Border Counties & Cotswolds Area 2011

Working Test Results for 2011

Prizes to the top three in all tests generously sponsored by SKINNERS

Novice and Open at Kings Wood Warren - 3 April 2011

Novice test award winners

Click on image to enlarge

Novice Results

Open Results

Open at Farleigh Hungerford - 22 May

Judges and award winners

Click on image to enlarge

The venue was Farleigh House (home of Bath Rugby Club!) by kind invitation of host Bruce Craig and permission of gamekeeper Martin Mitchell, also present was John Harrison the Community Commercial Manager from Bath Rugby Club, who presented the awards. The judges were Basil Smith and Keith Broomfield.

The 1st test was a 4 dog walk-up, it involved a seen with shot and was completed well by the majority of dogs. The 2nd test  was a blind on the bank of the lake, there was a choice of retrieving via land or water, some dogs (and some handlers!) found this a problem. The 3rd test was a marked left and right in woodland with lots of cover, here the more experienced dogs found it easy when left to use their own initiative! The 4th test  was a seen to the left, with dogs first sent for a blind to the right, some struggled whilst others found it easy. The 5th test consisted of  two blinds, with a shot fired for the first, where the dogs were sent over water and up a steep bank with plenty of cover. The second blind was on an island and was not saluted by a shot, this was particularly well planned by the judges, who set the tests. The 6th test  was a blind in a stream bed, a tricky little test.

Martin Mitchell, the gamekeeper, spent the day with us watching the tests and awarded a special prize for the dog he would most like "to shoot with/have on his shoot" this went to the Labrador, Woodash Eddie handled by owner Steve Wells.

Novice at Owlpen Manor - 3 July    

Judges and award winners

Click on image to enlarge

Our Novice Test was held in the beautiful surroundings of Owlpen Manor by kind invitation of Sir Nicholas & Lady Mander. Our excellent judges for the day were Dr A Graham, Mrs K Pinker & Mr N Onens who put 29 dogs through 5 tests (22 Labradors, 5 golden retrievers and 2 flatcoated retrievers).

There were 3 tests in the morning. Test 1 was a hunting exercise in woodland with two out of three unseen dummies to be retrieved with the majority of dogs doing this well.  Test 2 was a diagonal mark to the right on open grass but landing just out of sight and a blind diagonally to the left in sparse bracken with the blind being picked first.  Test 3 was a mark over a small stream and through tall thick cover, although this seemed straightforward it proved to be tricky especially for the younger dogs.

Lunch was followed by two further tests, a long blind with shot down an overgrown grass track through the wood and a four dog walk up with crossing retrieves saluted by shot. At the end of the day, 4 marks separated the top four dogs and a run off was required for 2nd & 3rd place.

It was a lovely day with the tests held in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and we were pleased that Sir Nicholas was able to join us to present the awards to our very worthy winners.  At the end, the judges commented on the high standard of dogs they had seen throughout the day.  We are very grateful to Sir Nicholas & Lady Mander and would like to thank them for their generous support.  Also many thanks to our judges, dummy throwers, stewards and catering team for all their hard work in making the day such a success.

Puppy at Rockhampton - 31 July

Puppy award winners

Click on image to enlarge

We had a very warm day at Rockhampton on Sunday 31st July, when our kind hosts Mike and Sandie Goode welcomed us to their lovely farm once again.   A large pond with island, mown tracks, a piece of woodland, and an open grass field provided the backdrop for our tests.The tests were judged by Sandra Onens and Mary Jarrod.

We had an excellent entry of 23 dogs for the puppy test which was run over four tests in the morning. Test one was a double mark, the first dummy on to the island in the pond and the second on to a mown area of grass beside the pond, and judged by Sandra Onens.   Test two, judged by Mary Jarrod, was a blind down a track in the wooded area with the dummy placed just inside the wood.   Puppies were encouraged to the area with a call from the dummy thrower.   Test three with Mary judging once again, was a mark thrown into the centre of a mown track in grassland followed by a blind in the same place.   The final test of the morning, judged by Sandra, was a two dog walk up with a single marked retrieve ahead of the line.

The standard of the puppies was very good and at the end of the morning both judges were happy to be able to present a full set awards.

