You Forgot the Birds is a new network designed to monitor conservation charities and put fair questions to the RSPB about how the charity is really protecting birdlife

You Forgot the Birds is a network of individuals passionate about bird habitat. The network includes farmers, landowners, self-confessed birders, conservationists, those who live in the town and country. You Forgotten the Birds has been set up to challenge the RSPB’s perceived lack of interest in the birds it should be protecting. With the backing of Sir Ian Botham, Marytn Howat (former director of Natural England) and The Field’s own Sir Johnny Scott, Bt. You Forgot the Birds sets out to ask fair questions of the RSPB.

The RSPB is “the charity that forgot its mission” says You Forgot the Birds.

YOU FORGOT THE BIRDS CHALLENGES THE RSPB

The RSPB is a charity. The RSPB is particularly a charity set up for the protection of birds. The RSPB seems to have relegated that. The Field has already questioned the RSPCA: Animal rights or animal welfare? Now it is time for someone to question the RSPB. And that is set to be done with vigour.

WHY DOES YOU FORGOT THE BIRDS HAVE A PROBLEM?

“What disturbs many bird lovers is their perception that an organisation that once stood head and shoulders above the rest in defence of birdlife has gone astray. It’s not just that the RSPB recently relegated its “protecting birds” mission for a soft sell conservation image.

“They fear that it has also sold its soul and become a giant fundraising machine where decisions are made not according to what is good for birds but what will keep the RSPB’s revenues growing. Their disquiet is that its hoovering up of charitable funds and single-issue campaigning is toxic to bird welfare”.

THE ANSWER?

So what is the answer to the RSPB’s lack of interest in all-round bird welfare? You Forgot the Birds is making a complaint to the Charities Commission

“We have long been concerned that the conservation debate has been dominated by ideology rather than pragmatism. Single issue campaigns have pushed out a rounded view of how birds depend on the habitat people create for them along with careful management to stop boom and bust cycles when predator and prey numbers become unbalanced.

“Many bird lovers including Birdwatch Magazine are concerned that campaigning and fundraising are being put before habitat creation.

“At the centre of the debate lies the massive RSPB. It is spending far less on bird habitat than its supporters expect and is often ineffective at creating conditions for birds to flourish on its reserves.

“We have created this campaign to raise questions which deserve answers. We hope the Charity Commission, politicians and the media will help ensure that this happens.

WHAT WILL YOU FORGOT THE BIRDS DO?

“A regular question we ask is about the effectiveness of the various conservation groups at helping bird life to thrive. Who actually builds bird habitat? And who is just talk—great at fundraising but doing little real conservation?

If you would like to join our germinating group of conservation charity monitors then drop us an email.

The best gins are a matter of taste. But gin drinkers have never had it so good

The best gins can draw battle lines. Are you a Gordon’s or a Hendrick’s fan? Or does the plethora of artisan crafted best gins catch your eye? They are the perfect precursor to Sunday lunch, and wouldn’t go amiss before tucking into one of the 10 top best pheasant recipes. But the best gins are not to be drunk lukewarm with a flacid piece of lemon in tow. Treat them with a little respect.

We’ve never had it so good. Gin drinkers that is. I took my godson out the other day and he demonstrated his finger on the drinking public’s pulse by asking for an Oxley and Tonic (Oxley being one of the trendier new best gins). Despite the bar being fresh out of the stuff, the lad remained commendably unfazed. “OK, no probs,” he said. “Make that a Sipsmith would you, or a Hoxton?” both of which they were fresh in with.

BEST GINS ARE NOT NECESSARILY BRITISH

How times have changed! When I was his age (I know, I know, I’m bloody ancient), one simply asked for a gin and tonic and got a Gordon’s and Schweppes in return and no messing. Today there seems to be new best gins released every week. My favourite local, The Office, in Sydney Street in Brighton, lists no fewer than 38 different best gins, not only from England and Holland, natch, but also from as far afield as Wales (Brecon Special Reserve, since you ask), France (Boudier Saffron), the United States (Seagram’s Extra Dry to name just one of several American gins stocked), and even New Zealand (South Gin, whose botanicals include native manuka berries and kawakawa leaves).

I’ve spent many a happy evening conducting my researches there at the bar and, egged on by my gin-swilling wife, have been encouraged to take my work home with me, too, picking up weird and wonderful gins on my travels to share with my ever-loving.

QUIRKY GINS WITH BOLD AROMAS

Recent hits with the missus include the quirky Geranium Gin with its delicate floral aroma; the bold and rich olive-accented Gin Mare, distilled in a 19th-century chapel just outside Barcelona; the exquisite Berry Bros’ No 3 with its citrusy, spicy, earthy backbone; the headily scented Foxdenton 48% (whose new Damson Gin is also utterly sublime); Nardini’s juniper-flavoured grappa liqueur, not a gin at all, but up a similar street, and Beefeater’s increasingly interesting and tasty limited releases such as Beefeater 24 and the Beefeater Summer Edition. Old favourites in the best gins category such as Hendrick’s, Tanqueray Ten and Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength also continue to hit the spot.

WHAT MAKES THE BEST GINS

To be called gin, the spirit’s predominant flavour must be of juniper, but over 100 other botanicals (seeds, berries, roots, fruits or herbs) may be used as well. Hendrick’s, for example, uses angelica, camomile, caraway, coriander, cubeb berries, elderflower, meadowsweet, two types of lemon peel, two types of orange peel, orris root (made from ground-up irises) and, of course, the obligatory juniper. Orris root is crucial to gin-making, acting as a sort of glue for all the other ingredients. Without it, all those nice volatile citrus notes would just disappear.

AND DON’T FORGET THE TONIC

For years I kept away from gin, my early teenage experiments convincing me that I didn’t like the flavour of juniper. It turned out, of course, that what I didn’t like was tonic (or Rose’s Lime Juice come to that, with which we often used to mix our Gordon’s in those days, half and half).

This all changed with the arrival of Fever-Tree’s range of mixers to combine with the best gins, which remain my absolute favourites. Not only does it produce a tonic water, it also has a “naturally light” tonic water, a lemon tonic water and a Mediterranean tonic water, all of which are made only from the most decent, natural ingredients and none of the high-fructose corn syrup, sugar and sodium benzoate nonsense employed by its major competitors. It’s no exaggeration to say that Fever-Tree led me to love gin again. And is the best tonic for the best gins. Well, Fever-Tree and Dolin Vermouth, which I think is even better than the excellent Noilly Prat for making the driest of dry martinis.

THE BEST GINS MAKE SUBLIME COCKTAILS

You simply sluice a teaspoon of Dolin around a frozen Martini glass and then fill the glass with ice-cold gin (I’d choose Berrys’ No 3 Gin in this instance), add a twist of lemon, and bingo, you’re in heaven.
Then there’s the French 75, one of the simplest of cocktails to make and always a huge hit at The Field’s Game Fair party. Mix 25ml of Tanqueray Ten (or your own particular favourite) with 25ml of fresh lemon juice and 10ml of sugar syrup (Monin Gomme Syrup for choice). Pour into a champagne flute and top up with fizz (make sure it’s a good one; don’t you dare use cava). Add a twist of lemon.
And don’t forget the Negroni, a prince among cocktails comprised of a third each of gin (I’d use the extrovert Foxdenton 48% here), Cinzano Rosso and Campari served with a slice of orange and plenty of ice. A well-made Negroni never fails to cheer me up.
It really is a great time to be a gin lover and it’s wonderful to see so many of the old classic cocktails making a comeback and the humble G&T being elevated to something really tasty when made with the best gins. Cheers, mine’s a large one.

In vintage hunting and shooting clothes you can look at your best in the field, without spending a fortune

Vintage hunting and shooting clothes are found in most field reader’s dressing room. But if uncles and fathers happen not be the right size then there is much to be said for seeking out some vintage hunting and shooting clothes that will fit well. So that when you hop on to the best hunting horse you can find, take to the moor for some grouse shooting or the field for pheasant you can cut a dash. And remember to keep an eye out for the best evening wear too.

Correctly fitting vintage hunting and shooting clothes are a steal. And can add inches to your posture. They straighten the shoulders, adds vim to your vigour and may even encourage an ill-advised Roger Moore eyebrow lift, so be warned. Buying vintage hunting and shooting clothes is an imprecise art but there is nothing you can sport – certainly for under £250 – that delivers the same kick. The combination of quality and price are impos-sible to best on the high street or the Row, and the cost generally allows for a tailor to make small alterations if required.

CHASE DOWN VINTAGE HUNTING AND SHOOTING CLOTHES

And there is also the thrill of the chase. A London hatter will charge upwards of £1,500 for a capacious silk topper in best condition, so bagging one for under £100 at a provincial game fair still ranks high on my best-buys list. A legendary charity sale that yielded a cashmere overcoat for £5 and a vintage Cordings trilby for £10 showed the volume of great kit circulating, if you know where to look. Tops and tails are most difficult to track down, with shoes over a size 10 and hats larger than 7 emanding a scarcity premium.

THE FIELD’S CHALLENGE

The challenge: for a Field reader to run to earth, for less than £250 per outfit, good, vintage hunting and shooting clothes to fill those gaps in the wardrobe. The task fell to My Future Husband (MFH), who is not vintage sized by nature but is field standard. Charity sales and auction lots are unreliable so, for dependable sources, the internet was scoured and recommendations demanded from friends.

