Liz Ormerod

I was really pleased to be asked by Karen to co-judge the Level 1, 2 & 3 trial at Belbroughton with Nigel Wilkes.  A different format running Level 1 & 2 in-between each other but it all run very smoothly and prevented having to set up many different search areas. We held a briefing for all the competitors and gave opportunity for questions.

Level 1 (9 teams)

Exterior Search – Some lovely teamwork of which none I have had the pleasure in watching before so was all fresh to me. The wind was very “everywhere” so quite hard for teams to predict so they had to trust their dogs. Some disappointment for some but successes for others.

Tables & Chairs -oh wow! The slowest time was 41 secs. These guys whizzed in and out barely giving me time to slurp my cup of tea. Great handling marks earned all round, special mention to Jan & Mattie who had been a bit nervous on his exterior search (still found it) but relaxed better into this search. Jan gives him time to acclimatise, motivates him and then past the cones they go.

Results- a well deserved first place for Lynn & Ludo. Although not placed well done to Lisa & Tomba who achieved a clean sweep. I can’t not mention the vocal Louis who  chatted to his handler Deb throughout his search and earned a very respectful 3^rd place.

Level 2 (5 teams)

Exterior Search – some quick finds, confident & motivational handlers. A different approach from the level 1 handlers. Roz really boosts Really (the dog) before entering the search area and this for me reflects in his eagerness to work. 100% finds from all the teams so we could then get inside to thaw!

Tables & Chairs / Perimeter – All under 2-minute finds, though a couple wrong alerted. A calm approach demonstrated by Patty with Joey with such success. He works, she watches!

Results were a qualification by all teams. High standards throughout.

Level 3 (8 teams)

I started with the tables & chairs search of which only 4 teams found the two finds. Peter & Dolly have a very different style, its very fast! and Peter did well to keep her in the search area. The little legged dogs Belle & Billie were the stars of this search.

One scent had been placed in a small metal hole of a trolley so there was not much scent flow around it, proving that it is important for dogs to be worked in BOTH directions around the hall. What I liked greatly though was to observe the dogs not returning to a previous scent found and handlers encouraging them to move on.

Back outside for me to the Exterior search. Still cold but the wind had lessened and so kinder for the Level 3’s. Kaiser was a bit distracted by the environment but generally some lovely partnerships. Dexter has a distinctive noise point, almost resting his head on the article. Zak is a “plodder”, has been known to fib a bit on his alerts or he just wants to please Sheila, so Sheila found it hard sometimes to call the alert when for me, he was screaming at her!

Congratulations to Deb & Belle with a well deserved first place and to all the other competitors that qualified and to those that didn’t quite make it .. there’s always another trial.

Big thanks to Karen Cole for being my scribe. Her first journey in this role but she did a sterling job and was a lovely calming influence.

I knew it would be well organised trial and it was! Thank you, Karen and your team, for the flow of tea and cake!

Nigel Wilkes

I was asked by Karen to assist with judging on the levels 1, 2 and 3 trials with Liz Ormerod at the beautiful village of Belbroughton.

I arrived quite early just after 9.00 am to find Karen busy setting everything up. As I brought Breezer to be the ‘White Dog’ I took her for a walk first and when I got back Liz had arrived.

We all went into the hall and discussed how the morning session of Level 1 and Level 2 were going to be run and which judge was going to do which part of the trial. It was decided that I would do the Boxes and Luggage as well as the vehicle searches and Liz was doing the others.

After setting up the search area for boxes and luggage and running the ‘white dog’ we started. However, 2 out of the first 3 entries indicated on a bag that was not scented. At this point I was worried that as they were first time level 1 competitors that we should bring the ‘white dog’ back to check this item. Although she did not indicate on it she did show interest so for fairness we removed the item and started again. Second time around there were no such problems and the dogs were working well, but the handlers were very nervous which resulted in a few giving an wrong alert.

It was soon time for the level 2 trial to start and again some competitors were very nervous which their dogs picked up. They also didn’t read their dogs and when it indicated on the item the handler moved them on, which some dogs thought ‘ I showed you and you don’t trust me’  However, all in all the dogs performed very well.

