Held at Ketches Farm, Springfield Park.
Judges – Graham Roberts, Helena Sully, Joy Venturi-Rose
and Jo Hawkesworth
1st – Diana Paterson with ‘Woodlandway Grouse’(Lab dog)
Winner of The Popes Oak Novice Cup
and The Alvadore Challenge Cup for the Best Handler
2nd – June Bearman with ‘Ino Nothing’ (Lab bitch)
3rd – Beth Rayner with ‘Woodlandway Swift’ (Lab bitch)
4th – Dee Betts with ‘Morganswain Surenta’ (Lab bitch)CoM – John Dawson with ‘Marhystin Dillon’ (Lab dog)CoM – Liz Stedall with ‘Thornested Topaz’ (Lab bitch)CoM – Pauline Tiplady with ‘Millcombe Fern’ (Lab bitch)
My overall impression was how different this year’s Test was from last year’s. Last year the distances and the difficulty of the Tests set were leaning towards Open standard and everyone went home saying how hard it was. This year the distances were minimal, and the retrieves reasonably straightforward with the emphasis being placed on the quality of the heelwork. The nominated judge in her ‘summing up’ explained that on the whole the ‘retrieves’ were very competent but that it was the heelwork that had separated the ‘men from the boys’.
So, well done indeed to the winner and others in the awards. Good dogs in every aspect. For the rest of us it is ‘food for thought’ and brush up on those basics !
There were 4 Tests, 4 judges.
Test 1: Standing at the edge of a maize cover crop. Heelwork forward towards the wood. A mark into the wood in front followed by a gunshot for a blind at the end of the crop to the left. The mark was proving difficult, Majority of dogs failed to mark as they were distracted by the gunshot to the left which was fired before the mark had landed. Also, they took a track into the wood which was to the left of the scent of the dummy and a lot of dogs went too deep and had to be recalled into the area. The blind also caused a few problems due to the wind direction. Only one 20 given and that was to the worthy winner, Di Patterson with Basil.
Test 2: A two dog walk up along a woodland track. The dog on the right had a better view of the dummy than the dog on the left so I’m told. Marks were very much dependent on quality of heelwork. Only 3 x 20’s given here, one being Dee Betts with Teasel who came 4th.
Test 3: A blind with gunshot. From the field, down and across a small ditch and if the dogs favoured towards the left then they scented the dummy very easily. Certainly the favourite Test of the day with competitors with a high average mark awarded.
Test 4: Heelwork forward and then a mark into the water. When returning on land with the dummy a shot was fired. More heelwork forward and then a right angle turn to send for a blind alongside the lake. Again, more marks were given for heelwork than for the retrieves. No 20’s given on this Test, but 7 x 19’s so everyone just fell short of absolute perfection.
Judges – Graham Roberts, Helena Sully, Joy Venturi-Rose
and Jo Hawkesworth
1st – Diana Paterson with ‘Woodlandway Grouse’(Lab dog)
Winner of The Popes Oak Novice Cup
and The Alvadore Challenge Cup for the Best Handler
2nd – June Bearman with ‘Ino Nothing’ (Lab bitch)
3rd – Beth Rayner with ‘Woodlandway Swift’ (Lab bitch)
4th – Dee Betts with ‘Morganswain Surenta’ (Lab bitch)CoM – John Dawson with ‘Marhystin Dillon’ (Lab dog)CoM – Liz Stedall with ‘Thornested Topaz’ (Lab bitch)CoM – Pauline Tiplady with ‘Millcombe Fern’ (Lab bitch)
My overall impression was how different this year’s Test was from last year’s. Last year the distances and the difficulty of the Tests set were leaning towards Open standard and everyone went home saying how hard it was. This year the distances were minimal, and the retrieves reasonably straightforward with the emphasis being placed on the quality of the heelwork. The nominated judge in her ‘summing up’ explained that on the whole the ‘retrieves’ were very competent but that it was the heelwork that had separated the ‘men from the boys’.
So, well done indeed to the winner and others in the awards. Good dogs in every aspect. For the rest of us it is ‘food for thought’ and brush up on those basics !
There were 4 Tests, 4 judges.
Test 1: Standing at the edge of a maize cover crop. Heelwork forward towards the wood. A mark into the wood in front followed by a gunshot for a blind at the end of the crop to the left. The mark was proving difficult, Majority of dogs failed to mark as they were distracted by the gunshot to the left which was fired before the mark had landed. Also, they took a track into the wood which was to the left of the scent of the dummy and a lot of dogs went too deep and had to be recalled into the area. The blind also caused a few problems due to the wind direction. Only one 20 given and that was to the worthy winner, Di Patterson with Basil.
Test 2: A two dog walk up along a woodland track. The dog on the right had a better view of the dummy than the dog on the left so I’m told. Marks were very much dependent on quality of heelwork. Only 3 x 20’s given here, one being Dee Betts with Teasel who came 4th.
Test 3: A blind with gunshot. From the field, down and across a small ditch and if the dogs favoured towards the left then they scented the dummy very easily. Certainly the favourite Test of the day with competitors with a high average mark awarded.
Test 4: Heelwork forward and then a mark into the water. When returning on land with the dummy a shot was fired. More heelwork forward and then a right angle turn to send for a blind alongside the lake. Again, more marks were given for heelwork than for the retrieves. No 20’s given on this Test, but 7 x 19’s so everyone just fell short of absolute perfection.
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