Midland Counties Labrador Retriever Club held Novice & Open AV Retriever Working Tests on the Belvoir Castle Estate on Sunday 8th May by kind permission of Mr Phil Burrt on behalf of the Duke & Duchess of Rutland. The judges were Steve Cullis, Paula Cullis, Jane Fairclough and Stewart North. The sun shone and a fantastic day was had on this wonderful Estate with challenging tests set by the judges on fantastic ground.

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Can I thank All the helpers on the day and the new working committee members for throwing dummies and help to organise a great spectacle and a final thank you to the Club Chairman Marion Hopkinson for organising the catering. Massive thank you to Phil Burrt & The Duke & Duchess of Rutland for allowing the club to run the event Belvoir Castle Estate Working Test Day was special! Thank you to The Sponsors Skinners and Sporting Saint.

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The morning was with the novice dogs with 4 tests:

Test 1: A two dog walk up with 2 marks for each dog

Test 2: A mark and a replacement

Test 3: Two dogs sat in line on the edge of the lake for a mark and a blind

Test 4: A mark on a hidden pond for the dogs but pick a blind first

Abbie Reid was the clear winner with 2nd-4th settled with a run-off a mark over a small pond onto a bank top. 

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Novice Results

1st Lyebreach Golden Eagle of RiverLilly/ Abbie Reid

2nd Hanrebor Barley Sugar at Griffontee/ Tina Bateman

3rd Reedmor's Ares of Higgscroft/ Dan Higgs

4th Wold Newton Black Opium/ Jane Lidster

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The Open in the afternoon would have graced any Skinners world cup, very challenging retrieves set which did the estate justice. On his address at the end of the awards Stewart North spoke saying the dogs in the awards were a class act and a joy to watch and judge!

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Test 1: A two dog walked up with Two long marks down a valley for both dogs

Test 2: A long mark on a pond but pick a long blind to the right of the pond in a small shrub area over a long distance

Test 3: A blind with no shot over the lake, long swim then the dogs had to come out and cross a small pond for a blind on the bank top 

Test 4: A long picking up exercise up a long cutting in a wooded area                                      

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Open Results

1st Etomanni Comanche/ John Cardno

2nd Tarnedge Cutdore/ Claire Carvis

3rd Etomanni Mississipi/ John Cardno

4th TurpinGreen Ellis/ Janet Blair

Com Haguehall Arizona/ Kathryn Bromfield

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