2023 Working Test Events.
March 12th Rosedale
Open & Novice Working Test – Rosedale 1 April 2023
Yesterday the club held its first Working Test of 2023, we had to postpone in March due to the snow and the weather wasn’t much kinder to us yesterday. The Judges, Competitors and dummy throwers braved the cold and wet to have a thoroughly good day.
The Club would like to thank Mr David Ross and Head Keeper Jimmie Brough for allowing us to use this fantastic ground, you don’t get many tests on such challenging ground in the middle of the spectacular North York Moors.
Thanks also go to the judges, Wayne Mitchell, Simon Capstick, Anthea Shelley and Nick Mercer for kindly giving up their time to support the club and a big thanks to new members Mike Rose and Alan Bowden, attending their first tests as volunteer dummy throwers.
The results were as follows:
Open
1st Claire Carivs – Tarnedge Jania winning the Majuke Trophy
after a 3 dog run off for 2nd – 4th place
2nd Sandra Ellis – Cuckavalda Black Bean
3rd Paul Dukes – Troddenmills Get a Grip at Dacreford
4th Jogolo Dark Magic – Godfrey Lowe
Novice
1st Caroline Wainwright – Rylandson If He Wont winning the Three Ridings Labrador Cup
2nd Stephen Townsend – Tideflow Teal
3rd Andrew Curtis – Stauntonvale Treacle Tart
4th Suzanne Sprigett – Thunderlands Walter at Pazanne
Congratulations to all in the awards.
The pictures tell the story of how cold and wet everyone was
April 16th Skipster Hagg, Kirkbymoorside.
Puppy, Novice/Dog & Novice Working Test
The club held it’s second Working Test of 2023 at Skipster Hagg, nr Kirkbymoorside on Sunday 16 April by kind permission of Mrs Anne Procope. Anne as always was an exceptional host, parking was challenging due to wet conditions and even though we left a very chewed up field Anne’s response was “it will be fine, the grass will grow”
Thank you to the judges, Phil Smithies, Mark Wilson, Eden Parish and Becki Thistle, who set some great tests on the interesting ground.
As always thanks to the helpers who threw dummies, without whom we couldn’t run these events and thank you to Alan, his defender and the rest of the gang who were towing and pushing even the 4×4’s off the field.
Despite the wet ground, the day was warm and bright, and the competitors created a lovely atmosphere. It’s several years since the club has run a Puppy or a Novice Dog/Novice Handler Test and they proved very popular.
The results are as follows:
Puppy
1st Lynda Currie – Holmecliffe’s Pippas Gift (Lab B)
2nd Jake Tyrie – Knolbank Reva Scout (Golden B)
3rd Sol Pullen – Newwood Rosefinch (Lab B)
COM: Michelle Olds – Oldsmoor Honey Buzzard (Lab B) Robert Bunting – Kymeotter Buldur (Lab D)
& Charlotte Brown – Maplecrest Resolute (Lab D)
Novice Dog/Novice Handler
1st Shelley Sandiford – Tideflow Hawthom (Lab D)
2nd Peter Richardson – Fleetmoss Ruby (Lab D)
3rd Sophie Watts – Bilsdale Grace (Lab B)
4th Sara Pearson – Willowcrest Ebony Rose (Lab B)
COM: Darren Evan – Derestreet Shadow (Lab D) & Elizabeth Bramley – Midgewater Golden Rod (Lab D)
Novice
1st Andrew Coates – Wheldrake Jay (Lab B)
2nd Andrew Coates – Wheldrake Moss (Lab D)
3rd Louise Franklin – Eborascham Gung Ho Zorin (Lab D)
COM Jane Pilling – Mekoro Pot Luck (Lab B) & Bill Lambell – Kentwone Midnight Crow (Lab D)
Congratulations to all in the awards.
May 7th Studley Royal, Ripon.
The club would like to thank Mr Julian Fenton and Head Keeper Mr Andrew Richards for allowing the club to hold its third Working Test of 2023 at Studley Royal, nr Ripon.
The day started very damp, but soon brightened up and everyone stayed dry.
Thanks go to the judges, Paul Stogden, Paul Hasney, Ralf Thompson and Liz Robinson for kindly giving up their day to support the club. Thanks also to the helpers for throwing dummies and marshalling the tests, helping things to run smoothly, without whom the events couldn’t run.
There were some challenging tests and the awards well deserved.
The Results as follows:
1st Jill Grant – Mordonmanor Weaver of Heldrazer
2nd Nick Massingham – Osulf Riley
3rd Anne Dunn – Zander Nightwalker
4th Caroline Wainwright – Isleofman Turner
COM Jane Pilling – Mekoro Pot Luck
Congratulations All
June 4th Water Priory, Pocklington.
Yesterday the club held its fourth Working Test of 2023 on the magnificent grounds of Warter Priory Estate by kind invitation of the Healey Family and Head Keeper Frank Croft.
Thanks go to the judges Godfrey Lowe, Keith Eastwood, Amy Willcox, and Andrew Curtis, who set some challenging tests in the valleys that ended in the appropriately named paradise.
It was fantastic to have a lot of helpers, who’s presence ensured dummies and competitors were in the right place at the right time, making things run smoothly, so a big thank you to them.
