Left to right: Judge Kevin Clarke | Ken Richards with Tula | David Taylor with Kitchi | Clive Haylock with Jenna | Paul Dickinson with Jinny | Clive Walls with Blue | Kay Burridge with Ellie | Judge Peter Webber.
They say that every so often you should set yourself a "challenge". I will suggest that undertaking the role of Test Manager and setting up a new venue at the same test ought to qualify as a challenge! I am very grateful to all of my friends at SEWN for their support and guidance.
The weather, especially on Saturday was fantastic, t-shirts, shorts and ice cream being the order of the day. We all had a brilliant welcome from the camp site at Fen Farm, who didn't seem to mind that we had 26 big, hairy, slobbery dogs with us.
There were 30 entries over the weekend with 19 dogs taking various tests, from Beginners up to Level 4. Overall the standard of the entries were very good with the majority of the teams getting passes.
Of course I would like to thank everyone who volunteered to judge or to steward at the event, I am very pleased that so many people made the effort to come to Mersea. It goes without saying that I didn’t do all this on my own and a special Thank You should go to Pat for organising the food and keeping everyone fed and watered over the weekend. We didn't have much food to bring home!
Everyone seemed to enjoy the weekend and I have heard lots of positive comments. If we do it again next year will it be any easier?
Results and Reports - Day 1 - 30 March 2019
Beginners Level
Judges: Ruth Dickinson & Steve Pallot |
Entrants: 3 | Passes: 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Call Name | Registered Name |
| Clarke | Ceasar | |
| King | Eboni | Mccaffabear's King Of Hearts |
| Webber | Rushmore | Teddyhawkes Mr Daydream |
Three dogs entered Beginners Draught today and there were three beautiful passes. The group was made up of two veteran dogs and one less than 18 months old. The young dog did very well today, much improved from the occasions when I judged her last.
A great day today at this new location which seems ideally suited to draught work.
Thank you to the Test Manager and to my fellow Beginners Level judge. We very much look forward to being invited back.
Level 2
Judges: Ken Richards & Kay Burridge |
Entrants: 5 | Passes: 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Call Name | Registered Name |
| Dickinson | Maximus | |
| King | Sasha | Safeharbour The Never Never |
| King | Effie | Safeharbour White But Cute |
| Haylock | Maddie | (Barbet) |
What a lovely venue for a draught test! Thankfully the temperature had dropped slightly by the time we started L2.
We had five entries today, sadly one team did not make it through the control section, with a little 'planning' between handler and owner, this level will be achieved.
Teams lost points on their 'change of pace' ... or rather their 'no change of pace' – so a little work needed here before progressing to the next level.
The four teams who passed the Control Section went on to achieve four good passes.
Thank you to our Stewards, Clive the Test Manager for organizing the whole event and to Pat for keeping us fed, watered and sane.
Well done SEWN on your first test for the SNC, look forward to doing it all again next year.
Level 4
Judges: Kevin Clarke & Peter Webber |
Entrants: 6 | Passes: 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Call Name | Registered Name |
| Richards | Tula | Quornbear Grace Darling |
| Taylor | Kitchi | Bagglebears Thunder Moon at Mollynewf |
| Haylock | Jenna | Freddybears Witchy Or What |
| Dickinson | Jinny | |
| Walls | Blue | Blacktide Into The Blue |
| Burridge | Ellie | Bagglebears Moonshine |
We had six dogs in the test and all passed the control section.
On the haul we had one dog with a travois – all dogs worked hard as a team and coped well with the warm temperature we experienced today.
Well done to all dogs and a good pass for all.
Results and Reports - Day 2 - 31 March 2019
Beginners Level
Judges: Ruth Dickinson & Steve Pallot |
Entrants: 3 | Passes: 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Call Name | Registered Name |
| Dobson | Kyra | Bearhugs Talulah at Ursanigra |
| King | Eboni | Mccaffabear's King Of Hearts |
| Richards | Tula | Quornbear Grace Darling |
Three entries in Beginners Level today and three beautiful passes.
Lovely also to see young handlers working dogs.
As yesterday thank you to my fellow judge and to everyone for pulling together to make this event a huge success. I very much hope that we will be able to come back to this venue again.
Level 1
Judges: Jeff Burridge & Paul Dickinson |
Entrants: 3 | Passes: 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Call Name | Registered Name |
| King | Sasha | Safeharbour The Never Never |
| Walls | Blue | Blacktide Into The Blue |
| Haylock | Jenna | Freddybears Witchy Or What |
Thank you to the SNC for inviting us to judge at this wonderful new draught venue.
We had three entrants, all of whom passed with ease.
Thank you also to Clive & Pat Walls for arranging this test and its venue as well as the dry weather.
Judges: Jeff Burridge & Steve Pallot |
Entrants: 4 | Passes: 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Call Name | Registered Name |
| Dickinson | Maximus | |
| King | Effie | Safeharbour White But Cute |
| Dobson | Kyra | Bearhugs Talulah at Ursanigra |
| Haylock | Maddie | (Barbet) |
Thank you to the SNC for inviting us to judge at this test, at a great new venue.
There were four entrants at varying levels of experience, all of whom passed comfortably.
Thank you also to Pat & Clive Walls for arranging this test and facilitating the new venue, we hope this will be the first of many at this site.
Level 3
Judges: David Taylor & Clive Haylock |
Entrants: 5 | Passes: 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Call Name | Registered Name |
| Burridge | Dora | Bagglebears Moondance |
| Martin | Mojo | Darkpeak Snow Flurry |
| Dickinson | Jinny | |
Our thanks to the SNC WSSC & SEWN for inviting us to judge at this new venue.
We had five entries, with three passes - the two who didn't were so very nearly there.
Handlers need to watch tight leads and remember to clearly work from different sides of the cart.
Handlers could allow the dogs more freedom to find their 'own paths'.
