WALES TEAM CAPTAIN : ALAN REES
Alan Rees, Wales Team Captain, was born in Southwest Wales and began his sporting career in rugby, later becoming a highly ranked referee before injury and a serious road accident ended his involvement in the sport. His passion for gundogs began after witnessing the Gundog International at the Game Fair, inspiring a lifelong career in field trials and international competition.
Starting with his first Labrador from the renowned Drakeshead kennels, Alan quickly achieved success, winning working tests, novice and open field trials, and representing Wales internationally from 1987 onwards. He has represented Wales at 51 Game Fair Internationals, captaining the team on 21 occasions since taking over in 2004. Throughout his career, he has made up 8 Field Trial Champions, won 31 Open Qualifying Field Trials across the UK, and qualified for the IGL Retriever Championship 15 times.
An A Panel judge for over 20 years, Alan has judged the IGL Retriever Championship during its centenary year and officiated at championships across Europe. He has also represented Wales at International Working Tests, including three Skinners World Cup team victories. Proud to wear the Welsh red shirt, Alan remains passionate about developing the sport and inspiring future competitors.
Alan also acknowledges the invaluable support of long-term team sponsor CSJk9 Ltd, whose backing has helped Wales compete at the highest level for nearly two decades.
ENGLAND TEAM CAPTAIN: KEVIN DOUGHTY
Since winning a first field trial in 1986, Kevin Doughty has enjoyed considerable success with Golden Retrievers, Labradors and Spaniels, achieving wins across all three breeds. Over the years, he has made several dogs up to Field Trial Champion status and proudly represented England at the Game Fair at Ragley Hall in 2021, where England won the competition. His dog was also the highest-scoring spaniel in the England team and third highest overall spaniel.
An A Panel judge since 1996, he has judged at many European Championships as well as the prestigious IGL Championships on three occasions, and is honoured to have been invited to judge again for a fourth time this year.
He currently serves as President of the Cambridgeshire Field Trial Society and Chairman of the Utility Gundog Society, while also presenting the J Regulations on behalf of The Kennel Club.
In 2025, he was honoured to be appointed Captain of the England Gundog Team and is looking forward to leading and competing with the team this year.
SCOTLAND TEAM CAPTAIN: ROBIN DRYSDALE
Robin Drysdale began shooting at the age of 14 on the family farm and has always had dogs by his side, both as companions and working dogs. Around twenty years ago, he became involved in competitive gundog events after attending The Game Fair/CLA with his late wife to watch the Scotland Gundog Team compete. The atmosphere, rivalry and camaraderie between the four nations sparked a lasting passion for the sport.
As a Scotland Team Captain, he places great emphasis on strategy, teamwork and developing future competitors. At the International Working Test in Belgium, his careful assessment of the team’s strengths and tactical handling decisions helped Scotland secure victory. He is passionate about encouraging newcomers into the sport and supports a strong training and coaching culture within the Scotland Team, drawing on the knowledge of experienced handlers and past competitors.
He has proudly represented Scotland on multiple occasions with both FTCh Denbank Khaki and FTCh Flagsdale Sweep. Each dog qualified for the prestigious IGL Retriever Championship four times, with a Diploma of Merit achieved in 2025.
Above all, he values the unique spirit of the Home International competitions, where fierce rivalry is matched by friendship, sportsmanship and a shared passion for showcasing the very best dogs and handlers from across the four nations.
IRELAND TEAM CAPTAIN: DECLAN BOYLE
Declan Boyle is the owner of Tullyah Gundogs and has been training retrievers for over 25 years, building an outstanding reputation within the gundog world. Throughout his career, he has trained five Irish Kennel Club Field Trial Champions and three UK Kennel Club Field Trial Champions, while competing successfully across Ireland and the UK in both field trials and working tests.
Among his greatest achievements are winning the Irish Retriever Championship in both 2017 and 2019, along with claiming the prestigious IGL Retriever Championship title in 2019 against a field of 63 dogs over three days. These titles were all won with the exceptional INT FTCH Miller McDuff, known as “Paddy”, who was also awarded Top Overall Dog at The Game Fair in 2017.
Declan has completed the Irish Championship with three different dogs, earning first place twice, second place once, fourth place, and two Diplomas of Merit. He is also an A Panel judge under both the Irish and UK Kennel Clubs and has judged championships across Europe, including in Denmark, Sweden, Italy and Austria. Alongside his wife Samantha, he will again judge at the European Championship in Denmark this year.
In addition to competing and judging, Declan has made a major contribution to the sport administratively, serving as Secretary of The Labrador Club of Ireland for the past 16 years and previously as Secretary of the Irish Retriever Championship from 2013 to 2020.
Currently Captain of the Irish Gundog Team, a role he has held for the last five years, Declan has helped lead Ireland to major success at The Game Fair alongside Spaniel Captain Trevis Crothers. During this period, Ireland finished second overall in his first year and won the Retriever Section for the first time in 37 years, going on to become Top Retriever Team four times in five years. Declan has proudly represented Ireland at The Game Fair since 2008 with eight different dogs and continues to look forward to one of the standout events in the gundog calendar each July.
