So, I promised Di I would write up the test yesterday – from the ND/NH point of view of course
Firstly – a huge thanks to the organisers and the helpers, and not least to Phil & Vicky Botting for their generosity in letting the club use their fantastic land.
The day started off with the threat of rain. There were a few spits and spots and waterproofs were coming on and off pretty much every few minutes! There were four tests set, all within quite a short distance of each other which was quite good as it meant we could move from one to the next in quite quick succession – excellent for worriers like me! Fin & I were up first in our group which actually worked out well for him. Also, (just to add something else in the mix) being the beginning of September there were quite a few young pheasants hanging around which caused havoc with some of the dogs. One young hen pheasant actually walked up the track where we were all waiting to go into the hunt up – it was almost as if she was saying ‘ha ha I know what date it is today and you lot can’t touch me!’ with two fingers up at the dogs! Anyways – down to business:
Test 1 – a mark and blind up a track with gunshot, the blind being placed in the same area as the mark. Fin went out really well for the mark, and back to me in his usual rocket like manner. I sent him off for the blind, but he stopped half way just to double check he was going the right way. After a couple of firm ‘back’ commands he went far enough back and picked the second dummy. Judge commented that she thinks I will do really well with him, so quite chuffed Score – 19/20
Test 2 – a long distance mark with gunshot. The thrower was stood in my line of sight but the dummy landed on the track but round the corner and out of sight. Fin went out and disappeared off round the corner and I thought ‘brill! We’ve got this in the bag!’ and then he appeared back round the corner with no dummy – oops! I tried to send him back but he got his back confused with his out commands and ended up going out left along a hedgerow. At that point he winded it and decided to cut the corner but didn’t realise there was a socking great ditch!! So my once black lab returned with the dummy in his mouth now a rather fetching shade of brown – eugh! Mud which, he then preceded to wipe all over my white t-shirt – double eugh! Score – 17/20
Lesson number one: don’t even think about wearing white to any kind of dog event
Test 3 – hunt up in a wood where there were three dummies out and we had to pick two. The area you had to keep the dog in was marked with tape on the trees, plus two gun shots were fired. The judge advised us that for the second pick we could move forward into the wood if we needed to, but we had to stay firmly planted for the first. Now on this test Fin decided that he didn’t need me to help him and he went completely deaf to my whistle the little monster! This, I have to say, is one of the areas that we need to work on. He’s fine if he’s hunting for a dummy in a relatively open area, but when hunting in cover he completely ignores me So, he went a bit deaf to my toots to try and stop him and bring him back into the marked area. But miraculously he found one dummy and picked it. He then went out for the second which was pretty much a repeat of the first although at one point he completely disappeared! On completion of the test the judge told me that I should have moved forward to keep him in my sight – stoopid me! I have it so firmly planted in my brain that I MUST NOT MOVE that I forgot that I was allowed to move for the second dummy. Never mind. Score – 17/20
Test 4 – walk up with two dogs, with two dummies for each dog the first one being thrown on your dog’s side, and the second on the other side so your dog had to cross in front of the other. Now the walk up is my idea of a nightmare – Fin ALWAYS runs in. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but just as we were heeling off for his second dummy off he went. The judge actually groaned in dismay, as he was picking the dummies beautifully where other dogs were struggling. To make matters worse it started to rain just as we went out for this test. My waterproof trousers were in my bag which was dumped under a tree somewhere and by the time the test had finished we were soaked through so it was a bit late for waterproofs! Score – 0/20
Because I was one of the first up, a group of us were done so headed back to the cars at about 1.00pm to attempt to dry off. The new Land Rover’s air con dried my hair off brilliantly and a swap for a dry jacket made the afternoon slightly more bearable. But I was soaked through to the skin on the lower half so ended up sitting on a wet dog towel in the car!
Lesson number 2: no matter the weather forecast, always take a change of clothes for the long cold drive home.
