Judges Report on All Aged Field Trial: Over Whitacre, Warwickshire
By kind permission of Mr Steve Chetwynd
Judges Mr Godfrey Card and Mrs Penny Simpson.
Weather Conditions: A cold
clear morning with a heavy overnight frost. A gentle breeze blew from the
south west which became stronger during the day.
Scenting conditions:
Poor to start with but improving towards the middle of the day
Ground and Game: The
field boundaries varied between wide shallow gullies and steeper sided
gullies with good cover . A wood with a good ground holding bottom made an
ideal area for a second round. The water was onto an island in the centre of
a man made fishing lake
General Handling:
Generally the handling was that befitting an All Aged Trial.
1st Aldom Red Grouse. HV Owned and Handled
by Nigel Dear
The dogs first hunting ground was in a well covered gully
with a cheek wind across it where the dog hunted with style and purpose to
produce two birds. The second was shot off the point to which the dog was
steady. Both birds were retrieved from the field to hand. This dog set the
standard for the day. The dogs second round started with a blind retrieve
beside game crop which he ignored to bring the retrieve to hand. He then
hunted in the wood where again the dog set off with drive and quickly came
on point on brambles. On command the dog went in and returned with a hen
bird that on examination had shot damage .
Water : Good
2nd Ch/Dutch Ch. Freddy von Kapellenhof at
Bareve. GWP Owned by Mrs B and Miss S Pinkerton, Handled by Sharon
Pinkerton
This dog
was called up to make a blind retrieve on a bird that had come down in game
crop along side the wood this was returned to hand with out difficulty. The
dogs first run was in the wood where the dog hunted with style and purpose
and came on point in thick undergrowth surrounding a fallen tree. On
request the dog produced a bird and indicated another. The dog went on to
point 3 birds on the same area none of which were shot . The dog was
steady. The second hunt was in the wood but no game was produced.
Water:
Good
3rd
Daxpack Best Mate. HV Owned by Sara Barnard, Handled by Ped Barnard.
The dog
was first to run in a well covered gully , there was a lot of ground scent
which the dog came to terms with acknowledging game away but unable to
achieve a point. In his second round he was called upon to take a blind
retrieve through a fence and from a pond where the bird had fallen. He
ignored the pull of the game crop to make a successful retrieve to hand. He
then hunted the wood with drive coming on a firm point. The produced bird
was not shot.
Water:
Good
C.o.M.
Abbotsbourne Shooting Star over Stoney Covert. GWP Owned by Mr and Mrs C
Chamber. Handled by David Chambers
This dog
hunted the ditch on a cheek wind with drive and enthusiasm flash pointing
and producing a bird to which he was steady.. He made a successful
retrieve to hand. The second run was in the wood where he pointed and
produced a bird and made a good retrieve.
Water:
Good
C.o.M.
Deepthatch Nouvelle Lea. GSP. Owned by Ruby Field, Handled by Jim Field.
This bitch
started her run being asked to make 2 blind retrieves, the first a difficult
retrieve from the base of a tree overhanging the stream. The second the
handler had to handle her from across the fence and achieved it with out a
problem Her run was on a back wind on a wider steep sided gully
with some ground cover but although she covered the ground she was unable to
make a find. Her second run in the wood where she hunted well to point and
produced a bird. A successful retrieve was made.
Water:
Good
C.of.M
Bareve Bourbonville. GWP. Ownerd/Handled by Andy Watts.
This young
bitches first run was on a deep gulley with a steep sided, well covered drop
to a stream and a shallow slope on the opposite bank. The bitch was one of
a few to cross the stream in its endeavour to cover all the ground. She
communicated well with her handler but was unable to find game on her
first round. Her second round found her in the wood where she handled the
ground confidently for such a young dog.and pointed and produced a bird
which was not shot. The bitch was asked to make a blind retrieve from maize
which following a poor mark the bitch worked to find the bird.
Water:
Good
Show
Gundog Working Certificate: Sh Ch Adinas Mughetton. It Spin. Owned by J K
Patchett, handled by Rory Major.
This
bitch’s run was in the wood where she hunted with drive and style and
quickly came on point. On command the dog flushed and was steady and the
bird brought down in a pony field. The bitch made a successful retrieve of
the pheasant to hand.
Water: A
successful water retrieve was achieved followed by a round of applause from
the competitors.
This dog was also awarded the
guns award.
Thanks to
Dukeries (Notts) Gundog Club for inviting Godfrey and myself to Judge this
Trial, to Steve Chetwyn for inviting us to use his superb ground and
providing us with quality birds in just the right place and quantity and to
the guns for giving some quality retrieves . Our thanks to Janet Chambers
for acting as red flag and also to Di Arrowsmith the Field Trial Secretary
and also Chief Steward without whom the trial would not have happened, and
to all the competitors for their good sportsmanship and camaraderie.
