The Atterby training day is always special as water training is included using the large reservoir, which has a gentle slope at one end for puppies and also steeper banks to test the older and more experienced dogs. We thank Mr W Margrave and his keeper for allowing us to use the ground.
handlers and their dogs enjoyed the training in the morning with Sue Lowe (puppies), Vicki Strawson (novice 1), Mike Birchall (novice 2) and Ray Newell (open).
After a picnic lunch, there was the informal match:
Test 1 The puppies had a mark followed by a short blind, picking a white dummy. Novice 1 dogs had a mark onto the edge of the cover crop, followed by a blind along the side of a wood. Novice 2 and Open dogs had their dummies at greater distances and picked the blind first.
Test 2 was at the reservoir.
Test 3 was a mark, followed by a blind in the same place along a track. The more experience the dog, the greater the distance. There was a shot for the mark for all but the puppies.
Test 4 was a two dog walk up. For the Puppies, it was a mark in front for the first dog. The dogs turned round for a mark behind for the second dog. This was then repeated after the dogs had changed places. For the other three classes, it was a mark to the right with shot for the first dog. After walking on, the second dog had a mark to the left without shot. The dogs swopped places and this was repeated. Again distances were greater the more experienced the dog.
Results:
Puppy
1st David Middleton with Elsa
2nd Anne Crookes with Copper
3rd John Spencer with Monty
Novice 2
1st Jean Cochrane with Bailey
2nd S. Wilkinson with Tess
3rd Barry Wilkinson with Bailey
Open
1st Doreen Spencer with Jasper
2nd David Middleton with Pixie
3rd S Wilkinson with Leo
There were four Novice 1 dogs, but, unfortunately, all of them had a zero.