Richard May

My first pointer came when I was five, Sophie, a beautiful black and white girl, tall, lean and strong. So loving, most photographs of her are just of her tail as she was forever following my sisters or I around, playing games of collecting stones from either the bed of the ocean or the river Wylye, blowing bubbles out of her nose which we though hysterical. She was our very first Pointer as a family and was caused mainly as my mother was fed up with the long hair of the spaniels. Little did she know of the gripping power of pointer hairs.

Sophie was bred and we kept two of the 4 pups, Meg and Dylan, liver and white like their famous father Lancer. They with their mother accompanied me to University in Yorkshire when my parents decided to relocate for a time to the south of France linked to my father’s work. We all had a super time and they used to hang around the student union while I went to the occasional lecture begging food off of the hungover students.

Time sadly waits for no man nor dog. At the rip old age of 21 Sophie sadly developed kidney and liver failure and we were forced to say goodbye. Dylan lasted until 17 and Meg almost emulated her mother and made it to 19.

Alas I was without pointers for a while, travelling around the world, but as soon as itchy feet allowed I adopted a huge beautiful but damaged boy called Towser. Famous for sticking his head under plastic coverings of pushchairs to steal whatsoever the small children were eating and sometimes running off with the pushchair still stuck on his head. I cannot could the times he pulled the washing machine door off during a cycle, it really annoyed him and ripping the door off was a way to get it to stop. His early life left him with a hole in his skull and a whole range of eating issues, a great escape artist and ripper of rubbish bags put out for the dustpan men, he could scatter a street with rubbish in the blink of an eye. My neighbours we delighted when we moved. Sadly his pancreas got the better of him, just after he hospitalised my father with an infected bite! Barmy but must loved and missed.

Again more travel, years in Greece and even more years in Egypt before once again the pull of pointers gave me the most beautiful, handsome and noble pointer there ever was, Ivanhoe, a rescue I picked up from our wonderful Dot. He has been roundly abused, fed of stale breed and tendons cut to stop him running away. He was coming to live with me, a giant lurcher called Nicholson and a small dachshund/bullterrier cross called Jazz. We all lived on a canal boat

on the Thames and had the most wonderful time. Every weekend a holiday at Henley, Harlow, Maidenhead, longer stays at Hampton Court, Kew Gardens and Chelsea. Wonderful times.

Our time afloat over, we moved to Corfe Castle and a beautiful arts and crafts house with an acre and gate straight onto Corfe Common. By now I was truly engaged and tangled in the world of the Pointer Rescue Service. I fostered then adopted Suzy (who only left us at Christmas three weeks away from her 19th birthday) and Nemesis, who made it to 18, nicknamed the Duchess for her elegance and command. None of this I could have done without Gina and Carol.

Alas Corfe grew too small, too busy in the holiday seasons and we ended up at The Dower House, Higher Houghton. A truly marvellous location and house, our numbers grew with the arrival of LA, Charlie, Missy, and Doris. We had arrived at eight in the house but at any one time we would at least one, but often 2-4 fosters helping to fill the place. We lived many happy years there, had terrific parties and fun. I grudgingly took on the mantel of Chairman for a period of two years, some 14 years ago! I think Carol and I worked out I’d fostered around 100 dogs during our time at this beautiful house.

A move to Hampshire was needed, to Breamore near Fordingbridge the location of our shop managed by Selina, who is ably super supported by our other long lasting, unique and kind trustee Carol Goodliffe.

Nothing would be possible without Carol, I will never be able to explain how wonderful she has been and how luck Pointers are to have her as one of their champions.

Only a brief stay in Breamore, but then on to West Wellow and Maury’s Mount, my dream home and the one I miss the most. Another 127 dogs fostered, our family were joined by Taz, Barbar (now with Selina), Whisper, George, Scar, Patsy, Woody, and many more. Between us Carol and I took the older and sicker dogs who needed a chilled environment to live out their days. I bought a school minibus to transport them and I like to think we were a cheerful friendly band around the New Forest.

Sadly times changed, Covid arrived. Our aviation business failed, but more sadly we lost our wonderful home. Age crept up on the dogs and tragically two were lost too young. Relocated to Wiltshire, to Salisbury Plain, originally with a hardcore of nine beautiful, friendly loveable pointers. Now back to teaching my first and probably true love in terms of work. The house seems empty now with only 5

although my new puppy pointer cross Jasper makes up for at least another 3 dogs, the walks on Salisbury Plain keep me reasonably fit and clear my brain after a day in the classroom. I take the dogs to school on Sundays when I go to catch up on work I have not got done during the week. Luckily there are 14 acres, all fenced in. They tear around chasing the squirrels and cats that cross the grounds.

I am a very lucky person; I had parents who loved me, I am still able to work, I have a roof over my head, wonderful friends, amazing family, I have travelled and lived around the world, but the greatest gift I have ever been give have been these beautiful, infuriating, cunning, stunning, loving and loveable dogs. English Pointers as well as the various cross breads I have had, have made my life so special and full of love. The friends they have introduced me to, many opportunities to blend dog and human to create happiness, wow, how lucky am I. Thank you Pointer Rescue Service and to all the dogs that have and are being patient enough to love and train me still