The Donegal Field Trial Assoc. held it’s Open Grouse trial at Bragan, near Scotstown, Co Monaghan, today Friday 5th August 2005. The judges for the event which was to be run under I.K.C. Field Trial Rules & Regulations were Paddy Peoples and Michael Houston. The wind was about force two for most of the day and came consistently from the North West. The 16.5C on the thermometer at times seemed cool due to the wind but we had almost perfect Field Trial conditions.
The results were as follows:-
1 Lagopus Yorkie Jimmy Dalton’s Pointer dog ( Excellent)
2 Craigrua Osprey Des Linton’s Red & White Setter dog ( Excellent )
3 Exile on Main Street Des O’Neile’s Pointer Bitch (Good)
4 Ballymena Hawk Wilson Harrison’s Red Setter dog ( Good)
Although not overpopulated with birds this mountain produced a trial of some merit. All dogs ran, some harder than others, and some to lesser effect but they all ran. The judges were able to extend as wide a beat as the handlers wished and most used this freedom to good effect. There were fifteen dogs in the event but it still wasn’t concluded until about 18:00 so you can see that the better dogs worked very hard for anything they got.
At the end of the first round there was only one joint find in the books. It was a good find with the single bird tucked into short blueberry bushes. Jimmy Dalton was given the opportunity to work out and eventually produced the tricky bird. Wilson Harrison’s Setter had the back ( handled by Des Linton) The high standard was obvious and twelve of the dogs were called out for the second round.Again the dogs all ran with gusto but there was only one more find in the second round. Des Linton’s Craigrua Osprey had a find on a covey of about five. Much to my pleasant surprise I was called out for an extension to the second round. I was second brace of the two called back. When it came my turn we ran for a full fifteen minutes and our brace mate had a non-productive point. I though that that was that but even though we had just had another full run we were given another and just when we reached the point that marked the end of our run Judy came on point away , and I mean away, on the left. She moved forward to keep in touch and by the time I got to her she was steady, and remained so as our brace mate stole the point. This robbed us of the opportunity to produce the single cock that the other dog had flushed, but she remained steady as a rock and eventually worked to the site of the flush. This was literally the last kick of the match, the awards were as above.
My own dogs:-
Jump.
Big disappointment. The best laid plans………. I avoided the gallery like the plague but eventually had to hold a dog for somebody. Sorry bitch, for somebody. Jump didn’t fall in love immediately but he became distracted. When cast off he made about five good casts and then buggered off over the top of a hill. More in hope than in anger I walked to the top and there he was about half a mile away, Coming Back!!!!!!!!! Needless to say he didn’t make a second appearance.
Judy:-Her award doesn’t tell the whole story. She ran three and a half full rounds of fifteen minutes. Her lines were perfect, she handled a dream, and boy did she give it some wellie. Both the judges said that she was the class act of the day and was only moved down the awards due to a non-productive in her second run. So the wee bitch is now qualified for open stakes. That makes half of this years mission accomplished, and the way Jump is getting on, perhaps the easy half!
