Judges and Novice award winners in front of the Alpha banner
The Novice Test was held on 29th June 2014 at Haughton Warren, Nottinghamshire by kind permission of Mr T Banks & Mr R Inger. And the Bevercotes Park Shoot. The judges were Paul Birkbeck, June Brocklesby, Deoff Dobb and Mandy Minshall. The prizes were sponsored by Alpha The Food of Champions.
The 26 dogs entered faced tests simulating work on the shoot. In the morning Paul Birkbeck judged a double mark in the rough grass of Pondhole drive. Nearby June Brocklesby judged a mark in long grass, followed by a blind next to a hedgeline. After lunch Geoff Dobb judged in Fishpond Wood. Two shots saluted a blind on a narrow path, and a mark on an adjacent pond. With the blind required first, the memory retrieve on the water proved too tempting for several. Meanwhile June Brocklesby judged a blind in a set-aside strip alongside the wood. A broad belt of cover crop was the setting for a walk-up judged by Paul Birkbeck and Mandy Minshall. Four dogs were in the walk-up, during which each had a forward mark and a back mark. As in the morning accurate marking and a good nose was needed to succeed in rank cover.
Various difficulties had been overcome by the five dogs in the awards, with run-offs required to decide the placings. The awards were announced by Chief Steward Steve Crookes in front of the Alpha banner.
1. Pebbletoft Pepper GR D Phil Wagland
2. Mistybrook Maive of Moscargrange GR B S&AM Crookes (H=Anne Crookes
3. Gortons Roaring Thunder GR D Alan Richardson
4. Greenbriar Conder at Annsfarm LR B A.Beal (H=George Longden)
CoM: Lowforge Di Canio LR D Audrey Ellis