VINTAGE TO VOGUE

Vintage to Vogue in Bath has been run by John and Imren Lowin for the past six years. “The shop only sold women’s clothes when we arrived,” says Imren. “Men get bored so we wanted to give them something to look at in the shop and it grew from there.” Now the stock is divided evenly between the sexes and John has some interesting pieces on display. “There’s an antique fencing kit, Second World War motorcycle despatch rider’s boots and a leather fireman’s helmet; they were made from brass until the advent of electricity.”

John was initiated into the vintage world via shooting. “There used to be one of those old-school shooting shops in Bath called Crudgingtons. It closed down and the idea of selling shooting kit that didn’t look brand new and straight off the peg came about.”

A 1930s three piece Harris tweeds shooting suit

The Thirties three-piece Harris tweed shooting suit with leather “football” button and Norfolk jacket (£250) is a classic piece. “It isn’t too heavy and is surprisingly easy to move in,” volunteered MFH as we snapped him (alongside a burgeoning crowd of tourists) at the Circus in Bath. “It is in very good nick, not at all worn or tatty – the sort of thing I imagine my great-grandfather wearing when he shot with the Prince of Wales.”

The Lowins also provided the rest of the kit for the photograph: a Thirties collarless cotton shirt (£48), a Sixties Tootal cotton paisley cravat (£30), a Fifties wool felt trilby with hat box (£58). These vintage pieces are sourced worldwide, with regular buying trips to New York and Berlin. “For variety and quality you have to go abroad,” says John. “Our most surprising find came while we were on holiday in Barbados. The contents of an old colonial plantation house were being disposed of at a local auction, and it was stuffed with shooting kit.”

Alongside their best-selling collection of tweed jackets they hold a stock of cartridge belts, cartridge bags and gunslips, including a Forties leather leg-of-mutton 12-bore case (£150). “I took a leather-stitching course as I couldn’t find anyone to repair the cartridge bags,” says John, “and I’ve started up-cycling vintage pieces into household objects.” Think charming lamps made from vintage boots.

BRIDESHEAD INSPIRATION

John Morgan’s passion for vintage struck during the Eighties’ series Brideshead Revisited. “I loved it, so started buying vintage pieces. My friends wanted them, too, so I started selling them.” The business has been thriving since 1984. “In the early Eighties I belted around in my MG Midget, buying old tweeds and dinner jackets, supplying Hackett, which used to sell second-hand clothes. Now I run Hogspear and John Morgan Hire Company.” The latter hires out vintage luggage and colonial leftovers to film sets; they have appeared in Harry Potter, Tomb Raider and, of course, Downton Abbey. The former sells vintage clothes and uniforms on eBay. “I started selling on eBay six years ago,” he says, “and we have just passed the 25,000 positive feedback mark.”

The museum, part of the complex of buildings at Muston’s Mews in Shaftesbury, Dorset, where Morgan is based, bursts with boy’s-own delights. Remnants of our colonial and sporting past are there alongside taxidermy, covetable leather goods, unusual apparatus (they turned out to be breeches trees), luggage, horns, horse bits, memorabilia and delightful hunt evening tails from the Peshawar Vale Hunt in India with French-grey facings.

“Vintage clothes have a life of their own,” Morgan enthuses. “I am not selling pristine costume, I’m selling great kit that was made to be worn, not shut away or treated with too much reverence. Yes, it’s great that each piece has a history, I love the tailor’s labels and the names inscribed on them, but I believe in making it your own, in wearing it.”

A soft herringbone tweed coat by Hawkes (now Gieves and Hawkes)

MFH takes home two great fieldcoats: one muted and relaxed with cuffed sleeves in soft herringbone tweed by Hawkes of Savile Row [ac-quired by Gieves in 1974] (£50); the other a 1962 structured, heavier-green tweed by Denman & Goddard of Piccadilly – by appointment to Georges V and VI (£50). “These are no-brainer buys,” opines MFH mid-twirl. “Everything about them, from the material to the cut and general feel, is great.” The eyebrow does start to rise.

The Henry Poole evening tails (£55-£60)are a stunning example of a great vintage find: heavy silk lapels, working cuffs, elegant buttons. “It really should be worn,” agrees MFH, “although it might be a little on the snug side.” The accompanying white tie, shirt, collar and waistcoat are reasonable to buy (£20), although many are rather too well worn, so look out for less-well-used examples. “Some-thing old gives the wearer a certain cachet,” says Morgan. “Buying from Hogspear gives you a unique piece from a private source. You won’t bump into anyone else wearing the same thing and you can create your own story with it. To wear vintage you need to appreciate the quality but also have some imagination.”

And the top vintage picks? “Smoking jackets, morning tails and evening tails,” Morgan confirms. “These are often claimed by relatives and are much harder to find. Also, good-quality English shoes.”

OLD HAT STOCKS GREAT KIT

Vintage kit for off the field

“If I closed the vintage side of my business I’d be lynched,” laughs David Saxby of Old Hat on Fulham High Street, the go-to place for vintage kit in London for the past 25 years. He has been manufacturing his own “vintage” clothes for the past 10. “I don’t use new patterns, only vintage ones,” he says. “A single-breasted suit with a single button and a shawl-collared, double-breasted waistcoat, that is the David Saxby style. You wouldn’t look out of place today, in the Sixties or in the Twenties wearing it.” His caps (there are more than 2,000 in stock) are based on a Thirties’ original, deconstructed and used as a pattern; his waistcoats (£175 single breasted, £195 double breasted) boast a continuous neckband, “They stopped making them like this 20 years ago,” he says. Saxby is creating new vintage. “I took over the workforce of the old Phillips & Piper factory (also known as Lambourne) in Ipswich, when it closed down. It had been manufacturing riding jackets and hunt coats for all the best retailers for more than a hundred years. The British ‘Lambourne pattern’ is admired and respected all over the world.”

The vintage tweed suits sold at Old Hat (standard price £95) are popular for Good-wood. MFH found a Sixties Dunn & Co Border twist tweed that fitted. “It was a bit dated in style, definitely of the Sixties,” he says, “but a good weight and very acceptable price, although I’m keener on the new vintage caps and shooting suits.” [The Saxby shooting suits start from £670 for a two-piece: a Norfolk jacket and fishtail-back plus-fours.] After a timely reminder that we were on a £250 budget, we turned to the biggest-selling vintage line at Old Hat, the dinner jackets and suits in vintage barathea. A brilliant vintage buy, they start at £100 and there are more than 900 in stock.

THE VINTAGE TACKROOM

The Vintage Tack Room (formerly Field and Country Antiques) was taken over by Mia Woodford in January this year. Woodford, who hunts with the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray, saw the opportunity it presented as an online business and has thrown herself into the venture with gusto. “For me, vintage is not about age – a new Bernard Weatherill coat is vintage. It is about a look, quality and being made in a traditional style,” she says, “although I do have a Cavalry officer who hunts in the shires and will buy nothing post-1950.”

Vintage hunting jackets were made to last

Woodford is an enthusiastic consumer of vintage bargains. “I can spend hours Googling the names of past owners of a coat, finding out which hounds it has hunted to. Well-made things last; the 1927 swallowtail coat (£135) is a perfect example.” For MFH, the vintage breeches were resolute in their refusal to be pulled over his calves (there was a moment of terror when it seemed they might have to be cut off). “Even the newer Oliver Brown breeches have 15in calves,” says Woodfood. Be sure to check your leg measurements first. The hunting coat (£75) fitted well and was a good weight, perfect for a first foray following hounds, and the leather boots (£115) ticked the box. For anyone new to riding to hounds or a seasoned thruster looking for some dashing kit, The Vintage Tack Room can provide. “We run a hunt scheme,” says Woodford, “which is free for the hunts to join. Any hunt member receives a 5% discount and we donate 5% of the hunt member’s spend to the hunt. We also provide a hire service, as new items can often lead to accusations of ‘all the gear, no idea’.”

A vintage Weatherill jacket is a great find

Whether you are yomping through heather after grouse, standing in a line at a formal shoot, riding to hounds, racing at Cheltenham or throwing shapes at the hunt ball, the best vintage kit will ensure you cut a dash – and stay in the black.

The most expensive guns you can own. This list is not exhaustive, but it does name the best of best guns

A list of the most expensive guns in the world is not without difficulty. The world’s 20 best shotguns have their own separate criteria, not necessarily arranged by price. But this list of the most expensive guns in the world presents the very best of the very best guns and gunmakers.

And when you have one of the most expensive guns in the world in your hands what might you do with it? Visit one of the 50 best sporting estates – the ultimate list, in Great Britain? Shoot 11 different species in one day? Or just bank on excellence on the peg with our 11 pheasant shooting tips? You decide…

Creating a list of truly great guns – guns made by methods old and new and without any compromise – is not without complications. Much thought and research went into this one. Initially, the idea had been to consider the 10 best guns in the world, but the criteria for selection would have been subjective. So, it was decided to use price as the main criterion but even this is not as simple as it might seem. Extra finish, special engraving or embellishment with precious metals, enamel or gemstones can vastly in-crease the cost of a gun and may set a false benchmark with regard to fundamental quality. Any sporting gun may be “blinged up”.

A further problem is that some of the makers represented here are so exclusive that they have no standard price. So, one creates the list by considering guns representative of their oeuvre. Whatever way you cut it, a little subjectivity creeps in.

I have had the good fortune to shoot eight of the guns listed. I cannot vouchsafe the shooting qualities of all of them or indeed confirm their long-term reliability save where I have used them on several occasions or they are owned by friends. All impress or even astound in their craftsmanship and finish.

