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I’m really into gundog training, is there a minimum age for trials?
Gundog training: I am 11 years old. Am I too young to enter competitions and be successful with my spaniel?
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GUNDOG TRAINING
Paul Rawlings
There is no minimum age limit for any competitions, be it field trials or gundog working tests, and several youngsters have been successful when competing against adults in the past.
Ian Openshaw is a great example, where his talent for training and handling spaniels and retrievers saw him rise rapidly to the top of the professional ladder from his early teens, having now made up more field trial champions than any other handler.
It’s a great sport to enjoy no matter what your age.
The Kennel Club has an event for young handlers on 1 June – for more information, visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/4583
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