Hi, my name is Thea Mathers, I have owned, worked and trained working dogs for the past 6 years. I am a mad spaniel lady at heart and just love the way their minds work and training them brings me so much joy.
I partake in working tests with my youngest who is a cracking dog at just 2 years of age! I am a country girl through and through, have been shooting for the last 4 years and love all roles within a shoot whether that be beating, picking up or on peg!
I'm Kelly, I have 2 spaniels Father and Son duo Tai and Teddy and a Jack Russel Tinka. We live in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.
My love for gundogs started when I got my 1st dog Harvey. I was clueless but luckily he had already read the rulebook and made me look like I knew what I was doing. I then started training properly with Tai and later Teddy and we now enjoy training, shooting, beating with Tai and picking up with Teddy and going hiking in the Peak District. We just love being outdoors.
I originally joined girls with gundogs as I wanted to meet other like minded people and not feel intimidated. Everyone at GWG has been so lovely and helpful. Now as a rep I love organising training days and hearing people's stories and watching them progress.
I joined GWG in 2021 after stumbling across an incredible sport i'd never even considered being involved in.
Bentley is our first working gundog from an impeccable line.I've grown up with Labradors, border collies and American Bulldogs, training has always been a huge focus regardless of the breed, I even completed a few agility shows with the collie too.
How did Bentley happen, we laugh about this a lot.....
We re-homed our springer Bee from our local village shop, I only went in for a sandwich! Bee was rather bouncy and a tad too much for our show cocker Hector, so obviously Bee needed a suitable companion, so, along came Bentley. It seamed the responsible choice to allow him to show us what he could do, teach us his skills. From his first training lesson we never looked back, he is special and we are now lucky enough to have Bee & Bentley share a loving home with their pups Darcy & Hugo.
I haven't grown up on a farm, I haven't had working dogs all of my life and hadn't even thought about it, it just happened and the respect for working dogs and the sport continues to grow.
Hi, I'm Steph and I have two cockers, Cai & Tor, a father & son duo! We live in South Cambridgeshire. Growing up as a family we had dobermans and later a springer dog, Toby, who was the first dog I did 'gundog training' with, this wasn't until later in his life but taught me so much!
I've been beating for 8 seasons now and absolutely fell in love with it from the first day I went on and I very quickly started getting excited for Saturdays to come along so I could get my wellies on and head out with a flag! In the spring of 2021 I collected Cai and haven't looked back since...I have enjoyed every second of training him, so much so that when I got the opportunity to have a pup from the first litter he sired I didn't have to think about it! Shoot days are so much better now I get to take my best friends with me & watch them work! Cai will also be competing in field trials this season, something I'm excited and terrified about in equal quantities!
I joined girls with gundogs in 2022 and I'm so glad I did! I found a group of women that are as passionate about their dogs & training as I am, and are always a wealth of knowledge and support for each other.
Hi! I’m Leighanne and I have a sprocker called Albie. I’m originally from London and moved up to Leicestershire in 2018.
I work as Head of Commercial for a creative agency, so my day to day doesn’t really involve anything to do with the gundog world, but I’ve always had an interest in game and the gundog world thanks to my grandparents who bred labs, and always had pheasants hanging up.
As soon as I was working in a fully remote role I knew I wanted a spaniel and started looking for the right first dog. In august 2022 I bought Albie home.
Once we got the basic training down, I started looking for groups to join as I don’t have any gundog owners in my group of friends and wanted to learn and train Albie and then I found Girls with Gundogs. I’ve learnt so much about the gundog world since joining and have made some great friends (and some dog friends for Albie).
Hi I’m Megan, I live in a village in Nottinghamshire and have grown up around gundogs and field sports where my grandad was a gamekeeper, my stepfather being a gamekeeper and my mother an underkeeper.
I got my 1st working Gundog 13 years ago and trained her up to come on the beating line with me which has led to further opportunities and my pack growing. I’ve added 2 more spaniels which I also work. My love for field-sports has grown over the years and now I can't get enough of being out in the field training, working my dogs and shooting.
I’m excited to be a GWG rep and help others along the way with training and introducing new ladies into the field-sports world, but also have others help me.
MEGAN
FOX
REP
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
MEET THE TEAM
Hi I’m Jemma, I joined GWG as a member back in January 2022 then became a rep for the borders later in the year I then took over the role of Scottish coordinator in 2023.
