Molly Iken (Molly) is an English Setter bitch and Ardoon Roisin (Gem) an Irish Setter bitch and both belong to Will Sloan.

A few years ago he asked whether I would consider campaigning Molly for him. She must have been about two years old at the time and although I had seen her at one trial prior to this I had certainly not studied her and really had little idea of what I was taking on. However what I did know was that Will rated her and for me that was enough.

At the time she and Gem were kennelled with Clara Campbell, near Wick, in the far north of Scotland so from Northumberland it was a two-day return journey to collect her. A long journey but the best two days I ever spent because, although I didn't know it at the time, it gave me the opportunity to work with two dogs the likes of which most people only dream of.

As well as collecting Molly I brought Gem down to stay with Laughton Evans near Pitlochry. Laughton is one of to-days great dog men, who for many years ran one of the most northerly packs of foxhound and has a way with dogs that many admire but few can emulate. For many years he has also worked with spaniels as well as setters and pointers and his quite, unhurried manner has earned him great admiration amongst the shooting fraternity as well as the top awards at field trials.

Molly is without doubt a very beautiful looking bitch with lovely orange flecking and the softest, kindest eye that you could ever want however it is her working abilities which really set her apart. She is a bitch of such quality that it is hard to know where to begin in order to do her justice. I could say that she is an absolute joy to work with, which is true, but at the same time nothing connected with her could in honesty be described as work.

It is such a thrill to watch her doing what she does with such style, determination and enjoyment every time you slip the lead, whether in training or at a trial. Which is not to say she is a total paragon of virtue - you don't just get her out of the box and set her away, but the challenges that she presents come within such a quality package that there is little room to complain. She has excellent conformation with well-angulated shoulders balanced by strong hindquarters providing a powerful athletic action that enables her to flow across the heather efficiently and effectively. Her nose is excellent and once she has pinned her birds she will freeze on point with only a quick look over her shoulder to establish that I have seen where she is. When requested she moves freely in on her birds, without any hesitation, and with no suggestion of stickiness, dropping immediately to flush and cleaning up with great style and enthusiasm after the first birds have been picked.

Although Molly has a gentle, biddable temperament she also has a steely determination about what she is doing and how she is going to do it, the combination of which has to be handled with care. However when I watch the ability that she brings to her work I am convinced that she must have been here before, especially when I see her tackling tricky downwind situations with such certainty and poise - that is not learnt it is inherent. Molly has the sweetest of temperaments both with people and other dogs and I honestly don't think that I have ever heard her have a cross word with anyone. This doesn't mean that she's a push over, far from it, she just manages to maintain her position within the kennel with a quite, but very strong, self-confidence that no one has ever questioned.

Gem also came to me about six months after Molly. She is a litter sister of Steve Robinson's great Irish Setter dog International Champion Ardoon Jack. As a youngster Will had used her extensively for dogging up in the North of Scotland where she was able to demonstrate her bottomless stamina and exceptional game-finding abilities whether it be on grouse, snipe, woodcock, partridge or pheasant. She was not only able to produce the game but, in the absence of any picking up dogs, she would also happily retrieve it to hand after it had been shot.

Although to look at you would never describe Gem as flashy she has the kindest eye and the sweetest temperament and when not working is never happier than when curled up by your side. She never really showed her full potential in field trials possibly because she came to it a little late in life and never quite adjusted to the atmosphere. However on a shooting day she is faultless, a real joy, because she is so reliable, using her own initiative whilst still checking regularly for direction from the handler. Gem is never happier than when on the hill where her focus and determination combined with exceptional stamina make her a joy to walk behind. I rate her as one of the best bitches I have ever had the pleasure to work with and she is without doubt a real star in my shooting team.

It is always interesting taking on older dogs and quite a challenge since they obviously come with a history and it takes a while to unravel the whole picture. They often appear to settle quite quickly but this can often, with hindsight, be quite deceptive. I never do anything with them for quite some time after they have arrived always giving them plenty of time to get used to me, the routine and gradually the other dogs in the kennel. I remember that Molly appeared to settle quite quickly with no problems eating, exercising or associating with the other dogs. However if she jumped up I could see that persistent slight anxiety in the back of her eye. It is a look that breaks your heart, as they try bravely to fit in whilst inevitably feeling unsettled and insecure. Needless to say Molly gradually came to realise that although she was in a new kennel she was not only secure and cared for but greatly loved and that's when we began to go to the hill.