Some names not featured here are omitted because production is much diminished and their elderly makers are not taking new orders. I have also left out two great Continental names because I have insufficient experience of their guns. One modern English company, Ray Ward, might well have featured were this list compiled a year hence. Also, I have recently been impressed by the father-and-son team Max Ern in Germany. Its gunmaking is exquisite but its guns do not come into the “rich list” category though far from lacking in fundamental quality.

As far as most of the British makers are concerned, I am familiar not just with the guns but with the companies and people who make them. So, here they are:

The Field’s 10 most expensive guns 

FABBRI OVER-AND-UNDER

The Fabbri 20-bore over-and-under is a Continental classic

This is not only one of the most expensive guns, it is probably the most sophisticated. At the Fabbri factory the bench artisans work in silence as if in a religious establishment. The guns, blending old and new, are technically supreme. Every detail is thought through and many are unusual. The demi-lump barrels made from stainless steel, for example, don’t have conventional joining ribs; a micron-machined H-section sits between the tubes, which are brought into perfect re-lationship for point of impact by this component. When everything is exactly right the assembly with sighting rib is fused together by laser, creating one piece of metal. It is then DLC (diamond-like carbon)-coated, this high-temperature vacuum process vastly increasing resistance to wear as well as blacking the steel. The barrels, also tested to extreme proof pressure, become virtually indestructible. About 20 Fabbris are made each year. They are imported by Tony Kennedy, who observes, “There is nothing better and never has been, so much goes into it, you have to see how it is made to understand.”

Price: from £138,000 for an all-stainless gun and £150,000 for one with a titanium action (which reduces overall weight by about a pound if required). There is a 25% supplement for a pair.

Delivery: usually four to five years.

PETER HOFER SIDELOCK

Hofer, based in Ferlach, Austria, is a great showman and maker of some of the world’s most exclusive and innovative guns. “Every-body says you can’t create a new gun. But that is not true,” he says. “Every third gun we create is a new gun.” About six guns leave his atelier each year. All are ornate and mechanically original. He may work on a single piece for many years (on one he lavished 21,400 hours). I recently handled a double-barrelled .17 rifle weighing 2lb, engraved with beetles.

Peter Hofer is a great showman, as can be seen from this sidelock shotgun

Hofer has developed a side-by-side 12-bore sidelock that includes an almost hidden .17 tube between the two smoothbore barrels. His more conventional side-by-side, made to whatever specification is desired and taking about 1,600 man hours, has a back action and single trigger. A Boss-system over-and-under is also offered, taking 2,000 hours, as well as more German-style guns. Hofer makes large and small gauges, but seems to have a particular passion for the miniature.

Price: He does not like to discuss price but Bloomberg Businessweek reports the range as $200,000 to $500,000. What Hofer calls his “Mega guns” may cost more than £1 million. 

Delivery: by negotiation, depending on specification.

BOSS OVER-AND-UNDER

The Boss over-and-under has two locking systems

Boss, established in 1812, patented its over-and-under – one of the most influential of all – in 1909. And the modern version is on of the most expensive guns in the world today. Breech-loading over-and-unders had been made in Germany from about 1870 but Boss streamlined and lowered the action, dispensing with a cross-pin beneath the barrels. Instead, rotating trunnions at the knuckle mate with teardrop wedges machined into the barrel lumps. The Boss has two locking systems. There are draws projecting one on each side of the action walls meeting corresponding female radii in the middle of bifurcated barrel lumps. To the rear of the chambers two semicircular projections protrude and engage slots on either side of the bottom of the action face. A bolt emerging from the face locks these down. Says the firm’s Jason Craddock, “The draw system reduces strain at the knuckle and keeps the barrels on the face; the rear bolt and bites fasten the gun. There is tension at the trunnions but the draws reduce this significantly.”

Both systems are much imitated and the rear bolting has inspired many makers to create simplified versions as well outright copies. Most Bosses include a turret-system, mechanical single trigger and the ejector mechanism is powered by coil springs.

Price: from £105,540, including VAT (single trigger, £114,540). Double-trigger side-by-sides start at £81,540 (single trigger, £90,540). No more than 18 guns are made annually.

Delivery: 30 months.

PURDEY OVER-AND-UNDER

The Damas steel looks like traditional Damascus but is tremendously strong

Purdey, established 1814, acquired the right to make the Woodward over-and-under (patented in 1913) from James Woodward after the Second World War, having offered a more complex, deeper, six-bite design previously. The gun is distinguished by a brilliant hinging system involving stud pins near the knuckle and bifurcated lumps (much copied by dozens of makers) and a unique tongue-and-groove lock mid action. Superlatively strong, this is rarely copied because it is difficult to make. The Woodward-type over-and-under has a low action profile and great elegance of form. The ejection mechanism, improved by Ernest Lawrence, is boxed and powered by leaf springs.

Today, this over-and-under may also be ordered in Damas steel, which looks like traditional Damascus but is a tremendously strong, super-material created by bringing together two powdered steels in a nitrogen vacuum.
I have shot both conventional and Damas guns and found the latter in 30in 12-bore form one of the best I’ve ever used on game.

Price: for Purdey over-and-unders in 12-, 16- or 20-bore start at £108,720. In 28-bore and .410 they rise to £115,320. A Damas version is one of the most expensive guns in the world, and would cost you at least £130,320.

Delivery: 18-24 months.

HOLLAND & HOLLAND ROYAL OVER-AND-UNDER

Holland & Holland, established in 1835, first made an over-and-under in 1914. An improved version was introduced in 1950. Different again was the new Royal over-and-under brought out in 1992 (prototyped in 20-bore form two years earlier). The new gun benefited – as did the less expensive, sideplated, detachable-trigger “Sporting” over-and-under launched at about the same time – from the CNC machining revolution then happening within the London gun trade and at Holland & Holland in particular.

The Holland and Holland Royal over-and-under

The gun is a back-action sidelock with a notably shallow and elegantly bolstered slim body. Unlike in a Purdey, Woodward or Boss, there are no additional central bites. It locks by means of square bolts locating just above the centre of the lower barrel. The gun is offered with double triggers or a non-selective, inertia-operated single trigger. I have shot the gun in most forms but the 30in 20-bore is one of the sweetest (natural pointing, low recoil, effortless) I have had the pleasure to use. It takes more than 900 hours to build.

Price: with a single trigger of £98,400, including VAT, in 12-, 16- and 20-bore; 28-bore and .410 cost £104,400. The firm produces 75 to 80 guns a year.

Delivery: 30 months.

GREENER SIDELOCK

VW Greener’s recently built ‘Viking’ shotgun

 

PURDEY SIDE-BY-SIDE

The Purdey-Beesley side-by-side hammerless self-opener is perhaps the most iconic shotgun of all. Based on a design conceived by the gunmaker Frederick Beesley and patented in 1880, it revolutionised the British sporting gun (as did the simpler but no less influential Anson & Deeley hammerless boxlock brought out by Westley Richards in the 1870s). It was set apart by the beautiful form of its sidelocks and the ingenuity of their mechanism. They used one leg of a V-spring to power the internal hammers and the other to power the self-opening feature, which was useful to speed up shooting on the large-bag days then becoming fashionable. Ejectors were added in the 1880s and, apart from developments in this area, the gun made today is virtually unchanged from that conceived by Beesley (who licensed the manufacturing right to Purdey initially and later sold it the design).

The Purdey side-by-side. The most iconic shotgun of all?

 

The traditional steel gun with classic Purdey rose and scroll come in 12-, 16- or 20-bore, 28-bores and .410s. Purdey also offers a hammer ejector in 12-, 16- or 20-bore. The 12-bore I shot performed fantastically well (perhaps the best side-by-side I have shot, equalling the superb hammerless Holland Royal).

Price: for a traditional steel gun with classic Purdey rose and scroll in 12-, 16- or 20-bore are £94,080, inclusive of VAT; 28-bores and .410s cost £99,120. The 12 bore hammer ejector costs £99,120 and may be ordered with Damas steel barrels for an extra £14,400, making a total of £113,520 (thus qualifying as Britain’s most expensive house-engraved side-by-side).

 

Delivery: usually 18 to 24 months.

WILLIAM & SON SIDELOCK

William & Son’s guns have a distinctive style

William & Son was founded in 1999 by William Asprey after he had managed the Gun Room at Asprey’s in Bond Street. William & Son’s gunmaking team is led by Paul West, an ex-Holland & Holland man. The guns have a distinctive style, typically svelte with deep-scroll house engraving (although available with whatever the customer wants). They represent excellent value, too, when one considers their quality. Side-by-sides are built on a slimmed Holland-style action in all bore sizes. The over-and-unders are built on a modification of the Boss system but with Woodward-style hinging studs and bifurcated lumps. Ejection uses conventional cams and V-springs rather than the coil springs of the Boss. However, the gun locks up in a similar fashion to the Boss (or guns that imitate it) with draws mid action and projections either side of the bottom chamber that slot into recesses in the action face. The over-and-under is available in 12- and 20-bore only. The firm makes only a dozen guns a year.

Price: Side-by-sides cost from a little more than £60,000, including VAT, the over-and-under, when equipped with a single-trigger, costs from around £75,000.

Delivery: about 12 months (less time than most premier-league makers).

