CV - Mary Ward. KCAI (WG^A)

Kennel Club Accredited Instructor (Working Gundogs ^ADVANCED)

·         I have lived with dogs and other animals for the whole of my life.

·         Main interests in general education – Art, Music, Drama, Literature, Biology

·         Scholarship to the Royal College of Music, London, in 1961.

·         Further education in 1965 qualifying as Primary School Teacher.

·         In the mid 1960’s trained with the BBC as a radio continuity announcer; writing scripts and compiling my own music programmes working on the Far East desk in Singapore for the British Forces Broadcasting Service.

·         In the early 70’s owned a Cocker Spaniel and Yorkshire Terrier as family companion dogs. Worked both in obedience.

·         Bought my first Flatcoat in 1983. Started showing Flatcoated Retrievers.

·         First judging appointment in 1988 gaining experience judging all varieties of gundog and became a Championship Show judge in 1999. (Flatcoated Retrievers)

·         From 1985 worked all my dogs on a variety of game i.e. pheasant, partridge, grouse and duck.  At present I own three working gundogs; two Flatcoated Retrievers and one Golden Retriever.

·         Teaching handlers to train any breed of gundog has become my main interest. I have been an instructor since 1991 and qualified as a gundog training instructor at advanced level in 2009.

·         Have trained others and been an assessor for the Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme (companion dog training) also an assessor for the Kennel Club Working Gundog Certificate.

·         I compete in and judge working gundog tests for the retriever group at all levels from Puppy to Open.

·         I am an instructor for the Midland Golden Retriever Club. I also instruct on an individual basis.

·         I have run workshops and training days; judged work and show in the UK, Germany and Switzerland.

·         I have my own web site www.parsifalgundogs.co.uk.