BEGINNERS RETRIEVING TRIAL 4th May 2008

The Retrieving Committee was delighted to have secured Wayne Phelps as the Judge,
who put on three very good runs for this level. The Committee was also pleased with the
entry - ten was a good number of dogs.

First Run: The rabbit run of about 65 metres was a good challenge for the handler – first to position the dog in the right place to obtain good sight of the rabbit when popped from the thrower. The firing point pegs were placed between a couple of bushes, some dogs broke on the firing of the gun, and this complicated the retrieve.

Second Run: Next up was the quail run The judge wisely used the natural terrain to provide a good quail run of about 70 metres. The clay thrower was about 35 metres (well concealed) slightly to the right and in front of the handler and dog, and the “quail” was thrown into fairly thick cover. Dogs that broke paid the price by not accurately marking the fall.

Third Run: The final run was the duck run. This was a good natural shooting run of about 60 metres. The dog was positioned on the bank amongst big trees, and about 30 metres along the bank on the same side a duck was cast In flight it appeared to be flying through the trees, the dogs would have been impressed with the shooting of all handlers to hit the bird, which, when it fell, gave a large splash falling in a little bit of surface cover on the water. The dog had the challenge to show good perseverance to retrieve the bird.

Everyone was pleased with the runs and good gun dog work was shown at this level of development as retrieving gun dogs.

Placings: Winner: Tim Cloke – Kumile Crackshot
Second: Gary Bristow – Woldjaeger Birthday Girl
Third: Bill Allen – Windkael Rusticana

Congratulations to all three place getters:
Bill who is rekindling his interest in retrieving trials.
Gary who knows the meaning of devotion and loyalty as his dog had been struggling with some health issues.
And of course, Tim, the club’s youngest trialer who showed everyone the way to do it, and is the future of our club and sport.

Knuckles nails it

Judge: Wayne Phelps on the job

Brittany looking good