Novice and Open Walked-Up Working Test hekd on Field Trial lines.
We were lucky enough to hold this year’s Novice & Open Walked Up Tests at “Man of Ross”, Andrew & Heather Jackson’s large fruit farm near Ross on Wye. Throughout these many years we have always got a warm & helpful reception. We were very pleased to have Andrew present the Novice and Open awards (along with some lovely plums for each overall winner). Once again the awards were sponsored by Skinners. The tests were run on field trial lines & scored as such.
The morning was very hot but thankfully it became cooler and more overcast for the afternoon.
Our Judges, Steve and Sally Richardson took a card of 17 novices into a field of recently cut barley & lined out with Iris Wright, Steward of the Beat & operator of the 2018 edition of her “cunning plan”, walking in the centre orchestrating the retrieves, saluted by shot, & thrown by a dummy thrower off each end of the line, communication between Iris & throwers being by muted radios so that no one except those three know what to expect. This keeps handlers, judges, and stewards on their toes.
Commencing with straight forward retrieves in the first round where most dogs found their feet apart from the odd run in, retrieve difficulties were increased in the second round with some behind the line & from both guns in quick succession. At the end of the second round we had lost five dogs and, as is our practise for novices, we offer those who are out the chance of up to three retrieves so the dogs don’t go home without the chance of that number of retrieves.
For the third round ground game was included were shot plus we started to see a few low flying “partridges” being downed. It could be seen already that the quality of shooting was very high with very few birds gone away. During the next two rounds retrieves were of good standard but inevitably we lost more dogs before the judges called the end of the trial with six dogs standing & everyone returned to base, judges & helpers treated to an excellent buffet lunch & awards presented.
In the afternoon the 20 open dogs were taken to a field consisting of rough cover lined out as in the morning but retrieves were quickly more challenging being mixtures of front, rear, off the end of the line, including ground game. It was soon obvious that we had dogs of a very high standard competing with some superb retrieves seen. However, the lengthening of the line and using some higher cover was the undoing of a number of dogs. Retrieves continued including some long blinds with the occasional dog being lost until, with seven dogs remaining, the judges pulled stumps.
With tea & cake for all, the awards were soon presented, thanks given to landowners, judges & all who also gave up their time to perform the various tasks to allow competitors to enjoy their sport. No helpers- no sport!
Helpers:-
Steward of the beat Iris Wright
Dog Steward Helen Cripps
Judges stewards Hilary Hardman, Jennie Dimmock, Sharon Rogers
Throwers Richard Cripps, Dave Miller, Adrian Phillips
Catering Alison Wilson
Test organizer Ian Wilson
Novice Walked Up Results:
| Position | Handler | Breed/Sex | KC Dog Name |
|---|
| 1st |
Mrs J George |
GRB |
Kaliture Mystique |
| 2nd |
Mr J Cornforth |
LB |
Roxhart Winnie |
| 3rd |
Mrs J Gardner |
GRB |
Kaliture Coconut Star of Foxcote |
| 4th |
Mr N Coates |
GRD |
Gospelash High Time |
| COM |
Mrs P O'Connell |
LD |
Roxhart Red Rum |
| COM |
Mrs C Clift |
LB |
Olivestone Lemon Drizzle |
Open Walked Up Results:
| Position | Handler | Breed/Sex | Dog Name |
|---|
| 1st |
Mr A Phillips |
GRD |
Castlemans Soul Man |
| 2nd |
Miss H Goodwin |
LB |
Sorrelcott Guinevere |
| 3rd |
Mrs D Polley |
LD |
Gilhays Sage |
| 4th |
Mr J Cornforth |
LB |
Mucklehart Gracie |
| COM |
Mrs A Wales |
LD |
Spiralline Malbec |
| COM |
Miss H Goodwin |
LB |
Sorrelcott Minnesota |
| COM |
Mrs J Gardner |
GRD |
Polihale Grizzly Bear of Foxcote |
