Scherzando Gundogs

Biography

Christine Bridgwater has worked with dogs and horses for over thirty years.  Progressing through the British Horse Society exam system she trained as an Instructress and worked in top yards in the UK and abroad.  A car accident put a stop to the competitive riding in 1978 which is when she acquired her first English Springer. Thereafter followed a career change for a few years in accounts and administration for a courier company; taking her around many parts of the world. Dogs filling up her spare time.

In 1991 Christine returned to the country - but now with about ten home bred English Springers. She moved to the Cotswolds to turn out seven hunters for a lovely family in VWH country for two seasons. Whilst working there, and then while living at Gatcombe Park, she developed skills in hatching and rearing pheasants under Gatcombe's Head 'Keeper - Graham Cummins. This led to having her own duties for several years on a modest shoot next door. During the seven years at Gatcombe she shared the pleasure of whelping various bitches for HRH The Princess Royal who maintained daily contact with all her dogs.

Christine latterly took over Save The Children series of Retriever Tests to co-ordinate until 1997. She set all the Tests for the Finals at Gatcombe Park and for one year at Badminton. Everything from trophies to toilets had to be arranged and were kindly paid for by the wonderful Sponsors - Barbour. This much loved Event carries on to this day through the hard work of other folk.

Christine's own dogs, particularly her favourite English Springers are renowned for their working ability both at home and abroad.  Christine registered her affix, Scherzando, with The Kennel Club of Great Britain in 1983. Competitively she has successfully trialled English Springers, a Clumber and a Golden Retriever. Regularly mentioned in various journals from The Shooting Gazette to the Countryman's Weekly. 

Until 2011/12 the last dog Christine campaigned in Open Stakes was Santa of Scherzando back in 1993. Santa was quite a character, her breeding went back to Emma Lene. Last season, she trialled Whiznic Weaver (aka Jake) gaining a few awards in Opens, but the dog is a little long in the tooth for the top slots.

Christine is not particularly competitive and since the season of 1997/8, when she left the Cotswolds, she enjoys and has concentrated more on training youngsters from puppy to the finished article and then placing them in permanent shooting homes which must be suited to the dog's temperament. No point putting a hard going dog with a soft handler or vice versa. 

Christine usually prefers to train her own "home grown" pups which are, therefore, thoroughly familiar tried-and-tested material. She admits to being too sentimental about parting with her oldies; hence she keeps too many. Christine breeds and trains her dogs from her home in beautiful rural Hampshire.

As an affix, Scherzando is acknowledged by many as amongst the best by other top breeders and praised by knowledgeable authors such as Mike Smith and Bill Ironside. Her dogs can be found behind many top lines in Europe and Eire as well as at home. Christine goes to tremendous lengths to ensure her breeding programme is tip top. All her breeding stock has been eye screened and hip scored since the 1980s and all are now screened with any DNA test available for their breed.

Grouse                                                     Muppet

Christine likes her gundogs to be 100% workers first with the competitions coming second.  She's very proud that even her 'pensioners' are finely tuned when it comes to working for a living. Christine was famous for taking out up to twenty dogs picking up - she says it isn't a trick.  Just her way of making sure all her dogs get out every shoot day. Even if they don't get a retrieve they have had a lesson in patience.

Christine has been the Secretary and Treasurer of The Meon Valley Working Spaniel Club for twentythree years, with a few months break...  and was instrumental in making the society what it is today.  She represents them on the Kennel Club Field Trials Council and serves on several other dog committees helping with other Clubs' Trials as well as, usually, ten per season for the Meon Valley.

The Meon Valley's excellent site is http://www.meonvalley.org.uk 

Competent and admired in the UK (Kennel Club B Panel) she has also judged in Europe for other organisations such as The Swedish Clumber Spaniel Club, FITASC's Spanish Spaniel and Pointer Trial Association and has judged Open Qualifing Spaniel Trials in Denmark. She is a Kennel Club Approved Presenter for Spaniel Field Trial Seminars and has also presented Seminars in various other European locations. She is a regular Speaker and Demonstrator at home and overseas. In March 2010 she judged the Gamekeeper Classes at DFS Crufts - including the finals in the main ring on BIS night. She also featured in BBC's Countryfile in April 2011. An edited version showing just the gundogs, rather than the full hour, is    http://www.youtube..com/watch?v=DxNpnK9ugbo

Currently Christine has English Springers, Labs, Cockers, two Papillons and several Chinese Crested... she had always wanted these, acquiring the lovely Percy in 2008. What a mixture!!  Nearly all the workers are homebred and, at least half of them, youngsters in training. The Cresteds are shown at home and in Europe and have their own site http://www.scherzandocrested.webs.com/

If you would like to find out more about Christine Bridgwater and her dogs please e-mail chris@scherzando.co.uk

              
Christine with HM The Queen at Windsor Summer 1999       with HRH Princess Royal at a ULAS Anniversary Sep 2005   

  
With George (Warthog) and Anja August 2008
the lovely Anja Muhlbrecht organises the most superb "bespoke" African hunting trips muehlbrecht@web.de and I cannot recommend them highly enough!

Me on the Pindar Aug 2008 - Volvo 60  GBR2710R - Skipper Olly Smith - OK... I fancy sailing now....

Shooting at home on Preshaw November 2008

L - Shooting with friends Ken, Dave and Terry at Highclere - Kintbury Trial Jan 09      R - Me and Ken pictured in March 09 eeeeek - are the rumours true????

Dutchie - Chris's import Chinese Crested joined the crew 24th June 2009 and won first time out 26th June.
First shown by his breeders on 15th Feb in Holland - Best dog puppy and best puppy in breed under Mr Rony Doedijns (Holland)  -  a new obsession!

Chris decided to try the different "crestie" look herself (Jan 09)... pink???

Chris in the French Alps April 09....