The International Gundog League Retriever Society

2024 Facts & Figures

This year Lee Hartis and FTCh Kentwone Columbine of Leacaz have smashed all records by not only qualifying with five 2 day Open stake wins but also by doing so back to back. The dog was only two and a half years old when it first qualified for the Championship last year. The pedigree of this dog includes the 2018 Retriever Champion FTCh Harperrig Breac, its maternal grandsire. Lee also qualified the dog’s sire, FTCh Troddenmills Beck and Call of Leacaz, and the paternal grandsire, FTCh Lowforge Arragon of Leacaz, three times for the Championship.

Previously, there have only been a small number of handlers (including Heather Bradley with FTCh Heathergaye Hundall, Jayne Coley with FTCh Waterford Fergus, Annette Clark with FTCh Castlemans Gobi of Garronpoint and Laura Hill with FTCh Jarailstar Hogen of Stautonvale) that have achieved three 2 day Open stakes wins with their dog to qualify for that year’s Championship.

This year there are a number of double qualifiers: Oliver Bell, Simon Capstick, Paul Dukes, Sam Morley Riches, John Peach and Claire Raymond.

The other standout story going into the Championship is that one handler has for the fourth time qualified five or more dogs.   This year John Halsted will be competing in his 32nd Championship having qualified five dogs. He also qualified five dogs in 2015, five dogs in 2018 and six dogs in 2023. In fact, John has qualified three or more dogs at no fewer than 14 Retriever Championships.

Kirsty Cousins and John Peach have each qualified two dogs for this year’s Championship.

This will be the first time that the Championship has been held at the Combe Estate and also the first time in many years that the trial will be predominantly a driven stake. It is only the second time that the Championships have been held in Devon, previously at Keepers Quick and Bicton back in 1989, which coincidentally was when it was last a driven stake.

63 dogs have qualified this year (37 of which hold the FTCh title) but only 59 will be running.  Jane Fairclough withdrew her bitch Connisbrook Cardoness at Jobeshill because it is in whelp.  Kirsty Cousins has also withdrawn as has Kevin Doughty.  22 bitches qualified in total. 31 of the dogs qualified competed at Drumlanrig last year.

Nathan Laffy’s FTCh Think Twice Zero to Hero, a golden retriever, has qualified (on 3 Bs) for an impressive fifth time. This dog is also the sire of one of the three other golden retrievers competing this year (Karis Bakewell's Lanlwyd Moretti).

FTCh Brindlebay Mead, FTCh Emmanygan Spring of Chatsworth, FTCh Craigmaddie Mufasa of Bishopbrae and FTCh Flagsdale Sweep are also all running via the B qualification route. FTCh Gunnerspeg Apollo, a double qualifier, won both a 2 day Open Stake and also achieved 3 B qualifications.

There are old hands and new at Combe this year. Eight handlers competing have previously won the Retriever Championship. Among the new faces are Karis Bakewell, Nigel Barton, Kate Bollen, Michael Cochrane, Arthur Cook, Antony McCabe, Sam Morley Riches, Carol Probert and Jochen Waschke.

The oldest dog in competition, having qualified for a fourth time, is FTCh Nettle Brae Andy of Fendawood, now a ten year old dog. The youngest is Carnochway Red Rooster at only two and a half years of age.

FTCh Armancio Tirpitz of Flypatch has sired four of the dogs in competition while FTCh Asterix Aguzannis of Chatsworth, Copperbirch Ross and FTCh Ferbury Lancelot of Smithsteads have all sired three.

