Lee Hartis

Lee Hartis feeds his Leacaz Gundogs on Chapel Farm Premium Dog Food and is exceptionally happy with the condition, stamina, alertness and overall health of his dogs on this range. Lee has been training and running retrievers successfully in trials for many years and currently has two Field Trial Champions in his kennel (FTCH Lowforge Aragon of Leacaz and FTCH Troddenmills Beck and Call Of Leacaz), a FT Winner and several upcoming youngsters.

Having made up many field trial winners personally and bred even more field trial champions and winners; Lee believes a good food is an essential part of attaining such awards.
The Leacaz dogs have proudly represented their country as part of the England Retriever Team every year since 2011 and Lee has qualified his dogs for the IGL Retriever Championships seven times (so far) and this year was awarded a Diploma of Merit with Troddenmills Full Throttle of Leacaz, aka Todd.
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As Lee says “Having used the Puppy/Junior as well as the adult range, the Leacaz Gundogs are fit and ready for the trialling season and I have no hesitation in recommending Chapel Farm Food to other working Labrador owners.”

Sarah Miles

We are delighted to welcome Sarah Miles of Meonvalley Gundogs to the Chapel Farm Team as a Sponsored Handler.

Sarah will be well known to many as the owner and founder thirteen years ago of Smiles Dog Training having worked with over one thousand clients in that time and has gained recognition on a global stage in Field Trials, Working Tests and Showing.
Sarah competed internationally as part of the England Team in 2019 which was victorious at the Scottish and CLA Game Fairs; she qualified two dogs for the 2018 IGL Championship, won Best Field Trial Dog at Crufts and was awarded the BASC Tower Bird Trophy in 2018.

We wish Sarah every success and our best wishes for the coming season and look forward to hearing how her year progresses.

Katie Lines

Chapel Farm Premium Dog Food is very pleased to welcome Katie to the Team of Sponsored Handlers.

I’m Katie Lines, I’m 23 years old and I have an amazing team of working cocker spaniels whom I train and compete in Agility with!

My first cocker Archie, since retired, went on to win and gain a Crufts title and competed for Agility Team GB twice in Slovakia and Holland!

My current sporting cocker, Bailey, started this year’s season in Grade 5 but we’ve had a fantastic past few weeks competing. Bailey is now Grade 6. Grade 7 being Championship level. At the start of the season my goal was to get to G7. So, we’ll continue working hard to obtain that status by end of season – watch this space!

With all this in mind, top nutrition is a high priority for me to keep my team in peak condition throughout their competitive season (April – October.) This enables them to advance through the grades whilst maintaining strong body condition, shiny coats and looking after their wellbeing. Chapel Farm truly does fit my needs perfectly and for someone who hadn’t previously fed a working dog diet, I am thoroughly impressed with what the kibble offers.

“I have only positive feedback about the new invest and digest salmon range! Upon opening the bag, from an owner’s perspective, it has a very strong fishy smell, you definitely know it’s salmon – much to the dogs’ delight, they were all over it straight away & keen to try, good size and crunchy kibble matching the others in the range. This product agrees with my dogs and their digestive systems with clean bowls every time.

A big thank you for the very kind sponsorship and we look forward to collaborating as a partnership.

Kathy Spacey

Born and brought up in Moray, my father was a shooting man so dogs were around.

My first “own” dog was a Collie cross, purchased from a pet shop for £4, she lived until she was fourteen by which time I was married with two small children when a Labrador came into our lives. Many years of showing Labradors followed however I had always yearned for a Greyhound! I watched a stunning Greyhound win the Hound Group at Crufts in 2003 and determined I was going to wait no longer, little knowing I would be lucky enough to have a half-sister to that great winner. She won her first Challenge Certificate as a puppy and went on to be a Champion. More followed.

I currently own two Greyhounds; the bitch, imported from Finland, became the first Finnish Bred Champion in the UK. In the ring now is my young boy “Peanut” who is just beginning his show career having entered two shows and been awarded “Best Hound Puppy” and “Best Puppy” in both. Exciting times ahead.

My husband competes and works with Labradors and an ESS. We currently have eight dogs all fed on Chapel Farm. Greyhounds can be fussy eaters – but dishes are cleaned up now.

Thank you Chapel Farm for your support.

Mike Jones

I have been training gundogs since I was 18 years old. Labradors and springers initially.

