Thread: Trial Reports.

The Donegal Field Trial Association held an Open Stake for Any Variety Setter and Pointers on the moors near Scotstown on Friday 16th August 2013. The trial was run under Irish Kennel Club Field Trial Rules and Regulations and the judges were Paddy Peoples and Andy Law.
Technically it rained most of the morning. Anybody with a coat on would hardly have noticed it but those like me, folically challenged, would have been aware of the almost constant spots of rain. By the afternoon it was a beautiful bright day. The breeze was constant in both direction and strength.
Results :-
1st F.T.Ch. Creg Rena Joan McGillycuddy’s Red Setter bitch. Graded Excellent.
2nd Ballyellan Cara Bill Connolly’s English Setter bitch. Graded Excellent.(Handler Gerald Devine)
3rd Mountbay Dan Fr. Seamus O’Neill’s Red Setter dog. Graded Very Good.

Basso was first up. He was running against Mark Adams Irish setter and the setter just about shaded it as he didn’t stop for water whereas Basso did. That said both dogs gave it a real good go. Basso lines were marginally the neater but both dogs quartered with pace and style.
His next round was even better against Joe Dobbins English setter. Both dogs ran at great pace but this time Basso’s lines were demonstrably better than the other dog’s. The setter did have a point on a lark and Basso backed, an Irish back in that he came alongside but didn’t pass, just, the other dog. I got the impression that one judge was reasonably happy with this while the other wasn’t but I wasn’t called to run with the bye dog.
Alex started off well in good ground but seemed to lose interest. In Basso’s run he had come off a low ridge at pace to land about ten feet away. Alex, faced with a slightly lower ridge had to more or less stop and walk down it. Later on I see he is lame. I didn’t expect and didn’t get another run. Even if he appears sound tomorrow I will rest him up as he is in the reserves on Sunday. I’ll run Van in his place tomorrow.
I took Buck with me in the afternoon and he got a fair bit of off lead running, teckel style. He was very tired when I got home having been on the hill two days in a row. Just what he needed.

This was an Irish trial run under the Irish Ethos as much as Field Trial Regulations. Toe polishers need not apply. If I remember correctly, Alex excepted, all the dogs ran and even he was ok for a while. It’s one thing to have dogs that can run but as is almost always the case some ran to greater effect than others. I really enjoyed Basso’s first run with Mark Adam’s setter. As is also almost always the case a greater supply of birds would have been nice as there were dogs deserving of a find but those that featured in the awards did work in proportion to their grading.

To give you an idea of the ground covered the pedometer of one of the judge read either 10.1 or 10.6 miles at the end of the day. A half a mile only means where you would expect to collapse changes. If you were out running in the first eight brace and made the second round you would have walked almost the same distance, as I did.
I really enjoyed the day and would have loved a crack at a bird but that’s Irish field trialling.