The Award winners
Special Puppy/Novice/Veteran WT, 16th July 2023 Lucking Farm Gt Maplestead
We were at quite short notice very lucky to be able to return to this venue by very kind permission of Mr & Mrs Newton.
Our judges for the day were Jo Rollinson, Kelvin Smith, Sharon Coby and due to unforeseen circumstances we needed a replacement so Roy Tomlinson stepped in, many thanks to you all.
Our thanks too for our sponsors Skinner’s dog foods and a huge thank you to many non committee helpers who gave up their Sunday to make the day run well, along with the majority of our great committee, these days wouldn’t happen without you all and we are very fortunate to have lovely members (and non!) who are happy to come along to help.
The ground leant itself to a good variety of tests, test one judged by Roy was on an open hillside, this was a straightforward mark to the left followed by a blind retrieve more to the right , some dogs were drawn back to the fall of the mark and needed handling, for SP the test were two marks.
We were also offered the chance to use sugar beet (this may not have pleased everyone!) particularly as with the earlier rain in the week and the heat it was quite tall. Jo was judging this test and for the Novice dogs we had a mark and mark memory retrieve, one left and one right the SP had the dame but as two single marks….we had our “ace” throwers Gordon & David who turn out to help at the majority of our tests and are not even members.
Test three we moved on to make use of the lake with Kelvin judging this one. For the Novice there was a blind retrieve in the rushes on a diagonal and then a mark onto the water, which was collected first as the wind was quite strong blowing the dummy along! The SP had the same exercise but with a mark instead of a blind into the rushes.
The fourth test was with Sharon in the woods, and was a marked retrieve which landed in a hollow, so control of your dog was paramount to keep it in the area and the dummy would then easily be found, this was followed by a blind downhill with various fallen trees acting as natural obstacles.
All good exercises, but also handling and the stop whistle were needed which caused issues for some resulting in some zeroes across the board.
After a two dog run off for first place the day concluded with the usual tea & delicious cake, the raffle was drawn and the awards were presented.
The Kelhatch Trophy for the best Essex Novice entry will be shared between Glynis and Jackie as they were both on the same score….
Results:
Novice
1st Glynis Hillier with Hurleyhall Plover of Tofts winning the Challenge Cup
2nd Jackie Smith with Artful Alice winning the Crosspath Cup
3rd Carol Ford with Birdbrook Haste of Sandhard
4th Lee Harmer with Delfleet Pied Wagtail
Special Puppy
1st Gerald Silvey with Astraglen Frazier winning the Oysterbed Trophy
2nd Ken Light with Glenbriar Ariella winning the Fobbingacre Trophy
Sadly no further awards
Veteran:
Only 1st place was awarded which was Mike Lawrence with Brockaghs Fianait winning the Hassenbrook Trophy
Other awards:
Kelhatch Trophy for Best Essex Area Novice entry, which Glynis & Jackie will share!
Elmbrook Cup for highest place best opposite sex novice dog to the winner which went to Jackie Smith
Rising Star Cup awarded to highest placed Novice handler with novice dog went to Carol Ford