It took Gem a little longer to settle than Molly, possibly because she was a bit older, but during that time we established a bond from which everything else became possible. Although both Molly and Gem came as trained dogs the transition to a new handler is never as simple as driving a new car, which after a few moments getting used to the new gear box responds and performs as it was designed to do. Even when using the whistle that the dog was trained with there can be distinct differences in the way it is blown which can be confusing to the dog and consequently the results might not be quite those that were anticipated!

There are a few exceptional handlers, such as Colin Organ, who appear to make this transition effortlessly. I remember one occasion when Colin handled a dog for a friend who had been taken ill and not only established almost immediate clear communication but produced the performance of a lifetime from the dog! In many ways I find it simpler just to teach the new arrival my own whistle commands, that way I am not inadvertently taking on board any historic issues that a dog might associate with existing commands. In order to try and keep things simple for myself I generally try to use the same whistle and the same commands for all my dogs. The reason for this is that the whistle is often required at a critical moment when timing is everything and there is no time to try and remember which whistle and which command to use for different dogs, it has to be almost a reflex reaction. As a result new arrivals have to learn the way I communicate and although it is not a speedy process it seems to work for me and I enjoy the time that I spend with my dogs so time is never an issue.

Ardoon Oonagh (Oonagh)

Ardoon Oonagh is sired by Field Trial Champion Lusca Finn out of Ardoon Roisin. She is now about 21 months old and is demonstrating a good combination of the strengths from both her sire and dam. She has always had a great enthusiasm for life from the moment she was born but this has fortunately been combined with a huge determination to please resulting in an exciting young dog that can also be kept in hand. She has excellent conformation and a big heart providing her with a strong athletic action and masses of determination and stamina. Oonagh has a delightful temperament and has been an absolute pleasure to work with and we will, I have no doubt, share many happy days ahead.

Jean Brown's dogs,
Field Trial Champion Lusca Finn (Finn)

I always describe Finn as 'my big red dog' because that is very much the first impression that he makes. He is certainly a very good size for a red, which is what I like. In some cases a big dog can look slow on the hill in comparison to a smaller dog since they have to work much harder to maintain the same speed. However I am glad to stay that Finn looks neither slow nor dull. He is one of the most exciting dogs to watch, with a powerful great athletic action, driving from behind and reaching well out in front. The speed with which he runs has my heart in my mouth at times when the ground is a bit tricky. Fortunately this speed is more than matched by an outstanding nose, which he uses to great effect.

I will never forget his win at the SFTA Open stake under Billy Darragh and Alan Neil in 2002. The conditions were tricky, hot and hardly any wind which kept dropping away and flicking. However Finn had a great find on a covey in the first round whilst running flat out through a bed of rashes, and still taking the birds well back. Then in the second round we were taken higher up the hill onto very steep rocky ground, which was very tricky to negotiate. Once again he flew up and down the hill. It was awesome, he was as fast coming up as he was going down. Then on his way back down, on about his fifth cut, he suddenly swung into the wind, cutting his speed dramatically, with the great head up, drew a little and set, to produce his second covey of the day. Once again he had been well back off the birds. How he does it I will never know but it was an incredible two rounds and a 1st place that I will always remember.

One of the other things that I particularly love about Finn is his temperament and personality. He is such an easy dog to have around the kennel and home because he is so relaxed and easy going. He is the sort of dog who when not on the hill just loves to be around you, lying in a bit of shade, watching while you do the garden or clean the car, or having a game with one of the other dogs. A friend commented recently that when he is waiting to run at a trial you could not begin to imagine his power and drive because he is just so laid back. It is a fact that he never gets himself hyped up at a trial, which is very pleasant, especially when you are not running until late in the programme. He has done extremely well at the trials as well as on shooting days and the enjoyment that it has given both of us is immeasurable. He is a very, very special dog and it is a great privilege to work on with a dog of such quality.

Lusca Handsome Beau (Jess)

Jess is a sister to Finn and although she has not been trialled extensively, partly due to the disruptions resulting from the recent Foot and Mouth epidemic, she is probably the most stylish dog in the kennel when handling game and was an obvious choice for our breeding programme. She has an absolutely wonderful temperament coupled with an excellent nose and has produced a litter of very promising pups by Lusca Speedy Boy of Ardoon.

The pups are now about 12 months old and have clearly inherited the parents' gentle temperaments as well as that wonderful joy of life so typical of the best red dogs. They are all responding to voice, hand and whistle commands and have settled into a nice quartering pattern running with plenty of power and drive. The next stage will be the introduction to game which will begin over the next few weeks, so lots still to do but coming on quite nicely.