Our judges were Charlotte Wilkinson, Jennifer Thomas and Ann Bracegirdle. The unclassified test ran in the morning and the Novice in the afternoon. All classes had 4 tests.
Special puppies started with a double mark. This was too shot and proved too much for all them. They then moved on to an obedience exercise followed by a single mark and ending with a mark and a blind in the same place. One of the pups scored 20, 19 and 18 on the last three tests having got over her initial excitement. So unfortunately there were no awards.
We had 6 veterans who were pleased to be out in the cooler morning. They started with a double mark and then moved on to a single dog walk up with a mark to shot but first had to collect a blind in long grass on the way to the mark. This proved too much for a couple of the dogs. The third test was a mark and a blind in the same place. Not the easiest to mark but most did it well. Then they had a mark and a blind in different places with the mark to be collected first. We had 3 awards. The second and third placed dogs were aged 11 and 12 respectively. So good to see these flatcoats still doing what they love. The results were
1st Mo Sweet with Hoaroak Hill
2nd Diane Heywood with Houndswood Aphrodite
3rd Maurice Saunders with Ridlands Peewit of Vilendal
The Novice Dogs/Novice Handlers ran over the same tests as the Veterans except Test 2 was an obedience test where they walked to heel with the dog to a post. Left the dog in a sit and went an placed a dummy at 90 degrees. Returned to the dog and walked to heel back to the start and send the dog diagonally for the retrieve. It was good to see them all complete this with good scores since this is the foundation for all gundog work. We originally had 10 entries for this but one bitch came into season and another was not for competition. The results were
1st Carolyn Madgwick with Yonsaff Going Solo
2nd Louise Peers with Tweedisle Lindores
The afternoon proved to be very hot but we managed to find shade for all the dogs to wait in. The entries were very disappointing. At the closing date there were 12 which dropped to 11 on the day. The tests really did test the dogs and the judges were very clear that they would be marking this as an AV and would only give awards to dogs that they felt were worthy of them. Test 1 was again a double mark but with the second mark thrown in trees over a small jump. The dogs were going from light into dark and this proved quite tricky. They then went to test 3 which was a mark in the same place as the morning but then the dogs had to return for a blind about 30 metres further on. This was a track beside a ditch with trees and cover on the left which gave a narrow window for handling the dog. There were a few zeros and also some good scores showing that it could be done well. Test 4 was a mark in the willows with a blind to be collected first at about 45 degrees. There was no shot to the blind. Again some failures but a 20 from our winner. The dogs finally went down to the river for a walk up. This was a 4 dog walk up judged by all three judges. Two dogs walked with one judge and two on the other side with a second judge. The dogs were speared by a wide strip of longer grass. The third judge walked in this strip and directed operations. The guns and dummy throwers walked in line and threw forward and the dogs crossed for their retrieves. After the first round the dogs crossed over so they came under both judges. As always heelwork and steadiness proved to be the issues. The judges were happy to give two well deserved awards as follows.
1st Louise Simmonds with Percuil Restronguet
2nd Sarah Young with Waverton Wish I Could Fly at Larksburn
As always thank you to the judges for giving up their day to come and judge and to my band of helpers many of whom were running dogs and helping. These days can’t exist without helpers but nor can they exist without competitors so a big thank you to those that came some of you travelling long distances to support the Society.
Vivienne Gatter