The winning essex team
REPORT OF THE URC INTER-AREA FINALS 2019
Hosted by the North Midlands Area the Inter-Area Working Test Finals was held on 7th July 2019 at Wharncliffe Chase, South Yorkshire. The event was generously sponsored by Alpha Dog Food and Sporting Saint. The four panel judges were Glyn Coupar, Mick Newsam, Arthur Hewer and John Yarwood. The ground is part of the Wortley shoot and consists of rolling moorland, affording challenging tests and good viewing for spectators. The nine URC areas each sent a team of three dogs, which ran in each of the tests as a team. Test 1 was a mock drive with running rabbit, three marked retrieves, and three blinds. This was judged by Mick and Arthur with a bonus for team work. Test 2, judged by John involved three marked retrieves, followed by a blind for one of the dogs which the team selected as a joker retrieve. Glyn judged Test 3, which consisted of three blind retrieves, each team deciding which dog should pick from each location. This was followed by a memory mark as another joker retrieve. After a short lunch break we moved to a different part of the shoot. John and Glyn then judged together at a walk-up on rushy moorland, eah dog in turn getting a blind to one side and a memory mark in front. Meanwhile Arthur judged a pick-up, with a team bonus as well as a score for the two dummies expected to be picked by each dog. Near a small pond two shots saluted a mark in the water and a longer mark onto the moor. Dogs were sent in turn for these in rotation. After two retrieves for each dog it was announced that there was another dummy across the pond, so the final one of the team had to complete its joker retrieve.
With eleven retrieves for each dogs, and two team bonuses there was a big spread of marks between the teams and no run-offs were required.
A buffet meal followed at a local Community Hall, with a large display of raffle prizes, trophies and generous amounts of Alpha dog food.
AREA FINALS SCORES
Place Team Total Dog 1 Dog 2 Dog 3 Bonus
1st Essex 635 205 196 206 28
2nd Southern 625 204 184 209 28
3rd N.Midlands 580 202 180 173 25
4th Hants & SW 572 160 188 186 38
5th Northern 568 181 197 175 15
6th Bucks 557 182 184 170 21
7th Midlands 552 165 191 176 20
8th BCC 550 190 162 174 24
9th Lincs 412 144 141 103 24
Top Dog Robert Smallman’s Lab dog HELNORALL MAGNUM
Runner Up Jim Collins’ Lab dog BROCKAGHS FORBA
Best Newcomer Andrew Wright’s Golden Ret. Dog WADESMILL KITE
For the highest placed member of the host Area, Russell Hodgen's Lab bitch Roselea Zara