The top winning Norwegian Flatcoat NORDJCH DK BRCH Waternuts High and Mighty (“Pete”) made a strong mark in working Flatcoat history this Saturday being highest placed with a Certificate of Merit at this year’s Flatcoated Retriever Society (FCRS) Open Stake at the Coughton Shoot, Nr Alcester, Warwickshire. Pete is bred and owned by the Norwegian couple Bjarne Holm and Heidi Kvan, of the famous Waternuts prefix, and handled by Bjarne. They have been consistent winners on the Nordic Retriever scene since 2011 being at the top at Nordic Field Trials at numerous occasions. Pete is sired by the Danish dog Holly Hunters Jasper out of their own top winner Duckstream Cragganmore, combining blood from the very best Swedish, Danish and British working lines.
This was Pete’s debut on the British ground and the second time ever (but hopefully not the last) a Nordic Flatcoat got started at a British Field Trial. The first one being the Swedish bitch Coatfloats Marimekko (Mekko) who got a Certificate of Merit at the FCRS Open Stake in 2013 (an article about Mekko will be published on this homepage in February).
I believe it might have been an historic event as well seeing a Nordic panel A-judge among the judges. The Danish Labrador trainer/breeder/judge, Mr Henrik Vilendal, have been active on the British scene for many years, from time to time keeping a few Flatcoats in his kennel. The other judges were Mr Phil Bruton, who made up the latest British Flatcoat FT Champion in 2003 when his bitch GB FT Ch Shirlett Sweetheart got the title, Mr Graham Bird and Mrs Sally Richardson.
Heidi Kvan reports that Pete had a remark on one of his retrieves getting him out of the top prices this time. But he was rewarded with the Birch Challenge Cup to the highest placed Retriever handled by its Owner (who must be an amateur), The H Hardy Memorial Trophy to the Best Retriever on a Runner and the Olaf Trophy for the Guns’ Choice. His name will be engraved with some of the greatest names in the working Flatcoat history.
We look forward to a full report from the trial and some pictures on the Flatcoated Retriever Society home page can be seen here:
2018-01-15/ Ingemar Borelius