HOLLAND & HOLLAND ROYAL SIDE-BY-SIDE SELF OPENER

This gun was first mentioned in The Field in 1895

Holland’s Royal model was first mentioned in 1883 and illustrated in this magazine in 1895. With its leg-of-mutton locks it looked significantly different to the modern gun. A second series, incorporating Holland-Robertson patents, was developed in the 1890s. This had what we would now regard as conventional lock plates and an improved ejector mechanism based on what would now be called the Southgate system. An assisted opening mechanism was added in 1922 in-volving a tube and spring beneath the barrels. The gun is one of the favourites of the gun trade because of it brilliant design and the ease with which it can be maintained. I think it shoots especially well, too.

The only changes in the past few decades have been to the wood (now Turkish) and to the wall thickness of the barrels (slightly increased). It takes about 800 hours to complete a modern Royal side-by-side.

Prices: from £85,800, including VAT, for a 12-, 16- or 20-bore with double trigger; in 28-bore and .410 it costs £90,000, including VAT.

Delivery: approximately two years (some shelf guns available).

WESTLEY RICHARDS 4-BORE DROPLOCK SIDE-BY-SIDE DOUBLE

The Westley Richards side-by-side; in 4 bore it costs from £71,400

Westley Richards not only perfected the basic boxlock but in 1897 introduced a version with detachable locks known as the “droplock” because the locks may be removed from under the action via a hinged bottom plate. This is one of the most intriguing of all British designs (the Dickson Round Action might run it a close second). Each lock contains only seven components. Workmanship is outstanding, with jewelled surfaces and impeccable presentation. The gun is available in .410 to 4-bore. The 12-bore versions I shot impressed, but so does the behemoth 4-bore, partly because of its sheer scale.

All guns have the Westley top lever and “Model C” doll’s-head extension. The firm is well known for its single selective trigger (double triggers are an option), which operates on an inertio-mechanical principle and has 26 individually made parts.

Prices: from £46,200, including VAT, with full scroll; the single trigger will add £4,620. A 4-bore, however, would cost £71,400, including VAT. Extra locks for all gauges cost £3,900. Exhibit-ion wood would add £2,400 per gun and tip and toe plates £2,050 each.

Delivery: about 30 months.

More gun reviews in The Field 

 

 

 

The best guard dog breeds are fearsome and formidable. And the best deterrent in a rural location

The best guard dogs breeds are still top of the list for deterring burglars, even in the age of lasers and closed circuit television. Burglars hate them, and even career criminals think twice before entering premises patrolled by suitably fierce dogs. It is not difficult to see why. A big, powerful dog is a formidable adversary, and invariably equipped with a set of serious teeth. Its bark may be even more of a deterrent than its bite, as all thieves like to work undisturbed. And you are unlikely to have to worry about dog theft prevention. But if something fearsome is not what you are after, then how about the ultimate country house dogs?

THE BEST GUARD DOG BREEDS

So how to choose from the best guard dog breeds? Most have similar attributes: imposing size, impressive physique, intimidating appearance and, above all, intelligence. The latter is probably the best guard dog’s most important attribute: it is essential that any dog employed for guarding understands its job, and never frightens or threatens its master or mistress, family members or employees. Remarkably, the best guard do breeds have an instinctive understanding of the terms of their employment and most also make fine family pets.

BEST GUARD DOG BREEDS: THE BRITISH BULL-MASTIFF

The mighty bull mastiff would deter even the craftiest of burglars.

While we may have a rich variety of native gundogs, we can boast only one native guard dog, the bull-mastiff. As its name suggests, it’s really a mixture of two breeds, the mastiff and the bulldog. It was developed in the mid-1800s, and originally bred to be the gamekeeper’s companion, helping him in his battle with poachers. In those days poachers were a rough lot – the penalty for poaching was still hanging – so the keeper needed a tough dog to help him to carry out his job. Pure-bred mastiffs were too slow, while bulldogs – very different in appearance from the dogs we know today – were ferocious and apparently a little too keen on getting stuck into the poacher.

What was needed was a dog with a good enough nose to track an intruder through the woods at night and the ability to charge and knock him down, and then hold him until the keeper arrived. A ratio of 40% bulldog to 60% mastiff was found to be the most satisfactory: an adult male might weigh as much as 18st and measure 27in at the withers. It was not a dog to be trifled with. Today the breed standard still insists on a “powerfully built, symmetrical dog, showing great strength, but not cumbersome”. Obedience-training is essential for bull-mastiff puppies, and owners will tell you they must be taught to walk to heel on the lead at an early age.

With the right sort of training, there’s no doubt that the bull-mastiff deserves its number-one ranking within the best guard dog breeds – it’s certainly not one I would want to argue with. It also has a sound reputation as a reliable family companion and loyal guardian. Unfortunately, these dogs have to contend with numerous health problems, ranging from hip dysplasia to bloating, and are also prone to cancer. Like most big dogs, they are short-lived, seldom reaching double figures.

Bull-mastiff

For: frightening appearance

Against: slobbery and short-lived

THE GERMAN’S HAVE CORNERED THE GUARD DOG MARKET

While we have just a single guard-dog breed, the Germans have many of the best guard dog breeds and, just as BMWs, Audis and Mercedes dominate the prestige car market, so rottweilers, dobermans and German shepherds are the dogs of choice for most people looking for reliable guard dogs. You can even get a German gundog – the Weimaraner – that doubles as a guard dog: it was developed in the Weimar Republic for both hunting and guarding. Modern, British-bred Weimaraners have largely lost their strong guarding instinct, but you can still find it in most German dogs.

BEST GUARD DOG BREEDS: THE GERMAN SHEPHERD

The German shepherd is one of the most popular guard dogs. The wolf like appearance helps.

Few of the best guard dog breeds can rival the intelligence of the German shepherd (GSD), which explains why it has long been a favourite with police, army and security forces around the world. One of the GSD’s assets is its wolf-like appearance, which makes it an effective deterrent regardless of its guarding instinct. Though once the dominant guard dog in the UK, its popularity has fallen in recent years, reflecting the numerous health problems now facing the breed. Bad hips are a serious concern, while the demands of the show-bench have led to dogs that have sloping backs and weak back legs, and so are no longer fit for the purpose.

If you want to see visual evidence of the German shepherd’s guarding abilities, turn to YouTube, where numerous short clips demonstrate that this is a formidable biting machine. Many people are attracted to GSDs for all the wrong reasons, and as a result many dogs end up in rescue. Conversely, trained GSDs sell for significant sums of money. In 2011, the New York Times reported that a GSD bitch called Julia had been sold for $230,000. She was trained as a personal protection dog and her new owner said the assets he valued were her “speed, smartness and quickness – and you would not believe the roughness that she has inside. She’s like a little pit bull when she bites.” Most people would clearly prefer not to find this out.

German shepherd dog

For: looks like a wolf

Against: looks like a wolf

BEST GUARD DOG BREEDS: THE ROTTWEILER AND THE DOBERMAN

The Rottweiler (left) has always been more popular than the athletic Doberman (right) in the UK.

Though I have never seen a GSD in the shooting field, I have seen a number of rottweilers working to the gun. None was anything like as good as the average labrador, but the fact that they were prepared to retrieve game, and could do so without damage, says a lot about the breed and its versatility. They were originally bred in Germany as cattle dogs, and were first imported into the UK in 1936. The rottweiler’s popularity here peaked in 1989, when more than 10,000 puppies were registered, but today it is in sharp decline. In 2003 there were 6,369 registrations, and only 1,554 last year.

Almost all the rottweilers I have met have been as soft in temperament as the average retriever, but it is significant that the Rottweiler Clubs championship shows include temperament assessment. The club, incidentally, uses the slogan “Promoting the public image of the breed”, a reflection of the bad publicity gained by the rottie during the peak of its popularity. Its website explains: “When mature, the rottweiler is a strong, very demanding, somewhat arrogant animal, with a highly developed guarding instinct. It is essential to understand that, once mature, 100lb-plus of muscle and sinew will need to be trained from an early age, to be under control.” That can make it one of the best guard dog breeds.

Rottweiler

For: great family dog, and likes children

Against: the wrong image

The doberman has never been as popular as the rottweiler here, as either a guard dog or a pet, though its current registration figures are only a little behind those of the rottweiler. It is the athlete of the guard dog world, origin-ally developed in late 19th-century Germany by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a tax collector who also ran the local dog pound, and used the breeds he had available to produce the ideal animal to protect him as he made his rounds. He used a variety of types, including the rottweiler, German shorthaired pointer, great dane and even greyhound.

An active and highly intelligent dog, the doberman is liable to get into trouble if it is not exercised enough and fails to receive sufficient mental stimulation. It is not suited to being shut up in a kennel for long periods. As with GSDs, many end up in rescue after being bought for the wrong reasons. Battersea Dogs’ Home even has a dedicated doberman page on its website, warning that the breed “possesses great strength, energy and intelligence, meaning owners need to accommodate its need for mental and physical stimulation. They should also have a good understanding of the breed’s intellect in order to be able to provide the right home environment and control it outdoors.”

Doberman

For: sleek, handsome and athletic

Against: need to understand its intellect

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT: ALTERNATIVE GUARD DOG BREEDS

For those who dare to be different and shy away from traditional guard dog breeds, there are plenty of other breeds of potential guard dogs available, ranging from the giant schnauzer to its British equivalent, the Airedale, our largest native terrier. However, almost all modern Airedales have been bred as pets or for the show-ring, so finding one with a suitable temperament for guard work is likely to be a considerable challenge.

