Judges Report: Thank you Georgina for inviting me back to Moreleigh to judge Level 5. First thing to report is that it was dry and sunny, something of a first for Moreleigh. There was a slight wind that caused a few problems outside but otherwise great conditions. Thank you to David my scribe and Tina trial manager and of course the lovely teams that competed. All areas were white dogged by my own dog and after each find I took the dog back to the reward areas. We searched systematically although I know where the hides where to ensure the correct times allocated..
As Moreleigh is a familiar venue I tried to do things a little differently. For the first interior search I divided the hall in half lengthways using benches and chairs, which also acted as a fourth wall. I also used the storage room at the rear of the hall. As teams entered their starting point was the mat, this was also a reward point with a further mat halfway down the hall as a reward point as I was aware of slippery floors and did not want mishaps for those choosing to reward. 5 hides with 4 and a half minutes.
The first hide (g) was right at the start on the chair acting as a barrier, all teams missed this hide until later on in their searches.
The second hide (g) midway on the underside of the last bench at the rear of the hall. This was the full length of the all away from the first hide and most dogs had got into their searching mode at this point. The third hide ( c) was at the bottom of the wooden steps in front of the stage approx 2 metres away from the second hide. The fourth hide ( c) as on the 2nd rung up on the metal ladder at the rear of the storage room.
The fifth hide ( c ) as at the bottom of the kitchen door ( opposite hinges). There were a number of wrong alerts as teams called before the dogs had really tracked to source and indicated. 5 out of the 9 teams found all the hides in this search.
The exterior search ( 3 hides 3 minutes) was the shorter rear wall where conveniently a ramp had been left by the wall. The shorter wall around the corner to just past the drain pipe, then a row of plastic chairs to the wooden and wire fence, along this fence back to the gravel provided the search area. This was challenging as the fence on a grass and teams wanting to avoid the grass.
The first hide (g) on the ramp at the bottom as teams approached it, most teams got this comfortably, the other 2 hides were both on the wooden fence, the 2nd (c ) closest to the row of chairs and the 3rd just past a corner post (c ). The two teams that got all three hides worked really well in unison with the dogs on the grass and the dogs picked up odour and worked back to hides. The dogs were picking up odoured on hide 2 near the chairs but owners were reluctant to go on to grass instead concentrating on the chairs and drain pipes. Level 5 clearly states “the ground surface can consist of gravel , grass, tarmac …”
The second interior search (4 hides and 4 minutes ) was the foyer area of the hall and included the gents and disabled toilet. As the team entered the waited on the large mat which was the reward area there were 2 sets of double doors and 3 single doors in the search area. The doors to the toilets were left open.
The first hide (c ) was at the bottom of a poster ( used under 80 cm ) the second hide (c ) at the bottom of the sink in the gents toilets, the third hide (g) under the lip of a plastic baby step in the disabled toilet and the fourth hide (g) as at the bottom of an unused and switched off double plug socket ( just under above floor level) by the double doors as teams entered. Only two teams got this hide and both handlers tasked their dogs into the area by the open door of the disabled toilet and dogs worked back and up to the hide.
Congratulations to Sara and Ripley who came first and got their 30 points excellent award, 2nd to Rebecca and Pike, 3rd to Heather and Wilma ( who found her courage in small places) and 4th to Lisa and Jago.
As always a pleasure to watch all teams work, try not to panic if you have asked for time warnings and then calling wrong alerts. Level 5 is a step up from 4 with very different searches, teams need to be systematic in searches and handlers remembering where you have been and not over tasking and talking yourself into an alert. I saw some great handing where teams obviously know their dog, You all took the best dog home.
Judges Report: Thank you Georgina for inviting me back to Moreleigh to judge Level 5. First thing to report is that it was dry and sunny, something of a first for Moreleigh. There was a slight wind that caused a few problems outside but otherwise great conditions. Thank you to David my scribe and Tina trial manager and of course the lovely teams that competed. All areas were white dogged by my own dog and after each find I took the dog back to the reward areas. We searched systematically although I know where the hides where to ensure the correct times allocated..
As Moreleigh is a familiar venue I tried to do things a little differently. For the first interior search I divided the hall in half lengthways using benches and chairs, which also acted as a fourth wall. I also used the storage room at the rear of the hall. As teams entered their starting point was the mat, this was also a reward point with a further mat halfway down the hall as a reward point as I was aware of slippery floors and did not want mishaps for those choosing to reward. 5 hides with 4 and a half minutes.
The first hide (g) was right at the start on the chair acting as a barrier, all teams missed this hide until later on in their searches.
The second hide (g) midway on the underside of the last bench at the rear of the hall. This was the full length of the all away from the first hide and most dogs had got into their searching mode at this point. The third hide ( c) was at the bottom of the wooden steps in front of the stage approx 2 metres away from the second hide. The fourth hide ( c) as on the 2nd rung up on the metal ladder at the rear of the storage room.
The fifth hide ( c ) as at the bottom of the kitchen door ( opposite hinges). There were a number of wrong alerts as teams called before the dogs had really tracked to source and indicated. 5 out of the 9 teams found all the hides in this search.
The exterior search ( 3 hides 3 minutes) was the shorter rear wall where conveniently a ramp had been left by the wall. The shorter wall around the corner to just past the drain pipe, then a row of plastic chairs to the wooden and wire fence, along this fence back to the gravel provided the search area. This was challenging as the fence on a grass and teams wanting to avoid the grass.
The first hide (g) on the ramp at the bottom as teams approached it, most teams got this comfortably, the other 2 hides were both on the wooden fence, the 2nd (c ) closest to the row of chairs and the 3rd just past a corner post (c ). The two teams that got all three hides worked really well in unison with the dogs on the grass and the dogs picked up odour and worked back to hides. The dogs were picking up odoured on hide 2 near the chairs but owners were reluctant to go on to grass instead concentrating on the chairs and drain pipes. Level 5 clearly states “the ground surface can consist of gravel , grass, tarmac …”
The second interior search (4 hides and 4 minutes ) was the foyer area of the hall and included the gents and disabled toilet. As the team entered the waited on the large mat which was the reward area there were 2 sets of double doors and 3 single doors in the search area. The doors to the toilets were left open.
The first hide (c ) was at the bottom of a poster ( used under 80 cm ) the second hide (c ) at the bottom of the sink in the gents toilets, the third hide (g) under the lip of a plastic baby step in the disabled toilet and the fourth hide (g) as at the bottom of an unused and switched off double plug socket ( just under above floor level) by the double doors as teams entered. Only two teams got this hide and both handlers tasked their dogs into the area by the open door of the disabled toilet and dogs worked back and up to the hide.
Congratulations to Sara and Ripley who came first and got their 30 points excellent award, 2nd to Rebecca and Pike, 3rd to Heather and Wilma ( who found her courage in small places) and 4th to Lisa and Jago.
As always a pleasure to watch all teams work, try not to panic if you have asked for time warnings and then calling wrong alerts. Level 5 is a step up from 4 with very different searches, teams need to be systematic in searches and handlers remembering where you have been and not over tasking and talking yourself into an alert. I saw some great handing where teams obviously know their dog, You all took the best dog home.