by Robert Tawton » Mon 17 Nov 2003 1:31 pm
Hi Amy,
The answer to your query really lies in the question, "what exactly did the Judge have in mind when setting the Run and exactly how the Run was described at the briefing to handlers".
Wayne Parkinson in his second response to this issue really hits the nail on the head, and I couldn't agree with him more!
Did the Judge describe the Run as a Walk-up Retrieve (see Rule 9) coupled with a Single Mark Retrieve (see Rule 22 and Rule 8)? If so, did the Judge allow some period of time for handlers to settle their dogs at the Firing Point in order to further test steadiness and to provide the dogs with maximum opprtunity to focus on the "mark"? Depending on the level of competition the Judge would normally specify the order of pick-up depending upon whether there was an emphasis on memory, or alternatively, on control. If memory was the main focus the Single Mark would be recovered first. If control was high on the agenda then you could expect the Judge to require the Walk-up bird to be recovered first.
If, on the other hand, the Run was described as a double Walk-up Retrieve (see Rules 22 and 9) with the game for the second Walk-up being cast as the handler and dog reached the Firing Point (i.e. there was no time allowed to settle your dog) the Judge was left with no alternative but to cast the second item of game when you reached the Firing Point.
regards, RWT