Many people seeking a guard dog would be better off with a watchdog – one that makes a great deal of noise when it spots an intruder, but is unlikely to attack. Here there’s a considerable choice of suitable breeds. Most terriers will undertake the job satisfactorily, as will dachshunds and miniature poodles. I have a springer spaniel who fancies herself as a watchdog, even though her grandmother was so quiet she was nicknamed Church Mouse.

Though the role of the guard dog is just as important today as it was a century ago, modern legislation has considerably reduced its freedom to work. In 1975 the Labour government introduced the Guard Dogs Act to regulate the keeping and use of guard dogs. It banned guard dogs from patrolling premises without handlers. The much-criticised Danger-ous Dogs Act 1991 allows for prosecutions of attacks by dogs only in public spaces and private areas where dogs are prohibited, such as a neighbour’s garden. However, the government is now tightening up the legislation, and this may well affect the use of guard dogs. Strange though it may be, even armed intruders have rights, and are largely free to go about their unlawful business without the risk of dog attack. The traditional best guard dog breeds may well have had their day, at least in the UK.

Alternative best guard dog breeds 

Rhodesian ridgeback

For: very brave, and bred to tackle lions

Against: no lions in the UK

Giant schnauzer

For: extremely loyal to owner

Against: likes to dominate

Weimaraner

For: you can take it shooting

Against: funny eyes

Staffordshire bull terrier

For: no need to buy – plenty in rescue

Against: cost of diamond-studded collar

Airedale

For: it’s British

Against: no longer has a work ethic

Japanese akita

For: your villa at Sotogrande

Against: banned in the UK

STAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW

The law is currently simple but forthright:

• If a guard dog is employed, a warning sign must be visible at the entrance to the premises.
• If the dog is off its lead, its handler must be present at all times.
• If the handler isn’t present, the dog must be secured and not allowed to wander.

These Halloween pet costumes have claimed 13 shame faced victims.

These 13 Halloween pet costumes disasters are a canine catastrophe. When it comes to the time of All Hallows Eve (Halloween) there is something in the air. Whether it is rabid corgis, pantomime pugs or badly trussed up terriers, the following Halloween pet costumes have gone badly wrong. If your canine companion is one of the best guard dog breeds, then dressing him up as an unconvincing lobster might not work. But if you favour the ultimate country house dog, like the pug or terrier, then raid the dressing up box and start scaring…but avoid the…

13 HALLOWEEN PET COSTUMES THAT WENT RATHER BADLY WRONG

1. You don’t even want to think about the things this corgi has seen

Not sure HM THe Queen’s corgi’s would get away with this

2. This disgruntled pup’s costume pinches

He should be lobster red with embarrassment

3. This dachshund is one hot dog this Halloween

A decidedly hot dog

4. “What are we supposed to be again, Bailey?” “I dunno. Just smile!”

Tigers?

5. This poor puppy is a total buzzkill

Bumble-ing along

6. This Yorkiesaurus is off to chase some diplodocats

Ferocious

7. This dog’s outfit is sort of growing on him

Carrots? A pumpkin?

8. These classy canines are ready for a night on the tiles

The three graces

9. This basset hound just isn’t really that into the whole “Halloween thing”

He ain’t nothing but a (poor) hound dog…

10. Just another tiny Pekingese samurai off to save the world…

Turning Japanese

11. This Halloween this chihuahua is going as: “Paul McCartney visits Hawaii”

Wig-tastic

12. Ever wanted to see cleavage on a bulldog? Well, it’s too late now.

Oh dear…

13. This get up is just plain pugly

The pantomime pug

These cracking pictures are courtesy of Two Little Fleas, home to the best Halloween pet costumes gone wrong. For amusing pictures visit their site.

Pear brownies are a delcious treat after supper or for tea. Adding hazelnuts instead of traditional walnuts is an inspired twist

Pear brownies are the perfect treat at any time. And a sure fire hit after shooting. The pear, and added hazelnuts, give a pleasing texture and are an interesting twist on the traditional recipe.

Pear brownies with hazelnuts are for every shooting host who’s ever glanced surreptitiously at his watch as the third course appeared. They are very welcome but don’t require enormous ceremony and can be easily popped into a big dish on the table for everyone to grab on their way out.

If you did want something with more ceremony then chocolate mousse with honeycombe is a good alternative.

Pear brownies with hazelnuts

Serves 4
■ 500g (1lb) sugar
■ Water
■ 400g (14oz) pears
■ 115g (4oz) butter
■ 115g (4oz) dark chocolate
■ 200g (7oz) light brown sugar
■ 70g (3oz) peeled hazelnuts, roasted and chopped
■ 2 eggs, beaten
■ 70g (3oz) self-raising flour
■ 1⁄2 tsp baking powder

Mix two parts sugar with one part water and heat gently until all the sugar has dissolved to make syrup.

Peel the pears and poach them in the syrup (use a plate or small lid to keep them submerged) until they are soft and cooked through but hold their shape. Allow them to cool in the syrup, then core them and cut into 1cm dice. You can use the leftover syrup to make pear sorbet, which works well as a palate cleanser and is an enjoyable way to use up a glut of pears.

To make the pear brownies, melt the butter, chocolate and brown sugar in a large pan over a gentle heat. When smooth, remove from the heat and add the nuts and egg. Fold in the pieces of pear, then sieve in the flour and baking powder and fold until well combined.
Pour into a lined square cake tin and bake at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 35 minutes, or until the mixture no longer wobbles in the centre when shaken. Turn off the oven and allow the brownies to cool inside. Once cooled, turn out and cut into squares. They’ll keep for up to a week in a tin. Serve pear brownies with a large jug of cream.

We are looking for the best hip flask recipe for the 2014 Hip Flask Championships, in association with Chase Distillery

THE BEST HIP FLASK RECIPE

It is that time of year again, when The Field, in association with Chase Distillery, search for the best hip flask recipes in the country. Whether your hip flask recipe if traditional or off-piste if it’s good enough to raise smiles in the field then we want to taste it in the office.

The quest to find the best hip flask recipe is open until 1 December 2014. Your winter-warming concoctions are probably brewing already but will they meet our hip flask challenge? We had a blast trying last year’s bevvies and look forward to tasting whatever you come up with this time.

Damson gin or sloe vodka? What is your favourite hip flask filling

If you are wondering if your hip flask recipe makes the grade take inspiration from last year’s winners. The Hip Flask Championship 2013 traditional winner, raspberry gin streaked ahead in the tastings. And The Hip Flask Championship 2013 off piste winner, beetroot and horseradish vodka was a complete surprise to the judges.

To enter, send a small bottle of your brew (non-leaking), stating the main ingredients, its age, your name and address and the recipe for making it, to Alexandra Henton at The Field, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU. Entries will be judged by James Chase from Chase Distillery and a panel of expert tasters, with helpful asides from The Field staff.

Closing date for entries is 1 December 2014 and the winners, together with the 10 best recipes submitted, will be featured in the March 2015 issue. Alas, we cannot return any of the entries. They will have been sacrificed during the judging.

CATEGORIES FOR HIP FLASK DRINKS

TRADITIONAL category is open to all classic, spirit-based concoctions that use hedgerow and garden harvest, such as sloes or rhubarb

OFF-PISTE category is for modern recipes, such as toffee vodka and last year’s inventive winner beetroot and horseradish vodka.

PRIZES

Your winter-warming concoctions are probably brewing already but will they meet our hip-flask challenge? We had a blast trying last year’s bevvies and look forward to tasting whatever you come up with this time

The Hotties Naked Charity calendar raises money and awareness for military charities

The Hotties naked charity calendar has been running for two years. And raised over £9000 for Help For Heroes.

The Field has picked the Hotties Naked charity calendar as one of the best of the bunch. Of course the hearty hunting girls and boys of the Holcombe Hunt naked charity calendar also make the cut.

An image from the 2014 Hotties naked charity calendar will be included in the Best of the Naked, Strewth 2015 calendar. Free to all subscribers with the January 2015 issue of The Field.

To ensure you never miss out on what is best in The Field, subscribe to The Field before Christmas and receive a fantastic 38% saving, a year’s subscription for only £17.99.

THE HOTTIES NAKED CHARITY CALENDAR

“We are 11 normal girls hoping to raise lots of money for our two chosen military charities” say the Hotties. “Our ‘calendar girls’ inspired calendar will support Soldiering On Awards and Mission Motorsport”.

“What we are doing may not be difficult or strenuous but we hope with our calendar we can help make a difference however small”.

Organiser of the Hotties Calendar Eneshia Prescott is married to a Royal Engineer and has certainly put together a top notch fundraising calendar.

MILITARY CHARITIES

The Hotties naked charity calendar will now raise funds for two other military charities.

Soldiering On Through Life Trust (SOTLT) was established as a not-for-profit organisation to support injured Service personnel and their families throughout their lives by giving recognition of the outstanding achievements of teams or individuals from within the Armed Forces Community (AFC) through an annual awards ceremony.

Mission Motorsport provides recovery and rehabilitation opportunities through motorsport to those injured in military operations.

To support both of these charities buy a copy of the 2015 Hotties naked charity calendar now.

The 2015 Hotties Naked Charity Calendar costs £10, plus £5 p&p for up to four calnedars to the same address. Available from Soldiering On.

The Downton Abbey gundog - What would Lord Grantham have used as a gundog? A flatcoat or a labrador?