Novice Dog/Novice Handler at Rockhampton - 31 July

Novice Dog Novice Handler award winners

Click on image to enlarge

In the afternoon, we were scheduled to start with 6 Special Puppies but one withdrew before the competition started and another withdrew after the second test, leaving four in contention.   Ten competitors started the Novice Dog, Novice Handler competition with one person dropping out part way through.

The tests of the morning were modified slightly to turn them from gentle puppy into easy novice scenarios. The double retrieve at the pond remained a mark onto the island but the second mark was over a fence, again into a mown grass area. The blind down the track in the woodland was lengthened and the dummy thrower’s encouragement to the dogs was lessened.   The blind on the mown track remained but this time the mark was into an un-mown grass area to the right of the track. The walk up remained with two dogs but this time each dog had two retrieves.

With great disappointment, it was impossible to present any awards in the Special Puppy class as each of the competitors had a zero.

For most dogs, a lack of basic training was all too apparent in the Novice Dog Novice Handler section and scoring was low with the exception of those dogs placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, the only awards.

A first class support team of Sharon Rogers and Iris Smith (Stewards), Trevor Carpenter and John Harris (Dummy Throwers), and Astrid Lever who provided invaluable assistance to Test Organiser Jennie Dimmock, were complemented by the “Catering Corps” of Sandie Goode and Chris Robertson.

Special Puppy at Rockhampton - 31 July      

No awards given

Novice Walked-up (run on field trial lines) at Priors Norton  - 21 August  

The Novice award winners and judges

Click on image to enlarge

Our annual event was again held at Priors Norton between Gloucester & Tewkesbury, by kind permission of Dr. & Mrs Whitehead and Adrian and Marcus Smith. As always we were generously supported by Skinners. The venue comprises a number of large grass fields surrounded by interesting hedges, ditches & margins of various cover, one boundary being a dyke formed by tall grass covered banks about 2m above field level. We try to run the tests as close as possible to field trial procedure, although for novices who are put out in the first two rounds we give more retrieves, out of competition, up to a max of 3 while the judges have their huddle.

Judges Mrs. Tess Lawrence & Mr. Norman Onens with stewards Iris Smith & Howard Parker, took the novice entry of 16 out into a large grass field with the dyke off the downwind end of the line. With Iris Wright orchestrating the order of throws via muted radios with earpieces so that even the judges did not know what to expect, thrower Frank Wright at the dyke end & Trevor Carpenter way out in the field at the other, provided a variety of retrieves. Occasionally shots in rapid succession from each end of the line kept handlers on their toes. The now brisk breeze and good scenting conditions enabled most dogs to find, provided they were put to advantage on the right side of the wind. A few suffered basic handling problems while there were a number of excellent blind retrieves from the grassy dyke bank.

Starting the third round the line turned into wind & followed the line of a thin hedge and although there were a few failures there were some good retrieves in the hedge, through gateways, and at distance across the field. Continuing in this field the judges declared a result awarding 1st, 2nd, & 3rd.

Open Walked-up (run on field trial lines) at Priors Norton - 21 August      

The Open award winners and judges

Click on image to enlarge

After a superb buffet lunch prepared & served by Mary Valentine with extra (to die for) puds made by Hilary Smith the 24 open dogs set forth, steward Sandie Goode replacing Howard & thrower Adrian Moodie, replacing Frank. As in the morning Hilary Smith acted as dog steward, & Sandra Onens took the spare dogs in the line. Working smoothly they were able to move 4 dogs in & out at a time.

The format was similar to the morning, except that the line was stretched significantly with the throwers being on the field edges. Cross retrieving soon became the order of the day with very long retrieves in & through hedges & into a small copse. There was an excellent standard of dog work & it soon became obvious that only a straight “A” would see you through to the end. After some pretty stiff competition the judges declared a result awarding 1st, 2nd, & two C.O.M.’s.

Yes, a very long day, with Mary Valentine & Dick Dimmock leaving the field with their cars full of test equipment at around 7:15pm, but with some very positive comments ringing in their ears, which made it all worthwhile. Sincere thanks to all of the support team—you were superb!