The track takes us to the top of the hill and we look down into the valley with its lakes, woods and grassland. It is a compact site, but with potential to set a great variety of tests. We thank Mr R Avery for allowing us to run our test in this lovely setting.
This was the second year that we had run the novice dog/novice handler test (kindly sponsored by Mr W Hales) and we were pleased to have twenty-one entries for Sue Lowe, Martin Eveleigh and Andy Slingsby to judge.
Test 1 was an 80 yard mark and then a blind, both heralded with a shot in the steepest part of the valley.
Test 2 was in a small copse of young trees. There was a shot and mark. Once the dog had gone through the trees to collect this, another shot was fired towards a blind to the right. Although the distances were not great, the wind was blustery in the wood and many of the dogs found it difficult to scent the dummies.
Test 3 was a mark thrown into one of the lakes. This was followed by a blind about forty yards along the bank, designed to find out if the lure of the water was just too great to be ignored.
After lunch, the judges took twelve dogs through to a two dog walk up. This was on a stretch of grassland between a wood and a lake. There was a mark in front towards the lake, but the right hand dog had to retrieve a blind behind fairly close to the wood before the left hand dog collected the mark. The handlers and dogs changed places and the test was repeated.
Finally there was a run off for first place. This was a 100 yard mark into trees. The dogs had to run down the grassy valley side before going into the wood.
Results:
1st Arkholme Skylark G Ret handled by Nessa Thompson
2nd Welbeck Amber LDR B handled by Alison Cook
3rd Brackenwood Willow Star at Ridsome LDR D handled by Caroline Pont
4th Kelmagra Ace of Owmbywold LDR D handled by Mike Birchall
CoM Donascimento Peres FCR D handled by Theresa Jonsen
CoM Laurinco Red Diva LDR B handled by Stephanie McBride
CoM Willow Jay Horseshoe LDR B handled by Bill Emms