As the final episode in this season of Downton Abbey concluded, poor Isis, Lord Grantham’s pale yellow lab, shuffled off this mortal coil. Perhaps now the writers will see fit to replace her with a period appropriate model for the next season. After all, given that the first yellow lab on record was not born until 1902, Isis would have been incredibly unusual, even more so given that “yellow” labs were actually more fox red than yellow. Lord Grantham would more likely have had a flatcoat retriever at his side, as it would be many years before the labrador retriever became a popular choice.

FIELD TRIALS

A new form of competition, retriever field trials were in their nascent phase and overwhelmingly dominated by flatcoats. The Retriever Society ran a trial in conjunction with the Kennel Club for 20 all-aged dogs at Horstead Hall, Norwich, in November 1906. There were only four labradors, with 15 flaycoats forming the majority, followed by a lone curlycoat. A flatcoat won, Lewis D Wigan’s Sweep of Glendaruel, but a labrador called Flapper came a prophetic second. A few years later labs were forging ahead in the working retriever stakes, and by the end of that decade the sporting press was alight with debate as to which was the better gundog. A letter submitted to the The Field in November 1909, signed with but a single mysterious letter “M”, listed what he (or possibly but less likely, she) felt were the merits of both breeds. M felt that the labrador was the hardier dog, liking the short coat which didn’t attract so much water and mud, and believed it to be better at picking up after a grouse or partridge drive, or standing at a covert shoot. M also wrote ““good nose and mouth as a rule, but [is] inclined often to use eyes too much and cast forward if scent weak, instead of puzzling it out – at times with great success, but it is a fault to my mind” When it came to flatcoats, M thought they had excellent mouths and good noses, but in style were inclined to be slow or to potter, or even be slack on a hot day. However, while he regarded the labrador as a one-man dog, the flatcoat was praised for being, “very friendly and affectionate with master and everyone else”. His conclusion was that, “Given a good scent the labrador easily beats the flatcoat and has birds quicker. Given a bad scent, the flatcoat will equal the labrador and probably better him.” However, the flatcoat’s eventual fall from favour wasn’t its pottering or slackness on hot days, but because labradors proved to be quicker to mature and easier to train.

THE DEMISE OF THE FLATCOAT

Though the Downton Abbey gundog remained popular with gamekeepers until the Twenties, their heyday was over, and it wasn’t long before they became a rare sight in the shooting field, almost totally eclipsed by the upstart from North America. No one is quite sure of the flatcoat’s origins, but the wavy-coated Newfoundland retriever is thought to be one of the principal ancestors. These dogs were in turn crossed with setters to produce an animal resembling the dogs we see today. The early flatcoats soon proved themselves to be excellent gundogs, quickly finding favour with sportsmen for their ability to retrieve and their enthusiasm for entering water. Early flatcoats were black, with the liver variant not appearing until the early Forties.

GUNDOGS TODAY

Today the flatcoat remains largely ignored by shooting men, but its relative lack of popularity in the show ring for many years has been to its advantage, for there is no visual difference between an individual from a working or a show kennel, not something that can be said of either labradors or golden retrievers. However, flatcoats have become much more popular in the show ring in recent years. At last year’s Crufts there were no fewer than 358 entered, compared with 507 labradors. To put this in perspective, around 45,000 labrador puppies are registered every year, compared with a mere 1,300 or so flatcoats, so a higher proportion of flatcoats end up being shown. They are an unusual sight in field trials, and only one field trial champion has been made up in the past 20 years. I asked Rory Major, one of the few people to have won a trial with a flatcoat, why they are so scarce in competition. “I’ve always found flatcoats to be among the best game-finding dogs, and a good one can be brilliant, but they are slow to mature and can be difficult to train. You can put a dead pheasant out during a training session and a flatcoat is quite likely to ignore it.” Fiona Joint has worked and trained flatcoats for 20 years, and agrees with Rory. “They are often called the Peter Pan of the dog world, and with good reason. If you don’t like being made to look foolish and want to win consistently then you probably shouldn’t choose a flatcoat. There are very few people who are really committed to training and competing in trials with flatcoats and we really need more of the top triallers to give the breed a go. As picking-up dogs, I believe they are unequalled: they have wonderful noses and will always find the bird given up for lost by the other breeds. They are still dual-purpose, as you can work and show them, with working tests often won by dogs that do both. But when it comes to trials it’s really only the pure working dogs that do well.”

THE DOWNTON ABBEY GUNDOG

So there’s the golden rule. If you want a flatcoat for shooting, make sure that you get one from a kennel or breeder that gives more emphasis to brains and working ability than success in the show ring. Such dogs do exist, though finding one can be just as much of a challenge as training it to be a gundog.

The annual Melton Hunt Ride sees some rather brave riders tackle quite formidable country.

Has hedge hopping been fun but lacking a certain edge? Are you not quite feeling sick with fear before a day’s hunting? Then why not dial it up a notch and not add a competitive element! The annual Melton Hunt Ride is taking place this Sunday (16^th November) in the cream of the Cottesmore country. Are you tough enough?

One of the “smaller” hedges in the Melton Hunt Ride

There are over 40 competitors comprise all backgrounds; from farmers, to jockeys, to landowners, to riders. All have one thing in common – they are exceedingly bold. Names such as William Fox Grant and Rowan Cope as well as previous winners Zoe Gibson and Charlotte Alexander, will be throwing their hearts over the fences and hoping their horses will follow. There is even a half brother to the famous Denman in the field.

The ride is hosted in turn by the Cottesmore, Belvoir and Quorn Hunts, and this year the course covers 3.65 miles over open grassland between Barleythorpe and Knossington, just to the West of Oakham in Rutland.

On the day facilities will include a bar and hog roast which will be located at Ladywood Lodge. Access to the site is off the Braunston to Withcote road west of Oakham and will be open from 10.00am. The race will start at midday prompt.

Spectators
Parking will be at Ladywood and is accessed off the Braunston to Knossington road.
There will be a £5 charge for cars
No parking will be allowed on the verges and there will be no access allowed for pedestrians from the road
All gates on the course must be left closed after the race.

For more information:

http://www.melton-hunt-club.org.uk/

With only a few weeks to go until Christmas, what better present than a subscription to The Field?

Take advantage of the brilliant offer and buy your Christmas presents early – how about a subscription to The Field magazine? The finest field sports magazine on the planet makes a superb present for a friend, loved one or even for yourself.

With monthly articles on everything from the best guns on the market, to pheasant shooting tips, naked calendars, incredible game recipes, property roundups, expert commentary and much much more, The Field is the go-to magazine for anyone interested in country sports and the associated lifestyle.

All subscribers will have their issues delivered directly to their door each month so you will never miss an issue of the oldest and best country and fieldsports magazine.

A six month subscription to the Field starts at just £17.99 for six months with our special Christmas offer, saving up to 38% on the normal subscription price.

And, if you have a tablet why not buy a digital subscription to the Field to go with it? An iPad subscription is priced at £27.49 for the year, a saving of 52%.

The Field is also available on the following devices:

Please search your device’s app store for more details.

“Venison vs Beef” is an ongoing debate, but venison has many benefits over its bovine competitor. Venison is leaner (less saturated fat), cheaper and often has better provenance, especially if you shot it yourself or bought it from a reputable butcher.

Which is better, venison or beef?
Well, obviously that largely depends on how you cook it. As a lean meat, care must be taken not to dry it out by overcooking – searing it in a pan is often all it needs. There are a huge array of venison recipes on the web but this carefully curated selection covers all the bases, from a traditional stew, a modern take on a scotch egg, curing one’s own venison, adding a Caribbean twist with Cajun spices steaks, and of course the family favourite: burgers.

Here are five of the best venison recipes from The Field:

How to make a scotch egg: The Harwood Arms Venison Scotch Egg

• March 17, 2010

How to make the perfect scotch egg - The Harwood Arms Venison Scotch Egg …Continue reading »

The Perfect Venison Burger

• May 17, 2012

Everyone loves a burger and this is a delicious recipe for muntjac or roe venison mince …Continue reading »

Fireside Venison stew recipe with ale and new potatoes

• November 15, 2011

Simple, rich and full of Scottish flavour, this is a classic venison stew recipe …Continue reading »

Cajun-style Marinated Venison Steaks

• December 1, 2013

Warming venison recipes are perfect for dark nights. These spicy cajun venison steaks take no cooking, it's all in the …Continue reading »

How to smoke venison

• September 22, 2011

Roe deer or wild boar can be smoked at home on a gas burner …Continue reading »

What do you get when you cross a gunmaker with over 500 years of history with Apple designer and creative icon Marc Newson? A subtly reworked side-by-side of such streamlined beauty that it is sure to set the standard for many years to come.

When Apple designer Marc Newson isn’t, oh, designing Riva yachts, spaceships and top secret projects with Jonny Ive, he lent his delicate creative style to the oldest gun maker and its most traditional product – the side-by-side shotgun.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is a valuable adage, so Newson didn’t try to reinvent the wheel. Rather, he added subtle tweaks here and there, gently improving both the aesthetics and the ergonomics.

“To be asked to design for Beretta, one of the oldest companies in the world with its roots in the Italian Renaissance, was a great honour” Said Marc.
“I am interested in the way things work – it’s a technical obsession. The main focus for my design of the 486 was to simplify and rationalise all the surfaces. Specifically streamlining the area of the action. During the manufacture of my design in the Beretta workshops I  got to observe the fascinating mix of traditional skills employed by Beretta’s craftsmen  in conjunction with the most impressive state-of-the-art engineering processes  including the use of intricate x-ray equipment, sophisticated laser technology and robotics. With these standards of ingenuity I believe that my vision to create an innovative and modern design while respecting the DNA of the product typology has been spectacularly achieved.”

