6th May
Judge; Lesley Clements
Club
1st Jillian MArshall and Edna 90
2nd Karen Crawford and Tillie 86
3rd Antoinette Traynor and Tiggie 85.5
4th Joanne Maybin and Kim 79.5
5th Susan Anderson and Kuro 79
6th Patrice Kerrigan and Poppet 78
The search was within a sectioned off area in the club rooms of Chimney Corner Football Club, Antrim. This included the area leading to and along the bar and a raised seated area to the side.
The hide was located under the foot of a small round bar table leg on the raised area. The leg was slightly elevated allowing free air flow. 10 teams took part and everyone found the hide.
The space lent itself to being searched in sections and partnerships that were most successful capitalised on gaining points by working together as a team and demonstrating a plan to clear the area systematically from the get go.
Some lovely teamwork and searching on show.
Bronze
Judge Janine Brownlees
1st Lesley Clements and Tejo 91
2nd Antionette Traynor and Buddy 86
3rd Jillian Marshall and Humphrey 85
4th Joanne Manson and Buddy 83
5th Joanne Maybin and Cailie 79
6th Eileen Toye and Buddy 78
This was an afternoon search on a dull, fairly windy and chilly day. The search area consisted of a football terrace using four rows of approx fourteen seats each side of a central walkway and included the external framework. The hides were positioned on a seat third row up and five seats in, the other was on the bottom of the framework at the front right hand side - general wind direction was right to left but could be temperamental!
This would have been the first time most teams had experienced a search area of this type and search plans varied but overall the teams had great area coverage. All teams bar one found both hides, time was the issue in this case.
The area was secure enough dogs could be worked off line and many took advantage of this.
The handlers who tasked their dogs into each row of seating and allowed space to work independently or observed from the adjacent row had a nicer search - those who followed their dog into the row created unnecessary pressure and a 'traffic jam' situation so had to adjust quickly.
The perimeter framework hide was sourced well by most teams and was usually found last as teams concentrated on the seating area first.
The handlers who managed to give their dogs space to work ranked higher with indication quality also splitting the field.
It was a very enjoyable day and all teams, I believe, were able to take away a lot of positives.
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