Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 5:47 pm Post subject: Kennet Valley GTS Novice 16 July 2011
I missed most of it, but it was a very well run test in a beautiful place, but with appalling weather, that cleared up nicely by the time I arrived!!
Held at Fishers Copse by kind permission of Mrs A Fitzwilliam. Judges, Mr A Buckland, Mr I Ford, & Mrs M Squires.
Results ….
1st Ticefield Onyx – Lab D (FTCH Maverick’s Goose x Ticefield Holly) Mr N. Cornish
2nd Lossenham Golden Plover – Lab B (FTCH Bedgebrook Excalibur x Brocklebank Trinket) Mrs M Hogg
3rd Downfarm Arum Lab D (Downfarm Glen x Chance Luck of Downfarm) Miss M Robertson
4th Wooton Spice Lab B (Glebespray Riley x Glebespray Bell) Ms S Eatwell.
Com Caitlin Calais Lab B (Caveral Dew of Bittenham x Letcombe Lucinda) Mr D Miller.
The award winners …..
The winner’s speech, very modest, but all agreed a very worthy winner!! …
The designated judge to make the speech - shoved forward by the other two …..
Ian made some very good and constructive comments, whilst leaving everyone who had endured the day feeling good about themselves …. Evidently some of the dogs had missed their marks by this much!! …..
Praying that he never has to judge dog number 23 ever again !!!!!!! (Not sure, but that may have been my wife’s dog! )
Joking apart, very good judging and a very eloquent judge’s speech indeed!!
Many congratulations to Neil on his win, with his lovely young dog and to the award winners and to all those taking part, organising etc.
Thanks for posting the pics John and for your kind comments.
It was rollercoaster of a day. The heavens opened just as we headed off for the first test, and it poured down continuously until early afternoon.
I had my three young children in tow, and by lunchtime they were soaked to the skin, thoroughly fed up and we nearly called it a day and went home!
Test One:
A mark in a woodland clearing into long grass. The judge didn’t want the dogs to overshoot and hunt in the wood. Blake made a nice job of this. Followed by a blind in the wood off to the right. Blake took a nice line, I just had to pip him and nudge him right handed. Fortunately he winded the dummy just as I blew the whistle so it looked pretty smart. We scored 20.
Test Two:
Hunt up. Three dummies in a wood. We were asked to pick two of the three and to keep the dog in the area marked out. The judge was looking to see the dog hunting with as little handling as possible. We scored 20.
Test Three:
Double blind with shot. The first dummy straight ahead up a steep bank. The dummy was right on the brow of the hill. This is where we came unstuck - entirely my fault. Blake took a lovely line but went straight over it and disappeared over the brow into the wood. I should have stopped him earlier - and have been kicking myself that I didn't! Anyway, lots of recalling and he eventually appeared further along the bank. It took a few handles to get him back to the area and pick. It wasn’t pretty.
The second blind was along a track, round a bend and out of sight. This was a tricky one as we weren’t actually standing on the track, and meant sending the dog at an angle. To send in a dead straight line meant putting them through some thick cover. Knowing my dog I decided not to do this as I guessed he would probably stay in the cover! So I sent him onto the track - and trusted that he would follow it round himself. The gamble paid off and he went straight to it. We scored 15.
Test Four:
Double mark. Straightforward mark in a field - but as the dog was coming back with the dummy a second mark was thrown. You then sent your dog for it. Probably our best test of the day. We scored 20.
Test Five:
Walk up. Four dogs and two judges - walking up in pairs and having one cross retrieve each. Blake did this well but lost his bearings on his return and started heading towards the dummy thrower! I opened my arms and caught his eye just in time! We scored 19.
I’m thrilled to have won - as I really thought we were out of the running after making such a pigs ear of test three!
Last edited by Neil77 on Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:50 pm; edited 1 time in total
Well done Neil. A well deserved win. Don't worry there were lots of "pigs ears" made at test 3. Your dog stood out on the day and you were by far the best on the double mark.
John, it was great to meet you. Your pictures and comments have given us a good laugh tonight. Even the OH had a good giggle.
Also congrats to Jackie Simpson TAYFORDWOODS GINGEMA (FTCH Blackfoot Scout of Minstead X FTW Tayfordwoods Twist of Lemon) and Wendy Glue TAYFORDWOODS SARUMAN ( same litter) on their second and COM in the hampshire water picnic puppy test.
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