shooting
By samuel darroch
TRARALGON handler Greg Playdon and his Lab partner Carbo beat a field of about 80 to win the 44th annual Field and Game Australia National Retrieving Championships in Sale at the weekend.
The three-day event saw the nation’s elite canine competitors and their owners converge on the iconic Heart Morass wetland to exhibit simulated game retrieval at its peak.
Testing the style, action, eagerness, obedience and speed with which dogs locate and return game to their owners, the championships showcased the key skills required of hunting dogs in a mock setting.
Eleven dogs qualified for the final day of competition, where Playdon emerged victorious with a score of 376 to win by 6.5 points, while Tyers resident John Stott finished third.
Trainer of 20 years Diane McCann, who won the highest scoring non-Labrador title with German shorthaired pointer Lani, said preparation for top level competition was a daily regime.
“With my breed… they’re a bit slower to mature, they probably need to be about four or five before they’re ready for this level of competition which would involve training five days a week,” she said.
“Two things I concentrate on are marking, so a lot of thrown birds that they see so they run with confidence and mark the fall with confidence, and stopping.”
An owner of five dogs and an occasional quail hunter, the primary purpose for which German short hairs are bred, McCann said trialing brought her closer to both her pets and the countryside.
“I’m a dog person first of all and I’ve been involved with dogs all my life and I just love watching dogs work,” she said.
“On top of that it’s being with like-minded people and the beautiful countryside – we get access to properties that you wouldn’t otherwise get access to and the scenery is amazing.
“My dogs are pets as well and they just switch off at home… once work is over they’re like any normal house dog.”
RESULTS
Winner: Greg Playdon and R.T. Ch.Adderslot Carbo, 376 points
2nd: Mark Davis and Ntl. & Gr. R.T. Ch. Beereean Last Boy Scout 369.5 points
3rd: John Stott and R.T.Ch. Kadnook Dream ALil Dream 347 points
4th: Russell Whitechurch and R.T.Ch. Adderslot Chief 337 points
Highest Scoring Non Labrador – Dianne McCann and Ntl. FT Ch. Dual Ch. (F) Topnotch Leilani RRD
