Contents

All photos by Penny Simpson

Judge: Graham Nixon

Karen with Judge, Graham Nixon

Steve and Paul A [gun]

Dukeries [Notts] Gundog Club
All Aged Stake - Over Whitacre Warwickshire - 4th January 2011 -  By Kind Permission of Mr S Chetwynd & Mr L Wilks
Judges: Mr Graham Nixon & Mrs Christine Carpenter

L -R:  2 shots of the gallery; Larry Wilks with Judge Christine Carpenter; Judge Graham Nixon

Weather Conditions:  Zero temperatures had been experienced for some days before the trial. Frosty start and some light snow, overcast with a light breeze, becoming brighter later.

Scenting Conditions:  Good

Type of Ground and Species of Game:  Steep sided stream with wide bramble and wooded areas, hedgerows with narrow game strip, and open woodland. Teal, Woodcock, Pheasant, Partridge,

General Standard of Work and Handling:  I was delighted with the handling and the standard of the dogs at this All Aged Trial.  Most dogs hunted well given that the prevailing wind on the day and the progress of the trial meant nobody had the benefit of a head wind. 

Judges Critique

2^nd Place:  Kimmax Kiss My Brass [GWP d] Handled by Paul Gardiner
This dog's first run was with a back wind, along a stream with a deep-sided wooded and bramble bank. As the dog worked, a hen bird lifted forward and was shot on the far bank into a thicket.  The handler and dog were brought across the stream to make the unsighted retrieve of some 40 yards.  The bird was recovered alive and brought tenderly to hand.  The dog was taken back across the stream and worked on eventually indicating into very thick bramble which it faced admirably.  A flush of some 12 birds took place and one was shot forward into more brambles. The dog was steady and made the retrieve with ease.  His second run was in open woodland with a side wind and good staunch point followed, flushed on command and was steady.  The bird was shot lightly and flew on too far for a retrieve to be possible. 

4^th Place: Bedeslea Tiger By The Tail IS d. handled by Rory Major
The first run of the day this dog’s run was in a wide tree-lined hedge with a small gully and a cross wind. He quickly came onto a cock bird which he pointed and flushed and which was shot.  It was possibly going to run so he was put onto the bird quickly and the retrieve was accomplished and brought tenderly to hand. On the keeper’s advice we began the second run in a small plantation which proved unproductive.  We then moved on to the open woodland.  The dog covered the ground well.  A bird flushed downwind of the dog and was shot well outside the wood to make the retrieve.  The dog had a further point, the flush was made, the bird shot, the retrieve on this wounded bird came tenderly to hand.

CoM:Sigourney Teasel handled GSP b. handled by Mark Firmin
This dog also had the ravine with thick bramble; she pulled forward a few times and came on point.  She went down around the bush and pulled into the thick bramble which she faced well and produced a hen bird which was shot; she made a competent retrieve and brought it tenderly to hand.  Before her second run she was brought in to pick a previously shot bird in a white grass area which contained a few overgrown earth mounds.  She made the retrieve on the cock bird efficiently eyewiping the previous competitor.  We continued the run at the top of the open wood which had a low, very sparse bramble cover, where she had a back wind.  The dog took a large bite and a bird lifted from ground not yet covered by the dog.  There were no further birds on her beat.

CoM: Lincolnshire Poacher GSP d. handled by Andrew Foster
This dog started with a cross wind coming through a tricky piece of hedge with a deep ditch and a white grass strip to one side.  The dog pulled on up the hedge and came on point briefly as the bird lifted.  This was lightly hit and the dog was steady to shot. By the time the handler crossed over to the field the bird a very strong runner had gone some 120yards down the hill back into the hedge.  The dog picked up a line to no avail and after some time it was decided to bring the picking up dog in.  When brought into line again the dog made two good retrieves in an open white grass area on live birds, one of which gave him the run around.  But he made the capture and both birds were brought tenderly to hand.

All awards subject to Water Certificates issued due to frozen water.

Guns award to: Tony Betambeau’s GSP.b. Fleetapple Toulouse.

I would like to thank the Dukeries for the appointment, our hosts and guns for their excellent shooting and our Steward of the Beat Steve for his patience. To Di Arrowsmith, our Chief Steward, and also my co-Judge who enlightened me with his pearls of wisdom.

Judge: Christine Carpenter

Chris, Di Arrowsmith, Larry Wilks, Steve Chetwynd