23rd July - Novice Walked up retriever test
On Sunday the 23rd July Dove Valley Gundogs held its Novice walked up test at Park Side Farm by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Sargent.
The day started off with wind and grey sky but managed to stay dry all day up until the award ceremony!
The morning commenced with 4 dogs in line walking up in beet of knee height (see picture of Pepper to see the height 
). Without a weed in sight and it being a healthy crop this challenged both dog and handlers on their marking abilities.
). Without a weed in sight and it being a healthy crop this challenged both dog and handlers on their marking abilities.The test was held on field trial lines however to help introduce newcomers to the sport and young dogs the committee agreed to let everybody have round one retrieves despite dogs presenting with any eliminating faults.
After the first round the judges put their books together and made a cut of the dogs who pre
sented eliminating faults.
Dogs that made it to the second round moved to some fresh ground where they were tested yet again with some marked retrieves. After some lovely retrieves battling the wind, terrain and scent of previous fall areas, we had a short lunch break to produce the Final Cut before moving into the third round. The third round consisted of two more retrieves which resulted in a six dog run off… the results were as followed:
- David Brown with Bearbrace Kooper winning the Dove Valley Rose Bowl.
- Paul Watson with Kentwone Wisteria Whisper.
- Gary Rogers with Stauntonvale Hardy.
COM - Henry Carney with Twicebrewed Pepper.COM - Vanessa King with Tempurong Thrill Of It All.- Karen Vere-Hodge with Gallowayrose Hellebore.We would like to thank all of the helpers, who gave up their Sunday to stand in the wind and watch some fantastic dogs worry hard in the Beat and to our Judges; Steve Le Voi, Stewart North, Helen Swan and Sharon Kitson.
Lastly Thankyou to our sponsors Twicebrewed Twines, Skinners and Sporting Saints.
Congratulations
