There is nothing more pleasing than watching a dog work a field, or seeing the excitement and satisfaction in his eyes when he has returned, fallen game in his mouth, having just completed a retrieve.  It’s the essence of the gundog breed and to watch one in action, hunting the field and retrieving to hand, bringing back game shot for the table, is a true joy, and the basis for a sport known as Retrieving Trials – a competition based on duck hunting, where a handler and his dog are tested over various terrain, in typical shooting conditions.

Hunting  and retrieving are natural instincts for a gundog, and over the years shooters and breeders alike, have worked hard to fine tune our four legged friends for just this purpose.  With their keen sense of smell and hunting abilities they are the perfect tool for retrieving the game you have shot, be it from thick cover or a cold dam, and their need to please, combined with their gentle nature make them wonderful companions.  There are different breeds of gundogs to suit different applications.  Some gundog breeds excel in flushing game, others pointing, but all breeds, no matter what their speciality in the field, enjoy the retrieve. When completing the retrieve, a good gundog will deliver to hand, with a soft mouth, and with the game unmarked.

Retrieving Trails have been held in Queensland for well over 30 years.  During this time, some people have used the sport as a fill-in, competing during the closed shooting seasons to keep their dogs trained and exercised, and helping their young dogs learn the ropes, while others  do not hunt as a recreation, but enjoy the competition with their pets.  The sport also enjoys a great comradery amongst its members which comes with socialising with like minded people and sharing common interests.  Either way, the sport of Retrieving Trials provides a great outing for dog and handler alike, whether your main motivation is field shooting or you simply enjoy the sport.

SSAA United Field and Retrieving Branch was formed in 2007 and hold Retrieving Trial competitions for gundog breeds in the SE Qld area.

The sport of Retrieving Trails, involves testing the abilities of a handler and dog in various duck shooting scenarios. Competitions run by SSAA United Field and Retrieving Branch use Dokken Dead Fowl Trainers to simulate the ‘fallen game’ or ‘dispatched duck’.  These artificial birds have a number of advantages, not only can they be used day after day for various events, but they also provide a more socially acceptable form of the sport, helping to introduce a wider audience to Retrieving Trials, the SSAA,  and shooting disciplines in general.  The use of Dokken Dead Fowl Trainers has been vital in helping the club to attract more people to the sport; particularly non-shooters who have may gundog as a family pet, creating a healthier attitude towards shooting and the sport of Retrieving Trials in Queensland, as well as helping to promote the SSAA and other shooting disciplines.

The club held the 2011 State Retrieving Trial Championships on the weekend of the 15^th and 16^th of October at Jimna.  A total of 15 handlers and their dogs competed in the event across the two days, with great competition and healthy sportsmanship.  At the end of the weekend Mr Bryan Pritchard of Woodford and his Black Labrador ‘Purdy’ won with a total of 219.5points.

The placegetters were as follows:

1^st Place, Mr Bryan Pritchard with his Labrador, RTCD RTCh Kadnook Drop O Blakmagic.
2^nd Place, Mr Greg Meeve with his Labrador, Binglebah Benny RRD.
3^rd Place, Mr Geoff Dawson with his Labrador, Beereegan Miranda Rose RRD.
4^th Place, Mr Bob Boodnikoff with his Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Nat RTCH RTCh Lidria Onyx Gundi, and
5^th Place, Mrs Di Lynch with her Labrador, Lowther Highland Molly RRD ARD.

SSAA United Field and Retrieving Branch hold competitions from March to October each year, including regular training days, where people who are interested in the sport can bring their dogs along for advice on training and competition.  People interested in retrieving, gundogs, or those that would just like to take a look, are encouraged to come along to one of the branches events, and spectators are more than welcome.

For more details and/or questions regarding the sport, please visit www.ufr.org.au or email the branch at info@unitedfieldandretrieving.org.au