Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:07 pm Post subject: Lab Club of Scotland - Mock Trial - Pics Added
I had the great pleasure of attending this brilliant event run by the Lab Club of Scotland. It was very well attended by both the showing and the working membership.
First time I've ever been to this kind of event and I can tell you I was made to feel extremely welcome and not at all like a numpty!
I'm rubbish at the names of people.... like the judges and the like, but I'm hoping that Nic (Druimmuir) who also attended can name names!
So, how did it go!
Well for me, it was a bit of a night mare in part and hugely good fun in others!
The trial part was my own personal hell! For anyone that doesn't know, Pasco squeaks, espescially if he has to watch for any length of time. I actually thought this was a working test affair today and not the Mock Trial that it was! Had I known that, I'd probably have just pitched up without a dog to watch But I had signed up to run, so run I did!
The test was run like a field trial but on dummys. Having never seen a field trial I hadn't a clue, but for those of you like me who don't/didn't know, everyone walks in a line, a shot is fired, a dummy thrown and a dog sent. The line walks along in 2 pairs of 2 and retrieves alternate between the pairs.
We were all to get 6 retrieves, no matter how crap you were! Thank goodness as if they were applying the usual rules, I wouldn't have made it past the first wait with Mr Ginger Whinger!
I'll describe how it went for me. I get into my position, I'm at the far right of the line near the edge of the field. We walk along slowly, the bang and a dummy out. Pascos about fit to bust but stays sat. Miracles will never cease!
So the next retrieve is our end, we walk a wee bit further bang, he sits.... but not for long. Runs in... gah. Oh well can't get any worse. Lead on and on we go. We had 2 retrieves each in this section, one in front one behind. Though technically Pasco got two in front. Second retrieve he marked, ran out straight, ran back straight.
Next came the water.
We all line up at the waters edge. I'm number 8, so i have a long time to wait. By the time it gets to Pascos turn we have had all verses of Land of Hope and Glory out of him. But its a bang, dummy into water and send your dog, out he goes, big splash, out to dummy, back and delivers to hand.
Then I think we were back to walking up the field, think Pasco had a mark behind and then a mark across the line. The behind one he did fine, but the second one, the bang came from the left and the dummy from the right so he missed the mark. Lots of handling and he didn't really get it So in the end I walked him almost up to it.
So it wasn't really a stunning performance for us, but it was a great experience all the same. Now I KNOW that Pasco and I will never trial!
There was a lovely BBQ lunch provided, a FAB raffle that I made out like a bandit at - bottle of booze, massive bag of food and some jumbo dog biccies!
Then before the run off, there was a scurry. Three differnet types of scurry. Much more up my alley! First one was a long mark from a handheld launcher, so a bang and a mark. No idea of distances, but longer than I've sent Pasco before. He was steady as you bloody like as well Very fast - infact we were first in that one! woo hoo
Second Scurry was 2 marks from a bumper boy, first one to the left and second to the right. Send you dog for the second and then the first. Out he goes to the second and starts faffing like he can't find it. I couldn't understand it and handled him back on to it 3 times before he suddenly stopped an squats for a poo!!!!! Bloody hell! So suitably retrieved he bounces on the bloody dummy and back he comes. Line him up for what surely must now be a blind as minutes have elapsed, out he goes, picks it up and back. WOWSA!
Thirds scurry was a shot and thrown dummy onto the river. Must have been 30 yds from the edge? Bang splash out he goes, picks and back, delivers and shakes! WOOT!
So that was fun End result of that was we came 5th in the scurry part! I got a bag of food and a huge boost from that!
The winner of the trial overall was Nic - Druimmuir with the lovely Rogan who really didn't put a foot wrong the whole day. The only part that I was able to see was the run off part where Rogs really did nothing wrong, it was a retrieve off water where the dog was out of sight to the handler and a blind with a shot behind the line. I'll let her give any details she would like to. But HUGE congrats to her, and massive thanks personally from me as she kept me right all day and stopped me looking like a plonker!
