1973 National Ret.Trial Championship

[Maureen Cooper]

Tidying up the house on a hot day and found this and in view of comments on trials of yesteryear thought you might like a read. The article is from the March 1974 Australian Shooters Journal and edited for brevity.

" The 1973 Championships were held on 'Nalpa Station' a property owned by E.J. Withers and situated on the shores of Lake Alexandrina in South Australia. This great body of water into which the Murray River empties on its way to the best duck shooting areas around.With its low lying swampy areas and vast expanses of reeds it made an excellent trial area to test the retrieving prowess of the dogs that competed.

The trial held over two days, October 6 and 7, was under the watchful eye of Jack Pontin of Victoria and the weather was kind with warm days and moderate breezes. In all 41 dogs faced the runs set by the judge, and there were some difficult ones amongst them. The make-up of the field was interesting with 36 Labradors, 3 German Shorthaired Pointers and 2 Golden Retrievers. All States were represented with competitors coming from as far as WA and Qld as well as the closer States.

( Next two paragraphs describe the object of the exercise and how runs are set up)

All started well on the first day with all dogs completing a simple retrieve except one. It must be disappointing to come all the way from WA and see your dog miss the first bird and be eliminated...... The second run however proved to be the undoing of the majority of the field. This task set by the judge was perhaps a little unusual being a double rise with both birds falling in line but different distances out. The first bird being 30 or so yards and the second around 60 yards.The big problem came with the fact that the dog was out of sight of the handler after about 10 yards. To complete this run dogs had to show a lot of initiative. Forty dogs faced this run and only four completed it successfully.......

The judge however ruled that all dogs should continue as there were minor places to be contested. Run 3 saw the four dogs with clean scores come through and complete the first day.

On the second day, the first run saw the demise of two of the dogs with a perfect record. This left only two dogs with a perfect record to that point, Linstan Kris,a GSP belonging to Westie Morris from Victoria, and a black Lab, Kaldara Proud Miss, running for George Jenner of SA. Disaster struck for Linstan Kris in the next run when he failed to retrieve, but Kaldara Proud Miss came through. Tension was right on during the last run of the Championship as Kaldara Proud Miss had to complete this one to win, but, just as important, if she did not finish clean no points could be awarded to the other dogs. All eyes were on her and many a breath was held as she dithered around a little but finally completed the run.

1st Place: Kaldara Proud Miss Labrador
2nd Place: Aust Ch Linstan Kris GSP
3rd Place: Re Ch Golden Lea Erin Golden Retreiver
4th Place: Re Ch Wyrama Honey Labrador

And so the Championships ended and it was indeed a pleasure to watch the cream of Australia's working gundogs competing. Journal staff that attended had nothing but praise for the competence of both dogs and their handlers and the overall administration of the event. END.

Interesting to see dogs that did not complete were awarded places, and Re Ch and not RT Ch. I think the so-called "double rise" was in fact an on-line double mark as it describes 'both birds falling in line' but look at the distances!!! I guess the walls of cumbungi or reeds were the barrier to the dogs as they disappeared after 10 yards. Nevertheless, the first two runs seem a long way from what is expected of todays dogs. Any 'oldies' around to comment that might have competed?

Maureen

[Wayne Parkinson]

Hi Maureen.
I can't comment on that run but I have seen a similar run over in SA in the past.
An in-line double of short distance. Although it wasn't a wall of Cumbungi it was a sea of Cumbungi well over head high (my head high anyway). Apart from not knowing how the judge actually saw the dogs work. The run proved very difficult in that the majority of the dogs punched out and got the longer bird first. They then went further on the second retrieve and hunted way too long. Many finished but in the lake. (my dog included) You could not handle the dog and it was a case of bring it back or out you go. Out I went.


I don't think it would be an easy run today. in that most handlers don't train for all age with 30 to 60 metre doubles. in very heavy cover.

Having said this the standard I see continues to climb whenever I make one of my infrequent visits to a trial.

Wayne P.