The Open Cold Game Test at Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire was held on 11th September 2016 by kind permission of Mr Robert Bealby. The judges were Mr Arthur Hewer and Ms Julia Sykes. The weather was sunny and dry. But the sugar beet was wet from rain the previous day. It was also tall and dense, quite difficult to walk through and work the dogs. In the morning the beet was walked up in line, with retrieves orchestrated by the signals of Chief Steward Phil Smithies. Guns saluted pigeons thrown at a distance for forward marks in the first round. In the second round dogs were sent down the line for blinds close to the far end of the line. After three retrieves in the morning walk-up, 10 dogs were called in for a two more blind retrieves in an area of tall, leafy beet. One of these blinds proved fairly straight forward, but he other involved the dog going over a brow and picking out of sight of the handler. One judge watched the dog work from a forward position and assessed its game finding ability. After the concluding refreshments the trophies, awards and prizes of Alpha dog food were presented to the four successful handlers, three of whom had two dogs each in the awards.
1st: Paul Birkbeck’s LR D Warrenbank Fen, 2nd: Julie Campbell’s LR D Lowsommer Delta.3rd: Charlotte Smith’s LR D Derrity Thor, 4th: Peter Orwin’s LR D Rudby Rusty, CoMs: Paul Birkbeck’s LR D Stephens Brother at Warrenbank, Charlotte Smith’s LR B Derrity Rose, Peter Orwin’s LR D Norbeck Tosh.
Photo shows Judges and Award winners L-R : Phil Smithies, Charlotte Smith, Arthur Hewer, Paul Birkbeck, Julia Sykes, Julie Campbell, Peter Orwin.
