CLA Game Fair News
By Sue Porter on 17 June 2009
Outstanding Contribution to Gundog World Wins Recognition at The CLA Game Fair
A family that has made a massive contribution to the gundog world over the last 80 years will be given a public accolade at next month's CLA Game Fair at Belvoir Castle (24 - 26 July) when two new competitions - named after the father and daughter team that made Staindrop Labrador line famous - will be launched.
Edgar Winter founded the line in 1929 and was one of only a very few people to make up a dual champion - gaining Field Trial Champion status and winning show championship - with his yellow Labrador, Staindrop Saighdear, which also went on to win championship status in America.
His daughter, Joan Hayes, said: "My father had an absolutely fantastic eye for a young dog and I remember going to look at this dog with him - within a year he had become British Field Trial Champion before going on to become a dual champion - the first yellow Labrador to win that status."
Edgar died in 1956, a year after he and his family moved from Yorkshire to Grantham, but his daughter carried on the work and the line. Now 76, Joan has played a major role in the gundog world - and has just seen her young granddaughter continue the family tradition and run a dog in a trial.
"I had to get special permission for her to run as she is only four-and-a-half-years old but she entered the Kennel Club's Young Handlers' Competition and excelled at it, which is just fantastic," she said.
The CLA Game Fair's gundog organisers have decided to name two brand new competitions after the father and daughter behind the Staindrop name and the Joan Hayes Challenge Trophy, an invitation event for gun dog clubs, will be run on the Friday and the Edgar Winter Trophy, a competition for the European teams competing in the Euro Challenge on Friday, will be held on Saturday and Sunday.
The CLA Game Fair Local Committee Gundog Chairman, Jonty Lightowler, explains: " Holding The Game Fair at Belvoir has given us the chance to offer public recognition to Joan and her father, Edgar - who have contributed a huge amount to the gundog world and this is our way of saying thank you for that work."
Joan knows The CLA Game Fair well as she has judged, commentated and been chairman of the gundog team at various CLA Game Fairs but she has also been a key figure in the Kennel Club and in the Field Trial Society as well as running her own dogs in trials and competitions.
"It is a great honour to have these competition named after my father and me. I was deeply touched to receive the letter from The CLA Game Fair which said it was in recognition of the high regard we were held in."
But Joan isn't going to merely accept the recognition of having a competition named after - she's actually going to try to win it as well. Joan has been included as part of the Midland Counties team which will be competing for the trophy on the first day of The Game Fair.
"The European teams travel a long way with their dogs to compete in our Euro Challenge - and we felt we should offer them the opportunity to become more involved in the event - and the The Edgar Winter Trophy means we are able to do just that," said Mr. Lightowler.