Utility Gundog Society
Surrey, West Sussex and Hamphire Branch
Open Working Test
10th March 2013 held at Coolhurst Grange, Horsham.
Results
1st Cypher Black Mamba, Shirley Carew
2nd Kenine Pacifica, Keith Bianchi
3rd Lamlodge Louis, Neil Cornish
4th Hatchfield Loki, Andy Wiles
COM Bedgebrook Shamrock at Wylanbriar, Di Stevens
Report
Ben Starns put on a very good show. His first test as Working Test Secretary and you would have thought he had been doing it for years. All went smoothly despite the weather and having to change the parking, due to wet ground, at the last minute. A small band of quiet, efficient and stoic helpers coped with everything despite a lot of mud and all the competitors enjoyed their day. There was much appreciation for the four judges who gave up their time to stand for several hours with their feet getting colder by the minute – and still concentrate on the job ! At least there was a substantial choice of delicious cakes to cheer them up when they had finished.
Interestingly, it was nearly a ‘copy’ of the week before in that we had 4 Tests and called a halt before the walk up because it was so cold (colder than last week). We also had an outright winner (Shirley Carew) but a run off with 4 dogs for the placings. Keith Bianchi 2nd, Neil Cornish 3rd, Andy Wiles 4th and Di Stevens COM. The tests were also similar. We had one Test that proved to be easy but gave competitors some confidence back. . The other 3 Tests were like Hampshire. One that sorted the men from the boys, one that produced averagely high marks, and one that tested the handling skills.
I started at test 2 (the ‘easy’ event). First to go (and first dog on the ground. Blind without shot ! From the track, over some scrub, through a birch coppice and out into a clearing the other side. In order to see the dog we were allowed to walk forward half way into the scrub. The description of the test was awesome !! I was amazed when Cinder went straight out, picked the dummy and straight back setting a benchmark of 20. The judge, David Breach, had a rather quiet day. Even the competitors were saying that this Test could have been a double to make it more interesting. The wind was behind our left shoulder but it didn’t seem to make any difference.
Test 3 was the tough one. Our group sailed through the first test and had a long wait cramped up in the holding area which was wet, muddy, boggy and cold. It’s quite hard to describe the test ground. A cleared area for electricity poles between two bits of woodland. The ground is scrubby and wet and goes downhill to a bit of a ditch and then uphill slightly to the 2nd pole. The test started by walking off lead to heel from one post to the next. Halfway along and a shot was fired and a dummy thrown in the area of the second post – about 150 yards. When the mark was retrieved the dogs were sent back for a blind beyond the second post. There was only one 20 given for this Test (Tracey Flood), and I would have loved to have seen the run. I only saw my group run, but I think it is probably fair comment to say that the majority of dogs found the ditch at the bottom of the hill a barrier and had to be handled back to the mark (over the ditch and a bit further back). I also suspect that the majority of dogs happily went back a second time to the area of the mark (over the ditch) but getting the dog to go further back for the blind produced more anguish for all. Again, the wind was behind us but even when the dogs went beyond the dummies, they struggled. One hell of a test to judge with all it’s components. Luckily Keith Broomfield was up to the job.
Test 4 with Di Harrison was a mark and a blind. Mark thrown but get the blind first. Standing at the edge of a very large field. Straight in front of us and a good 200 yards across the field (uphill) was a tree and the mark was thrown out to the right. The blind was in a bit of rough ground on the edge of the field to the left at about a 30 degree angle. Probably half the dogs took a good line to the blind and found reasonably well. The other half diverted into the wooded area and hunted their way to the dummy. Again, the wind was right to left which made the blind more difficult. Sending for the mark had some dogs falling short of the distance and some getting the distance but the wrong side of the wind. As with test 3, there was an awful lot of handling going on.
Test 1 was more attainable but still a challenge for judge Beth Rayner. This time a mark followed by a blind. From a track and out into thick, quite high scrub. The mark was thrown from right to the left. As the dogs returned with the dummy, a blind was put out further back and to the right of the first dummy. The wind direction was favourable for this test as most dogs followed the same line out to where the mark was but provided they handled back, they were able to pick up the scent on their right hand side but a lot of dogs went towards the area of the first mark and then hunted short.
I find it interesting that the winner only fell down on test 2 (17). – the easy event. Of the two contenders for 2nd place, the winner of the run off only got a 16 in test 2. (the easy event), and 3rd place got a 17 for the easy event. 4th and 5th place however both got 20s for test 2 but struggled with test 4. The scoresheets are always interesting fodder !!!!!
