The Breffnei & Oriel Pointer & Setter Club started this Summer Season’s Pointer & Setter trials under Irish Kennel Club Rules & regulations at Scotstown today 20th July 2008. The trial was an Open Stake for Pointers and any variety setter and the judges were the club secretary Paddy Peoples and Tony Kieran. We used the ground near Bragan. There was a fresh, 2 – 3, NW breeze for the whole day and although there was the odd threat of rain the day got better and was warm and sunny by the afternoon. This was a small stake with only sixteen dogs. Monaghan is just about as far North as trials are now held in Ireland and some prospective competitors don’t want to travel this far. Add this to several people participating in England and Scotland and this accounts for the small entry.
We were into grouse right away with Desi Linton’s Int.F.T.Ch.Craigrua Osprey having a good find on a small covey. This covey split nicely and provided opportunities for several other brace but they couldn’t handle the recently lit in birds. A couple of dogs had finds on snipe but no other grouse were made use of in the remainder of the first round.
The second round was similar. A covey was split early on and this provided difficult opportunities for other dogs but there were no successful finds and several dogs were eliminated.
Results:-
1 Madhog Dawn Run Davy Byrne’s Irish Setter bitch.
2 Int.F.T.Ch. Craigrua Osprey Desi Linton’s Red and White Setter dog.
Judy :- Ran well for a full stint in the first round in heavy heather. She was beauitfully flat and handled a dream. She was running against a dog that was younger and bigger and faster but still Judy’s ground treatment meant she covered the ground better. Her second round started in the same manner. After a good few cuts, in the centre of the beat, she touched on a scent and pulled forward to investigate but then went on about her business. This meant that she had now taken too big a bite and on the return she ran sideways into a covey of five grouse, the scent she had touched on, but she had no chance to point them. Bye bye Judy.
Chris.
The big dog got three runs. He performed exactly as I would have wished. He was flat and wide and handled easily. He stuck to his task in ground much more demanding than what he is used to. Unfortunately in the third run he ended up forward of one of the birds Judy had flushed earlier on and was thus eliminated. I was delighted to be asked to run him again for no credit to make up a brace as I just wanted to see what he was made of. He didn’t really last the whole of the fourth run. But I was still delighted with his effort and handling over his three rounds.
This was a well organised and run event but it was obvious that being the first event of the season most of the dogs were a bit ring rusty. No amount of training can compensate for the real thing. The winner had two finds on snipe and a back and the second placed dog, although having a find on a small covey, had a non-productive in the second round on a bird that was eventually flushed by the dog it was running against and was therefore downgraded.
The author with Toftens Chris (Orange & White) and Exile on Main Street.
