Wendy Coulson

Firstly I would like to thank Felicity for inviting me to judge the level three trial at Stalmine and for the wonderful gift, I love it.

Thanks also to Jill Harper for being efficient as always and organising everyone. Felicity your trial managing and scribing skills were very evident resulting in a very proficiently run trial.

To say the weather made the trial very challenging is an understatement but none of you were perturbed and worked doggedly pursuing your results. Not all of you qualified which was a huge shame, but you should all be proud of your teamwork with your dogs, onwards and upwards.

It was a very interesting trial in that qualifications and placements could not be ascertained or second guessed, right until the last find. It was also unfortunate there were no clean sweeps.

Congratulations to the three teams placed, Christine/Teasel, Sue/Spring and Jenny/Jethro.
In addition well done teams, Christine/Teasel and Jenny/Jethro who also gained their excellence awards.

Moving on to the trials, the vehicle search proved to be very challenging for most. One of the scents was in a door seam which didn’t seem to be that problematic, but surprisingly the scent in a wheel nut was missed a few times. Well done to Christine who identified the direction of the wind and used it to her advantage. Sam and Teddy, wow what teamwork, the wind did not put you two off. You made this trial look so easy and found both scents in record time 72.5 seconds, amazing well done.

The exterior search was next, one scent in the leg of an ironing board and one in a perforated plastic brick. This search was not as problematic and three teams were successful in finding both scents. Sue and Spring worked very quickly declaring both finds in 50.8 seconds.Fortunately there was no scent on the wooden item, right at the search entrance as most of you tended to start your dog’s in the middle of the area and missed the item completely.

Next was boxes and bags, both scents hidden in boxes one to the left of the start line and one to the right. Unfortunately some of you adopted the same technique as you did in the exterior and sent your dogs into the middle of the room and the boxes were ignored. Gill and Root you were very systematic and identified both scents, being the only team that did. This was only your second trial at level three and you should be so proud. Jenny, jethro was very interested in one of the bags and took a liking to it carrying it around the room, having great fun. You mentioned that you might as well give up. Being reminded that you still had time left, to your credit you carried on and identified one of the finds correctly, resulting in your excellence and an overall position of third.

Cath, you were very unfortunate in that Dana was very distracted by a fly however you did your utmost to try and refocus her, well done you. Your positivity shone through at the next exercise, knowing that you hadn’t qualified but stated you were treating it as a training exercise and going to enjoy it. Good on you.

Finally was the table/ chairs and perimeter. One scent being at the top of a chair leg and the other in the end of a curved pipe on the floor. Sue/Spring you were very fast in identifying the chair but unfortunately false indicated on the tub next to the pipe. Perhaps if you had waited a little longer. Christine in this exercise before declaring the find in the pipe you identified that you might be influencing Tiesel as you was stood next to the item. To your credit you gave her a little more time before calling it. Jenny, Jethro found both, bet your glad you continued.

I really enjoyed watching you all work and it was admirable to see that those of you who didn’t manage to qualify on this occasion, were not deterred from applauding those that did.

Wendy Coulson