THE United Retriever Club (North Midland Area) held an Open Cold Game Test at Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire by kind permission of Mr R. Bielby and the assistance of Mr A.Kinta.
The judges were Mr Ron Gent and Mr David Haycock and the event was kindly sponsored by performance dog food experts Alpha Feeds.
The weather was cloudy and mild, a refreshing breeze making it ideal for dog work. There were 28 runners. Run on Field Trial lines the test involved walking up sugar beet, on undulating land. In the first round dogs were given marked retrieves of pigeons, with the guns forward of the line.
Initially most dogs marked well, though some tended to over-run and needed handling. Occasional eyewipes simulated trial situations, and one bird on the rough margin of the field led to four dogs failing.
One retrieve was given in the second round. After lunch the judges called in 14 dogs, which were given longer cross retrieves. To conclude the four top dogs were called in for a mock drive, and then given a long retrieve from the beet, through a hedge and out onto stubble. This produced the following result:-
Results. 1. Ray Agent’s Labrador dog Kenmilquin Clary Night 2. John Kent’s Labrador bitch Cawdenbrook Fern (Lincs Area) 3. Mick Newsam’s Labrador bitch Hatchfield Breeze of Maswen 4. Russell Hodgen’s Labrador bitch Partridge Flush of Russjancoe