Originally from Cumbria however I’ve been based in the Scottish Borders for just over 8 years now where I’m lucky enough to live on a fantastic estate with my partner who is a gamekeeper, our little boy and our 8 dogs.
I currently have a team of 5 working Labradors and a couple of added extras in the pack, two of my labs are homebred and have joined the team over the past 2 seasons so it’s abit of a proud moment for me having them out along side me on a shoot day and quite often you’ll find me with my 6 year old in tow too.
I love all things country sports having grown up with dogs and riding horses since I was young it all started out in the hunting field (which I still have a massive love for all these years later), I then bought myself my first yellow Labrador Bailey in 2015 and quickly fell in love with gundog training, the shooting world and adding more dogs, I also now have one of baileys sons now in my team.
Through GWG I’ve met some absolutely fantastic ladies who have become great friends that I speak to daily, which without the group I probably would have never of met. From training days to social DIY days or even in the group chats there is always someone to offer help or advice which is amazing.
I’m Ashlyn, I live in Dumfries and Galloway where I work at the Buccleuch gundogs kennels and have done for many years, and now full time for the last 3 years after finishing studying my equine course. Whilst working there I also enjoy helping my partner on the farm and spending time with the sheepdogs. I’ve always had a passion for country sports and the Gundog community and now love being a part of it especially with The Girls with Gundogs Club.
Currently I have 2 goldies that I also enjoy showing as well working and a lab in the kennels, that I’m fortunate to have been able to train since a puppy right through. I’ve now started my own line and can’t wait to see what Seancaer Golden Retrievers produce in further years and expand my team not only with goldies. I enjoy the thrill of watching the dogs work and train, knowing the amount of time spent on them is all worth it. It’s all thanks to girls with gundogs that I’ve met friends for life that have the same passion I do.
Hi I'm Bex and I have a labrador called Echo and we live just outside of Arbroath in Angus, although I'm currently living up in Aberdeen studying agriculture. My dad is a gamekeeper so since birth I have been involved in shooting and the world of gundogs.
My dad and grandad always had dogs, including: labs, springers, Italian spinone and a vizsla. But my Dad and Grandad never wanted to compete with them so they only needed them to be easy all round gundogs. Back in 2018 I really started to get interested in the training of the dogs as at that time we had two 2 year old labradors. I started training one of them more advanced retrieves to what she had been taught previously and I started training the other one in agility.
Then in 2021 after years of wanting my own dog I finally got echo. She has taught me the highs and the lows of training dogs. Not only is she a working gundog who I can take out beating, picking up, dogging in, competing in scurries and counting grey partridges but she's also an agility dog. We also occasionally compete in hoopers shows and KC dog shows.
I joined the girls with gundogs club in September 2022 after discovering it and wanting to meet like minded people with their amazing dogs. I have loved every step of my journey with echo and girls with gundogs.
I am Wendy Shaw, I live in the north east of Scotland in the village of Dufftown. I have four Hungarian Vizsla’s aged between twelve to two. I started horse riding at a young age and have always had a love of animals.
Training my first Vizsla introduced me to the world of shooting, working tests and field trials.
I get so much enjoyment working the dogs and seeing their natural ability shine through. Girls with Gundogs has given me a chance to see how other gundog types are trained and work, picking up tips and new techniques. The friendship it brings is amazing.
Hi I’m Frankie, Northern Coordinator, I live in Northumberland with my 4 dogs, I have two Jack Russell’s and two Labradors who I pick up with. I grew up going beating with my dad every weekend up until I was 19 years old, I took a few years out while I focused on showjumping qualifiers and pursuing a career as a groom, after a few years we retired my competition horse and I decided that wasn’t a sustainable career. I straight away got back into beating, then decided to take the plunge and buy myself a dog to pick up with. I got Remi 3 years ago, and she has been nothing short of perfect and my absolute heart dog.
I joined Girls with Gundogs when it started in January 2022 to have some like minded ladies to chat to and discuss training or problems with, since then through the club I have met some of my best friends who I would have never got to know otherwise, I owe a lot to the club for being the place I go to for no judgement advice.
I took over the Co-ordinator role in 2023. I've absolutely loved being able to organise training days for all of our amazing ladies and I’m looking forward to continuing this as the club grows.
