Level 1
1st Rob Harris – Gem – 100
2nd Caroline Bannard – Mr Wilson – 100
3rd Tracey Briggs -Boswell – 98.75
4th Nikki Thorpe – Zigzag – 79.75
5th Julie Thomas – Betty – 78
6th Karen Smith – Reggie – 77.5
7th Hayley Chewter – Layla – 73.75
Level 2
1st Donna Winskill – Lucy – 99.75
2nd Kathy Killick – Star – 99
3rd Annika May-Fairbairn – Rena – 97.75
4th Michele Murray – Rio – 96.75
5th Sharon Smith – Inca – 88.75
6th Jayde Smith – Chase – 87.25
7th Lesley Mack – Hetty – 79.5
8th Jayde Smith – Impi – 79
9th Pat Chantler – Arthur – 76.5
Sunday loomed quite murky with lots of drizzle. Not a good start to the day but the forecast suggested that it would stop raining by mid morning.
I arrived at the venue early and started to unpack. Sue and Geof arrived shortly afterwards and did an amazing job of helping to put the netting up for the exterior search, help set up the tables and chairs, and generally be indispensable.
We were all ready, the coffee/tea and biscuits sorted, all the four sections of the trial sorted. Even a gazebo set up so that the judge and scribe did not get wet whilst doing the outside searches.
Sarah Sandle now arrived with delicious croissants….
The judges then arrived and just had to decide where to hide everything. We got started indoors with with Karen judging and Sarah scribing. Outside Susan got started with Sue scribing. Geof did an amazing job of ensuring the correct handlers and dogs were ready. Considering we were running two sections at once it all went very smoothly.
Level 1s were finished, rosettes, certificates and the trophy were awarded, photos taken and then it was time for lunch. Sue and Geof and a few others had provided a fabulous lunch which we all ate in the car park. Very civilised.
The level 2 handlers were now ready to get started. We had to move the exterior search as there had been a lot of dogs wee’ing in the area. But no problem and the sun was now shining.
Once again lots of lovely searching, such a pleasure to have time to watch.
All done and inside for a welcome cup of coffee and everyone breathing again. Judges Karen and Susan gave a talk to say how they felt the day had gone, then gave out the rosettes and certificates. All helpers were thanked, photos taken and then it was all over until the next time.
We even had an ‘Excelllent’ rosette which went to Kathy Killick with Star.
A massive thank you to Karen Kendall and Susan Ann Benson for judging, to Sue Abbott-Dixon, Geof Dixon and Sarah Sandle for helping. These trials do not work without such fabulous helpers.
I had a fabulous day, encouraging each and every team as they prepared to do their search and then really enjoyed watching them. Marianne
Karen Kendall
Thank you very much to Trial Manager Marianne for inviting me to judge the indoor searches, Levels 1 and 2 at Brogorough. I really enjoyed the day and dividing the exercises between me and my colleague Sue Benson seemed to work well for the participants, in terms of reducing waiting time between searches. Thank you also to Becky and the gang for inviting Sue and I to join them for a marvelous lunch.
The twelve Level 1s started with tables and chairs. The find was on the outside edge of the back right hand side chair to minimise confusion with the chair next door. A nice straightforward search that I hoped would relax the handlers. It can difficult for inexperienced dogs to go into an environment they haven’t been into before and some can get very distracted, needing time to orient themselves. I was delighted to see some great searches with very quick times! Karen Smith with Reggie and Caroline Bannard with Mr Wilson performed particularly well with accurate methodical searching in very quick times.
The next time I saw the teams was for the container search, or boxes and luggage. I had placed the scent under the bottom flap of a box near the bottom end of the random arrangement of 11 other boxes and bags. Dogs were tired now and 4 struggled to find the scent. One dog went to the box 3 times and even picked up the scent swab in his mouth and dropped it on the floor to show his handler, but didn’t perform his usual alert, so the change in behaviour (and swab) was missed. Julie and Betty did a cracking find in just 11 seconds and Rob’s little Gem had plenty left in the tank to make the find, again another quick time of 22 seconds.
The nine teams who entered Level 2 started with boxes and luggage. The box with the scent was placed just to the left of the start, with the computer bag containing scent in a slim mesh side-pocket towards the middle of the random arrangement of 15 articles. All dogs bar one found both hides and I commend their handlers, who allowed the dogs to search off leash and quietly worked systematically with their dogs. Lesley and Hetty did a cracking job with easily the fastest time of 29 seconds, well done.
The final search of the day were the chairs and tables and perimeter search. Teams who went early seemed find this easier, as the scent dispersed higher and further for those dogs working towards the end. There were a few wrong alerts with dogs being “talked into alerting” on incorrect items around the perimeter, or handlers calling alert when their dogs were just investigating. Well done to Kathy for keeping her nerve when Star seemed very interested in the easy-chair, and right near the end got the correct find. Well done too to Donna with Lucy and Jayde with Chase for very smart work to make their two quick finds.
