Report on the Novice Dog/Novice Handler Working Test at Mavis Enderby on Saturday 26 March 2016

Yes, it was windy and cold, but it couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of twenty novice handlers who had a great day at Mavis Enderby, by kind permission of Mr R Avery. We also thank BASC for sponsoring the event and our judges: Sue Lowe, Martin Eveleigh and Andy Slingsby.

There were three tests initially:

Test 1 was a double mark with shot. The dummies fell into heavy cover of long white grass. The dogs had to pick the last one down first.

Test 2 was a mark into trees across rough grass, the dummy falling in short grass followed by another thrown in the same place as the dog was returning.

Test 3 was a mark and a blind. The mark, saluted by a shot, was along a grass track. After the dummy landed, the dogs had to turn towards a small spinney where a white post showed the area of the blind. This had to be picked first, and then the mark was retrieved.

The judges took seven dogs through the cut for three more tests.

Test 4 saw all seven dogs successfully sitting together for a heavy drive.

Test 5 was a long picking up exercise across drilling into heavy cover to collect two of four dummies that were placed out between two posts.

Test 6 was a two dog walk up in rough grass and drilling. The right hand dog picked off the drilling, the left was then sent for a memory in the rough grass. The dogs swapped over and the exercise was repeated. We lost 3 dogs in the walk up due to eliminating faults to leave the four placed dogs, receiving our 40^th anniversary keepsake trophies.

Results:

1^st Ettinsmoor Bee Balm LDR B handled by Rachel Booth*

2^nd Mill Coe Girl LDR B handled by Emma Benfield

3^rd Pollygina Edith Sparkie LDR B handled by Polly Thomas

4^th Brackenwood Willow Star at Ridsome LDR B handled by Caroline Pont.

*awarded the Lincolnshire Area Novice Dog/Novice Handler Shield and a game bag kindly donated by BASC