Novice Working Test held at Shepherds Fold Farm, Snowshill, Broadway, Glos
Our Hosts: Mr & Mrs T Booth
Our Judges: Dawn Scott, Vanessa King and Kate Green
Test 1: A double marked retrieve, landing on undulating parkland where the handlers could elect which dummy they picked first. The ground meant the dogs that marked accurately made it look easy, but those without an accurate mark struggled to pick. Judge Vanessa King
Test 2: A hunting exercise where five dummies were placed in light cover in a small, enclosed copse of mature trees. Dogs were required to pick two dummies. The type of fencing enclosing the copse meant that dogs had to enter the copse via an open gate. If the dogs took a line this was straightforward, but dogs that tried to run around the copse had to be handled with varying levels of success. Judge Dawn Scott
Test 3: A short marked retrieve in front in a wood. Whilst, at first glance, this seemed an easy retrieve the ground sloped down to a brook with a bank of bracken rising over the stream. The retrieve fell into light cover in front of the stream and some handlers let their dogs overshoot and lost them in the water or the bracken bank. The dogs then had to pick a blind off to the left of where the mark had fallen at a fairly tight angle. Some dogs pulled to where they had picked the mark. Judge Kate Green
Test 4: Marked retrieve across a pond at a slight angle. The mark was thrown so the dummy landed on the bank in a large gap between two clumps of reeds. The judge stated a preference for the dogs to return with the dummy across the water. Judge Dawn Scott
Test 5: Four dog walk up with a marked retrieve off the LH end of the line. The dummy landed just over the brow of a hill but the dog was in sight when the dummy was picked. Dog on the right sent. Dogs then moved to the LH end of the line and the handlers moved to the right and the exercise was repeated for each dog in turn. Judges Kate Green and Vanessa King
Awards:
1st Mekoro Shot Marker of Waterford LR dog and Jayne Coley – highest placed Labrador award
2nd Garrethall Twist and K Powell
3rd Vamp Jiaogulan and Vikki Prichard – highest placed golden retriever award
4th Kaliture Coconut Star of Foxcote and Jill Gardner
CoM Crystlstream Harris GRD and Mary Jarrod
Maddistream Raj Red and Gill Awty – highest placed flatcoated retriever award
Well done to everyone in the awards.
Once again thank you to Skinner's and Barbury Shooting School for your fantastic sponsorship. Many thanks to the judges, all our fabulous helpers for giving up your time to help - it is not possible without you!