Hi I’m Caitlin, I have 3 springers, Dave, Derek and Doris and we live just outside of Manchester. I grew up with a small family holding, which had chicken, sheep, ducks, pigs & goats. I used to spend most weekends at the holding, and that’s where I fell in love with the outdoors.
During covid we got our first springer, Dave, who I started gundog training at 10 months old. From there we fell in love with training and the sport. I joined The Girls with Gundog Club in January 2022, in hope to find like minded women, like myself, who have a passion for the gundog world, and I found it! Not only meeting like minded women, but I have found myself friends for life, my springer team has grown massively and my knowledge too.
Hi I’m Alice, I have two spaniels and live in Harrogate.
I’ve always loved animals and the outdoors and when I started working in a pub at 17 I fell in love with the sprocker who lived there, Fred. 6 years down the line I was able to rescue him. I had no prior experience of gundog training or the shooting world but knew Fred needed some sort of training and enrichment so I googled classes for spaniels and ended up joining some gundog classes. We both absolutely fell in love with the sport and it’s now a huge part of our lives.
I joined The Girls with Gundogs club in April 2022 hoping to meet like minded girls and learn more about the sport! Since joining I’ve made friends and memories to last a lifetime and feel so lucky to be a part of this community.
Hi my name is Georgia, I’m 23 and I live in the Lake District. I worked for an A panel retriever judge for 7 years, he was who gave me the gundog bug and who I have all of this to thank for! Whilst working for him and since then, I have gained a little team, 2 labs (mother and son) and a cocker. I have been brought up in a very country based family, my dad came from a shooting family and my mum was brought up around lifestock and horses.
I enjoy picking up and the odd days beating, hoping to trial next year. I chose to be a member of GWG 2 years ago because I wanted to meet likeminded ladies that enjoyed country sports as much as I do, and that is exactly what I have found! I have got life long friends, many amazing connections, once in a life time experiences and I’ve learnt so much as we’ve grown as a family! I’m really looking forward to where this takes us all.
I'm Hannah, your South Wales Rep based just outside of Abergavenny and lucky hoomum to 3 dogs, Pip the Border Terrier, Gylly the Labrador and Marlowe the Cocker Spaniel.
My parents met through their love of gundogs and trialling, so you could probably say I was virtually born into a game bag, and my passion for working dogs runs through my veins. Gundogs have very much remained a family affair, with everyone having at least one or two and my brother still trialling occasionally. I was given my first gundog for my 14th birthday present, a cocker spaniel I named Cassie. She was the ideal first dog and we joke she was probably born part trained as she somehow always knew just what to do.
After she passed in 2021, I gained another little cocker, from the same breeder and distantly related to Cassie. Marlowe, though very different to Cassie and much more challenging, reignited my love and passion for gundogs and through wanting to meet more like minded girls, I found The Girls with Gundogs Club. I knew I wanted to get more involved so at the first opportunity I signed up to be a rep.
It's been the absolute best decision as I've learned so much on top of the 15+ years of knowledge I've gained and met some truly wonderful people and can't wait to see where the club goes over the next few years!
Hi I’m Kirsty, I live in Mid Wales with a true pack of Labradors! Namely, Roxy, Belle, Gem, Meg, Chunk, Gryff, Rascal, Red, Chevy, Lily, Baby Chev, Whiskey and the newest addition to the pack, Boots!
I have owned, bred and shown my Labradors for about 13 years. More recently, I have discovered a love for the gundog side of the dog and we have been participating ever since. We go out beating and picking up on local shoots when time allows.
I also keep busy with my work with a large Agricultural Show, and sitting on the Labrador Club of Wales committee and on the Labrador Breed Health Committee.
I joined The Girls with Gundog Club in hope of connecting with other like minded women who have a passion for the gundog world, and wont judge me for the occasional addition to the pack!
Looking forward to spending 2024 organising events and getting to know more people around Wales and further afield!
Hi I'm Louise! I live in North Wales in the lovely snowdonia national park.
I started my journey with gundogs as a young child being emersed in country lifestyle.
I grew up riding and competing horses, representing Wales and GB on numerous occasions in youth squads. Subsequently after giving up riding in my early 20's I decided to start training my dogs more seriously. I adore the process of learning and improving in my training with help from the GWG network.
I compete in working tests and trials with my HWV but my main love if being out out in the field with my girls.
