2007 ACTCA Retrieving Championship

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2007 ACTCA Retrieving Championship

Postby Georgina Golle » Mon 22 Oct 2007 1:37 pm

It is with pleasure that I submit this report on the 2007 ACTCA Retrieving Championship. This championship was held on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd October on a beautiful property near Point Hut Crossing a short drive from the heart of Canberra. The terrain varied from gullies, rolling hills, the river and its banks. The weather was comfortably warm with south west winds prevailing in the afternoon, which was not too much of a hinderance for the quality field of 13 dogs all desiring to win this prestigeous event.

Four runs were judged on Day 1:-
RUN ! - BLIND and DOUBLE MARK
This area consisted of a series of gullies, steep banks and broken ground.
The dog was left in a natural hide in the gully a short distance from the first firing point, the handler then proceeded to the first firing point, fired at a blind some 60 metres away, reloaded and called the dog. At this firing point a mark was cast to the right of the blind area, the bird being cast from left to right up a hill 100 metres from the dog. Dog and Handler then proceeded to a second firing point approx 15 metres away and fired at a mark 140 metres away landing on a plateau with a gully and mounds between the dog and the bird.
The order of pick up was Blind (which was between the marks), the mark on the plateau then the mark on the hill. The majority of dogs had difficulty in judging the depth of the plateau mark, several dogs struggled with the blind, but the majority of dogs coped with the relocation mark on the right.
A number of dogs executed this run in great style. Joe and Blacky, Jack and Fern and Bob and King. Two dogs failed this run.

RUN 2 – DOUBLE MARK
This area consisted of flat ground with very light cover with a dam to the right and a very steep hill with rocky outcrops.
The dog and handler proceed to a firing point on top of a bank and fired at a bird being cast away from the dog into a dam approx 120 metres away which had 6 decoy ducks to distract the dog. Dog and handler then proceeded down the track to a second firing point and shot a bird on top of a hill some 140 metres away.
The dog was asked to pick up the water retrieve and then the land bird.
I saw excellent work from the dog in it's desire to retrieve from water and the shear segacity needed to retrieve the bird up this very steep hill.
The highest score achieved by Jack and Fern with 55 points and quality work from Mark and Swampy and Joe with Blacky. One dog failed this run.

RUN 3 – DOUBLE FALL
This run incorporated sandy banks, river, an island and reeds.
A bird was cast from an island landing in a depression on the opposite bank. Once the dog was send and before the dog entered the water a bird was cast away from the dog landing in reeds at the far end of the island.
This run was very exciting to judge as a number of dogs executed this run in great style displayig the understanding of the concept of this retrieve. The highest scoring dog on 53 points was Gareth and Monty, a point behind was Mark and Swampy and Bob and King. Three dogs failed this retrieve.

RUN 4 – DOUBLE RISE and TWO BIRD
This area consisted of sandy bank covered sparsly with native wattle trees, 40 metres of river to cross and the opposite bank with broken ground, water holes surrounded by rocky outcrops and light cover.
The Double Rise retrieve was cast across the river, once the dog located the mark and turned towards the handler the Two bird was cast on the bank closest to the handler, obscuring the handler's sight of the fall of the bird by the cover of wattle trees.
All dogs on this run hunted the bird in a systematic manner. Majority of the dogs marked the Two Bird and understood the concept of the Double Rise retrieve.
Highest score on 51 points was Gareth and Monty, two points behind was Bob and King.
Thee dogs failed this run.

So at the end of the first day, seven dogs were left in competition.
Bob and King leading on 200 points.
Jack and Fern on 199 points.
Joe and Blacky on 192 points
Gareth and Monty with Mark and Swampy on 190 points
Followed by Noel and Tike on 181 and Bob and Tank on 151 points.

We were greeted on Day 2 with perfect weather and expectations of a great finish.
RUN 5 – DOUBLE BLIND and MARK
This run was set on land comprising of a dried creek bed and a gentle sloping hill, with the mark being cast to the left on a plateau approx 40 metres from the firing points.
The dog was left in a natural hide with the handler proceeding to the firing point to fire at two blinds. The dog was then called to sight a mark cast to the left of the firing point, the dog only seeing the bird at its apex, flying away from the dog. The first blind to be retrieved was 120 metres across the guly and placed amongst rocks on a gently sloping hill with a diversionary bird placed 20 metres off line on fallen timber half way between the handler and the first blind.
The second blind was placed 150 metres at the end of the dry creek bed near the base of a tree in light cover.
This run was accomplished by all 7 dogs in varying degrees of ability. Very pleasing to judge and satisfying for the handlers.
Joe and Blacky scored the best on 47 points with Noel and Tike, Bob and Tank and Gareth and Monty on 45 points.



RUN 6 – MARK, BLIND, WALK UP MARK
Back to the river for the finale.
This run incorporated a walk up mark 40 metres from the handler, blind down a channel surrounded by reeds from the main body of water and a 140 metre mark consisting of shallow water graduating to deep swimming water with the long mark being cast behind a small island.
The pick up was the last bird down being the longest retrieve followed by the blind at the end of a channel of water and finally the walk up mark to the right on land covered with sparse grass and depressions in the ground.
By the time we commenced this run close to late mid morning the wind started to come in gusts and contributed to the long mark's inconsistant fall. Dispite this the work of the dogs on this run was exceptional and befitting a final run of a championship.
The highest score on this run was achieved by Joe and Blacky on 44 points.
Unfortunately one dog failed this run leaving 6 finishers.

The results are as follows:-
1st (283) Gr RTCH Kamajae All Black – Labrador Dog,handler Joe Vella
2nd (277) Gr RTCH Kadnook Pride Ov Cork – Labrador Dog, handler Gareth Tawton
3rd (265) Gr RTCH Reveirter Jet Kite – Labrador Dog, handler Noel Eltringham
4th (263) NTL & Gr RTCH Beereegan One Tree – Labrador Dog, handler Mark Davis
5th (251) RTCH Coalsgarth Tassie Fern – Labrador Bitch, handler Jack Lynch
6th (232) RTCH Kadnook Tanks Aheap – Labrador Dog, handler Bob Tawton.
Judge's Award – presented to Gr RTCH Kadnook King of Kanbera DM
Congratulations to the handlers and their dogs, for displaying good sportmanship, to the great team of stewards I had to work with, namely Amand, Paul, Grahame, Wayne, Jason, Lara, Jo, Steve, Laurane the Trial Secretary and the hospitality extended to myself and Amand from Pam and Robert Tawton.
It was a pleasure and a priviledge to judge the ACTCA 2007 Retrieving Championship.
Georgina Golle
Georgina Golle
 
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Joined: Tue 29 Jun 2004 12:09 pm
Location: Capalaba, Qld

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