Our Puppy, Veteran and Junior Handler Tests were held at Nocton, by kind permission of Mr and Mrs R Howard on a day of sunshine and showers. Carol Probert and Paul Goddard were our judges and Sue Lowe was Chief Steward.
All the dogs were put through four tests, graduated for the different competitions.
Test 1
Special Puppy: the dog walked to heel, then a mark was thrown in front, retrieved by the dog. This was repeated, but the handler picked the dummy.
Puppy: was a two dog walk up. A mark was thrown in front, picked by the right hand dog. This was repeated and the dummy was retrieved by the left hand dog. Crossing retrieves for each dog followed.
Veteran and Junior Hander: was a two dog walk up. Dummies were thrown left and right and the right dog picked left dummy and left dog picked right dummy. The dogs changed sides and the exercise was repeated.
Test 2
Special puppy: A mark was thrown in front near a tram line in the short crop. As the dog returned, a white dummy was placed upright on the tram line for the dog to pick.
Puppy: was a mark in the valley followed by a dummy in same place.
Veteran and Junior Handler: was the same as for the puppies except that the distance was greater.
Test 3
The dogs were positioned on the corner of the bank (covered with short grass) around the reservoir.
Special Puppy: was a mark thrown on the left track. After the dog had retrieved this dummy, another was thrown onto the right track for the dog to pick.
Puppy: was a double mark, last one down picked first.
Veteran and Junior Handler: was a double mark (at a greater distance than for the puppies), the first one down to be picked first.
Test 4 was on the other side of the reservoir.
Special Puppy: was a short mark thrown into the water.
Puppy: was a mark on the grass and a mark on the water, the water retrieve was picked first.
Veteran and Junior Handler: was a mark thrown into the water, picked after a long blind on the grass track.
A run off was needed for 2nd and 3rd places in the puppy test. This was a blind in cover up a narrow track.
Results
Junior Handler
1st Robbie Slingsby* handling Hanrebor Blackcap
2nd Summer Slingsby handling Levenghyl Hooker
3rd Ellie Templeman handling Evashards Ruby
*awarded the Marayong Trophy for Junior Handler
Special Puppy
1st Agricolarris Luna LBR B handled by Bob Hogg**
2nd Evashards Cock of the Walk LBR D handled by James Waumsley
3rd Evashards Fortis Excalibur LBR D handled by David Robinson
**awarded the Fleetbank Shield
Puppy
1st Berrylaw Aberfeldy LBR D handled by Charlie Albone***
2nd Tildaross Byron LBR D handled by Chris Johnson
3rd Eiderbay Fastnet LBR B handled by Mr S Burns
4th Tildaross Brindle of Owmbywold LBR D handled by Mike Birchall
CoM Wellbray Wisdom LBR B handled by Debbie Yates
*** awarded the Melnola Shield
Veteran
1st Solgate Lottie of Bellspaddle LBR B handled by Emily Bristow****
2nd Welbeck Amber LBR B handled by Alison Cook
3rd Austerby Nutmeg LBR B handled by Vicki Strawson
****awarded the Winston Shield
