Open Cold Game Working Test on Sunday 20 September 2015 at Fenhouses, Swineshead.
It was good to come back this year to Swineshead, the traditional home of our Open Cold Game Test, and we thank Mr G Laird for the opportunity. We also very much appreciate Skinners Pet Foods sponsorship of the event.
That everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day is, in no small part, due to our Chief Steward, Sue Lowe, who provided an interesting variety of retrieves to keep handlers and dogs on their toes and give our excellent judges, Geoff Dobb and Craig Horwill, the opportunity to see what the dogs and handlers could do.
The test was run like a trial. The first round was a set of random retrieves in sugar beet. Two birds, saluted by shots, were thrown out at a time, some in front, and some behind. The second round was a single retrieve crossing the line with the next bird thrown whilst the first dog was returning.
Eight dogs went through to the afternoon. The dogs were lined up in the stubble field for a drive from about 100 yards away. Two rabbits had already been placed at each of four different areas to the left. These were out of the stubble field and over the track. Two stations were on the bank of the dyke and two were over the dyke and about 10 yards into the sugar beet. The first four dogs were sent in turn for a rabbit from one of the four stations and then a bird from the drive. The remaining four dogs repeated the exercise. Finally, the judges took three dogs through for a run off: a very long retrieve over the stubble field, over the dyke and about 25 yards into the sugar beet.
Results:
1st Leacaz Lapwing of Lincswolds Lab D handled by Richard King*
2nd FTCh Nevillebriar Golden Plover Lab D handled by Andy Slingsby**
3rd Roughton Raffles Lab D handled by David Wheatcroft
CoM Delfleet Star Shine Lab B handled by Doreen Spencer
CoM Becorousgem Boswell Lab D handled by Daryl Boarder***
CoM Serrara Adalhi Cahira Lab D handled by John Iacono
CoM Keyholme Farm SeaLavender Lab B handled by David Toombs****
*awarded the Ferndown Shield
**awarded the Sweep Parker Memorial Shield for the highest placed Lincs Area member other then the winner.
***awarded the Springflight Trophy for the best looking yellow Labrador at the Cold Game Test
****awarded the Lintran Challenge Trophy for the best retrieve of the day.