This year’s Charity Test was in aid of Medical Detection Dogs and we thank Robert and Alistair Hall-Jones, Martin Reeve and the Mavis Enderby Shoot for allowing us to run our dogs over this impressive ground. We are also indebted to our prize sponsors: Chandlers of Horncastle and Crawford Shooting Supplies of Scunthorpe.
The weather was kind as the sun shone all day and there was a fresh breeze to make scenting good. Five tests had been set in different parts of the farm giving a variety of terrain and cover. Typically, the retrieves for the open dogs were longer than for the novice dogs.
Test 1: The retrieves for this test were not long, but proved to be testing. Dog and handler were at the top of a mound. After a shot, a mark was thrown into deep scrub at the bottom of the dip on the right. As this hit the ground a shot was fired on the left towards a blind in long grass beyond a line of trees. Novices picked the mark first and open dogs the blind.
Test 2: This was a long mark over an old stubble field followed by a blind put out in the same place as the dog was returning with the first dummy.
Test 3 was a picking up exercise. 100 yards up a slope, four dummies were out around a peg alongside a cover crop. Two dummies had to be picked.
Test 4: This was in a pretty ‘hills and hollows’ area. The first retrieve was a mark, heralded with a shot, in a small lake. Open dogs then had to cross a number of boundaries to fetch a blind dropped in a hollow to the right of the lake. The blind for the novice dogs was in scrub up a mound further to the right.
Test 5 was a two dog walk up with a twist. As the dogs walked forward, a ‘bolting rabbit’ crossed their path. Once this was negotiated there were two marks, left and right, near the top of the field. Novice dogs took a straight retrieve and open dogs collected the cross retrieve before changing places and repeating the exercise. For some obscure reason, several of the dogs struggled with the right hand retrieve in the corner of the field bounded on both sides by a wooded area.
The competition was very tight and 'run offs' were needed to separate the top two dogs in both novice and open sections as well as third and fourth in the novice class.
Thanks to our judges Gill King, Charlie Albone, Andrew Baker, Will Hales and Ray Newell for marking the forty six entries and to our Chief Steward, Sue Lowe. Nor must we forget the helpers without whom our Charity Test would not have been possible.
With the five tests complete, handlers and families and friends sat down to a hearty hog roast followed by sumptuous puddings. After a short break for the ‘run offs’, Will Hales turned auctioneer to sell twenty five lots, kindly donated by URC members. We also had an enormous raffle with the table groaning under the weight of an amazing number of prizes. We are extremely grateful for the incredible generosity of members buying raffle tickets and auction lots as well as giving raffle prizes and lots. Together we raised just over £600 for Medical Detection Dogs – and had a great day into the bargain! Thank you everybody who helped to make this such a successful and enjoyable day.
Results:
Oddly, dogs took all the places in the open section and bitches took the top four slots in the novices!
| Position |
Dog |
Breed/Sex |
Handler |
| 1st Open |
Leacaz Lapwing of Lincswolds |
LR D |
Richard King * |
| 2nd Open |
FTCh Saxaphone Brown Ale of Lincswolds |
LR D |
Richard King |
| 3rd Open |
Roughton Raffles |
LR D |
David Wheatcroft |
| 4th Open |
Copperbirch Ross |
LR D |
Lee Hayman |
| 1st Novice |
Miss Lady May |
LR B |
John Lepla** |
| 2nd Novice |
Garronpoint Avoca |
LR B |
Annette Clarke |
| 3rd Novice |
Brunbois Fleur |
LR B |
Clive Gibbons |
| 4th Novice |
CherryB Lady |
LR B |
Penny Mariner |
*awarded the Gibson Shield
**awarded the 'Remembering Jim Cochrane' Shield