United Retriever Club Hampshire & Southwest Held our puppy, special puppy and novice tests on the super ground at Knighton Down Farm, Coombe Bissett, by kind permission of Mr Peter Lamb. We had a good entry of 6 for the puppy test, 8 in the special puppy and 33 for the novice.
Our lovely judges were Mr Nick Coates, Mrs Janie Mann, Mrs Helen Sanderson and Mr Chris Gore.
Test 1 Judge Nick Coates Puppy test A short walked to heel along grass track then the dog was sat up and a dummy was placed a short way in front by the handler. Handler then walked past the sitting dog and returned to the start point. Dog called to handlers side and sent for the retrieve. Special puppy Longer walked to heel than for puppy dog then sat and a dummy was then thrown by dummy thrower further along the track. Handler returned to start point, call dog to side then sent for the dummy. A replacement dummy was then picked for the dogs second retrieve. Novice Start point from further back along the track. Dog sat then dummy thrown at furthest point before track dispersed around the corner. Dog sent forward to pick up a blind placed half way towards thrown dummy then dog sent back for second retrieve.
Test 2 Judge Janie Mann Puppy Handler and dog walked at heel then over a small jump. Dummy then placed by handler on the track before the field. Heel walk back to start point and puppy the sent back for the retrieve. Special puppy Mark thrown over jump however one of two dummies in cow parsley to the right to be picked first. Novice Start point further back away from fence. Blind placed over fence and blind to be picked one of two dummies placed further back than for special puppy in cow parsley.
Test 3 Judge Helen Sanderson Puppy Long mark in valley. Special puppy One dummy thrown up to the right of dog and handler, next dummy thrown straight in front of dog and handler further on from puppy mark. Handler to nominate which dummy to be picked first. This was an interesting test, some dogs ran in on hearing handlers voice, some were focused solely on one dummy thrown. Novice Mark thrown up on right side of valley just before plateau where the dog was then lost from sight. Blind was placed 80 yards along valley slightly on left hand side. Important that the dogs kept to the line sent for the blind and that handler didn’t allow the dog to disappear over the hill on the mark.
Test 4 Walked up Judge Chris Gore Puppy Two dogs walked at heel then both sat up. Dummy thrown one dog sent. Then repeated. Special puppy Two dogs walked at heel two dummies thrown one on each side. Dogs to pick dummy from their own side then heel again and dummies thrown and dogs picked from opposite side. Novice Two dogs walked at heel one dummy thrown out ahead of dogs other dummy thrown out to the left of the dogs. Dog on right sent for the dummy on the left running past the other dog then dog on left picked remaining dummy out in front. Dogs changed positions and then exercise repeated.
We are pleased to announce that we had three awards in the puppy test:
1st winning the Redlands Cup was Dave England with Mitforton Kimono of Abney
2nd Stuart Mainwaring with Hughjack Winston
3rd Clare Tredrea with Lesburn Neve
After a run off for 3rd and 4th places in special puppy awards were:
1st winning the Vanrose Cup was Terry Souter with Mountain Mystique
2nd Clare Tredrea with Tallamelie Bride
3rd Louise Harber with Jumbi Chocolate Chip
4th Harold George with Sandown Pebble Coast.
After a run off for 3rd and 4th we had a very deserving winner gaining full marks:
1st winning the Novice Cup and the Patricia Duffield Cup for the dog the judges would most like to take home was Emma Mills with Oaklyfield Nugget
2nd Jane Trowell winning the Auro Shield with Downfarm Martell
3rd Tim Pain with Jocifers Storm
4th Emma Newman with Silver Mill
COM winning the Fenton Trophy for the best dog of the opposite sex of the winner was Andrew Steggles with Troddenmills Kriss Cross
Emma Newman was the highest placed Hants and Southwest member in the awards other than the winner and so is lucky enough to represent the areas team in the upcoming Interclub competition.
Thank you as always to our wonderful sponsors Skinners who provided vouchers for the award winners and to Gamekeepers Goods who provided thank you gifts to our fantastic team of helpers without which we couldn’t run these events