RETRIEVING AUSTRALIA FORUM

Hi everyone,
Just curious as to how some judges would react in the following circumstances....

Run that was set up:
A double mark with a walk-up is set up with the second bird to be released when the handler and dog reach the firing point (only a couple of steps from when the walk-up bird is released).

Situation:
The handler fires at the walk-up then continues to the firing point and the dog then breaks towards the walk-up bird. The dog is stopped within about 20metres of the handler.

Would you release the second bird with dog in the field or would the dog have to be brought back to heel before releasing the bird?


Amy

My opinion, the judge would not wait for the dog to be brought under control - if the dog breaks - that is tough!

Hi Amy

I'm not a judge, but I agree with Prue. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if some judges saw this as failing the test (certainly in All Age) and put the dog out.

Cheers, Jason.

Hi,

Bags not trialling under you, Prue! (and Jason!)

My dog has done this. In my case the judge waited until the dog was brought back to heel and re-focussed before signalling for the second mark.

I assume this was either because he treated the break on the walk-up as a separate entity to the second mark, or he just felt sorry for me!

Look foward to reading some replies from judges - we don't get many on here.

Kirsty

Hi Kirsty

How far out did Nelson get before you stopped him and called him back?

jf.

If the judge says as soon as you reach the firing point the bird will go up.
Then that's what should happen.
If the dog breaks after you reach the pegs your bad luck.

If the judge does anything different then the judge is failing the test.
If he will change his mind for a dog that won't behave at the line then what was the point of that part of the test anyway.

He should go back and give every dog the opportunity to settle at the pegs before throwing the bird.

He can't have it both ways.

Waynep.
And no I'm not a judge

Good point, Jason. About 10m I suppose. You know Nelson; 0 to 120 in 10 seconds!

Are you saying that you wouldn't wait for the handler to get her dog back because it had broken and run such a long way? How much of a break would you then allow for?

Also, Amy, are we talking about Restricted or All Age here? My dog is in Restricted...

Kirsty

Hi

I was just trying to get a sense of the situation. I guess if the dog was brought under control quickly (and I would count 10m as quickly) then it wouldn't interrupt the flow of the run too much and it would be reasonable for the judge to wait until the handler had proceeded to the pegs. My earlier remark was referring to a situation where the dog got further out and took time to get back therefore interrupting the flow of the run.

Yet another of the subjective opinions we have judges for!

Cheers, Jason.

Run that was set up:
A double mark with a walk-up is set up with the second bird to be released when the handler and dog reach the firing point (only a couple of steps from when the walk-up bird is released).

The run set up doesn't mention a delay.
It says when they reach the firing point.
If that was the case there is no room for the judge to be subjective.
The bird goes when they reach the pegs.

If there is a delay to set up the dog incorporated into the run then they should have time to get the dog back.
You shouldn't penalise the dog twice for the same infraction.

Waynep.
P.S.
Hi Jason how are the dogs?

Hi Wayne

You are right of course, the run as described would have to continue unless the dog broke completely and picked up the walk-up mark, or the judge deemed the dog to be not working to their satisfaction, which I suspect he/she might do if the dog got too far out on the break.

The dogs are going ok. Looking forward to next season already!

Cheers, Jason.

Hi Amy,

The answer to your query really lies in the question, "what exactly did the Judge have in mind when setting the Run and exactly how the Run was described at the briefing to handlers".

Wayne Parkinson in his second response to this issue really hits the nail on the head, and I couldn't agree with him more!

Did the Judge describe the Run as a Walk-up Retrieve (see Rule 9) coupled with a Single Mark Retrieve (see Rule 22 and Rule 8)? If so, did the Judge allow some period of time for handlers to settle their dogs at the Firing Point in order to further test steadiness and to provide the dogs with maximum opprtunity to focus on the "mark"? Depending on the level of competition the Judge would normally specify the order of pick-up depending upon whether there was an emphasis on memory, or alternatively, on control. If memory was the main focus the Single Mark would be recovered first. If control was high on the agenda then you could expect the Judge to require the Walk-up bird to be recovered first.

If, on the other hand, the Run was described as a double Walk-up Retrieve (see Rules 22 and 9) with the game for the second Walk-up being cast as the handler and dog reached the Firing Point (i.e. there was no time allowed to settle your dog) the Judge was left with no alternative but to cast the second item of game when you reached the Firing Point.

regards, RWT