I trained dogs for myself to go rough shooting so not to trialling standards, but to enjoy rough shooting for game for the table.

In 2010, I bought a young pup who I enjoyed training. I then became friends with a spaniel and lab man who suggested the dog was of a standard that he could trial. So I endeavoured to produce a dog that would do that. This young dog won before he was 3 and turned about to be a nice test dog also. Since 2014 I have run in internationals for Wales in numerous tests in the uk and Ireland, being fortunate to have been awarded top dog on a couple of occasions last year 2018 scoring a maximum 80/80. I have won a number of trials in the last 8 years from novice to all age and open.

Currently I have a son of my open winner coming on who is already a multiple  field trial winner and open winner all whilst only being 3 yrs old.

In  2019 Buzz was  successful in gaining first place at the north west Labrador retriever club 24 dog stake and qualifying us for the Retriever championship at Glenalmond. Ffynongain Buzzard of Wauniago was fortunate to gain 4th place.

I currently have a kennel of 10 Labradors and a cocker.

I feel lucky to be partnered with chapel farm, as I have a great respect for history of the kennel and feel the nutrition my dogs are getting using their complete food will only enhance my dogs performance in the field.

I have fed chapel farm food for the past 18 months and it’s without doubt the best complete dog food I have fed.

Our puppies go to their new homes and the new owners often continue with such a great product that the puppy food is.

Mike Jones

Simon Dixon

“My first experience of training dogs was with Lurchers, I trained them in a similar fashion to the spaniels I train today.

 I started training and competing with spaniels approximately 15 years ago. When I first started training spaniels I was lucky enough to learn from Ian Openshaw, later on David Lisett and Aubrey Ladyman and was fortunate to have people like these giving you tips and techniques. Ian Openshaw also helped me with getting me the best pups I could have hoped for and it was not long before I started to win with the dogs in trials.

 My best performance to date was getting second place in the 2007 Spaniel Championships at the Buccleuch, Queensberry Estate, Thornhill, Dumfries. I ran off for first place with FTCH Woodstorm Avrill against the formidable team of David Lisett and INFTCH Annickview Breeze who ended up winning the Championships”.

Simon wrote the above when first sponsored by Chapel Farm and we are delighted to advise that he won the 87^th English Springer Spaniel Championship held in 2017 with Rytex Reba. In addition he was also awarded third place with Dawsonlee Heather, a granddaughter of Buccleuch Pepper. A fantastic achievement, well deserved..

Simon had an excellent competition season in 2019 and qualified a magnificent 5 dogs for the Springer Spaniel Championship held in January 2020, where he was the winning handler.

Mark Demaine

Chapel Farm Premium Dogfood was delighted to welcome Mark Demaine to the Team of Sponsored Handlers early in 2023 and thank him for this short profile.

My name is Mark Demaine and my affix is Caytonfell gundogs. I have been training dogs for around 15 years now, and competing in trials and tests since 2008. I have made up 4 FTCH and also was a member in the England and UK team with all 4 dogs. Food is a major part of keeping my dogs fit and in great condition and it is a pleasure to join the Chapel Farm Team.

Jon Bailey

Jon Bailey runs a gundog training establishment and a boarding kennels with his wife Catherine and has been involved with working spaniels, both English Springer and Cocker for many years. He competed in his first Field Trial in 1985 with a springer dog where he achieved a Certificate of Merit. He then started running Cockers in 1986, winning his first trial in 1988. Since then Jon has made up 16 Field Trial Champions, both Springers & Cockers as well as winning numerous other trails.

During this period he has competed regularly in the Kennel Club Spaniel Championships for Springers and Cockers. At the 2008 Cocker Championship held at Sandringham he finished 3rd with FTCh Gournaycourt Morag owned by Jan Menzies.

In the 2010 Springer Spaniel Championships held at Glenarm Estate he was 2nd with FTCh Maesyronen Market Trader owned by Mr Terry Frost.

He won the 2011 Irish Championship with FTCh Countryways Judy of Sliabh and most recently won the UK Springer Championship in January 2015 with FTCh Rheastmoar Fizzy. Jon has also represented England at the CLA Game Fair and won the CLA International in 2002 with FTCh Nant-Y-Bwla Ricky & Best Spaniel also joint overall top score.

An “A Panel” Judge since 1996 Jon has judged the Championships in the UK as well as those held in Sweden and Denmark.