Massive thanks also to the Lab Club of Scotland and all that attended. It was genuinely lovely to meet everyone and to see so many of the show fraternity turn out to lend there support. I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did and I look forward to seeing you guys at some training, so that next time we can all have a go!!!
Fave quote of the day for me "if he hadn't stopped to poop, you'd have won that scurry"
If you made it this far, well done. We are uploading photos as I type - there are over 200!!! I'll pick some nice ones out to post and leave the link to the album once they are done!
Last edited by Feebarn on Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:37 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Sounds brill Fee! Bleddy Pasco needing to poo... what a wee sh*te, literally!! Sounds like a fantastic day all round and a great experience/learning opportunity.
MASSIVE congrats to Nic and Rogan. WOOOOHOOOO!!!! Over the moon for them
This black lab in the middle was Margaret Anns dog.... who ran in and had to be chased down by Mhari (Velvetine)!!! Gave me a little smile after my ginge runner!
How handsome is this chap?
skinny malinky long legs!
Pesky spaniels get everywhere!
The dummy that nearly went to Edinburgh! Anyone see it waaaay down the river?
tomfoolery from the judges!
The winner sending off her dog for his final retrieve!
CHEEEEEZZZEEEEE
Winner cheeze grinnen!
More black dogs whose names I don't know!
My favourite of the whole lot!
Ok... there are 200 pics to look at... heres the album, have at it if you want to see click here for album
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All images posted by me on this or any other website remain copyright to me with all rights reserved
After a very early start leaving the house at 5.30 am this morning you can excuse the typo's and the bits that don't make sense
Well done Fee and Pasco !! it was a fantastic day out, expertly organised, everyone got on very well, friendly atmosphere, and good company with friends new and old.
I echo Fee's thanks to the organisers and the lab club of Scotland
Judges today were David Brown, Gary Youngson, Stuart Dunn and Dean Bridges, run under the kc rules and regs for trials.
All dogs given the chance of 6 retrieves, started off in line with 2 retrieves each, then all dogs in line when a bolting rabbit was unleashed, only 1 dog ran in at this stage, then all 12 in line and sent for mark into water in numerical order, yikes stage for me as Rogan sat beside me offlead and watched 11 dummies land sploosh in the water infront and all other dogs sent until his turn how un nerving for me, but the boy did good.
Next another 2 walked up dummies, slightly further out but based at distances you would expect at a trial and slighty further across the opposite end of the line , then they called for 4 dogs after lunch who made the cut for the final retrieves.
I was very fortunate that Rogan was called and the nerves for me really kicked in ! up till now this was meant to be fun god I felt sick. A scurry and a bbq followed, fantastic banter and really enjoyable and Kes featured for me in the scurry, disgracing me on the water where she got half way out and decided she didn't want to retrieve it thanks to Allan for saving me £10 for the replacement .lol..though she redeemed me later retrieving 2 dummies in the water that others had left.
The last retrieves, were a marked water, then blind behind alternated between the 4 handlers so we got one of each.
the blind was harder as the dog had a shot fired, and this retrive was after watching the brace mate retrieve from the water.
So after 8 retrieves i had peeped my whistle once, said Rogan 7 times and 1 get out, I was soooooooooooo chuffed with the boy but NEVER expected to win.
We came away with 1st place, Rogan also took best dog and me best handler, we have 3 rosettes, 1 certificate, 1 quaich , a half bottle of vodka, some dog food, and some fantastic pics (thanks to michael) and lasting memories.
For me personally the day could not have gone better, and the judges even tried to persuade me to trial him this season , we will see what happens but I have a feeling I have to now compete with him.
Thanks to those I met new today, to Fee and Michael for the company, banter and the excellent pics.
Off for some more wine !
Nic
Last edited by druimmuir on Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:10 pm; edited 1 time in total
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But I had signed up to run, so run I did!
So in the end I walked him almost up to it.
Very fast - infact we were first in that one! woo hoo
how un nerving for me, but the boy did good.
god I felt sick. A scurry and a bbq followed, fantastic banter and really enjoyable and Kes featured for me in the scurry, disgracing me on the water where she got half way out and decided she didn't want to retrieve it 