We then went to the vehicle search and although the sun was out there was a blustery cold wind and I felt sorry for my scribe Heather as at one stage her hands were so cold that she could hardly write to times and scores down! Most of the dogs were very quick in finding the scent and at the end of the day taking into account the other two disciplines that Liz Judged Lyne and Ludo were worthy winners of the Level 1 Trial only dropping point five of a mark. They were hotly followed by Jackie and Lima and Deb and Louis.

The Level 2 Vehicle search again went quite well although a few dogs were more interested in the ground than the vehicle. The worthy winner of this trial was Jackie and Poppy, followed by Patty and Joey and then Roz and Really an apt name for a dog!!

We ran over a little so the afternoon trial started at 1.30 for the Level 3 entries. I was again doing Boxed and Luggage as well as the Vehicle search.  Again there was a high standard and the dogs quickly got into the searches.  However, some of the handlers were reluctant to call ‘Alerts’ and moved their dogs on, which the dogs found quite confusing and some were adamant and even barked at their handlers. The vehicle search I decided to start all the dogs with the wind behind them and for some dogs/handlers this proved to be quite difficult as some handlers did not take the wind into account and did not change direction which would have helped their dogs. This trial went smoothly and the result was 1^st Deb and Belle followed by Zoe and Dexter, with Ann and Ozzie 3^rd

				A/F = Alert Find			H = Handling			T = Time (seconds)
	Level 1			Tables & Chairs			Exterior Search			Vehicle Search			Boxes & Luggage			Totals
	Handler & Dog			A/F	H	T	A/F	H	T	A/F	H	T	A/F	H	T	Marks	Time
1	Lynn – Ludo			20	5	19	20	5	23	20	4.5	115	20	5	40	99.5	197
2	Jackie – Lima			20	5	23	20	5	93	20	4.5	100	20	4.75	86	99.25	302
3	Deb – Lewis			20	5	31	20	5	31	20	4.5	150	20	4.5	74	99	286
4	Zoe – Beth			20	5	41	20	4.5	127	20	4.5	100	20	5	74	99	342
5	Lisa – Temba			20	5	29	20	4	140	20	4.75	27	20	4.75	77	98.5	273
6	Jan – Mattie			20	5	15	20	4.5	58	20	4.75	54	0	4.75	102	79	229
	Level 2			Tables & Chairs			Exterior Search			Vehicle Search			Boxes & Luggage			Totals
	Handler & Dog			A/F	H	T	A/F	H	T	A/F	H	T	A/F	H	T	Marks	Time
1	Jackie  – Poppy			20	4.75	114	20	5	59	20	5	146	20	5	18	99.75	337
2	Patty – Joey			20	5	49	20	5	25	20	5	51	20	4.5	19	99.5	144
3	Sarah – Hugo			10	4.75	79	20	5	89	20	4.75	119	20	4.5	193	89	480
4	Roz – Really			20	5	65	20	5	25	20	3	43	10	4.75	50	87.75	183
5	Nikki – Peppa			10	5	71	20	5	24	10	4.75	191	20	5	28	79.75	314
	Level 3			Tables & Chairs			Exterior Search			Vehicle Search			Boxes & Luggage			Totals
	Handler & Dog			A/F	H	T	A/F	H	T	A/F	H	T	A/F	H	T	Marks	Time
1	Deb – Belle			20	5	71	20	5	86	20	4.75	69	20	4.75	41	99.5	267
2	Zoe – Dexter			10	5	76	20	5	30	20	5	190	20	5	29	90	325
3	Anne – Ozzie			20	5	98	20	4.75	109	10	4.5	230	20	4.75	87	89	524
4	Sheila – Zak			10	4.75	157	20	4	200	20	5	275	20	4	146	87.75	778
5	Lynne – Kaiser			20	5	91	10	5	64	20	5	104	10	4.75	63	79.75	322
6	Tracey – Billy			20	5	72	20	5	92	10	4.75	76	10	4.75	64	79.5	304