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Bareve · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:50 pm Post subject: Patridge Counting

We've just had the most cracking day Very Happy

I had accepted an invitation to run Freddy on a partridge counting day on a partridge shoot down near Duxford. The landowner has had no experience whatsoever with HPR's so it was important that the dogs the organiser invited were going to put up a good performance to show the "best" side of our breeds. I believe the farm had 2500 acres of arable but our first day (a fortnight ago) had to be cancelled due to the snow and in the meantime the rape has grown to waist high so the owner didn't want us in there.

We had 5 dogs - 2 GWP's, 1 GSP, 1 Spinone and 1 Slovak and off we went in two groups - one with the keeper and one with the farmer's brother - who we found out later has been shooting for over 45 years - both home and abroad over labs, spaniels and pointers but not HPR's .....

Our group was Lisa Brown and her Slovak and myself so off we set with two huge wheat fields to cover and some "odd" brown bits in the field Laughing

As we set our two off to cover one half of the field we realised that them brown bits were moving..... hares Very Happy

In those first two fields - which took us over half the morning as they were so big contained lots of hares and we had also counted over 25 brace of partridge - more English then Frence ones. At the end of the second field the brother had caught up with us and walked down the side of the field to watch how we finished off the field.

I couldn't have been prouder as Freddy pointed then flushed a single partridge, hunted on and pointed/flushed a brace of partridge, hunted on and pointed/steady to flush on a hare, and steady to running hare as he continued to hunt. As we got to the corner of the field the brother had a huge grin on his face and said "your dog made an excellent job of that ground - well done"

The remainder of the ground we didn't see so many partridge on the beat I had to cover but we made up for it in hares. I counted on the way home that we had 7 points/acknowledgements on hares and each one he was steady to the flush and watched the hare away and then on command continued to hunt on away from the hare track.

There were a couple of hare chases but they weren't Freddy Laughing

Got back into the farmyard this afternoon to a very happy farmer who confirmed that we had counted over 55 brace of partridge and covered nearly 1400 acres. I believe last year the job was done with men and spaniels and from listening to the conversation between the two brothers I think it took days to cover the farm whereas we'd done over half in about 6 hours.

Feedback is that we will be asked back to count again and they were very impressed in the way that we worked the ground. For them they had a job to do and for us we had the opportunity to run our dogs - somewhat a winning combination allround and very satisfying that there are now three more people who have clearly enjoyed watching breeds work that they had never seen work before Laughing

Can't seem to stop smiling - money couldn't have bought this day Very Happy

_________________
Sharon Pinkerton
www.bareve.com
UK's Undisputed Top GWP Kennel
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Helen · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject:

Wow, sounds like you had a great day. If the weather was the same as it was here, even better! Well done Freddy, sounds like he did a great job and showed those spaniel lovers how hpr's can work! lol. A lot of grouse estates use spaniels for counts and I asked why and no one could come up with a good enough reason really!

Pleased to hear the greys are doing well Smile

Helen

sashalgwps · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject:

Wow sounds like a great success!

Very jealous I would have much preferred doing that with Gucci than having to be stuck at work Laughing

Alex
_________________
Sashal GWPs
www.sashal.co.uk

Bareve · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:31 pm Post subject:

Bareve · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject:

windem bang · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject:

Alex[/quote]

It was a great success for everyone owner, dogs and handlers and far better than looking at this PC and using the phone - but what am I going to do tomorrow ........ Laughing

[/quote]

How about coming up here and training my mutt - I'm knackered ! Laughing

BILL T.

Tracy · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:15 pm Post subject:

Sounds like you and Freddy had a great day. If I ever get Magic to listen to me I hope to do some more working with him.
Laughing

Tracy

Hapsberg · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:48 pm Post subject:

Yay!! See! I told you this morning that he would be brilliant!!

Well done. Glad to hear the day was so successful.

Very Happy

Claire

Hapsberg · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:50 pm Post subject:

Tracy · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:54 pm Post subject:

starting training thursday night, getting him to understand English has been the main problem but he is now starting to understand me instead of just sitting with a blank look on his face Laughing

Tracy