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Novice Stake
Stiperstones Shoot, Nr Bishops Castle, Shropshire
By kind invitation of Mr N Wainwright
13th October 2009
Judges: Mrs I Alcock
Mrs J Robertson
Weather: Dry & sunny with a variable wind
Scent: Fair to Good
Ground: White Grass, heather with areas of tree stubs covered with gorse and bracken
Result:
- 2nd Mr M Herbert Ayita Independence Day HWV, D
- 4th Mrs I Moyser Hollutrix Dante IS, D
Critique:
Ayita Independence Day: This dog’s first run was in white grass running mainly into wind. He covered his ground well eventually coming on point. As the handler and guns approached a covey of Partridge lifted, he was steady to flush and shot as they flew on. The dog continued working and then came on point at the back of a gorse bush, again on approach of the handler and guns two pheasants lifted, a hen flew on the cock pheasant was shot out of sight of the dog and fell in long grass. Again steady to flush and shot the dog was brought up to make the retrieve which he completed efficiently. On his second run he hunted very well on heather with patches of gorse and a swirling changeable wind, this run however proved to be blank. His water work was good.
Hollutrix Dante: This dog’s first run was in white grass running into wind. He hunted his ground well and came on point to a pheasant up against a barbed wire fence. He held the point for some time whilst the handler and guns approached. A cock pheasant flushed as they came up and the dog was very steady to this and did not attempt to catch the bird in the tricky situation up against the fence. The bird was shot falling some 20mts beyond the barbed wire fence. The dog was helped to negotiate the fence and then went on to make a nice retrieve without fuss. In his second run on heather with patches of gorse and a swirling changeable wind he put on a workmanlike performance but the run proved to be blank. His water work was good.
Irmgard and I were asked by the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla Association to choose a dog to give a special award to that on the day that had worked well but had not managed to get into the main awards. Our choice went to Alan Chadwick’s Andsal Lancelot, GSP, D. This dog had pleased us with his work especially on his second run on the heather and gorse where he had gone out of sight and could not be found, assuming he was on point the handler was asked to get the dog to produce which he did, a covey of partridges which he had held for a good length of time. Without his handler present the dog succumbed to temptation and sadly run in.
It was a very great honour for Irmgard Alcock and me to be invited to judge the first Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla Association field trial which was blessed with superb weather and good conditions throughout. The atmosphere for this occasion was very good indeed with all the competitors being very sporting. On behalf of Irmgard and myself our thanks must go to the host and keeper Mr Neil Wainwright who kept us in the game all day, the Guns, Ray Davies, Andy Foster and Roger Lewis, who shot brilliantly , Fred Alcock our Chief Steward, Skirm the picker up, Kevin Mulliner the Red Flag, Richard May the hard working FT Secretary and last but not least Christine Guest who not only helped organise this event but provided us with great food and refreshments.
Jean Robertson |