guy
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Bunwell Novice FtI will take the liberty of writing up the day as I saw it. We had three Brittanys running who all put in a very good performance.
The day was run initially on sugar beet. The weather was dry and quite cool with a breeze. Scenting conditions much to everyones surprise were very poor. This beet field took 8 of the 12 running off the card, mainly for bumping birds - running into them without pointing them, a problem if the dog approaches from up wind.
Alan Rush ran Toscane. From the gallery we saw a very 'careful' performance by this dog. She did not run with the pace Brittanys are often accused of - instead worked her ground well including the grass margin. She put a bird up by approaching from upwind but as she had indicated the presence and was working the foot scent was not put out for this. She worked on and then went on strong point; presenting the bird on command. The bird was shot very close but unfortunately Toscane ran in - so she was out. A big groan from the gallery as we were all willing her on.
Andy Coveney ran Beau. A very hard running dog that was exciting to watch. Very responsive to her whistle. Displaying cracking form. She worked a good width of beat and up the grass margin. Andy called her back from this margin and she crossed ground she had not yet worked and in doing so put up a bird. So she was out.
Topaz - see post elsewhere.
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guy
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Only award was a 4th
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doganjo
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who to? and what breed?
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guy
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I did not wish to steal Sue (FT Asst Sec'y / Asst Steward) Axtell's thunder 
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Patricia
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We'll let Sue report!
I think though he is a member of the Norfolk and Suffolk and a really nice bloke.
By the way Guy, Beau is a " HE" Son of my Athos. He sure has his father's speed!
Change of scene next month, we're all off showing in France. then back to the working side. and look at my pup on route to Normandie. Hoing he will be what I am looking for and with..no tail 
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Mugi
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Sorry for the delay in catching up with this, getting up at 3.30 yesterday to get to Norfolk left me more interested in bed than computer last evening and today Mugi, Piper and I have been beating.
Awards first and then my waffle .
The 4th went to Adrian Hey's Greyman Lunar Eclipse, a very nice weim bitch who got better as the day went on.
Guns Award went to Jennifer Hurley's Swifthouse Crusader, a GSP who was going really well until he practically tripped over a hare and felt the need to dispatch it without asking the guns to help , he would have been in prime position to win at that point but such is life.
I loved watching the Brittany's run and I hope Guy might pop a selection of pictures of the day up on the thread if any of the ones I took were useable, the brittanys esp were hard to catch in the beet due to size issues.
All the dogs worked well but the scenting conditions were awful, a few of the judges decisions I didn't understand - why one dog seemed to get the benefit of the doubt and another didn't but I am still learning so guess I missed something critical.
Guy ran Topaz first and boys is he fast (Topaz that is), he worked his first run without producing a bird to retrieve and the rabbit he did point was missed. I want Guy to provide the club with a portable defibrillator for next time he runs that dog in a club trial as Guy comes away from the experience looking shattered . (His second run saw him pointing very solidly but the bird didn't get up well from a guns perspective. Topaz left the wood and moved onto beet again where he was running really well, he was on the trail of a cock pheasant but in working it he moved too far away from Guy and the judges and sadly he then decided to not communicate with 'Dad' as well as he should so although he didn't do anything wrong he was not taken forward to the water.)
Alan was the next brittany handler to run and boy what a difference. Toscane was covering her ground really well, much more 'careful' than Topaz but still quickly moving over her beat. To watch she was lovely and (ok I know I have her son so I may be biased  ) I felt I was able to 'see' what she was doing better than Topaz or Beau. She did run in on her flushed bird, it was shot sooooo close temptation was too much. For some reason though she declined to retrieve the pheasant which I think irritated Alan more than the enthusiasm that got her eliminated.
Final brittany handler was Andy in his first trial. From chatting to him beforehand I knew Beau was fast and probably in someways the ground and scenting conditions couldn't have been worse for a young dog who normally moves at light speed. Beau ran wide, fast and hard but he is sooooo in tune with Andy, not only is he exceptionally responsive to the whistle he was following Andy's body language really well. Andy probably over-handled from one point of view but he kept Beau on the ground he was allocated and on the job, they were unlucky to bump a bird as Beau came back in to Andy at speed.
Again I have learned loads by being able to be up closer to the action and I am glad I have decided to do this as a way of learning to ready myself for Chase. My long day yesterday and the fact I have driven 1,421 miles since last Sunday morning which included travel to 2 trials, 2 dog shows and one charity dog walk means I am soooo glad I can't get time off to travel to Craig's Castle Novice Trial next month - my poorly car is too  .
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Patricia
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From Alan: Toscane was looking for the bird but for some reason did not find it 
You always wonder what goes in their head That is very unsusual for her as she is retrieving very well and to hand. She got her SGWC on a " blind" last year, someone else's bird.
Back to basics and on to the whistle a bit more I think!!!
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guy
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| Patricia wrote: | | From Alan: Toscane was looking for the bird but for some reason did not find it |
I can relate to that. There must have been something that concealed the bird - if the dog is running in it has a, marked the bird and b, has a real drive to get to it. I wold put good money on her having found it if Alan had been allowed to move a bit ot if she had had a bit more time. i know she went into hunting mode but if Alan as handler had felt he had more time to call her in and start again as a blind - who knows??
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Patricia
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That is of course. always the luck of the draw!! We will carry on going as it is a healthy occupation and these dogs are gundogs and love doing their job, don't they Guy?!
Their enthousiasm and zest for life and work is infectious and gives us such a buzz.  All this with real " camaraderie"
Alan and Andy came back having enjoyed their day
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guy
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i have had and worked gundogs for a few years now - but the relationship you develop with your dog doing trials is unlike anything else.
PS i wold never go back to spaniels - but might be tempted by a Bleu d'Auvergne
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guy
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Some of Sue's pictures
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