Photographs of the Centenary by Rowan Stretton





Neill Scott’s Glen Etive’s Red Baron. South Africa is one of the few countries where Red Setters are still required to set to birds rather than point, and is also unusual in that red setters still compete on equal terms with pointers. This is primarily a result of the efforts of the Scott family, who are custodians of a line that had it’s first win in 1927, and is stronger than ever now. The Scott’s dogs can run with the biggest running pointers and have superb noses. But their biggest asset is probably their ability to use both ground and wind scent.  Their readiness to drop nose when scenting is poor means that in tough conditions they will often outproduce the pointers. That was certainly the case at this trial.





Neill Scott’s Glen Etive’s Red Baron, winner of the Championship, producing a pair of Redwing francolin.




Paul Richards and Thendele Foxy Lady




John “Baby Silo” Miller’s Thendele Aero dropping on shot




Aero on point as the sun sets




Dr PJ “Slang” Viljoen and Jagblitz Kandas producing a covey of redwing francolin




Gavin Goldblatt’s Dorset Gusto, winner of the Derby, on point




Dorset Gusto dropped to shot, backed by Veld and Vlei’s Xena. Dogs are only required to be steady to flush and shot, but some handlers prefer their dogs to drop.




Luke Bell and Mountain Valley Pepper producing  greywing francolin




a gallery of springbok leaving as the dogs got too close, and taking a covey of francolin with them




Some of the Robby Stretton’s boereperd (“farm horses”) getting into the action. Farmers in the area still rely on horses to work their cattle and sheep. Until fairly recently South African trials were held on horseback, and many farmers still shoot over their pointers from horseback. But the South African Field Trial Club’s decision to retain the traditional requirements that every brace hunt virgin ground, that only wild birds be used, and that dogs run multiple rounds means that considerable areas are required – around 60 000 hectare per trial. This can be compared to Ames, where the plantation is only 18 000 acres. Unfortunately this means trials now run across fence lines, so it is impractical to use horses




                                                            ...mmm...wonder what The American Field would think of this?_{comment from Frank T}