Show results: March 2011:
Myrtle wins first price at HPRBA Test of Work – 1 August 2010. Novice The HPRBA Test of Work was held at Chase Cliffe, Crich, Derbyshire, by kind permission of Mrs. Sheila and Mr Gary Cunningham. This was a lovely venue with stunning scenery and a lovely relaxed atmosphere seemed to prevail all through the day. The weather was excellent for working dogs- being neither too hot nor too cold but warm with cloud cover some of the time and bursts of pleasant sunshine at others. As a suitable water site was not available on the day, the novice test consisted of three retrieving tests held over land and a hunting test. The first retrieving test was a seen dummy thrown into a fenced pen with an open gateway. This required the dog to cross an area of grassland first before reaching the pen - the gateway not being in a direct line with the fallen dummy. Nearly all the dogs were steady and waited to be sent. Most dogs coped with this very well - a few veering off along the fence line before being re-directed along the fence to the gateway, before searching for the dummy in quite long overgrowth of vegetation. The second test was a blind retrieve, requiring the dog to be sent into a gentle headwind, diagonally across shortish grassland almost to a corner of the field, with the dummy being placed in long grass just off the area of short grass. This test started to sort out the dogs' and handlers' skills with several dogs refusing to be sent out any distance. Those which did run out well, mostly found the dummy quite quickly as the wind was helping them. The third test was a seen retrieve, preceded by a shot, over a low wall - the dummy being thrown only a short distance into the field beyond. Most dogs found this quite easy - a few, however, marked short and searched the near side of the wall first. Most of the latter were eventually handled over the wall to achieve success. Finally, we had the hunting test. This was carried out on a piece of headland consisting of white grass, thistles, brambles and other assorted vegetation, running downhill mostly into a headwind, occasionally veering into a cheek wind. It has to be said, that most of the dogs did not perform well on this piece of land - many of them were far more interested in the obviously very distracting aromas left by previous dogs and also, many not relishing the thistlely bits! It was interesting to note that the three Weimaraners who ultimately gained the top three places, appeared to be quite impervious to the thistles! The winner of the class was a really excellent hunt, point, retriever in every respect, totally steady and focused at all times and her handler was quiet, unobtrusive and possessed a very obvious rapport with her dog. (MYRTLE.) Handling generally was very good throughout the class. Most of the dogs showed promise and with further appropriate training should fulfil their promise. Judge - Elisabeth Upton
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