Results of our Retriever Open Working Test

The Wiltshire Working Gundog Society held its Open working AV Retriever Test on Sunday 29th March near Calne. A fabulous new ground. Big thanks go to the land owner Mr David Shepherd - feedback from the competitors was wow! Thank you also to our sponsors for the day Gamekeepers Goods, providing prizes for our 1st-3rd placings and gifts for our helpers.

Our judges on the day were Jayne Coley, Nigel Probert, Shane King and Olivia Cresswell. They set four tests, making full use of what the ground had to offer. Thank you judges - the tests ran smoothly and gave the dog opportunities for marks and blinds.

Test 1: Two marks, up a layered bank.

Test 2: Two blinds

Test 3: Walk-up, with a blind and a long mark.

Test 4: A mark, followed by a blind further back and to the left.

The tests in detail:

Test 1, judge Olivia Cresswell was a double mark from the bottom of the valley. First mark thrown with shot up onto top plateau of the opposite hill landing in a 12 o’clock position to the competitor, up behind the dummy thrower.

Second mark, again with shot thrown from halfway up the same hill at a 9 o’clock position from the dog/ handler.

Both marks were not easy to spot with the hill as a background.

Test 2 was judged by Nigel Probert.

Dogs were sent from the base of the hill for two blinds with no shot. First blind was straight up a fairly steep hill towards a clump of hazel, as long as the you could get the dog to the area the dummy was winded well. There was a low hanging tree hindering visibility. Second blind was at a 2 o’clock angle across the bottom of the slope. This was tricky due to an inviting track along the base of the slope and lots of scent from rabbits and game birds.

Test 3, judged by Shane King was a two dog test.

Both dogs walked a short way along the valley floor, shot fired and dummy thrown about 250 yards out in front in the valley floor. The lower numbered dog on the right was the sent for a blind placed near to some small trees on the left hand side of the valley. There were three blinds on the bank. The handler had to be very precise as other dummies were out around trees further along the hill. The second dog was then sent for the delayed mark. A second lot of heelwork and then another dummy was thrown with shot in a similar area to the first. It was then the lower numbered dog that was sent for the blind placed along the side of the hill around the small trees.

Test 4 judged by Jane Coley was in a very open spot on top of the hill. A mark was thrown with two shots out from the left to land in cover crop to the right, the dog was sent for the mark that had landed about a 2 o’clock angle from the dog and handler. The dog was then sent at a 12 o’clock angle along the edge of the cover to a blind placed on the edge of a track against the bank (that did not help winding). The very cold strong wind was directly

into the dogs face. This test proved to be the undoing of many, the lure of the cover proved very strong and facing the wind on a long distance blind was tricky for some.

The wonderful ground provided challenging and technical retrieves, thank you to Mr David Shepherd for kindly letting us used his land.

We also had, as always, lots of fabulous, willing and happy helpers. Thank you to Howard Feltham, Emma Miller, Grant Smith, Jane Fenning, Kelvin Selway, Lesley Altoft, Michael Ransom, Rachel James, Sheena Harper, Steve Langdon, Mike Vesey, Gareth and Tom. I hope you all enjoyed your game keeper goods gifts and the Lindt Easter Bunny.

Now onto the results

1st place: Meridenred Devils Desire handled by Jos Evans

2nd place: Corrib Jameson Of Aberglen handled by David Thomas

3rd place: Esme Echo handled by Lee Dunn

4th place: Jocifers Storm handled by Tim Pain

CoM: Bucksbrow Barnage Colorado handled by Elizabeth (Sid) Davis

CoM: Mearleybeck Guelder Rose Of Scoteleia handled by Mark Witham