Thread: Trial Reports.

The Northern Ireland Pointer Club – Open – Pointer – Friday 27th September 2013


The Northern Ireland Pointer Club held it’s annual breed stake on The Crieve beat of Glenwherry Moor on Friday 27th September 2013. The trial licensed by and run under the Field Trial Rules and Regulations of The Kennel Club was judged by Ned Butler and Davy O’Neill. The steward of the beat was Conor Kelly the Irish Grouse Conservation Project’s keeper.
The temperature was around 15ºc and although the visibility improved from time to time you could say it was misty the whole day.
We had high hopes for this annual event and were even hopeful of a puppy stake but the fates intervened. Richard MacNicol, who had been involved in a road traffic accident in July drove all the way down to his friend Jon Kean’s but in the morning when he stooped to move an empty planter his back gave out. Shaun McCormack’s wife was taken ill and Michael Houston had to withdraw due to a sudden work commitment. I’m not sure how many dog this affected but the Puppy Stake was scuppered and we had the bare minimum, sixteen, for the Open Pointer Stake.
Result : -
1st Koram Kaiser James Coyle’s Pointer dog. Born Christmas Day 2009 by F.T.Ch.Fearn Mate of Burncastle X Fernhill Diamond of Koram. ( Subject to Kennel Club ratification Kaiser is now a F.T.Ch.)

Chris.
The fog was at it’s worst and we were first brace. I cast him off and let him run a bit but the first time he looked at me I blew the whistle and raised my hand. The thought of chasing him over miles of heather in the fog did not appeal. I picked him up.
Basso.
A big disappointment. Never got going. The third time he pointed and failed to produce I withdrew him.
Van.
Ran hard enough but the lines weren’t good and he didn’t get another run.
Alex.
I honestly can’t remember why our original brace mate was picked up but it was very much in our favour as the big dog hadn’t really got going but when Jimmy Dalton was put against us he did much better. We were in better ground, which makes it slightly easier to run, shots had been fired, birds flushed and he was much more up for the job. He did dwell on scent a bit at times but by the end of the run, which culminated in a joint find, very close, on a hare, which neither dog chased, he was going quite nicely.
In his second round run, against the same dog he was again running quite hard and wide. I was able to engineer a back when our brace mate failed to produce the hen of a supposed pair. We were run on and he knocked up a snipe, which was ok in the context of this stake but was disappointing when you consider he is a dog that competes regularly in Ireland. Then he came on point BUT couldn’t produce what was obviously grouse. ( that we walked them up walking back to the cars was no surprise but still very disappointing)
Sophie.
Seemed to run a blinder. She was a bit left sided for a time but boy did she cover her ground flat out. She is a competitive bitch ( I don’t mean female dog here) and put all her aggression into her run but didn’t get a second run which surprised Roy slightly.
Uno.
His first event at thirteen months old and it showed. Overawed by the whole thing he never really got going but you have to start somewhere. He was picked up when it became obvious his sole desire was to trail the other dog. Roy’s efforts to stop him trailing meant he sort of threw the towel in.

There have been years when we were concerned that we wouldn’t have enough dogs for our breed stake. This year, up until the preceding Wednesday we were happy and then it all nearly fell apart. All the competitors are club members but we are still eternally grateful for the support of the members who travel from far afield to make this weekend a success and of course well done James Coyle. Another Champion.