The Purdey Awards 2025

London, February 10th 2026 - For 26 years, the Purdey Awards for Game & Conservation has been instrumental in championing the regeneration, welfare and sustainability of the UK’s leading farms and estates. For everyone involved with Purdey, it’s an opportunity to honour the people working behind the scenes – the gamekeepers, the beaters, the local ornithologists – whose knowledge and vision often go unrecognised. After all, it is these people who continue to make British fieldsports the best in the world.

“To the winners of these awards, your collective dedication to game management and conservation, your commitment to enhancing biodiversity, your commitment to engaging the local communities, and demonstrating what can be achieved through vision and hard work, truly served as an inspiration to us all.”

— His Grace, The Duke of Wellington

The winner of this year’s Gold Award was East Carnigill of Baldersdale, Co. Durham, an estate that showcases how conversation and shooting can – and should – be thoughtfully intertwined. Described by the judges as “a five-star haven for wildlife and sport,” the estate has focussed much of it’s efforts on regenerating the moor edge for the benefit of waders, grey partridges and black grouse. That work has seen a drastic increase in the numbers of lekking males. However, it was perhaps the estate’s education programme 'Let's learn Moor' – which has been instrumental in the success of grouse moor management in Westminster debates – that ultimately convinced the judges.

“I’m very grateful to Purdey on this fabulous occasion, and for their generosity and imagination in supporting this cause. The judges were rigorous and thorough and they asked a lot of questions, and it was very enjoyable dealing with them. But my biggest thanks goes to our gamekeepers who are also conservationists and just as keen as I am to see the black grouse flourish.”

— Matthew White Ridley, 5th Viscount Ridley, Owner of East Carnigill

As is tradition, the awards ceremony took place in the Long Room at the Purdey Mayfair flagship Audley House, where seasonal canapés from “Game Season at The Connaught,” a partnership between Purdey and The Connaught Grill, were accompanied by long standing partner of the awards Champagne Bollinger. Purdey CEO Dan Jago kicked off proceedings, welcoming esteemed guests, before the winners were announced by the Chairman of the Judging Panel, His Grace, The Duke of Wellington. Awards were presented by special guest Nick Von Westenholz, CEO of the Game Wildlife Conservation Trust, and the judges were unanimous in their praise of all the shortlisted nominees.

This year’s entrants represented a variety of shoots around the UK, each demonstrating their own particular conservation efforts. All shortlisted entrants underwent significant preliminary assessment by Dr Mike Swan of the GWCT Advisory Service, followed by in person visits from members of the judging panel, who then met to discuss the merits of each and decide on the winners.

The Silver Award was given to Park Farm Shoot in Thorney, Cambridgeshire Chesterfield, a commercial arable farm where, according to our judges, shoot days are “run like a military operation.” Farming practices here ensure that sustainability, habitat biodiversity and protecting the wild fenland strain is at the forefront of their operations, while innovative ways of connecting with the local community helped to impress the judges.

“Not all heroes wear capes, so it’s really important to recognise a lot of the unseen work and dedication that goes on around the country, helping to manage the environment we have and the wildlife that goes with it. It’s a great honour and privilege to even be nominated, so to get a podium finish is incredibly special.”

— Micheal Sly MBE, Owner of Park Farm at Thorney, Silver Award Winner

The Bronze Award was received by Kingston Wood in Cambridgeshire for the dramatic habitat enhancements seen over the past seven years – including the notable addition of a series of new flighting ponds. The team believes in low stocking and shoots eight days throughout the season, yet the judges concluded that everything they do is tied to the shoot.

“It’s been really exciting to hear about the projects of the other nominees, and we feel very humbled to have been a winner. We hide our lights under a bushel. Too rarely we celebrate the extraordinary work that the men and women on our shoots do 365 days a year to support the most wonderful biodiversity and habitat creation – which does so much good for the countryside beyond shooting.”

— Julian Metherell, Owner of Kingston Wood, Bronze Award Winner

In addition to the Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes, this year the judges felt that Necton Farm in Norfolk should be Highly Commended, based on the owner’s singular approach to regenerative farming, as well as winning this year’s Norfolk Partridge Award.

“The reason I wanted to do the Purdey awards is because it involves conservation and shooting, not just one or the other. The awards give us something to aim for and other people something to learn from.”

— Edward Spratt, Owner of Necton Farm, Highly Commended

About the Purdey Awards

Established in 1999, the Awards are held annually to promote a wider appreciation of the outstanding game and habitat conservation work carried out by shoots throughout the UK and to give well deserved recognition and reward to the best. Since its foundation, over 280 shoots have entered, from the smallest to some of the largest across the UK. Entries have ranged from grouse moor restorations to grey partridge conservation projects, from fenland wild pheasant shoots to wildfowling clubs, and examples include a superbly restored one-acre wild duck flighting pond. To date, over 100 individuals, syndicates or clubs have won a Purdey Award for Game and Conservation, sharing more than £165,000 in prize money.

The Purdey Awards are judged by a panel of 14 experts, chaired by the The Duke of Wellington including Dan Jago, Dylan Williams, Jonathan Kennedy, Claire Sadler, Tim Furbank, Marcus Janssen, Mike Swan, Roddy Richmond-Watson, Bertie Hoskyns-Abhall, Adrian Walker, David Clark – plus two new judges this year, previous Gold Award winner George Ponsonby and Editor of The Field magazine Alexandra Henton.

Each applicant is required to complete an online application form and a questionnaire devised by Dr Nick Sotherton of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), outlining their shoot’s practices, projects and results in support of conservation over a given time period. This can include: heather moorland restoration; new hedge or woodland plantings; deforestation; siting of cover crops, or the effectiveness of new scrapes and ponds in attracting wild duck and other waterfowl; and careful logging of bird counts, vermin control, habitat improvements and species biodiversity.

Entrants are also required to sign a declaration that they, and all connected with their shoot, and in whatever capacity, are conversant of, and in compliance with the Code of Good Shooting Practice.

After careful assessment by Dr Mike Swan of the GWCT Advisory Service and other judges, the applications are submitted, along with a report of their findings, to all members of the judging panel. The panel meets in June to select a shortlist for judging visits in August and September, and reconvenes in October or November to determine the winners. The winners remain a closely guarded secret until announced at the prize giving ceremony.