Foremark Hall, Milton, Derbyshire
10th January 2011
Monday 10th Jan, was the last of the URC Field Trials for season 2010/2011, the stake was provided by the kind permission of the Foremark Shooting Syndicate.
The Judges for the day were Mr. Steve Crookes (A Panel) Mr. David Probert
(B Panel) and Miss Sarah Jaggard & Mr. Tim Brain (Non Panels).
Chief Steward was Mr. Graham Stanley,
Steward of the Beat was Mr. Neil Gee
It was a very special day for the Graham Searle who is retiring from the position of FT Secretary after 12 years of excellent service, he has decided to take a break from the admin duties of the largest gundog club in the UK.
The competitors drawn on the running card came from all over England, some travelling in excess of 4 hours for a 9am start. The field trial attracted some of the best gundogs handlers in the uk, along with both John & Sandra Halsted most famous for the Drakeshead Kennel and Mr. John Stubbs HM Queens Keeper at Windsor.
January field trials see top handlers giving opportunity to their young dogs after having competed in the retriever championships and open qualifiers.
After the usual introductions the field trial started with a drive with all the gundogs inline split equally between the judges Mr. S Crookes & Miss S Jaggard on the left and Mr. D Probert & Mr. T Brain on the right.
Despite the drive producing several birds, they unfortunately decided not to come over the guns and judges had approx 3 retrieves to use.
Mr. R Stone Number 3 was sent on the left for a bird and did not make the area, he was eventually called up. Mr. J Halsted Number 4 picked the bird quickly, his dog was not deterred by the head wind.
Mrs. A Buckley Number 1 and Miss C Wood Number 2 successfully pick their birds on the right.
The field trial proceeded with a walk up with Mr. J Barnes Number 5 & Mr. T Lowe Number 6 on the left and Mr A Hewer Number 7 & Mr. J Stubbs Number 8 on the right.
Number 5 was sent for a runner, when the bird reached the wood, after making a good attempt he was called up and Number 6 was sent, who found the runner. This eleminated number 5. Number 6 would probably have been credited with a good eye wipe on a runner.
On the right hand side Number 7 after picking his first bird was believed to have eye wiped Mr. J Stubbs Number 8 on his first retrieve.
Number 9 was sent to the right and number 10 to the left, who were subsequently joined by Number 11 on the right and Number 12 on the left.
After a considerable wait the line started to move forward and Mr. S North Number 10 was asked to pick a wounded bird on the edge on the wood, which look like it was going to run!
Number 10 was then sent to right ready for the second round, Mrs. S Halsted Number 13 had just failed to pick a bird which landed in some hay bales, which was very unfortunate "it was like a maze".
The walk up continued in the wood with dogs numbers 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 14 completing 2 retrieves. Mr. J Halsted Number 4 failed on a runner and eliminated as a first dog failure. 9? Numbers 11 & 12 were eye wiped by the judges, the dogs could not locate a bird which had fell into a ditch.
The Third round started with another drive numbers 1, 6, 7, 10, & 14 Number 2 had been dropped after the 2nd round and number 14 still needed to complete the 2nd round.
On completion of the drive, Mrs. S Morewood Number 14 was sent for a partridge and picked the wrong bird.
Number 1 was sent for the partridge under some laurels, a difficult bird considering the dog had mark other birds. the handler Mrs. A Buckley got her dog to hold the area very well and picked the partridge.
Numbers 6 & 7 were sent for pheasants on the top of bank, close to where they sat in the drive, both birds were close to each other, which did not present a problem to Number 6. Number 7 pick the remaining pheasant. Number 10 was asked to pick a partridge out in the field from the wood.
At this stage the 4 remaining dogs had picked 4 retrieves and the judges decided they needed more birds!
The Keeper arrange another drive and the dogs were position such that they could have a long retrieve into the wind!
The drive only produced 4 birds, numbers 1,6 & 7 were sent for pheasants into wind on open ground, number 1 could see her retrieve, numbers 6 & 7 were just out of sight but close together. Number 10 did not have the advantage of a mark retrieve but picked a unseen partridge at some distance into wind after some handling.
Results
1st Websend Zeta
(6yr old Black lab Bitch) handled by Mr. Tom Lowe
2nd Dolesfarm Skye of Scovellsway
(4yr old Black Lab Dog) handled by Mrs. Annie Buckley
3rd Delfleet Cedar of Lundhill
(7yr old Red Fox Lab Bitch) handled by Mr. Arthur Hewer
4th Russlayne Bracken of Northglen
(2yr old Black Lab Bitch) handled by Mr. Stewart North
Guns Choice was present to Mr. T Lowe
Best Yellow was presented to Mr. A Hewer.
More Photo's
The writer is not always in position to see all the retrieves and offers opinions on the successes and failures of dog seen in the field, which will sometimes be different from the views of the judges, who are best placed and have their own views and opinions.
No comments:
Post a Comment