tayfordwood  Offline
puppy walker
Joined: Nov 11, 2008
Age: -1969
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Posts: 306
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5308 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 5+
Lab Names: Twist special Lizzie Tommy Ellie Gryff Grey
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Location: Hampshire
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 Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:29 pm Post subject: A red letter day |
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Those of us lucky enough to be able to train nearly every day understand that days come in three different types. There are good dog days- These are the days when your dog can read your mind, understand every thing the judge is telling you and make the whole thing look like its easy. I have about 5 of these a year. Then there are ok dog days when every thing is just ok. Could be better, could be worse. Of these i have about 350. Then there are the bad dog days. When you ask your dog to go left and all they do is go right. When you say " Back!" and they say "who, me?" You know the sort of thing, i have about 10 of these. I generally storm in the house throw the lead and whistle on the floor and proclaim that all the dogs are for sale!!!
Today was a GOOD DAY.
The Edenbridge and Oxted show is a big country show. Not CLA massive but too big to see everything in one day. The south eastern gundog society organises two days of gundog competition in a game fairesque arena. The arena was longish grass and dissected by fences and small fenced pens.
Today was the Retriever challenge, an invitation gundog test for 15 open standard dogs. The judge was Di Harrison.
The day is split into 3 sections with 5 dogs going in each section. One at a time the dogs walked up the arena with the judge and completed 5 tests one after the other. Then when all 5 had completed there was a walk up with all 5 in line for test 6. There was a great scoring system so that a card was held aloft by a helper after each retrieve so everyone could see the score. Including a very appreciative gallery of about 100 spectators. All of whom were kept informed but a constant commentary over the PA system.
Test 1. A simple mark (he-he). Only about 70 yards but thrown from beyond a low fence to land on your side of the fence.
Test 2. blind with shot beyond and over the fence from test 1 dummy.
Test 3. A mark thrown over a fence into long grass to your right then a shot behind for a blind. The blind was picked first with the direct line being straight through a small pen. Then the memory mark to be picked second.
Test 4. A mark behind again over the fence and just to the left of the previous blind and into a small stream.
Test 5. As the dog was returning from the water a shot was fired and a long retrieve thrown into an area of white flowers and long grass.
Test 6. Simple walk up. One mark over a fence.
The day went well, with most dogs dogs finding trouble somewhere. Every dog miss marked test 1. Many going over the fence and having to be called back before picking. Test 2 caused many to have to handle with dogs struggling on the memory. Test 4 made for a bit of handling but most dogs did it ok. Test 5 was the tough one with lots of handling by most and a couple of failures.
Through the day the scores were all around 80-100/120. Then came Shirley Carew. She had to work a bit for test 1 and scored a 17 but the rest were all 19's and 20's. Her dog went like a dream and blitzed the field with 114. I was convinced that no one could beat her score.
I was last to go. My OH and son were in the crowd watching with my 5yr old boy promising to laugh if i got a 0, i must admit to a few butterflies.
So i stride up to the judge, a little small talk then into the action. Mark thrown, dog sent. I know my dog and she slows down about 10 yards short of a mark. She hit the area without slowing. I stop her just before the fence and hunt her back into the wind. She picks and a good score of 19. Test 2 and straight through the pen with no deviation and the blind was picked with no handling at all. Memory the same, no handling. (Pulse getting at little quicker) Mark into water, no handling. Now, i don't normally suffer nerves but my heart was beating out of my chest. The long mark. Twist did not mark it out and ran a little right. A handle to the left and a stop and hunt. Then applause from the crowd. I could not see her but after a second or two she popped over the fence with the dummy. From behind in the crowd came a "Well done Daddy" and i had a grin from ear to ear. Still had the walk up to go. With me as last to go, Twist did well. Not picking straight away but holding a really tight area and doing a great job. Our score.............115. A good day!
I can't tell you how proud i was to receive the 1st Nick Potts memorial tankard. Nick was huge part of not only SEGS but all the whole of the southern gundog scene. His loss still causes a lot of pain with the organiser David Breach struggling with his words such was the emotion of the moment. It does not matter how much you win in life but more by how you are rembered by your peers and he is still so sadly missed. Nick deserves all the credit and i thank him for a GREAT DOG DAY.
1st TAYFORDWOODS TWIST OF LEMON - Ian Ford
2nd CYPHER BLACK MAMBA OF SULLINGTON - Shirley Carew
3rd LABORIE CIRRUS - Julia Smith
4th BEDGEBROOK NEVER SAY NEVER TO WYLANBRIAR - Di Stevens.
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Crowlady Offline
house trained
Joined: May 08, 2008
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Posts: 208
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2248 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Dasher and Murphy
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Location: East Herts
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:42 pm Post subject: |Good Day |
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Wow, brilliant, well done you. Sue & Dasher
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Derbyshire-Andy Offline
The Bramble Patch
Joined: Jul 28, 2010
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Posts: 709
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2121 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names: Bramble
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Location: Derbyshire.
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:08 am Post subject: |
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A great report Ian and how cool of you and Twist to have won this in front of your family. 
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Diana Offline
Dual Personality
Joined: May 30, 2006
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Posts: 19447
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128372 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 5+
Lab Names: Mallie, Fish, Tom, Bondy, Mia, Ruby & Otter!
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Location: West Sussex
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:17 am Post subject: |
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Nick would of LOVED Twist, Ian. She would of been just his sort of a girl. Huge congrats again.
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´! |
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Enerosar Offline
puppy walker
Joined: Jul 15, 2011
Age: -1981
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Posts: 402
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5556 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names: Harry 02.06.10 Alfie (fox red x vizsla)18.11.09
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Location: Warrington Cheshire
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:07 am Post subject: |
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wow well done it sounds like you and twist had a great day. I know nothing about field and gun work, id love Harry to do it but theres nothing around here. So its going to be agility for us. I know how much of a High you get when you do soooo well especially when theres another dog who you dont think you will do better than (I used to show another breed and offten 30+ dogs in a class)
Well done again to you and Twist
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Sarah Harry and Alfie |
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