Layer de la Haye , Colchester
Special Puppy
|
Position
|
Name
|
Breed/sex
|
Handler
|
|
1st
|
Bellspaddle Whiffle
|
LR B
|
Jean Hoskings
|
|
2nd
|
Castletioram Red Maggie of Glenmarian
|
LR B
|
Marianna Morris-Worral
|
|
3rd
|
Redbeards starking Hardy of Hadfelda
|
LR D
|
Rob Cresswell
|
|
4th
|
Berewyk Tim
|
LR D
|
Dominic Butcher
|
Novice
|
Position
|
Name
|
Breed/sex
|
Handler
|
|
1st
|
Overthwarts Bilton
|
LR D
|
Keith Foster
|
|
2nd
|
Loushaw Maria
|
LR B
|
John Cameron
|
|
3rd
|
Hitowngreen Falcon
|
LR D
|
Jane Sawyer
|
|
4th
|
Partridge Sunset
|
LR D
|
Frank Walker
|
COM Chilliwack Twister LR D , Keith Foster.
Veteran
|
Position
|
Name
|
Breed/sex
|
Handler
|
|
1st
|
Chisbrook Jigger
|
LR D
|
Amanda Sherriff
|
|
2nd
|
Gunnerheath Amethyst
|
LR B
|
Brian Chesser
|
|
3rd
|
Overtharts Olive
|
LR B
|
Mark Schiller
|
|
4th
|
Almshoebury Persuasion of Riverlilly
|
LR B
|
Abbie Crawley.
|
Elmbrook Cup for best opposite sex to Novice winner Loushaw Maria John Cameron.
Kellhatch Trophy for Best Essex entry Overthwarts Bilton Keith Foster.
Mandy Trophy for Best Golden Retriever Polihale Gin Sling Peter Dobby
Rising Star Cup for highest place Novice Handler in Novice class Hitowngreen Falcon Jane Sawyer
Report by John Cameron 23rd July 2018.
Our second Special Puppy, Novice and Veteran working test of the year saw us returning to Layer Mills, Layer de la Haye, Colchester by kind permission of the Hughes family. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them for allowing us to use these lovely grounds again and to thank our sponsors Masters Pet Foods, our Judges Glynis Hillier, Jo Rollinson, Russel Gooding and Arthur Cook and all of our non-committee helpers on the day who assisted with stewarding and dummy throwing duties. Stewards of the day were Cath Elsey and Jackie Smith.
It was no surprise that it was yet another very hot and sunny day but fortunately the grounds offered considerable areas of shade which kept the dogs and handlers reasonably cool , not so lucky were some of the judges and dummy throwers who toiled all in under the hot sun.
Test 1 consisted of a long-marked retrieve, downhill to shot and into water, as the dog returned uphill with the first dummy a second was placed behind some fallen tree branches near the river bank and to the left of where the dogs entered the water. The elevated starting position made the mark into the water clear for most dogs and with easy access into the water the main challenge of the test was ensuring the successful return to the handler of the wet dummy over a reasonable distance. While the second blind retrieve presented the dogs with the temptation of a return to the water all, but 1 dog were successful.
Test 2 was a double-blind retrieve into a wooded area without shot. The area into which the first blind retrieve was placed was indicated by a yellow marker and from the send off area the handler was faced with a choice of either sending the dog down a clear path to the left of the dummy, stopping the dog when in line and directing it right onto the dummy or attempting to send the dog through the wooded area directly to the dummy. One the day most handlers chose the direct option.
Test 3 consisted of a shortish mark to shot into long grass which became a memory and a short blind to shot on the edge of a wooded area some 45 degrees to the left of the mark. The proximity of the marked dummy created the temptation for some dogs to retrieve this mark first. While the positioning of the blind on the edge of the wood was close enough to the mark to provide any dog hunting the area around the blind to either go into the wooded area or be drawn to the mark close by in the long grass.
Test 4 was a marked retrieve to shot into some cover followed by a blind retrieve without shot back to the same area. The channel into which the dog was sent had a river boundary to the left and a wooded area to the right, providing sufficient opportunities for dogs to get distracted onto either if they did not take the correct line.
The scoring was close and as a result there was a run off for 3rd and 4th place in the Novice test and for 1st and 2nd place in the Veterans test. .
With the run offs complete it was time for some tea and cake and the presentations. Before the results were announced Fred Rice was presented with a Life membership of the URC in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Essex branch over some 20 years as a committee member. The award definitely came as a surprise to Fred as he was in the process of consuming a large piece of cake as Keith made the announcement.
The awards presented by our hosts were followed by some very kind words from Mrs Hughes and by a short speech from both Glynis Hillier on behalf of the judges and by Keith Foster the winner of the Novice test.
So a final thank you to our hosts, sponsors , judges and helpers on what was a long hot day and it is on to our Open Sugar beet test on 19th August.