Whilst thanking those involved, Hannah Bramhall should not be forgotten, without her hard work, sorting the entries and schedules for the day none of the clubs Working Tests could run.
The competitions started with Amy Willcox welcoming the club to the ground on behalf of the Healey Family and Frank Croft. The Open Test ran through the morning with the Novice Test in the afternoon, competitors all complimented the ground and the variety of tests which produced the following results:
Open Test
1st Jason Barnes with Labdom Quinn
2nd Mollie Lord with Gunnerspeg Artemus
3rd Shiela Tait with Byland Bonnie
4th Darren Thompson with Luisenga Osprey
Novice Test
1st Paula Cullis with Drakeshead Finnigan of Tagabea
2nd David Walton with Rawcroft Ravishing
3rd Tracey Dodds with Feugera’s Uzuri
4th Eden Parish with Cardueae Dianthus of Tarnedge
July 23rd Aske Hall, Richmond.
As it comes towards the end of the clubs 2023 Working Test season, we held our penultimate test at the fantastic Aske Hall Estate in grounds overlooked by the majestic hall and featuring the beautiful lake.
Our thanks go to the Earl of Ronaldshay, Zetland Estate, for allowing us once again to hold a Working Test at Aske. The proceeds from the raffle on the day will be donated to the local charity ‘Just the Job’ located in Richmond on behalf of the estate.
As always, we thank the judges, Glyn Coupar, Paul Owens, Mollie Lord and Alan Lord who stepped in at the last minute, for giving up their day to support the club and set some challenging but achievable tests, especially as it turned out to be such horrendous weather with the rain being torrential from start to finish.
The helpers on the occasion are too many to mention individually, and I wouldn’t like to miss someone off the list, we couldn’t run these events without you, to stand in the rain and remain cheerful you did a stirling job and everyone really appreciates you volunteering.
Thank you to Hannah Bramhall for doing all the pre test admin work, it certainly made it easy on the day and whilst she wasn’t there, the list of instructions I was given meant I could seamlessly stand in for her.
Lastly, thank you to all the competitors, who despite the conditions created a friendly and supportive atmosphere, staying to the end to see the results, even though most made at least one full set of clothing change.
The results as follows:
Open
1st Clare Baker – Arcklebear Caribou
2nd Tom Unwin – Kentwone Jack the Lad of Nanclodie
3rd Routengill Daisy – Claire Carvis
4th Cardueae Yealands – Rebecca Thistle
COM Stephen Townsend – Isle of Man Cristen
Novice
1st Anne Marie Coates – Binneybottom Run Like Hell of Wraithwood
2nd Rebecca Thistle – Cardueae Emilia
3rd Stephen Townsend – Tideflow Teal
4th Serena Richardson – Hannrebor Black Knight
COM Jane Duffy – Dallagill Islay
Unfortunately due to the weather conditions we didn’t get a picture of the Open award winners, picture of Novice awards will be added later.
Thank you once again to everyone involved
August 20th. Escrick.
Today was the clubs last Working Test of 2023 a Walked Up Test run on FT lines, in Sugarbeet by kind permission of Graham Atkinson. The strange weather we’ve been experiencing has certainly made the beet grow, it was thick and tall and the dogs and people had to work very hard to negotiate it.
Thank you to our Judges, Sue Hales-Lowe, Charlie Albone, Victoria Waterfield and Steve Burns, they certainly had their work cut out, the standard of dog work was exceptional.
As always, these events could not run without helpers, thank you to David Jefferies, Alan Bowden and Stuart Bostock for throwing dummies and thank you to John who came to see what it was all about and ended up game bag carrying. Thanks also to Sara Pearson for Dog Stewarding, giving me the opportunity to walk in line and shadow judge. Once again Hannahs efficient pre test administration meant everything was in place for the day, I hope the handover from Hannah to me on Thursday didn’t have a detrimental effect.
The test ran over a total of 6 retrieves, the last being a run off between the top two dogs with a distraction into the beet and dogs sent for a blind on the edge of the field next to the wood.
The presentation of awards was bitter sweet, it being Alans last Working Test as FT/WT Sec after 10 years at the helm. Alan has made the hard decision not to stand for the role next year. The test at Naburn has always meant a lot to Alan, the ground having been owned by the late John Jewitt a former President of the club, who’s daughter came to present the Naburn Cup donated by her father to the winner.
Sue Hales-Lowe, gave a touching speech thanking Alan for his service to the club, acknowledging how strong the club is now and that his shoes will be very hard to fill.
Alan replied by thanking everyone for their kind words, acknowledging the support of the now strong working committee and saying that through the role with the club he had made many friends and that he would continue to be active in the sport.
The results:
1st Simon Capstick with Gunnerspeg Apollo
2nd John Cardno with Ftch Etomanni Comanche
3rd Simon Capstick with Gunnerspeg Drummer
4th David Houghton with Kenaiteen Marvel
COM Sandra Ellis with Cuckavalda Black Bean
& Victoria Stanley withMinstead Reacher
Congratulations to all in the awards and thank you to all competitors who made it a lovely day. Hope to see you all next year, if not before at our Field Trials
