Hethe Village Hall, Hardwick Road, Hethe, OX27 8EY
Start: 10am
Entry Fees: £28 per dog.
Contact: Heather Donnelly heather.donnelly6@btinternet.com
Trial Manager and Judges Reports
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Tue 07 Dec 2021, Hethe
Levels 2 & 5: Judges - L2 Lynda Stangle, L5 Nigel Wilkes
Thank you Heather for asking me to judge L2, the weather report was not good due to Storm Barra. As the weather was due to deteriorate, which it did, we did the two outside searches first. Due to the state of the ground, we were unable to use a vehicle so used 15 metres of wall instead, all but two dogs got both scents, the other two dogs got one. On the Exterior search, the wind started increasing and unfortunately three dogs only managed one scent instead of the two. Luckily we just managed to finish both the outdoor searches before the rain came. Despite the weather conditions all dogs worked very well. Next up was the bags and boxes followed by the Tables, Chairs and Exterior, both were well worked by all the teams. Congratulations must go to Rebecca and Marvel for winning the Level 2, they were worthy winners but they did have stiff competition, they also achieved their Excellence Award, well done. Congratulations also to Sally and Ellie, who also got their Excellence Award. All of the teams qualified Level 2, well done to you all.
I was asked to Judge the Level 5 Trial at Hethe on the7th December and when I started off I was made aware of the weather that was supposed to be stormy. On arrival the level2 was still in progress so it gave me some extra time to look at the areas where the searches were to be taking place. I then did a quick briefing and showed the competitors the first search area. As the weather was not to bad we decided to start with the outside search. Heather kindly followed me with the scent and we put the first in the door frame in the small alley and the second on the door hinge on the patio doors. This search proved rather easy as only one team found 1 with the rest finding both. Whilst I was with Heather looking at the 3rd search area, Yaz had taken the competitors around search area 2, where the scents where placed on the Baby changing unit and door frame into that room, stacked chairs and bottom of door. Just as we were starting this search the heavens opened, so I was glad that we had already done the outside search! This search proved a little bit tougher as only 2 found all the hides. Our final search was interior 2 where there were 6 hides, two on the large table, one at each end on the front and back, the bottom of the bookcase, the children’s climbing frame with slide, on the bar area on the bottom and a chair in the middle of the room. Again all the teams worked really hard, and it became quite tense that some called the final find with .67 of a second left with some just calling after Yaz had called time, which was unfortunate.
The results were ready and unfortunately only one team out of the 8 did not qualify, but the winner was Lynda Strangle and Magic who performed excellently throughout.
I would like to thank Heather for asking me to judge and Yaz for being my scribe and support throughout the afternoon. It was then time for everybody to take the drive home and for some dodging fallen tree’s and flooded roads!