CASTLEMANS GUNDOGS
'ARE' DOGS FOR LIFE
Castlemans Gundogs / Dogs for Life
Philippa is based in Yorkshire, where she lives with her Labradors, Goldens and Cockers.
She has been fortunate to have had people visit from as far as Japan, Australia, America Singapore, Finland and Sweden, some of whom originally saw her Training Dogs video which she had the pleasure to make with the late John Fisher.
She prides herself in never standing still and sitting back on her laurels. New and interesting venues have been sought throughout the years, together with the latest behavioural knowledge and training techniques.
We have designed a range of holidays and courses that offer opportunities for education, understanding and above all, fun in a relaxed atmosphere.
Each dog and handler will be taken on their own merits and individual requirements will be met to bring out the best in every partnership. We pride ourselves in being able to accommodate a great selection of breeds that have come to enjoy themselves on our holidays.
All breeds of Gundogs and all types of owners deserve to take a break and now is your opportunity.
Philippa Williams
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During the summer months
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Philippa runs her residential Gundog holidays from April to August.
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On a daily basis, Philippa takes small group lessons, double whammies and one to one lessons.
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Throughout the summer Philippa continues with the training of her own dogs and entering Working Tests.
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Since 1999 Philippa has demonstrated at Crufts, and also in the main arena just before best in show, of course, you can't get a better acknowledgment than that, the biggest Dog Show in the World and also at the Game Fair and many other Country events throughout the UK.
During the shooting season – August to January
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She is invited to work her dogs on many estates throughout England, Scotland and Wales – and will work up to 8 dogs at a time.
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She competes in Field Trials and is also a B Panel Judge
In the 2002 season her efforts resulted in her Golden Retriever Dog, Castlemans Beaver becoming Top Golden Retriever Dog inEngland, Scotland & Wales, gaining the most points in Field Trials.
In the same season her Golden Retriever Bitch Castlemans Classic Mood was awarded by the United Retriever Club, Top Dog or Bitch gaining the most points in Field Trials and Working Test.
Her Golden Retriever Bitch Castlemans Crunchy Lima also won the title for the most successful brood bitch with progeny gaining the most points for the season.
2005 – trialling her working cocker Secret and gaining various different awards(and was a famous celebrity in her own right at Crufts. See You Tube displays.)
2008 Philippa qualified for the International Gundog League Championships with Levenghyl Isle of Aaran (pet name -Monkey) and trained and handled by her. Monkey was included for the third day but later dropped.
2010 Monkey was made up to Field Trial Champion
2011 she ran Tweedshot Thistle of Levenghyl (Mango) in the International Gundog League Championships at Nevill Holt and gained a Diploma of Merit. Mango was the youngest dog competing that year at two and a half years old.
2012 Tweedshot Thistle of Levenghyl (Mango) was made up into a Field Trial Champion & she was only 2¾yrs of age.
2013 – Tweedshot Thistle of Levenghyl (Mango) qualified again for the IGL at Lauder in Scotland, getting through to the end of the second day.
2014 FTCH Tweedshot Thistle of Levenghyl (Mango) qualified for the International Gundog League Championships for the third time, this was held at Windsor Great Park by kind invitation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on 1st, 2nd & 3rdDecember.
2016 - FTCH Warranbank Monkeyson of Castlemans (Sparra), a son of Monkey's, qualified for the Championships twice! He got to the 3rd day down to the last 6 dogs - which is very respectable.....
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2017 - Philippa ran her home bred Golden Retriever, Castlemans Soul Mate, (Jai) at his first trial which he won.
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2018 - In September, Castlemans Soul Mate, (Jai) won the Open Working Test at Chatsworth. He won his second All Aged Stake, and also Guns Choice, and the youngest dog (at just two and a half). He also qualified for the IGL, getting through to the last but one retrieve on the third day.
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2019 - Castlemans Sonoran "Sunny", a son of "Mango", had his first open trialing season, gaining a couple of awards.
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2021 - Botcherghyll Elder aka Timmy
4th - All Aged Stake, Vale of York, Grinkle Park, 05/10 - 2021
COM & Guns Choice - Novice Stake, Kennel Club, Bratsford, 12/12 -2021
1st & Guns Choice - All Aged Stake, NGRA, Hi-Fly, 16/11 - 2021
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2022 - Botcherghyll Elder aka Timmy
2 day open WIN on 21/22nd October 20 22. With Tay Valley Gundog Cub at Strathallan Estate
2nd place on 23/24th November 2022 with The Yellow Labrador Club at BowHill.
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This is just a brief look at what Philippa has achieved personally over the years to date
MAX FURNANDIZ
Maxine Furnandiz joined as a Dogs for Life member back in 2006 when she first came on a dog holiday with her two Springer Spaniels, Joshua and Milly - Max continues to do all the admin for Philippa.
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She also owns Labradors and 3 Working Cockers. Her other passion is photography; so on the holidays we try to catch all those special moments we all have with our lovely dogs. We use the shots for our web site and marketing material.
MAIKO ISONO
After 7 years as a student with DFL - Maiko has now returned to Japan to run her own business - "Mighty Canine Campus". She took back to Japan Vespa, Berry and Puffin - who have settled in really well in their new home. Maiko will return each year to top up her training/education with us. You can follow any news of Maiko on our Facebook page and members blog.
Whilst Maiko was training in the UK she achieved many things:
In October 2014 she ran in her first Novice Field Trial with Vespa one of Philippa’s dogs which they won and also got Gun's choice.
She also showed a Labrador "Mellow" in the Gundog class at Crufts & also won. This was her first attempt at showing with a dog that had never been in the show ring & won the class of thirty.
She passed the KC J'Reg's in FT Mgt exam too.....
So as we can see Maiko is very talented.
SIDNEY TILGHMAN
Sidney came into our lives in 2016 whilst researching and writing a piece on working dogs in the U.K.
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In the time since the scope of Sidney's project has expanded and evolved, and she is now working on a book-length piece about Phillippa and her dogs.
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Although she currently lives and studies in Saint Louis, Missouri, Sidney returns to Castlemans Gundogs whenever she can, eager to train and learn from Phillippa and the rest of the Dogs for Life community.
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When Sidney is over she works and handles Bina, Phillippa's Golden Retriever with great success. She strives to improve her observation, timing and dummy throwing with every visit.
DAWN ASH
Dawn Ash- Bunting worked for me for 7 years she now runs her own very successful Pet Dog & Behaviour Training Business called No Longer in the Dog House and has a BSc (Hons) ABT.
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Dawn is a veterinary recommended dog trainer and behaviourist with over 14 year’s experience offering bespoke training for both you and your dog.
Dawns ethos with every case is to look at the whole picture not just the behaviour and always uses positive reward techniques to ensure a happy learning journey for the whole family.
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CLAUDIA ATKINSON
Hiya! I'm Claudia,
I've been working along side Pip since 2015. I spent four of those years learning with Pip and her dogs.
I'm now fortunate enough to be running my own training business, but you can still find me throwing dummies when I'm needed!
I've got a 10 year old Cocker, Archie and a young Golden Retriever, Delta, who I hope to compete with in the future!
I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends, and meeting some new faces going forward.