As well as his other duties, Jon also finds time to represent the interests of all gundog owners as a member of the Kennel Club’s Field Trial Sub Committee and The Field Trial Liaison Council and also now heads the working party for Kennel Club Tests.

Peter Abbs

My name is Peter Abbs and I run Scarningvale Gundogs, we are a small working kennel of Labradors and Cocker Spaniels based in the heart of Norfolk.

Having always had an interest in county pursuits, I have owned several dogs over the years as shooting companions, in 2010 I started to become involved in competitive working gun dogs and since then have been fortunate that my dogs have won numerous GWT and FT awards. To date, I have made up one home bred FTCh, qualified for the IGL championships three times (2016, 2017 & 2019) with different dogs.

Since my retirement, I have been able to attend more gundog events both locally and across the country. All my dogs have been fed exclusively on Performance 24 for almost three years and more often than not I receive positive comments about my dogs speed, stamina and condition.

I am a motivated and enthusiastic individual who strives to bring the best out of both my dogs and myself on every occasion whether as a handler or as a KC Panel judge I am proud to become part of the Chapel Farm team and to be associated with the historic Buccleuch Gundogs.

Alan Sankey

Alan Sankey, justly well regarded in the Lurcher world is now making a name for himself with spaniels. Chapel farm is delighted to welcome Alan to the Team of sponsored handlers and thank him for this profile.

“Like Simon I came from the Lurcher world and in 1998 I was fortunate enough to win the double up Championship with Dancer and 7 days later Dancer also won the single-handed Forley Cup.
In 2005 following the hunting ban I went on to get my first spaniel Wild Poppet (Poppy) to flush vermin for my Lurchers but felt the need for that competitive buzz again. Luckily I was introduced to Davie Lisett by a mutual friend. Having Poppy who was a very hard hunting bitch I mated her to Buccleuch Pepper. We kept two out of the first litter, Brocklinton Brock and Brocklinton Bella they both gained FTA’s in our first season in 2016.
In the second litter my son Billy won with Brocklinton Berry who was officially the youngest dog or bitch to win a trial in 2017 at just 16 months old. Then in 2018 season I won my first field trial with Brocklinton Bertie he also went on to gain several placings in open stakes. Davie took Brocklinton Betty (Minnie) as a stud fee and won Scone game fair novice test in 2018.
Straight after that Minnie came back to Brocklinton Kennels and I ran her in four trials winning three on the bounce and Minnie became our first FTCH. We consider ourselves very lucky to have become good friends with Davie and Liz and starting out with Davie’s training methods being imprinted on us. We have had some great training days with Spam and Janice and we have had many great tips and advice off some of the sports best.
I believe that, after training, the condition of your dog is key to success and cannot be overlooked. So along with plenty exercise you need to feed your dog with the best you can provide and that is why I use Chapel Farm dog and puppy food. The older dogs love it, their stools are good and I get a lot of miles into them with good recovery and maintenance of body and condition. With the puppy food they look good, maintain good condition with good even growth. All my dogs thrive on Chapel Farm. “

Galloway Gundog Association

Galloway Gundog Association was formed in 1997 by a group of enthusiastic gundog owners and handlers who wished to enjoy, train and work their dogs in the company of like-minded people.

The aims today are pretty much the same and Galloway Gundogs are proud of the progress made over the last twenty years including our continual sponsorship by Chapel Farm Dog Food since it was first produced. As our reputation has grown we have welcomed handlers from all over Scotland and the North of England and now have well over 100 members.

We run twelve tests between February and September, six of which are in the Annual Gundog Competition, a two day event at Drumlanrig Castle, which includes a Team Competition. We also organise a Gundog Scurry, Spaniel Test and a Retriever Test at the Galloway Country Fair held in front of Drumlanrig Castle on the Queensberry Estate during the month of August.

Although the tests are competitive, nothing is taken too seriously and the real aim is to promote good Gundog practice. No matter what stage you and your dog are at, you will be welcomed, helped if need be, and made to feel part of the club

Many of our members go on to compete in Kennel Club Tests and Trials and many shoot, beat or pick-up with their dogs during the season, however quite a few just like to have a well-trained dog and enjoy the camaraderie that Galloway Gundogs provides.

To find out more about Galloway Gundogs and their events calendar, visit: http://www.gallowaygundogs.com

Photograph shows winners of the Drumlanrig Test.