The Purdey Awards 2012

The Purdey Awards for Game and Conservation are the benchmark for everything best in the field.

The Purdey Awards show the benefit that shooting brings to the countryside, and every year the Purdey Awards honour the outstanding contributions from exceptional projects countrywide.

Game conservation goes above and beyond the remit of the sport, and shooting is the best possible way to encourage landowners to commit the time and resources needed for game conservation.

The 2012 Purdey Awards celebrate landowners, farmers, tenants and shoot syndicates who do their best to improve biodiversity adn nuture flora and fauna. Efforts often go unseen, but the Purdey Awards seek to highlight these silent champions.

In 2012 the Purdey Awards were announced by the judges’ Chairman Lord Douro, and presented by editor of The Field, Jonathan Young.

GOLD

In 1984 Michael Stone, who enjoyed a high profile
career in the City of London, bought 4,300 acres of land at Weardale,
Bishop Auckland, Co Durham from the Forestry Commission. With his keeper
Nick Walmsley, they embarked on a project of development and
improvement, and almost 30 years on, Weardale Estate is regarded as one of the finest driven grouse moors in the country.

Left to right: Richard Purdey, Nick Walmsley, Michael Stone, Jonathan Young and Lord Douro.

SILVER

Outstanding work in wild game and habitat management at Pollybell Organic Farm near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, has earned owners Nigel and James Brown, and head keeper Miles Bentley,
the Silver Award. The Brown family acquired the 5000 acre Pollybell
state in 1994, having realised its potential for organic vegetable
production. 1997 saw the start of their organic farming regime which now
extends to eighty per cent of the farmed land.

Left to right: Richard Purdey, James Brown, Nigel Brown, Jonathan Young and Miles Bentley.

BRONZE

Since the Westmorland Wildfowlers Association‘s
founding in 1950, habitat conservation has always been a priority. Over
this time, they have forged strong affiliations with local landowners
and local conservation organisations such as the Cumbria Wildlife Trust,
enabling them to move forward effectively with their plans to improve
habitats, and the general biodiversity of the area over which they
shoot. The Association’s Chairman Mark Shaw and Honorary Secretary Andrew Stott, accepted the Award.