I live in down in Kent with my team of gundogs & sheepdogs, living and working on a sheep, cattle and arable farm whilst also working as an equine physiotherapist.
I was fortunate enough to grow up with a small holding & spent most of my free time horse riding. I fell into gundog training after meeting my other half in 2017 when I spent the weekends standing on peg with him on our farm shoot picking up his birds with his dads old Springador Nugget. In 2020 I decided to take the plunge and get my first dog - my lovely fox red Labrador Nyra. I completely fell in love with gundog training and the community I found online.
I joined GWG when the club first started in the hopes of making some new friends in my local area who were also passionate about working dogs and joining in on training days & social meet ups.
I joined the team initially as a southern rep organising training days throughout Kent & Sussex before stepping up to the Southern Coordinator role. I now help our team of southern reps find reputable trainers and organise training days and social meet ups in their respective areas. I am extremely passionate about gundogs and country sports and love to introduce new ladies to this world via The Girls with Gundogs Club social meet ups and training days.
Hi I’m Mel and I live in south Wiltshire with my working line labrador, Freddie. I grew up with show line labradors and I wasn’t particularly prepared for the difference between Freddie and my older boys.
He is quite an exuberant and wilful dog with a lot of drive and so I started Gundog training to channel the energy. I joined the Girls with Gundogs Club in early 2022 and almost immediately made a new best friend. I have since made further friends through the group, attended training days, social events, and picked up lots of training and behaviour tips along the way!
MEL SELBY
REP - WILTSHIRE
I’m Vroni Royle and I’ve joined GWG as recently as summer 2023 to represent Berkshire. I’m pretty new to the Gundog world, but have been soaking knowledge up at every opportunity . I’ve come across a variety of trainers and the ethos that Girls with Gundogs bring and the trainers we partner with is exactly what I’ve been looking for and where I have learned best. We are a professional family working in the corporate space but own a 3 year old Dual Purpose Chesapeake Bay Retriever Togo. We’ve been showing him successfully and joined the hunting season Beating and Retrieving which we both so loved .
If you’re local and looking for training or partnering with us, then I look forward to hearing from you!
Hi My name is Poppy, I’m 19 and based in Hampshire. I am lucky enough to have grown up on a farm and to have been around all sorts of gundogs and country sports from a young age; this has led to my huge passion for working dogs.
While I have had family dogs before, I now have a nearly three year old working cocker who is my ‘first’ solely trained gundog. There is just something so special about seeing my dogs do what they were bred for, I’ll never grow tired of that feeling.
I joined the Girls With Gundogs club shortly after it was founded and watching it grow and support so many like minded women has been just the greatest pleasure.
Hi I’m Alannah and I live in Somerset with my husband, daughter and 4 spaniels.
My love for gundogs (especially spaniels) evolved because of my husband.. I was only allowed a dog if it was able to work. Now, he tells me I’m not allowed any more!
I love all aspects of gundog training and think it’s a great way to really build a bond with your dog and do something that you both equally enjoy.
Hope to meet you at a training or social event soon!
Hi I’m Lucy and I live in Dorset with my husband and two Working Cockers Bella and Penny.
Gundogs have always been a part of my life as I grew up with Spaniels and would accompany my Dad on shooting days. I was smitten by the ability the dogs displayed while working within a real-life shooting scenario.
During the shooting season, you’ll find me working my dogs in the beating line.
My love for gundog training as a hobby turned in to a career as I am also an Accredited Pet Gundog Instructor. I am passionate about helping dog owners harness the natural intrinsic behaviour of their dogs to get the best possible outcome for their companion, no matter if it's being only a pet, entering competitions, or taking the dog to work on a shoot.
I became a member of GWGD in 2022 and love the community and support it provides.
Hi I’m immie, from Kent but currently living in Australia!
Day to day I’m most likely to be found driving a tractor and when I’m not doing that I’m out with my dogs.
I have two working cocker spaniels, Arla and Duck. I got into shooting through going out on days shooting with my dad and then got introduced into the Gundog side of shooting by my dad’s friend.
I got Arla when I went to university (she lived there with me) and trained her whilst at uni and started going on shoots picking up in and around Gloucestershire 4-5 times a week.
I completely fell in love with training and working my dogs, I love that rewarding feeling of them working to a high standard in the field after the endless hours of training put in!!
Immie Forknall
Australia - Originally Kent
Admin Co-Ordinator