Area Finals 2015
The winning Essex Team with our hosts (photo Ray Hood)
Results
|
Position
|
Area
|
Points
|
|---|
|
1st
|
Essex
|
321
|
|
2nd
|
Hants and South West
|
314
|
|
3rd
|
North Midland
|
292
|
|
4th
|
Northern
|
290
|
|
Top Individual
|
Jacqui Crew with GRD Echobrook Dextrer
|
116
|
|
Runner Up
|
Liz Ingram with LRB Garrethall OUka
|
111
|
|
Best Newcomer
|
Norman Onens with LRD Kestrelway Freddie
|
107
|
|
Best Individual in Host Area Team
|
Liz Ingram with LRB Garrethall OUka
|
111
|
The individual winner (photo Ray Hood)
The 2015 Inter-Area Finals Working Test was hosted by the Essex Area at The Auberies, Suffolk, by kind permission of Mr N Burke.
Our Hosts, Tom and Iris at the beginning of the day doing the briefing (photo Ray Hood)
Teams of three dogs and handlers from each of the nine Areas of the United Retriever Club competed.
The 3 judges (photo Ray Hood)
The judges were Caroline Heasman, Glynis Hillier and Rodger Ketley, with the Essex Area Chairman Tom Lowe acting as Chief Steward.
The Auberies is a superb setting for the club’s premier working test, with lakes, rolling parkland and wooded areas.
One of the lakes (photo Frank Wright)
Our host, who is fanatical about maintaining the parkland in immaculate order, was prevailed upon to leave areas of grass uncut to provide challenging cover in some of the six tests set by Tom and his team. The weather forecast had been for rain during the morning, brighter in the afternoon and sure enough at lunchtime we had a heavy shower, the timing of which was excellent as we were sheltered under a large gazebo enjoying Pimms and light refreshments. The cloud cover and the occasional shower made for a very comfortable temperature for handlers and dogs.
The North Nidland Team (photo Ray Hood)
Whose Dog? (photo Frank Wright)
Border Counties and Cotwold team with Norman Onens, the best newcomer in the centre (photo Ray Hood)
In the first three tests, the team members went forward together to face a mark, a blind and a memory mark on water in different parts of the estate. They were told by the judge which of the retrieves they had to pick, so that by the half way point each dog had had a mark, a blind and a memory. A lot of thought had gone into this to ensure that all the team members ”shared the pain” instead of one dog having all the marks or all the blinds.
Our First aid support with some of the teams (photo Ray Hood)
After the break, three more tests were set, a walk up with three marks in a strip of long grass; a drive after which each dog had to hunt an area of cover to pick a blind over a jump and another three blinds in cover with a distraction. This last test was the only one where the handlers could decide between themselves which dummy to pick.
Relaxed observers (photo Ray Hood)
After a short wait while the final scores were collated, there was a run off between two lady handlers for one of the individual awards. The run off was a very long mark in cover with both dogs having to be handled.
The hard working Essex Area secretaries collating scores (photo Ray Hood)
We then repaired to a large barn to enjoy pork rolls, followed by fruit salad washed down with wine, beer or soft drinks generously supplied by Tom Lowe whose birthday it was that weekend. After which the results were announced, with our host Nigel Burke and his son Dominic sharing the task of presenting the awards. The day was generously sponsored by Masters Dog Food and Sporting Saint, with half the proceeds from the raffle going to the “Success After Stroke charity”. Congratulations to the host Area on a well-deserved win and many thanks for an excellent day
Our Hosts during the awards (photo Ray Hood)
The host Area for the 2016 Area Finals is the Hampshire and South West Area.