2024 NOVICE WORKING TEST (AV) RETRIEVERS

We held our Novice Gundog Working Test (AV) Retrievers at Landsmill, Uplowman on 23 June at the kind invitation of Mr James Bosley. James has been a great supporter of the club and yet again his ground gave us a great opportunity to set some interesting test. Grateful thanks to Skinners for sponsoring this event.

We had a fantastic entry of 37 novices (10 withdrawls).  Geraldine Davis kindly accepted my plea for a fourth judge and joined Steve Ashby, Nick Coates and Karen Handley. They did a great job, provided feedback to some of our newer competitors and were very supportive of me as this was my first working test as secretary.  Thank you so much to all of you.

We had a brilliant team of helpers stewarding and dummy throwing – thank you to Rachel Waldron, Anne Brightwell, Roberta Harvey, Sue Turner, Ed Brown, Emma Champion, Julia Birchall-Mann, Ian Barr, and Jim Short. Thank you to our wonderful reception team Rosemary Price, Jo Fergie, Jean Dibble, Jane Bosley, who also multi tasked with raffle organising, refreshments and shop duties. An extra huge thank you to Jo Fergie for providing me with great advice during the day and for skillfully collating and recording the scores. Our chairman, Graham Dibble as usual was a great support helping wherever help was needed – thank you!

I’d like to take this opportunity for a special mention for Gordon Hewitt. Gordon has been a great support, helping setting and preparing the tests, and providing advice. I’m very grateful for your help. Gordon couldn’t be with us for the actual test as he had a very special birthday to celebrate, happy 80^th birthday Gordon and thank you.

The great scope of the ground allowed us to start with four tests of single retrieves, mark, memory or blind. Followed by a four dog walk up and a four dog mock drive, providing handlers and dogs with lots of opportunity to test their skills.

Results:

1^st      Adrian Moodie’s lab – Idawood Logo

2^nd     Jess Latham’s lab – Zennawood Viva Vera

3^rd      Jackie Davis’s lab – Wauniago Garth Edwards

4^th      Tom Cantwell’s lab – Lynedance Belladonna

COM  Louise Latham’s lab – Zennawood Olive

           Sally Ashby’s lab – Trentinney Shotgun

            Mervyn Newnes lab – Wickmoor Mystique

Congratulations to all the award winners and thank you to all competitors for the wonderful atmosphere on the day.