Water Tests - All Sections (A to E)

11 & 12 August 2018
Bryn Bach, Tredegar, Gwent.

Saturday morning started dull but dry ... by mid-day down came the rain and it got progressively worse as the day wore on and very chilly for all who were out in it. Not a good start for the first day of our test weekend.

As the weather was so bad, people needed to get away so our sections were re-arranged a little to accommodate our guests, those who were staying for the weekend, agreed it would be a good idea to do only the essential their A tests on Saturday and the rest on Sunday when the forecast was better.

Saturday evening was spent drying out and enjoying a B-B-Q under the event shelters ... a new experience for some!

Sunday dawned, wet, but it did brighten up and the sun was spotted peeping from behind the clouds on one occasion.

We had 29 entries over the weekend. A HUGE thank you to all the judges who gave their time to travel to our tests, to the stewards, boat handlers and everyone who helped in whatever way they could to ensure the tests ran as smoothly as they did.

Well done and thank you to everyone who took part in the test weekend.

Martine Fitzpatrick, Test Manager

Results and Reports - Day 1 - 11 August 2018

Section A

Judges: Graham Hill & Ruth Dickinson
Entrants: 20 | Passes: 15
OwnerCall NameRegistered Name
Myal Bash Merrybear Karma Karma
Hosie Groot Larkharbour Hitchin A Ride to Shadowrise
Scrutton Bonzo Freddybears Bonzo
Scrutton Bobby Gunnersnewf A New Hope
West Barley Wilbears Little Mermaid
Salmelin Merita Kivisilman Rutikuiva
Godden Yogi Shalowseas Waltzer
King Eboni Mccaffabear's King Of Hearts
Wood Alfie
Chadwick Sulis Culnor Just Divine Crocus at Uskrail
Thompson Ditto Safeharbour Ditto
Smith Frankie Comfortcove Segna Di Stima
Smith Wispa Comfortcove Careless Wispa
Law Wilbur
Boyle Jasper (Cocker Spaniel)

We had 20 entries in total and 15 passes for this section. The sizeable overall entry for the Saturday resulted in a decision being made to carry over a few of the Section A entrants to the following day for which we would really like to thank those that agreed to do this, so enabling the Saturday testing to get finished at a reasonable time. The very wet weather on the Saturday didn't help either, but it was great to see this didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the dogs and their owners.
Many of the passes were faultless and some of those that didn't make it came very close to passing. A couple of dogs were 'first timers' without having ever trained for this section test. They and their owner gave it a very good go but lacked the understanding of what was required of them, hopefully we will see them again soon after some training. A couple of others didn't quite get there due to the handlers choosing to send their dogs to a Steward rather than attract it to themselves in the water or to the boat and the dogs refusing to swim to the 'stranger' stewards. Nevertheless it is a good idea to train dogs to swim to strangers at an early stage of theIr working lives.
Both myself and my co-judge Ruth would like to thank the SNC for inviting us to judge here. It was Ruth's first judging appointment for the SNC and I would like to express my thanks to her for making it, despite the foul weather, an enjoyable test to judge. I would also like to thank our test manager Martine for doing a great job and somehow managing to make sense of our soggy paperwork and our stewards who did a great job in difficult conditions.

Graham Hill & Ruth Dickinson

Section C

Judges: Chris Roberts & Dave Viney
Entrants: 12 | Passes: 8
OwnerCall NameRegistered Name
Cadman Ned Wynoochee Black Onyx
Hosie Solo Newfoundlove New Edition at Shadowrise
Boyle Lexi Syddyn Kia
Boyle Chewie Dalrynewfs Chewie Chum
Burridge Dora Bagglebears Moondance
West Willow Bagglebears Moonstruck at Wilbears
Salmelin Tesla Kivisilman Yleisurheilifa
Wood Bella Sandbears Scrabble

Firstly I would like to thank the SNC for my judging appointment. It is always a pleasure to judge in Wales, although the weather this time was pretty wet.
Thank you to Dave Viney, my fellow judge, stewards and the test manager for keeping things running smoothly considering the weather, and hopefully all being well will see you there next time.

Chris Roberts & Dave Viney

Section E

Judges: Karen Thompson & Marcus Sutherington
Entrants: 6 | Passes: 0

Report to follow

Karen Thompson

Report to follow

Marcus Sutherington

Results and Reports - Day 2 - 12 August 2018

Section B

Judges: Jane King & Dave Viney
Entrants: 10 | Passes: 6
OwnerCall NameRegistered Name
Boyle Chewie Dalrynewfs Chewie Chum
Scrutton Bonzo Freddybears Bonzo
Scrutton Bobby Gunnersnewf A New Hope
Salmelin Tesla Kivisilman Yleisurheilifa
King Ebony Mccaffabear's King Of Hearts
Thompson Ditto Safeharbour Ditto

Had the pleasure of Judging B with Dave Viney at this event. We judged 10 dogs today, six very good passes and the ones that didn't had the usual stumbling block of underwater retrieve or safe swim ... keep at it, it WILL happen.
Thank you to SNC for asking us to judge.

Jane King & Dave Viney

Section D

Judges: Karen Thompson & Marcus Sutherington
Entrants: 10 | Passes: 3
OwnerCall NameRegistered Name
Hill Amelia Sandbears Lady Guinevere For Ableseanewf
King Sasha Safeharbour The Never Never
King Effie Safeharbour White But Cute

Report to follow

Karen Thompson

Report to follow

Marcus Sutherington