A team was sent to represent the Essex URC at The Pip Warde Memorial Team Working Test, on Sat. 20th July 2024. It took place at the Ampton Estate, by kind permission of Peter Rushbrook.
It was a lovely venue, with open fields of long grass and shorter grass tracks, shade was provided by mature trees made up mainly of conifers. It was a warm sunny day with a gentle breeze but with many areas of shade for competitors and dogs.
There was a raffle as well as an Auction with a wide range of prizes, the fun event of the day was throwing a dummy backwards (I’m sure we have all done this on occasion) and was won by Robert Clitheroe from the Norwich Gundog Club who was awarded a bottle of Champagne.
Our Essex URC team of 4 members was-
Open - Mike Lawrence with Brockaghs Dervla
Novice - Gerald Silvey with Astraglen Frazier
ND/DH - Julie Topsfield with Meermoon Solar
Veteran - Mari Jackson with Pigeonman Belle Starr
Test 1 was two dummies, the first a seen into long grass, and the second a blind on the side of a track.
Test 2 was two dummies, the area had both long and short grass areas that the dogs had to run through, before retrieving a seen and then a blind into the same area. This was all done with the dogs in a line off lead.
Test 3 was one dummy, a seen at distance into long grass for the open and novice dogs, and a blind placed round a curving path for the ND/ND and veteran which meant dummy and dog where both out of sight.
Test 4 was 4 dummies placed in long grass which the dogs had to hunt for and pick one, this was done in pairs again sitting off lead. The open and novice dogs had a greater distance to reach their area of dummies.
Test 5 was 1 dummy a water test on a narrow stream which had a bridge over it, the dogs could go over the bridge and enter from the far side or enter the water from the near bank. The dummy was seen in the air but both dog and handler could not see it land, all you could hear was a splash and then trusting your dog to find it.
There were prizes for the first five teams, and Best dog in each of the four classes. There was a runoff in the veterans class between our own Mari Jackson and Stan Leathers from Norwich Gundog Club.
Results
1st Team - 391 points URC Essex
2nd Team -389 points Pip’s Dream Team
3rd Team - 376 points Norfolk Gundog Club
4th Team - 369 points Southern Golden Retriever Society
5th Team - 364 points Norwich Gundog Club
Best Open Dog - Jean Hosking with Fenbreck Pommery. - Pip’s Dream Team
Best Novive Dog - Gerald Silvey with Astraglen Frazier. - URC Essex
Best Veteran Dog - Stan Leathers with Acer Treacle. - Norwich Gundog Club
Best ND/NH - Marie Davies with Tashwarne Odin. - Norfolk Gundog Club
It was a amazing day in which to remember a well respected and much loved man who will be sadly missed.
Julie Topsfield
