Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:12 pm Post subject: URC Lincs Special puppy test 17th July 2011 (pics)
URC Lincs Special Puppy Working Test
Sunday 17th July 2011
Syston, Near Grantham, Lincs
By kind permission of Mr and Mrs Martin Strawson
Judges Mr. Martin Everleigh and Miss Katie Capps
Special Puppy (16 entered)
1st Garicmoor Grandee - Craig Horwill
2nd Garicmoor Grenadier of Ettinsmoor - Jill Parsons
3rd Druimmuir Discovery of Barnfee - Fiona Gray
COM Manage Sahara - John Iacono
COM Ettinsmoor Morse - Jill Parsons
COM Kendeci Lovely Lion - Kirsty Ranson
Well we only went and got a third! I'm still flying high about that! Even now I'm home still cheesing. Have tried explaining to people at work etc and they just don't quite get it! But hey ho! So here is my write up of the day and some pictures by the very lovely husband person of mine!
This was a very nicely organised day! I thought it was going to be chaotic for sure as there were 16 pups running and that had to be a problem surely, but not at all. It ran like clockwork!
So the tests themselves. There were 5 in total.
Number one: A very short walk to heel and a very short mark in front into some light cover in a woods. The dummy thrower threw the dummy directly in front of himself which might have drawn some pups past the dummy. This is exactly what Zephyr did, figured it couldn't possibly be that close and went past it 5 yds or so. He searched further back a bit and jumped over a log whereupon I peeped him back and he searched back towards me and found it. He legged it back in typical Pasco style and just about threw the dummy at me. We scored 18 for this.
Number two: Two different marks one at the edge of a wheat field and the other at 90 degrees to that on some shorter grass. You were to wait to be told to send for the first, but the second you sent at your own convenience. Distance what maybe 25-30 yds? (I'm rubbish at distance!) Not much more anyway. Zephyr marked the first and out and back toot sweet. Safe. Turned him round and sat him up for the 2nd mark and out and back he went to that. Steady to both. Excellent. We scored 20 for this.
Number three: This was the water test, done at the edge of a burn or a dyke. I forget what they called it! It was a mark on the water, not much more than 10-15yds? The dummy landed in a nook hard against the other side of the water. Think this one was tricky for quite a few of the dogs. Remember these pups were all under 12 months, so the experience they had was limited. Zephyr took it all in his stride, confidently entered the water, swam across, picked and climbed onto the bank. He turned round and threw himself back in and swam back. Love him! He didn't quite manage to deliver to hand but I don't think too many dogs did. We scored 19 for this.
Number four: This was a memory back with some heel work on a wee bit of roughish ground. Walk out at heel to a post and then the judge gave us a dummy and asked us to throw it in front of the two bushes. I lobbed mine and it went sailing past the bushes and into some cover beyond! Muppetry. Heel back to the start and send Zephyr. I love this wee man he shot back and hunted up like a wee devil till he found it! Just as well really as we don't have controls yet. Back he comes and we got an 18 for this. We lost marks here for heelwork, the ground was jaggy and Zeph went wide to avoid the spikey stuff. We shall work on that!
Number five: This test was a longish mark that landed on a track around a corner. I later learned that the ante had been up'd here in order to split the dogs as a lot were on the same points. I'm fairly obliviious to how they set this stuff up but the people before me had been commmenting that it was quite hard and that the wind wasn't helpful for the pup. I also learned later that there was a track to one side that was drawing the pups away from the dummy. My approach is just to go, try and if he does it happy days! So thats what he did. Sat him up made his mark sent him out and he just kept going and going on to the dummy and right back. We got a 20 for this! And one chuffed Fee walked away dancing a little.
So that was that! We all relaxed and went back to the cars and put the dogs away I went to have a pee. VERY civilised test! Toilets for the ladies in the horse box. I'm busy peeing (as you do!) and hoping that the Scout pack walking past don't see me in all my glory! When I hear voices outside stumbling over saying Druimmuir. I'm thinking why are they talking about my dog?? Start hauling my drawers up and exiting the palatial loo to find people looking at me!! "Are you number 5" they say. GULP there was a run off. Me in a run off!!! and worst of all.... with Jill!!!!!
I just about burst in to tears. Then I blanched, then I felt sick then I went back to the wanting to cry. So we had a run off, it was back in the wheat grass edge place and it was a simple longer mark. Zephyr simply didn't go back far enough, through no fault of his own and as we don't have the ability to stop and push him further back yet I called him up and Jill was able to push Skip back onto it so a deserved victory was hers!
We didn't know what we were running off for until after the BBQ and when I found off it was 3rd I was chuffed to little mint balls! When we reviewed the scores, Jill and I tied on 95 and the first place dog was on 96. VERY VERY pleased doesn't quite come close! Chuffed with my wee red man!!!
So some pictures!
Waiting for the off! Noooo nervous??? me???? never!
Heel work!
Found it mum!!!
Test two - the two marks
Almost parked!
Speeding bullet this one!
Water test:
So many nice ones of Zephyr! I can't choose!!
Just in front of the bush she said, mine landed by the tree in the back!
Not so good heel work
Love him!
The fated last test.
Out of site!
PHEW!!!
All over!
WHADAYA mean theres a run off?!
The winner!
Second place!
Third n chuffed
All the victors!
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Brilliant piccies Fee (Michael ) I'll go look and see if there are any of Ice worth posting. Her heel work was so chronic I fear he might have needed a wide angle lense to get us both in the frame
Congratulations again on your very well deserved place
Edited to add some pics of Icy picey:
Love the raised paw... have I got a pointer instead of a labrador??
No shakey shake shake
A very rare moment of nae bad heel position, but note the cheeky pupster is sticking her tongue out at me!
Well, the looooong awaited write-up and pictures! A HUGE congrats to the winner and especially the two 'runner up' ladies, Jill and Fee. Thanks for the write up - sounds as if that was a brilliant test (I think I might have to venture up there myself next year ). Also thanks to Michael for the photographs - very pleased that he managed to get a dry day so he could finally take some pictures
Natasha
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WLF All the Way!!!!
"Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you canīt eat it or hump it. **** on it and walk away..."
Great write up, photos, etc and congratulations to all once again. Always like to read what a test involves and my knowledge, just about, holds up to a puppy test
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I lobbed mine and it went sailing past the bushes and into some cover beyond! Muppetry. Heel back to the start and send Zephyr. I love this wee man he shot back and hunted up like a wee devil till he found it! Just as well really as we don't have controls yet. 
Back he comes and we got an 18 for this. We lost marks here for heelwork, the ground was jaggy and Zeph went wide to avoid the spikey stuff. We shall work on that!
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