The 2024 IGL Retriever Championship Draw

09 FTCh Buccleuch Bowhill of Sandringham owned by HM King Charles III and handled by David Lisett
01 FTCh Turpingreen Bohol owned and handled by Kevin Butler
02 Emmanygan Summer owned by Mrs C Finlan and handled by John Halsted
03 FTCh Kentwone Columbine of Leacaz owned and handled by Lee Hartis
04 FTCh Nettle Brae Andy of Fendawood owned by Mrs D Friedkin and handled by Louise Munchaus Adsboel
05 FTCh Gunnerspeg Drummer owned and handled by Kirsty Cousins -WITHDRAWN
06 FTCh Copperbirch Chanel of Tallamelie owned and handled by Philip Dyson
07 IR FTCh Knockyclovaun Ralph owned and handled by Declan Boyle
08 FTCh Eelburn Flavius owned and handled by Oliver Bell
09 FTCh Buccleuch Bowhill of Sandringham owned by HM King Charles III and handled by David
Lisett
10 Marstonprior Grenadier of Wedgnock owned and handled by Steve Richardson
11 FTCh Lindeth Storm owned and handled by Nigel Barton
12 Saffronlyn Woodcock owned and handled by Jochen Waschke
13 FTCh Roundcopse Flora owned and handled by James Brindley
14 FTCh Rustler Master owned and handled by Tucker Munday
15 Turpingreen Curry owned and handled by Mike Nelson
16 FTCh Brindlebay Gertie Too of Birdsgreen owned and handled by Sara Gadd
17 FTCh Greenbriar Sorceror of Millershook owned and handled by Paul Truby
18 Bellspaddle Mungo owned and handled by Sharon Dingle
19 Riverrush Flow owned and handled by Adam Holmes
20 Brocklebank Yellow Rattle of Chatsworth owned by Lady C Carter and handled by John Halsted
21 FTCh Brindlebay Mead owned and handled by Mike Tallamy
22 FTCh Goldieslie Meadow Platt of Ticefield owned by Margaret Broomfield and handled by Keith Broomfield
23 FTCh River View Farm Dr Pepper owned by Mr Orrin Ingram and handled by Paul Dukes
24 FTCh Hanwoodgold Breeze owned and handled by Lesley Crompton
25 FTCh Westerkames Rigline of Brogdenview owned and handled by Kirsty Cousins - WITHDRAWN
26 Etomanni Ludo of Corsemalzie owned and handled by Carol Probert
27 Montoux Armande at Wapsac owned and handled by Barry Cooper
28 FTCh Kilpen Nightcap of Waterford owned and handled by Jayne Coley
29 Glassgreen Bogbean of Leadburn owned and handled by William L Steel
30 Bellspaddle Dexter at Wephamdown owned and handled by Kate Bollen
31 FTCh Cornstraw Drake of Flypatch owned and handled by Tim Brain
32 FTCh Emmanygan Spring of Chatsworth owned by the Duchess of Devonshire and handled by John Halsted
33 FTCh Nobsquinton Nettle owned and handled by Claire Raymond
34 FTCh Gunnerspeg Apollo owned and handled by Simon Capstick
35 FTCh Aneeterbeg Seamus owned and handled by Andy Latham
36 FTCh Tideshot Vinny of Highsea owned and handled by Kevin Doughty - WITHDRAWN
37 Highroost Cedar owned and handled by Rodger Ketley
38 Llangunwood Cascade owned by B Williams and R L Edwards and handled by Barney Williams
39 Tempurong Thrill of It All owned and handled by Vanessa King
40 Cheesecake Artillery of Chatsworth owned by the Duchess of Devonshire and handled by John Halsted
41 Carnochway Red Rooster owned and handled by Fraser Forbes
42 FTCh Texacali Praline of Meonvalley owned and handled by Sarah Miles
43 Julval Beauty of Druidsmere owned and handled by David Milne
44 Blackgrass Dougal owned and handled by Leigh Jackson
45 FTCh Craigmaddie Mufasa of Bishopbrae owned and handled by David Logan
46 FTCh Drumindoney Last Chance of Caytonfell owned and handled by Mark Demaine
47 FTCh Whitespring Ares owned and handled by Jamie Bettinson
48 FTCh Meadowlark Big Rock Fendawood owned by Mr T D Friedkin and handled by David Latham
49 IR FTCh Liskoney Fast Firmino owned and handled by John Peach
50 IR FTCh Bramasolie Copperface Jack owned and handled by John Williamson
51 Crieve Ace owned and handled by Antony McCabe
52 FTCh Etomanni Missouri owned and handled by Ronnie Laughton
53 FTCh Stautonvale Margay of Rushbrigg owned and handled by Sam Morley Riches
54 FTCh Flagsdale Sweep owned and handled by Robin Drysdale
55 Charmpark Fisher owned and handled by Arthur Cook
56 FTCh Swiftlands Briar owned and handled by Ellena Nunneley
57 FTCh Think Twice Zero to Hero owned and handled by Nathan Laffy
58 Dunanelly Clare owned and handled by Michael Cochrane
59 FTCh IR FTCh Lettergreen Sallymoon of Liskoney owned and handled by John Peach
60 Lanlwyd Moretti owned and handled by Karis Bakewell
61 Highroost Oak owned and handled by Simone Barratt
62 Rowpainter Othello owned and handled by John Halsted
Qualified but not competing:
Connisbrook Cardoness at Jobeshill owned and handled by Jane Fairclough