Scurries

Clodagh

Clodagh

Playing chess with pigeons
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I have just had so much fun doing scurries at the Fenland Fair. I rarely take a dog to these things, especially when it is so hot, but as two of the scurries are in water we decided to go early and come home by lunchtime.
First shock was Tawny's breeder was one of the BASC crew running it - no pressure then. First one was a marked retrieve and then a blind. T did it perfectly, we weren't the quickest but she went straight out and back both times.
Then the 'straw bales lane' straight one and she was the quickest there, although no doubt would have been overtaken by the end of the day.
Thirdly was a marked and a blind retrieve in water where she got disqualified for coming back the wrong side of the netting, but boy did she enjoy it. :)
Fourth was a marked and two blinds and I completely lost it, I forgot my directions and she just ran straight out, jumped the netting and went to the black powder demo. She had decided that that is where the shooting was going on and she was fed up with dummies and inept handlers. She did come back once she had checked out the ring but yes we were disqualified. I was laughing so much I couldn't whistle.

Great fun!

Finally there was a water scurry organised by the local Wildfowlers and she stormed it, we were well ahead on that when I left.

No photos as I had T, shopping, handbag and MIL to contend with.
I wonder if Rara007 and Ester went today?

A Tawny pic, just because she's the best dog ever. From the same show 2015. That's the last time she competed, before today!
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Ah we should have seen you :D
We took Trev first thing then he camped out in the cool of my house while we watched pony scurry and did chicken shopping.
Trev didn't like the bales, it always takes them a while to work out that they shouldn't have the dummy box right where they can find them and it wasn't springer striding ;). (though the person before us lab jumped through the fence, putting large holes in it both times which was fairly special to see a bit bulldozerish. It was suggested she didn't have another go).

I will let Rara put up vids, Trev was definitely water specialist today the others were a bit 'work the whole field because my human couldn't possibly be right in telling me which way to go ;). He did get better though.
It's definitley trickier for them there when the actual shooting is happening 100 yds over so they keeping looking the wrong way and plenty out of rings. One lab also retrieved two of the hoops they were using for the fly fishing, round it's middle and the dummy. Skillz!

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Well I was next to a black and white springer with a female handler at one point, and I nearly said 'Are you Rara' but she might have socked me one and thought I was a nutter. I thought it might be Trev as I think he is noisy (claim by owner, not me) and this one was very over excited! :-)
Great photos.
I was mainly amazed by how people yell at their dogs. One man must have lost his voice by the time he had bullied his lovely little lab bitch through two goes at the water. An older gentleman standing next to me said quietly 'I doubt he picks up on many shoots'.
 
He is noisy, he was particularly bad today! Which when you are one of the first on the field does rather stand out.

On the retrieve closest to the guns a lovely little springer bitch went before us and the person running it commented how nice it was not to see them a bit bullied.
There was one guy who was very excitable, I think he came out of the flyball school of training but him and his lab were clearly having a great time.
I also particularly liked the beer bottle in each back pocket approach. It is nice that the BASC people are always helpful if people are struggling though and will re call a dummy if necessary.

It's funny how you see the same people out as we have seen before, there was a very petite young spaniel bitch who we have seen a couple of times who wasn't very confident with the water if there wasn't a ramp, she's definitely nailed that now and it's lovely to see. I don't think people realised how much harder the BASC water was to the waterfowlers one. Before they have had a land and water retrieve for the BASC which I think puts a few more off. It was quite a slow moving queue due to a lot not being very keen.

We both had baseball caps on, Rara in jeans and me in shorts with a rucksack if that helps. Trev picked up all 5 dummies in the one where you were supposed to leave the orange ones. Because, well, why wouldn't you want the orange ones :D. It is a lovely show, slight change in weather to the Sunday last year but it seemed quieter to me that usual (generally not dogs)
 
I think he was the only noisy one there...! He’s also generally like flying a kite on the lead and just occasionally does super close heel work in the hope it’ll mean I let him off...! He was on a flat collar or harness today as I didn’t want a battle over walking to heel or to throttle him. He’s way too sharp (he was a rehome for a reason!) but really does love it as long as he gets a break where he can go back into his crate and chill. He had a wonderful time. We’ve not done many ‘blinds’ that are not where the previous one was just seen in show conditions and we did get some correct! No problems with the waters and the bales he thinks he won he just didn’t read the rule books. He’s tired now!
 
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It's funny cos I went oh not many short-tailed labs, knew you had one, didn't make the connection at all! I can't actually remember your run :D
 
Toast is a med/large ginger dog, he had a lovely time. (must work on delivery out of water (again)) The wildfowling people thought he was a golden
retriever and commented on how short haired he was. My reply was'that's because he's a lab
 
Had our gundog club working test and BBQ today, really pleased with my little cocker coming 3rd! did everthing asked of him, we had such a nice time, chilling out under the big shady trees afterwards with good company and great banter!! Great end to a bank holiday!
 
maisie06 said:
Had our gundog club working test and BBQ today, really pleased with my little cocker coming 3rd! did everthing asked of him, we had such a nice time, chilling out under the big shady trees afterwards with good company and great banter!! Great end to a bank holiday!
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Really well done!
 
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