United Retriever Club (North Midland Area) Intermediate & Veteran Tests 2009

The United Retriever Club (North Midland Area) held Intermediate and Veteran Tests on May 31, 2009 at Carlton Towers, North Yorkshire.

The judges were Brian Holmes, David Sidwell and Cherry Wood. A supply of pigeons meant the dogs could be tested on cold game and performance dog food experts Alpha Feeds provided the prizes.

There were 10 entries for the Veteran test, which took place first. Dave Sidwell judged a walk up in long grass, each dog getting two marked retrieves.

Brian Holmes judged in parkland, with mature trees as landmarks for a marked retrieve, followed by a long blind. Cherry Wood judged in shady deciduous woodland, with the dogs fetching a mark, followed by a blind.

There were four awards as follows:-

1st Phil Wagland’s Golden Retriever bitch Pebbletoft Chorus
2nd Dave Perry’s Golden Retriever dog Millrythe Sydney
3rd Trefor Richards’ Labrador dog Hob Hey Hercules
4th Phil Wagland’s Golden Retriever dog Pebbletoft Rock.

The day continued warm and sunny for the Intermediate/Novice Cold Game Test, with 24 entries.

A breeze aided scenting conditions. In the morning there were three marked retrieves. Dave Sidwell judged a walk-up in long grass, Brian Holmes tested the dogs on a lark mark in parkland, and Cherry Wood adjudicated on a mark in deciduous woodland.

After lunch there were three more retrieves. Cherry judged at the water for a marked retrieve, done well by most dogs. Meanwhile Brian assessed the dogs on a long blind across set-aside, where not all dogs could be handled the distance.


Dave Sidwell’s test was another blind involving an outrun along the headland of a sugar beet field to find in the grass next to a tall hedge. After a run-off to split the top two dogs the results were as follows:-

1st Russell Hodgen’s Labrador bitch Partridge Flush of Russjancoe

2nd & the Novice tankard: Terry Dobson’s Labrador bitch My Bashful Lady
3rd Mr AJ Whelan’s Labrador bitch Lowforge Aurora (Handler Jane Whelan)

4th Russell Hodgen’s Labrador bitch Almondine of Russjancoe

CoMs: Amanda Minshall’s Labrador dog Burlington Bert of Belvedere
Richard Hinks’ Labrador bitch Garronpoint Till
Mr & Mrs Eadson’s Labrador bitch Riseland Honey Dew (Handler Sharon Eadson)

The ground was used by kind permission of Carlton Towers estate, and the co-operation of Head keeper Mark Fitzer. Prizes were kindly sponsored by Alpha, The Food of Champions.