The club kindly put on a barbecue after the tests were complete, and ran a raffle with donations for the food and raffle tickets going to Hounds for Heroes. Then we had a four dog run off Two for the ND/NHs and two for the Veterans. Turns out they were for 2nd & 3rd and 3rd & 4th respectively. This was a long mark, with dummy falling into a ditch which ran the width of the field. I have to say, the ND/NH completed this with far more style and success than the Veterans – but that’s just me
So results were as follows:
ND/NH:
1st – Warrenby Cobra, H/O Deborah Morris
2nd – Blakesbrook Wren O Mr and Mrs H Beardow H/H Beardow
3rd – Burntcoombe Buffy H/O Fiona Milne
4th – Warrenby Gypsy H/O S Bayliss
COM - Norlands Catchfly Roxy H/O Gill Smith
Veteran:
1st – Quabrook Tay O H Sully H/ John Sully
2nd – Blue Banaza H/ O John Dawson
3rd – Smale Quaver H/O Lindsey Warren
4th – Wadeshot Fire H / O Roger Wade
COM - Luddesdowne Mark H/O Sheila Pomfrett - Wade
Annoyingly, if Fin hadn’t run in on the walk up we would have been in line for the COM – never mind But I came away feeling really positive and pleased with my little man
There’s always the URC test in 2 weeks. Does anyone have any good tips for stopping a run in during a walk up per chance?
" Does anyone have any good tips for stopping a run in during a walk up per chance?"
Yes I do but not for public viewing..... grin grin grin.
Well done!! Had to laugh at THIS:
" I have to say, the ND/NH completed this with far more style and success than the Veterans – but that’s just me "
When you are 75 I'll ask you to clear a ditch with as much style as the 21 year old running before you!!!!
Huge congrats to Deb Morris (who actually is a member here and has posted a fair few times but if she wants to reveal who she and wallow in well earnt praise is then its her biz)
Great write up! Long may they continue!
Di
Last edited by Diana on Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:38 pm; edited 1 time in total
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
Lovely to see Gill Smith getting a COM. I've known her for years. Another ex Weimy owner, who then went onto Flatties and has obviously moved on to labs .
Ok ok didn't mean it quite like that! What I was trying to say is that you would assume that the older more experienced dogs would fare much better than the younger inexperienced ones, that's all. Not being ageist honest!
Although when you put it like that I see your point
I'm certain when those veterans were 2 they would of conducted themselves with grace and style too.... infgact knowing most of them they were Open dogs at that age
BUT it was funny to swap notes with everyone about how their clever straight line Open dog had three years on the sofa, and has morphed into into a cranky, bendy line, happily cop a 'deafun' old un!
The number of 'old lady bladder wee's' on return runs was hilarious from girls that used to take your knee caps out coming in previously.
I LOVE veterans. Love them love them!
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
As some of you know my boy Dixon and I won 1st place, it was a lovely day even with the weather, which after a few comments to some of the other competitors in my group, i do feel im personally responsible for the down pour, sorry. I think what made the test interesting for me was the quality of the tests which seemed more like a novice test. Great fun Dixon lapped up the challange we started with test 2 the long mark on the track except our dummy landed in the rough dixon went out beautifully but over shot slightly but with a slight recall and hunt whistle responded to me and came round picked and delivered the judge was very fair and stated we would not be penalised as the dummy was mis thrown score 19
next we did the mark and blind up the track Dixon once again didnt disapoint went out picked the mark then back for the blind as he picked he didnt get a clean pick up righted his hold then back score 19.
Our 3rd retrieve the hunt up I sent dixon out straight in front immediatly got him hunting he got his nose down and held the area picked almost immediatly so sent for the second and walked after him he hunted the same area a bit but nothining so i stopped him, my god he listened, and pushed him back repeating steady as he went he then went to the back of the area i thought he must be to far i got ready to stop him to pull him forward when up popped his head with a dummy i was so pleased score 20.
Our last retrieve was the walk up we were being smiled upon the rain had stopped i sent dixon out he went great guns but to my horror pulled towards the ditch at the side and had gone the wrong side of the wind i stopped him ,this was getting freaky he listened again, pulled him forward across the wind but he came a little to far so stopped again a little push back he was on it. Our second retrieve he marked beautifully straight there picked straight back he was my hero score 19
I never thought for one moment we had won and didnt recognise my own name at first but it was all the more special when emotional goodbyes were said to some of the commitee members who had been brilliant and I must admit couldnt wait to call Graham homes my trainer who has been so paitient and encouraging and made a lot of this gundog stuff actually make sense, Thanks Graham x
Totally thrilled for you Debs, and this week I couldn't agree more about GH and his input to our various successes!! Huge congrats you, and I know the big man is proud of how hard you have worked on Dixon!
Di xx
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
Score – 19/20
So, he went a bit deaf to my toots to try and stop him and bring him back into the marked area. But miraculously he found one dummy and picked it. He then went out for the second which was pretty much a repeat of the first although at one point he completely disappeared! On completion of the test the judge told me that I should have moved forward to keep him in my sight – stoopid me! I have it so firmly planted in my brain that I MUST NOT MOVE that I forgot that I was allowed to move for the second dummy. Never mind. Score – 17/20
