Bronze 1
1st Hilary and Drusie 95
2nd Lynda and Poppy 94
3rd Louise and Bo 88
4th Peter and Minnie 82
5th Barry and Ziva 80
6th Alexia and Bobbie 78
Bronze 2
1st Alison and Herbie 94
2nd Nicky and Bubbles 93
3rd Peter and Minnie 91
4th Chris and Jas 87.5
5th Lynda and Poppy 87
6th Barry and Ziva 86.5
Silver
1st equal Eleanor and Tilly, Shelia and Nico 100
2nd Helen and Tym 99
3rd Veronika and Indiana 98.5
4th Lorraine and Chester 95
5th Nicky and Bubbles 92
6th Louise and Nell 88.5
Judges report in comments
Bronze 1 judges report
The area was a small grooming room and a larger empty room littered with stacks of building materials and tools.
The first hide was placed just inside a metal cabinet in a corner of the grooming room. The majority of teams searched this corner first, as it was next to the start line. Experienced teams located and indicated on this hide with ease. Others found this a little challenging, either dogs didn’t commit and preferred to continue searching or they explored the area prior to settling into a methodical search, meaning handlers thought the area was clear and didn’t return.
The second hide was under a pile of timber, dogs could have indicated from above, the end of the planks, or the side. All dogs located and worked this odour to source with relative ease from either end of the pile depending on which direction they worked the room.
The standard across the board for this trial was really good, and even inexperienced teams had some respectable scores.
Bronze 2 judges report
This area was a warehouse used for storage of horse feed. It was predominantly an exterior search around pallets of food. The roller shutter doors where closed and entrance was via a side door which made a nice safe, square search area. One hide was on the bottom of the roller shutter door, the second was on the bottom of a gas bottle stored next to the steps of a portacabin in the back corner.
The majority of teams went left handed around the area which was a more inviting search pattern, however it meant search over half the area with no find which led to a little distraction onto the floor for some dogs. However when they got to the corner all dogs worked the odour in nicely and then continued on where the majority also then hit the door hide. Some really good search patterns and teamwork seen today. A few dogs distracted by the environment but that will come with more exposure.
Silver Judges report
Well what can I say about today, such an incredible high standard! The search area was the same as bronze 2 but with the addition of a delivery van in the centre and the portacabin was open to search. One hide was very early in the search on some cardboard on the floor about 1 ft away from pallets, the second was on the underside of a drawer in the portacabin which requires dogs to go up three steps into a small space, handlers had to be clever to keep out of the dogs way here.
Handlers had different approaches the the search area, a few who hit the floor hide first didn’t get full commitment 1st time and again a few dogs got a little distracted by the floor, esp as they got further around the search and hadn’t found but they were dogs newer to the level and will be very competitive soon with some good areas and a few bits to work on. All dogs found the cabin hide and some worked it in from quite some distance. Indications were of a high standard as were handlers search patterns. We have only awarded a 100 once before but it was impossible to find places to deduct points from the winners. Usually on a tie places are awarded on team then dog score and time is the last deciding factor. In this case the judges deemed it unfair for time to be a decider - each team had a very different search pattern and in fact went opposite directions, but their patterns where what suited the area and their dogs and it would be unfair to penalize on time for well planned searches so equal first was awarded.
It was an absolute pleasure to judge this class and very hard to split dogs
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