I think we all went home pleased with our achievements – especially the winner and those in the awards – and already thinking of the homework we need to do before our next test. We are all praying that it might be a bit warmer next time out !!!
by Rosemary Saddler
1st Cypher Black Mamba, Shirley Carew
2nd Kenine Pacifica, Keith Bianchi
3rd Lamlodge Louis, Neil Cornish
4th Hatchfield Loki, Andy Wiles
COM Bedgebrook Shamrock at Wylanbriar, Di Stevens
Report
Ben Starns put on a very good show. His first test as Working Test Secretary and you would have thought he had been doing it for years. All went smoothly despite the weather and having to change the parking, due to wet ground, at the last minute. A small band of quiet, efficient and stoic helpers coped with everything despite a lot of mud and all the competitors enjoyed their day. There was much appreciation for the four judges who gave up their time to stand for several hours with their feet getting colder by the minute – and still concentrate on the job ! At least there was a substantial choice of delicious cakes to cheer them up when they had finished.
Interestingly, it was nearly a ‘copy’ of the week before in that we had 4 Tests and called a halt before the walk up because it was so cold (colder than last week). We also had an outright winner (Shirley Carew) but a run off with 4 dogs for the placings. Keith Bianchi 2nd, Neil Cornish 3rd, Andy Wiles 4th and Di Stevens COM. The tests were also similar. We had one Test that proved to be easy but gave competitors some confidence back. . The other 3 Tests were like Hampshire. One that sorted the men from the boys, one that produced averagely high marks, and one that tested the handling skills.
I started at test 2 (the ‘easy’ event). First to go (and first dog on the ground. Blind without shot ! From the track, over some scrub, through a birch coppice and out into a clearing the other side. In order to see the dog we were allowed to walk forward half way into the scrub. The description of the test was awesome !! I was amazed when Cinder went straight out, picked the dummy and straight back setting a benchmark of 20. The judge, David Breach, had a rather quiet day. Even the competitors were saying that this Test could have been a double to make it more interesting. The wind was behind our left shoulder but it didn’t seem to make any difference.
Test 3 was the tough one. Our group sailed through the first test and had a long wait cramped up in the holding area which was wet, muddy, boggy and cold. It’s quite hard to describe the test ground. A cleared area for electricity poles between two bits of woodland. The ground is scrubby and wet and goes downhill to a bit of a ditch and then uphill slightly to the 2nd pole. The test started by walking off lead to heel from one post to the next. Halfway along and a shot was fired and a dummy thrown in the area of the second post – about 150 yards. When the mark was retrieved the dogs were sent back for a blind beyond the second post. There was only one 20 given for this Test (Tracey Flood), and I would have loved to have seen the run. I only saw my group run, but I think it is probably fair comment to say that the majority of dogs found the ditch at the bottom of the hill a barrier and had to be handled back to the mark (over the ditch and a bit further back). I also suspect that the majority of dogs happily went back a second time to the area of the mark (over the ditch) but getting the dog to go further back for the blind produced more anguish for all. Again, the wind was behind us but even when the dogs went beyond the dummies, they struggled. One hell of a test to judge with all it’s components. Luckily Keith Broomfield was up to the job.
Test 4 with Di Harrison was a mark and a blind. Mark thrown but get the blind first. Standing at the edge of a very large field. Straight in front of us and a good 200 yards across the field (uphill) was a tree and the mark was thrown out to the right. The blind was in a bit of rough ground on the edge of the field to the left at about a 30 degree angle. Probably half the dogs took a good line to the blind and found reasonably well. The other half diverted into the wooded area and hunted their way to the dummy. Again, the wind was right to left which made the blind more difficult. Sending for the mark had some dogs falling short of the distance and some getting the distance but the wrong side of the wind. As with test 3, there was an awful lot of handling going on.
Test 1 was more attainable but still a challenge for judge Beth Rayner. This time a mark followed by a blind. From a track and out into thick, quite high scrub. The mark was thrown from right to the left. As the dogs returned with the dummy, a blind was put out further back and to the right of the first dummy. The wind direction was favourable for this test as most dogs followed the same line out to where the mark was but provided they handled back, they were able to pick up the scent on their right hand side but a lot of dogs went towards the area of the first mark and then hunted short.
I find it interesting that the winner only fell down on test 2 (17). – the easy event. Of the two contenders for 2nd place, the winner of the run off only got a 16 in test 2. (the easy event), and 3rd place got a 17 for the easy event. 4th and 5th place however both got 20s for test 2 but struggled with test 4. The scoresheets are always interesting fodder !!!!!
I think we all went home pleased with our achievements – especially the winner and those in the awards – and already thinking of the homework we need to do before our next test. We are all praying that it might be a bit warmer next time out !!!
by Rosemary Saddler
