Thread: Pointer and Setter Trials

Nice review old man......!

Originally Posted by el borracho

Sunday cucumber sandwiches and ginger beer for all ,we have birds.
Trialers meet at 8am at the grounds entrance for the draw with eager anticipation for what this new day and new grounds might bring to us all.
This trial was a novice game trial ,meaning any dog that had not won a champ natural game trial or more than two natural game novice trials could enter .We had a interesting and glorious field of 8 dogs made up of one English pointer, one English Setter , one Gsp ,one Gordon Setter and the remainder Irish red Setters.
To have such a mix of breeds is very exciting for the sport of trailing and also for the gallery to observe the different styles of each breed .
As a tree had blocked our entry to the first field we entered quietly on foot so as not to disturb the potential game at the very first part of the course .
Our first brace was Robyn's Irish bitch Stella and Dales Irish bitch Ruchy. Both dogs started their brace and proceeded to work the ground left and right through the perfectly open areas of undergrowth ,open ground and blackberry .
Stella could have been a little more intense in her work but did enough at this level to go through although this early round did not produce a bird .Ruchy did enough t o go through also but could have been more responsive to commands and did work back a little .Ruchy had rabbit contact and was steady enough not to go chasing .
Next round English Setter INti and Dave's Irish Dog Billy.This should have been a walk in the park hunt for Inti but his character had changed over the last few weeks with dominance issues ,control issues and waywardness possibly due to his kennel mate coming into season ...not worth talking about and the next dog came in for a short run .Morries GSP Charlie was running.Billy had a rabbit in brace but was solid .Charlie's pattern needed work but he ran solidly with no birds mistakes.
Both Billy and Charlie had a bird in the heat but it was deemed only Billy had opportunity so was put out .Next brace was Robs gordon who had an enthusiastic flush which sent him packing .
Linda Becks Irish bitch Sappy was up against Alan jury's Pointer dog Ceddrick.
Sappy cast and went straight to work in the old birdyness area from where one had flushed .Sappy treated the grounds with a thorough search .Ceddrick work well as he has all week but in the blackberry came a crowing rooster out of view of the judges.Out of view but not out of tonal range of clattering bells which should have stopped so two dogs less.
Last rounds saw 3 dogs left ,Stella,Ruchy and Charlie.
Stella and Ruchy went first in an area known for birds .They had both forest interior and exterior to find in and cast fast and hard with vim and vigor as a judge said to quickly locate a bird .Dale had to do the unthinkable and shoot the bird on the ground as it would only leg it - lucky they're blanks eh!sadly Roche moved to much and went from the game.
Final run with Stella and Charlie .Morrie with Charlie is new to the trial world and running a GSP and having a great time competing. First cast of Charlie saw a bird come from behind the cast as the dogs worked forward so no harm done .Charlie worked enthusiastically only to find himself running after two
roosters from down in a gully he had been going through .Had she worked with a little more gusto Stella may have encountered those birds but did not .End of day no result but a very successful day for all in that we finally had some good bird opportunities and bird opportunities is what success is about .
Tomorrow the champ trial !photos to come once on home computer.
Again excuse the spelling errors - iPad replaces some things I write and they're weirder than I normally write.