Well done to all who entered the Trial and congratulations to those who passed. At Level 1 it was so close for first place between Gem and Mr Wilson, with only 20 seconds between them. At Level 2 great work and very fast times for a well-deserved first place for Donna and Lucy. I would like to thank all who entered for kindly accepting my decisions, and I look forward to meeting you again as you continue your Scentwork UK journey.
Susan Benson
Level 1. Outside and vehicle search
I was very impressed with the standard of both dogs and handlers. It was lovely to see so many acting as teams and handlers reading their dogs so well. The outside search was made particularly difficult by several dogs fouling the area, and it was interesting to see how the handlers dealt with these problems.
Level 2. Outside and vehicle search
Again lovely dogs and handlers all trying very hard. The standard was really high and even with three cars in the vehicle search the results were very good.
Well done to all of you who passed the level, and to the ones who so narrowly didn’t keep trying you will get there.
So lovely to see how you all cared for your dogs, and the dogs you. It was a pleasure to be asked to judge you.
Thank you to Marianne and all the helpers. It all went very smoothly and we finished early.
| A/F = Alert Find | H = Handling | T = Time (seconds) | |||||||||||||||
| Levek 1 | Tables & Chairs | Exterior Search | Vehicle Search | Boxes & Luggage | Totals | ||||||||||||
| Name of Handler & Dog | A/F | H | T | A/F | H | T | A/F | H | T | A/F | H | T | Marks | Time | |||
| 1 | Rob Harris – Gem | 20 | 5 | 20 | 20 | 5 | 21 | 20 | 5 | 24 | 20 | 5 | 22 | 100 | 87 | ||
| 2 | Caroline Bannard – Mr Wilson | 20 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 5 | 72 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 5 | 31 | 100 | 119 | ||
| 3 | Tracey Briggs -Boswell | 20 | 4.75 | 50 | 20 | 4.5 | 26 | 20 | 5 | 20 | 20 | 4.5 | 39 | 98.75 | 135 | ||
| 4 | Nikki Thorpe – Zigzag | 0 | 4.75 | 19 | 20 | 5 | 9 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 5 | 27 | 79.75 | 60 | ||
| 5 | Julie Thomas – Betty | 20 | 4.25 | 51 | 0 | 4.75 | 56 | 20 | 4 | 34 | 20 | 5 | 11 | 78 | 152 | ||
| 6 | Karen Smith – Reggie | 20 | 4.5 | 11 | 20 | 4.75 | 26 | 20 | 4.5 | 33 | 0 | 3.75 | 52 | 77.5 | 122 | ||
| 7 | Hayley Chewter – Layla | 20 | 4.5 | 48 | 20 | 0 | 9 | 20 | 4.5 | 31 | 0 | 4.75 | 16 | 73.75 | 104 | ||
| Level 2 | Tables & Chairs | Exterior Search | Vehicle Search | Boxes & Luggage | Totals | ||||||||||||
| Name of Handler & Dog | A/F | H | T | A/F | H | T | A/F | H | T | A/F | H | T | Marks | Time | |||
| 1 | Donna Winskill – Lucy | 20 | 5 | 30 | 20 | 5 | 21 | 20 | 5 | 65 | 20 | 4.75 | 32 | 99.75 | 148 | ||
| 2 | Kathy Killick – Star | 20 | 5 | 247 | 20 | 4.75 | 42 | 20 | 4.5 | 110 | 20 | 4.75 | 53 | 99 | 452 | ||
| 3 | Annika May-Fairbairn – Rena | 20 | 3 | 200 | 20 | 5 | 30 | 20 | 5 | 72 | 20 | 4.75 | 56 | 97.75 | 358 | ||
| 4 | Michele Murray – Rio | 20 | 4.75 | 97 | 20 | 4 | 98 | 20 | 3.5 | 260 | 20 | 4.5 | 64 | 96.75 | 519 | ||
| 5 | Sharon Smith – Inca | 20 | 4.75 | 57 | 10 | 4.5 | 44 | 20 | 4.75 | 27 | 20 | 4.75 | 47 | 88.75 | 175 | ||
| 6 | Jayde Smith – Chase | 20 | 5 | 31 | 20 | 3 | 66 | 20 | 4.75 | 44 | 10 | 4.5 | 37 | 87.25 | 178 | ||
| 7 | Lesley Mack – Hetty | 10 | 5 | 86 | 10 | 4.5 | 89 | 20 | 5 | 42 | 20 | 5 | 28 | 79.5 | 245 | ||
| 8 | Jayde Smith – Impi | 10 | 4.5 | 51 | 20 | 5 | 40 | 10 | 4.5 | 122 | 20 | 5 | 51 | 79 | 264 | ||
| 9 | Pat Chantler – Arthur | 0 | 2 | 113 | 20 | 4.75 | 44 | 20 | 5 | 85 | 20 | 4.75 | 56 | 76.5 | 298 | ||