We were forecast rain and snow later - but in the end we had a bright sunny windy day.
I entered this a long time back and meant to withdraw after our efforts at Mordiford - where himself ran in and after his bird. A quick end to a four hour drive and a four hour walk around saturated fields! Anyway the draw came and we were fifth reserve so the decision was made for me - until Wednesday when a phone call said there was a run available would I like to take it. All that resolve to have a rest went in a fraction of a second.
With only a couple of days notice I had no time to 'prepare' only one trip to a local wood for some hunting and retrieving, and a blast across winter wheat to sharpen up his pattern.
The first run was along a hedge and in a small cover strip. We were running 5th and it was obvious, it being Feb 1st the birds were not sitting around politely awaiting the visit of an HPR. Topaz worked the hedge fast and nailed a bird, it was flushed and he SAT. worked on he got a little too far ahead and we were called back to work the cover crop; his guardian angel had her eye out for him as he came back down a wheeling and then spun on point, the bird flushing very soon after - he did not move save to sit and look to see if he could see the bird away. no retrieves. We were still in by the skin of our teeth His drive and that he produced the birds outweighed his poor in places ground treatment.
Second run - in a piece of waste ground with a very strong tail wind. i suggested to the judge I would start down the leeward corner - but he said the host did not want the ground worked to the boundary behind us so I cast him off differently. He initially ignored the whistle (something he is prone to do when in competitions) and ran off to the end of the patch and started working there. I felt it best to keep quiet - my best move as the dog then worked up to us into the wind. A few more bits of ground - the dog now much sharper on the whistle - so it is more obvious he was under control. Again through by the skin of our teeth - his drive, speed and determination outweighing his distant working. The judge said I would have been better 'starting the dog down into the far corner' - I said I thought that is the question I had asked - he thought I had said I had wanted to go down there to work the dog back myself. Nice to have clarified that.
So we just needed some retrieves. Luck again held out as our first was about 40 feet across woodland to a hedge for a dead hen. This was a hard close hit bird with a shattered rib cage and broken legs. We were given the benefit of any doubt (he had done a lot of 'arranging' as he picked it up. We still needed another retrieve - and fortunately there were two birds down at the end of the wood - in front of the gallery. One in open grass and the other in the wood behind a wood pile - they thought. We were given the woodpile bird. Concerned he might wish to go hunting in any direction but the right one I used the little anticlockwise reverse (turn on the spot with the dog at heel so it has to focus on me) and set him up. He exploded towards the gap behind the woodpile - about 50 yards away, running as if there was a line on the ground to follow (bear in mind there was a cheek wind) at the same moment I blew the stop (as I wanted to then give the 'hunt there') he spun on scent ran in and picked the bird up, by the shoulder and brought it back. Penny Simpson was there taking photos so I have something to really remember that by.
We made the water. Topaz does water.
3rd Nick Lamberts HV b Archenfield Wigeon
CoM Guy Bagshaw Britt d Tailliside Water Chestnut of Tresallier
Judges John Naylor, Ray Butler.
I have to admit I was in a daze, the retrieve had made my day but not until I was about half an hour away did the result really hit me. The warmth and sincerity of all the competitors congratulations was phenomenal - and very humbling.
It was nice to see two Brittanys running - Mick Young on his first FT; was unlucky to have a difficult piece of ground for his second run - very wide and with a strong tail wind. Ruby worked a good solid performance, responsive to Mick; her style gives her a nice tight pattern so Mick chose to work the last quarter of the field - I think before coming back to work the other. In hindsight if the guns and judges had stayed still-- - a bird was kicked up from ground he had not worked so he was out for missed game.
That was our first Certificate of Merit - ever! a really nice way to end the season.
I entered this a long time back and meant to withdraw after our efforts at Mordiford - where himself ran in and after his bird. A quick end to a four hour drive and a four hour walk around saturated fields! Anyway the draw came and we were fifth reserve so the decision was made for me - until Wednesday when a phone call said there was a run available would I like to take it. All that resolve to have a rest went in a fraction of a second.
With only a couple of days notice I had no time to 'prepare' only one trip to a local wood for some hunting and retrieving, and a blast across winter wheat to sharpen up his pattern.
The first run was along a hedge and in a small cover strip. We were running 5th and it was obvious, it being Feb 1st the birds were not sitting around politely awaiting the visit of an HPR. Topaz worked the hedge fast and nailed a bird, it was flushed and he SAT. worked on he got a little too far ahead and we were called back to work the cover crop; his guardian angel had her eye out for him as he came back down a wheeling and then spun on point, the bird flushing very soon after - he did not move save to sit and look to see if he could see the bird away. no retrieves. We were still in by the skin of our teeth His drive and that he produced the birds outweighed his poor in places ground treatment.
Second run - in a piece of waste ground with a very strong tail wind. i suggested to the judge I would start down the leeward corner - but he said the host did not want the ground worked to the boundary behind us so I cast him off differently. He initially ignored the whistle (something he is prone to do when in competitions) and ran off to the end of the patch and started working there. I felt it best to keep quiet - my best move as the dog then worked up to us into the wind. A few more bits of ground - the dog now much sharper on the whistle - so it is more obvious he was under control. Again through by the skin of our teeth - his drive, speed and determination outweighing his distant working. The judge said I would have been better 'starting the dog down into the far corner' - I said I thought that is the question I had asked - he thought I had said I had wanted to go down there to work the dog back myself. Nice to have clarified that.
So we just needed some retrieves. Luck again held out as our first was about 40 feet across woodland to a hedge for a dead hen. This was a hard close hit bird with a shattered rib cage and broken legs. We were given the benefit of any doubt (he had done a lot of 'arranging' as he picked it up. We still needed another retrieve - and fortunately there were two birds down at the end of the wood - in front of the gallery. One in open grass and the other in the wood behind a wood pile - they thought. We were given the woodpile bird. Concerned he might wish to go hunting in any direction but the right one I used the little anticlockwise reverse (turn on the spot with the dog at heel so it has to focus on me) and set him up. He exploded towards the gap behind the woodpile - about 50 yards away, running as if there was a line on the ground to follow (bear in mind there was a cheek wind) at the same moment I blew the stop (as I wanted to then give the 'hunt there') he spun on scent ran in and picked the bird up, by the shoulder and brought it back. Penny Simpson was there taking photos so I have something to really remember that by.
We made the water. Topaz does water.
3rd Nick Lamberts HV b Archenfield Wigeon
CoM Guy Bagshaw Britt d Tailliside Water Chestnut of Tresallier
Judges John Naylor, Ray Butler.
I have to admit I was in a daze, the retrieve had made my day but not until I was about half an hour away did the result really hit me. The warmth and sincerity of all the competitors congratulations was phenomenal - and very humbling.
It was nice to see two Brittanys running - Mick Young on his first FT; was unlucky to have a difficult piece of ground for his second run - very wide and with a strong tail wind. Ruby worked a good solid performance, responsive to Mick; her style gives her a nice tight pattern so Mick chose to work the last quarter of the field - I think before coming back to work the other. In hindsight if the guns and judges had stayed still-- - a bird was kicked up from ground he had not worked so he was out for missed game.
That was our first Certificate of Merit - ever! a really nice way to end the season.
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