Woodbridge
By lowering the tail of the receiver, the walnut now creates a wooden bridge separating the receiver and the safety/selector. This creates the impression of seamless flow and integration of the contrasting materials.

486 by Marc Newson showing new woodbridge

Engraving
With a nod to the origins of Asia’s most famous sporting export, the pheasant, the texture, deep contrast and resolution was thanks to the laser technology used in the manufacturing process.

Seamless barrels
Sometimes, the best changes are invisible. In this case, there are no welding lines on the hand polished OptiomaBore barrels, due to the Triblock technology.

486 by Marc Newson – seamless barrels

New Guard Fixing
To improve the aesthetics even further, Newson redesigned the trigger guard, Rather than screwing it to the bottom of the receiver, it is inserted into a milled guide.

486 by Marc Newson – New Guard Fixing

Slim Forend
Slimmer is generally preferable for most things that one holds in one’s hands, and the forend of this 486 is no different. It is leaner and more streamlined, and the coupling point has been reduced.

Beretta 486 by Marc Newson

486 by Marc Newson RRP £17,950 from Beretta

To coincide with this launch, Beretta also released this rather beautiful video of the manufacturing process, combining high tech robotics with age old hand crafting.

Does it get any more British than this? Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations have teamed up with Holland & Holland to produce the most luxurious and expensive Range Rover ever built.

As demand grows from customers for exclusivity and bespoke products, Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) is limiting production of this new car, which is based on the Autobiography Black edition, to only 40 cars per year for a maximum of three years. The Holland & Holland Range Rover is both the most luxurious and the most expensive model to date – coming in at a cool £180,000.

Holland & Holland Range Rover – engraved door handles

There is a fair amount of bang per buck, however. The car has engraving around the interior door handles, Holland & Holland badges on the door sills and tailgate, the softest espresso and tan leather imaginable for the seats, and even more leg room than usual. Not only that, but the rear seats recline, allowing for a gentle nap post an arduous day on the peg.

Reclining seats and drop down walnut tables

If napping isn’t on the agenda, there are integrated USB chargers and walnut tables upon which one can rest one’s Macbook Pro, whilst researching which gun to buy to place into the custom built, leather-trimmed aluminium loadspace cabinet, complete with the Holland & Holland logo, which has been designed especially for this car. It is not only removable when maximum luggage capacity is required, but the sliding floor it uses is strong enough to sit on.

Holland & Holland Range Rover bespoke Gun Cabinet

As if that wasn’t quite enough, precision leather detailing either side of the transmission tunnel and Holland & Holland embroidery on the seats is teamed with the logo, inlaid into the centre console. Swathes of walnut adorn the car, each cut from a single piece.

Holland & Holland Range Rover centre console

The Holland & Holland Range Rover is available with two engines:
334BHP 4.4-litre SDV8 (Diesel)
503BHP 5.0-litre V8 Supercharged (Petrol)

Daryl Greatrex, managing director of Holland & Holland, commented: “This project represents two great British brands working together to produce a car that perfectly represents our shared brand values. Stunning form and perfect functionality unite in a car that is supremely fit for purpose.”

www.landrover.co.uk

There are occasionally benefits to being in London – such as when Bonhams have sales featuring some rather fabulous guns. Whether you hanker after some antique duelling pistols or a modern sidelock ejector rifle from Holland & Holland, the upcoming sales have both.

Antique Arms and Armour on 26^th November at Bonhams
There is a fine choice of weaponry steeped in history at this sale, from a pair of percussion duelling pistols once owned by Lieutenant Colonel John Colby, to the Rothschild Brescian flintlock holster pistols, seized by the Nazis.

Lieutenant Colonel John Colby’s Pistols
Owned at the time of the last invasion of England, the Battle of Fishguard, the pistols featured in the short battle (three days) in 1797, won after the British, thanks in no small part to Corby, tricked the French into thinking there were far more English troops than there actually were. Something we have repeated rather successfully throughout history. Corby’s cased pair of 40-bore percussion duelling pistols by D. Egg, London, circa 1795 is estimated to sell for £3,500 to £4,500. They will be sold in the original mahogany case, bearing the engraving ‘Lt. Col. J. Colby Pembroke Militia’.

Corby’s duelling pistols at the Bonhams sale

Rothschild Pistols
As was their wont at the time, the Nazis tended to nab stuff that wasn’t theirs. This pair of Brescian flintlock holster pistols made by Pietro Manani, (circa 1660-70) were no exception, stolen and then hidden in a salt mine for the duration of World War Two. It was not until 1999 that they were finally returned to the family, having spent several decades in the Austrian state museums. The estimated price is £60,000-£80,000

Rothschild Pistols at Bonhams Sale

Modern Sporting Guns, Rifles & Vintage Firearms, 3^rd December
Obviously, guns that can actually be used are rather more practical, and this sale has some beautiful examples.

Holland & Holland Sidelock Ejector (Lot 40)
A .375 (H&H Mag) ‘Royal’ sidelock ejector rifle by Holland & Holland, No. 35612. The treble-grip action-body with concealed third-bite, best bold foliate-scroll engraving, the hand-detachable locks inset with gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, articulated chequered front-trigger, rolled-edge trigger-guard, highly-figured stock with pistolgrip, engraved pistolgrip-cap with trap, elongated top-strap, cheek-piece and leather-covered recoil-pad, the barrels engraved Holland & Holland, 33 Bruton Street, London and .375 H&H Rimless and ‘recuerdo de mi padre in gold lettering, open-sights for 50 and 100 yards, ramp-mounted bead-foresight with fold-away moon-sight, breech-ends mounted with a Zeiss Diavari-C 1.5-4.5×18 telescope-sight with quickly-detachable mounts. Weight 10lb. 7oz. (including ‘scope), 14in. pull (13½in. stock), 24in. barrels, London nitro proof. In its brass-mounted leather case with canvas cover.
Estimate: £35,000-45,000

Holland & Holland sidelock ejector in Bonhams sale

Pair of Purdey & Son 12 bores (Lot 115)
A pair of Kelly-engraved 12-bore single-trigger self-opening sidelock ejector guns by J. Purdey & Son, no. 29271/2. The toplevers, ribs and forend-tips numbered ‘1’ and ‘2’ in gold, non-selective single-triggers, best bold foliate-scroll engraving, cocking-indicators, the makers name in gold, highly-figured stocks with leather-covered recoil-pads, the chopper-lump barrels engraved J. Purdey & Sons, Audley House, South Audley Street, London, England with game-ribs. Weight 6lb. 14oz., 15⅜in. pulls (14¾in. stocks), 27in. barrels, all approx. ¼ choke, 2¾in. chambers, London nitro proof. In their leather case with canvas cover.
Estimate £30,000-40,000

Pair of 12 bore Purdey sidelock ejectors at the Bonhams sale

Purdey & Sons 12 bore over-and-under (Lot 134)
A 12-bore ‘Sporter’ single-trigger over-and-under ejector gun by J. Purdey, no. 31493. Hold-open toplever, fully-detachable non-selective single-trigger mechanism, the action furniture with best bold foliate-scroll engraving, the highly-figured stock with pistolgrip, engraved pistolgrip-cap and recoil-pad, the monbloc barrels engraved Purdey London, with matt ventilated top-rib. Weight 7lb. 13oz., 14½in. pull (13⅞in. stock), 30in. barrels, multi-chokes – I.C., ½ x 2 & ¾, 2¾in. chambers, London nitro proof. In its leather case.
Estimate: £25,000-35,000

Purdey 12 bore over-and-under at the Bonhams sale

There are few things worse than a dry old bird. Here is how to make your bird moist and succulent once more. By simply dropping the grouse (what did you think we were talking about?) into some simmering stock, tenderness will be restored for perfect roast grouse.

Roast Grouse
Serves 4
■ 1 litre (13⁄4 pints) chicken stock
■ 4 grouse
■ 100g (31⁄2oz) butter
■ Sea salt and black pepper
■ 4 large bunches thyme

This is not so much a recipe as a technique. There is nothing worse than a dry old grouse, or any gamebird for that matter. Start by bringing the stock to the boil, then turn it down low. Remove the legs from the birds (we generally save them up and cook them as an appetiser) and plunge the crowns in the simmering stock. This captures the moisture in the meat and ensures a perfect result.
Remove them after 10 minutes and allow them to cool a little. Next, brush them with melted butter, season well with salt and pepper, and shove a bundle of thyme up each bird’s bum. Then brown them well in a pan and roast them in a 180°C/350°F/
Gas Mark 4 oven for six minutes.
Take them out and rest for five minutes before carving. Serve with fried garlic potatoes, bread sauce, beans and some very expensive red wine, perhaps a burgundy. A perfect roast grouse.

The Naked, Strewth calendar will be included with the January issue. If you ever needed a reason to subscribe, surely this is it. The cream of the charity naked calendars is all in one place, all for a good cause.

Getting naked is usually rather fun, and even more so when doing so for money – money for charity, of course. The Field has carefully curated the finest bare bottoms and exposed décolletages in the name of benevolence, for the 2015 Naked, Strewth charity calendar.
To ensure you don’t miss out, click here to subscribe and save up to 38% on the cover price – get The Field for £17.99 for 6 months or £38.99 for a whole year.

