Arun & Downland Novice Working Test 24th March 2018
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The Novice results after a run-off for all places:
Winner of the Elsie Shrubb Memorial Trophy: Fendawood Jacob (Lab Dog) - Kevin Phillips 2nd - Tauriel Lou (Lab Bitch) - Shannon Mann 3rd - Lavanthill Belle Alsaro (Lab Bitch) - Vince Mahon 4th - Opal Grey Ivy at Twistmount (Lab Bitch) - Chrissie Walton CoMs to: Studebaker Cobra of Theoforge (Lab Bitch) - Lisa Bull; Annington Bay Maddi May (Lab Bitch) - Mell Brooks Puppy Awards: 1st and The Parsons Cup - Beetle of Buckmotts (Lab Bitch) - Penny Morris 2nd - Pipmont Roast Chestnut (Lab Dog) - Dan Parsons Photographer Clive Bennett's Gallery of images from the day are now available at: http://www.polopictures.co.uk/p606602825 |
Report of the day by Vince Mahon:
A dank overcast day set the scene for a large entry of about 55 dogs with five challenging and well thought out tests. I will describe them in the order we did them rather than the order in which they were numbered.
The first test was a steadiness exercise in the form of a two dog short walk to heel in woodland then sit the dogs up when there was a very noisy distraction up and to our right in the form of a 'drive' with lots of shouting and thrown dummies. Each dog in turn then had to retrieve a 'blind' dummy from the undergrowth about thirty metres ahead in a different direction from where the drive distraction took place.. Belle did well but dropped one point by going a little too far out of the area,"they all mature at different times" Score nineteen.
The next test was a two dog walk up in open grassland followed by a shot and seen thrown dummy. over a grassy hillock about one hundred and fifty metres forward. Sent on your number and Belle retrieved very smartly scoring twenty points.
Our third test was a shot and seen dummy up a steep field at an approximate forty five degree angle left for about seventy five metres, sent on your number followed by a blind in your own time at a similar angle and distance to the right and into a clearing in the undergrowth at the top edge of the field. Both retrieves performed very efficiently with another twenty points scored. So far so good with 59 out of 60 scored.
Test four, two shots and seen thrown dummies in steep woodland, one straight ahead to retrieve first and sent on your number and the second in your own time at roughly forty five degrees to the right and up through the wood. Both retrieves performed without fault and another twenty points scored. 79 out of 80 and things are looking good!
The fifth test was the one that sorted the wheat from the chaff and many zeros were notched up!
A shot and seen thrown dummy up through a five bar gate and about one hundred metres ahead. Sent on your number, Belle retrieved perfectly. Then in your own time for the blind up through the gate again and hard left down the side of a fence for about seventy five metres where the dummy was behind two large pheasant feeders. It was this retrieve where most points were dropped for pretty well all the dogs with only one twenty being scored all day! I had to do quite a bit of handling to get Belle onto this second dummy and consequently she dropped three points scoring seventeen making a grand total of 96.
This was Belle's first working test and at a month under two years old I was delighted how well she performed. 96 was the top score of the day but was achieved by five other dogs. A six way run off followed and finally Belle came third. A pity not to win but to get 96 points was very satisfying and now onwards and upwards (hopefully!)
A dank overcast day set the scene for a large entry of about 55 dogs with five challenging and well thought out tests. I will describe them in the order we did them rather than the order in which they were numbered.
The first test was a steadiness exercise in the form of a two dog short walk to heel in woodland then sit the dogs up when there was a very noisy distraction up and to our right in the form of a 'drive' with lots of shouting and thrown dummies. Each dog in turn then had to retrieve a 'blind' dummy from the undergrowth about thirty metres ahead in a different direction from where the drive distraction took place.. Belle did well but dropped one point by going a little too far out of the area,"they all mature at different times" Score nineteen.
The next test was a two dog walk up in open grassland followed by a shot and seen thrown dummy. over a grassy hillock about one hundred and fifty metres forward. Sent on your number and Belle retrieved very smartly scoring twenty points.
Our third test was a shot and seen dummy up a steep field at an approximate forty five degree angle left for about seventy five metres, sent on your number followed by a blind in your own time at a similar angle and distance to the right and into a clearing in the undergrowth at the top edge of the field. Both retrieves performed very efficiently with another twenty points scored. So far so good with 59 out of 60 scored.
Test four, two shots and seen thrown dummies in steep woodland, one straight ahead to retrieve first and sent on your number and the second in your own time at roughly forty five degrees to the right and up through the wood. Both retrieves performed without fault and another twenty points scored. 79 out of 80 and things are looking good!
The fifth test was the one that sorted the wheat from the chaff and many zeros were notched up!
A shot and seen thrown dummy up through a five bar gate and about one hundred metres ahead. Sent on your number, Belle retrieved perfectly. Then in your own time for the blind up through the gate again and hard left down the side of a fence for about seventy five metres where the dummy was behind two large pheasant feeders. It was this retrieve where most points were dropped for pretty well all the dogs with only one twenty being scored all day! I had to do quite a bit of handling to get Belle onto this second dummy and consequently she dropped three points scoring seventeen making a grand total of 96.
This was Belle's first working test and at a month under two years old I was delighted how well she performed. 96 was the top score of the day but was achieved by five other dogs. A six way run off followed and finally Belle came third. A pity not to win but to get 96 points was very satisfying and now onwards and upwards (hopefully!)
