Italy and over the years I have judged Shows in Europe and Canada. I ran my own dog in the Swedish Flatcoated Retriever Championship and have also competed in Denmark. I had the honour of Judging the Gamekeepers’ Classes at Crufts 2013 and the Breed itself in 2016.
We share our home with two Flatcoats, and one Golden Retriever. We live in Rufford Park in Nottinghamshire, in the middle of beautiful Sherwood Forest.
I am delighted to be asked to Judge in Sweden again and look forward to seeing your talented dogs working.
David J. Bellamy
Woodfinch Flatcoated Retrievers