Each month The Field has selected an image from the best of the naked charity calendars in the UK, the pick of which has been featured in each issue of the magazine. The Naked, Strewth 2015 calendar is a veritable melting pot of exposed derrieres and strategically placed wicker baskets and bales of straw. The Field also donated to all the charities concerned.

Charities and organizations comprise:
Bedfordshire YFC, who are donating money to health charity MIND

Jed Forest, who are raising money for Spinal Research

Hotties Helping Heroes, who are, well, Helping Heroes.

Ballathie Hotel, in aid of Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia.

Garrison Girls, who are raising funds to help victims of PTSD.

Foxy Hunters, fund raising for Wiltshire and Hampshire and Isle of Wight air ambulance.

Finally, the Wiltshire Young Farmers, also in aid of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

If you want some more nakedness, have another look here:

Holcombe Hunt naked charity calendar 2015. Baring all for a good cause

• October 20, 2014

The Holcombe Hunt naked charity calendar 2015 has earned a spot on The Field’s naked charity calendars 2015 list.  A jolly …Continue reading »

Hotties naked charity calendar

• November 6, 2014

The Hotties naked charity calendar has been running for two years. And raised over £9000 for Help For Heroes. The …Continue reading »

Naked Charity Calendars 2015. Eyes left…

• October 15, 2014

The hunting hotties are street ahead when it comes to disrobing for a good cause...the shooting fraternity needs to get …Continue reading »

The WFYFC naked charity calendar 2015

• October 13, 2014

THE WFYFC NAKED CHARITY CALENDAR Young Farmers and Naked Charity calendars go together like the inevitable horse and carriage. And this …Continue reading »

Norfolk based Holt’s auctioneers are holding a sale in West London on the 11th December. Lots are myriad, from a Japanese helmet to a muzzle loading bronze cannon to a pair of Purdeys - and include a goose gun belonging to none other than The Field’s Johnny Scott.

The Field spent an enjoyable and somewhat indulgent morning browsing the Holt’s sale catalogue and picked out a selection of lots that illustrate the variety within. Pair of Purdeys, anyone?

Lot 332
This magnificent and imposing Japanese Armour Helmet, “Kabuto” circa 1820, is complete with its face-plate ‘menpo’, the black lacquered iron helmet bowl with reeded bands and brass finial with central vent (traces of gilding), the visor with engraved brass edging and applied cloth panel with woven border, the interior lacquered red, gilded lamellar rear neck-guard joined by red and blue woven cotton bindings, brass crest with pierced and moulded fretwork to the centre, black iron face-plate moulded in the form of a grotesque, black lacquered lamellar throat-guard, complete with the original laces and chin-rope, the whole mounted on a period wood stand.
Estimate £800-£1200

Lot 332 – Japanese Armour helmet

Lot 425
An ill-fated battle with 10,000 casualties led to the capture of this 3.5 in rifled muzzle-loading bronze cannon, manufactured in 1864-65 by the Turkish especially for the Egyptian army, with 37 1/2in. bronze multi-groove rifled barrel swelling towards the breech, moulded band at muzzle, the breech with the Khedive’s tughra (translates as ‘ISMA’IL 1281′), socket at rear right for percussion igniter (later mechanical touch-hole cap igniter included), bulbous cascabel, the whole fitted onto its original wooded cream-coloured carriage (restored 1959) with iron-bound spoked wheels, narrow trail hand operated elevation adjuster and complete with clearing and loading rods. This cannon is a rifled muzzle-loading battalion gun for the close support of infantry. It fires a hollow cast iron explosive shell of approximately 8lb in weight (a wood dummy and inert original supplied) with external studs designed to match the rifling, similar to the Armstrong system. Effective range was in excess of 1000 yards.
Estimate £10,000-£12,000

Lot 425 – Muzzle loading bronze cannon

Lot 1210
Beautiful African game engraving adorn this magnificent Purdey & Sons, practically unused, kulczyk-engraved .470 nitro express self-opening pinless sidelock ejector double rifle, serial no. 30259. 24in. nitro chopperlump barrels, gold-inlaid line details at breech end and muzzles, deeply matted sight rib with open sights and single folding leaf sight, gold-inlaid sight lines and marked for 40 and 100 metres, matted ramp-mounted gold bead fore-sight with flip-up moonsight and button release removable protector hood, the sunken rib gold-inlaid with the calibre designation in script, the tubes gold-inlaid ‘J. PURDEY & SONS. LONDON. ENGLAND.’
Estimate £70,000-90,000

1210 – Purdey Double Rifle

Lot 1210 – Purdey Double Rifle engraving detail

Lot 1416
A beautiful Purdey 12-bore self-opening sidelock ejector, serial no. 15234, 30in. nitro reproved Whitworth-steel chopperlump barrels, rib engraved ‘J. PURDEY & SONS. AUDLEY HOUSE. SOUTH AUDLEY STREET. LONDON. MADE OF SIR JOSEPH WHITWORTH’S FLUID PRESSED STEEL’ and ‘1’, 2 1/2in. chambers, bored approx. 1/2 and true cyl. choke, left wall thickness at 19, toplever engraved ‘1’, removable striker discs, automatic safety with gold-inlaid ‘SAFE’ detail, arrow cocking-indicators, articulated front trigger, best fine bouquet and scroll engraving, brushed bright finish overall, 14 5/8in. figured replacement stock including 7/8in. rubber recoil pad, repair to knuckle of fore-end iron, weight 7lb., in a brass-cornered oak and leather case with Purdey trade and charges labels.
Estimate £3,000-5,000

Lot 1416 – Purdey 12-bore

Lot 1592
Our final pick is Sir John Scott’s E.M Reilly & Co 8-bore (82mm) single-barreled rotary-underlever hammergun, serial no 26957, 36 1/8in. nitro reproved fine damascus barrel, octagonal breech end with top flat engraved ‘E. M. REILLY & CO. 16 NEW OXFORD ST. LONDON’, and with fine acanthus scroll detailing, 82mm chamber, bored approx. full choke, Jones patent rotary underlever, carved percussion fence, rebounding back-action lock, border and fine acanthus scroll engraving, matt nickel-plated finish overall, 14 1/4in. stock including 1in. rubber recoil pad (distressed), fore-end with horn finial and insert repair to right edge, weight 9lb. 14oz.
Provenance: Sir John said: “This wonderful old goose gun has provided sterling service on foreshore and salt marsh over many years of family ownership on estuaries such as the Tay, Wells-next-Sea, both the English and Scottish sides of the Solway, at Lindisfarne and the Kent, where it comes into Morecombe Bay. Reilly specialised in big bore ‘fowling guns and although heavy, it is so beautifully made that it is as light as a feather at the point of balance.”
Estimate £2,000-2,500

Lot 1592 – E.M Reilly 8-bore Hammergun

Read about Johnny wildfowling on Lindisfarne here – possibly with this very gun.

Look at the lots in the sale here:

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Great British Game week is running until the 30th November. Naturally The Field has an excellent selection of the best game recipes from traditional to modern, including roast grouse, the best venison recipes, parmesan pheasant breast, partridge risotto and chilli barbecued sticky rabbit.

Try a taste of game during Great British Game Week 2014.
Other than the best game recipes The Field has to offer, people will be able to find local suppliers, special offers and events and sample mouth-watering modern takes on traditional game dishes such as venison chorizo, pheasant sausages and game pies at events which will be held around the country.

Try game for Great British Game Week

Great British Game Week 2014 is being run by BASC’s Taste of Game campaign and the Countryside Alliance’s Game to Eat campaign. It will strengthen networks of local suppliers and link them to new consumers. Michelin starred chef Phil Vickery said: “Great British Game Week is a great idea. What I am doing is modernising the way game meat is cooked, it is incredibly versatile and very quick to cook. You can attach lots of great flavours to it from spice to sweet and fruits.  I urge everyone to try game meat.”
Annette Cole from Taste of Game said: “Game meat is more popular than it has been for years.  It is delicious. It is low in fat, high in nutrients, inexpensive and extremely versatile.  It can be locally-sourced meaning food miles are minimal”

You don’t need to go far to try a new recipe – The Field has the best game recipes on the web, right here. Game is so adaptable, and can be cooked traditionally or with a modern twist – think roast pheasant or pheasant fajitas, or Cajun venison against a hearty stew. Go to your local butcher and you will reduce food miles, support rural businesses and enjoy unadulterated meat with great versatility.

Here is our selection:

Traditional Roast Grouse recipe

• October 23, 2014

Grouse is a bird best served in classic style. This traditional grouse recipe is the only one you need for …Continue reading »

Recipe: Risotto of Rievaulx Partridges with Mushrooms, Wilted Spinach and Cheese and Thyme Wafer

• September 3, 2013

With partridge there are so many delicious alternatives to a roast, try this risotto recipe …Continue reading »

The Best Venison Recipes Ever

• November 12, 2014

Venison is an excellent and healthy alternative to beef. Here are five of the best venison recipes, from stews to …Continue reading »

Sweet chilli barbecued sticky rabbit

• October 29, 2009

Rabbit recipe: cooking rabbit is easy with Mike Robinson showing you how …Continue reading »

Parmesan Pheasant breasts with Crispy Ham

• September 30, 2014

This Parmesan pheasant recipe is perfect for a romantic dinner for two. Easy to prepare it is zingy and delicious, …Continue reading »

Here is a list of events for Great British Game Week