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DesO'Neile · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject:

Sunday 3rd August 2008.

Trial Day.
Perhaps a little dull at times but in the main it was dry for the duration of the event. Wind maybe 2 - 3.
Judy.
The wee dog was superb. There is no other word for it. She covered a huge beat in both rounds and was running out of her skin. She was flat and really hunting hard. Unfortunately she ended up pointing a lark which although regrettable it was understandable given the lack of game. We were then asked to make up a brace for no credit. I just let her go and she must have covered a beat of a half a mile and she never lifted her foot till I picked her up. I can honestly say I have never witnessed anything quite like it, not even from Celt (Int.F.T.Ch.Doohatty Forest).
Roxy.
Roxy was nearly, but just not quite , as good as Judy and unfortunately she succumbed to the same problem, pointing a lark. In addition if Judy was just the right side of the ragged edge, Roxy was just the wrong side. Still two great performances.
Chris.
There are a few slightly different versions of this depending on who you speak to but this is the gist of it. Cast off on a really nice bit of ground the big dog went off like a rocket. He ran as wide a beat as he has anywhere for us and more than adequate for an open stake. In addition to the width the was running at good pace, was nice and flat, and he handled well. Although originally running on his own when returning to the centre of the beat from the right and fairly close to Ross he was maybe five yards down wind of his brace mate, an English Setter. I could see both the dogs and Chris turned up the beat cutting off the Setter’s line and forcing it to head up the beat as well. At this juncture I lost sight of the two dogs. Chris then proceeded past the feathering setter and came on point. Originally the Setter backed. The single grouse flushed of it’s own accord and the setter went past Chris who also then chased and unfortunately yodeled a bit as he escorted the grouse a hundred yards up the beat. So now he’s pointing. We’re getting there.

DesO'Neile · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject:

Monday 4th August 2008

The Wee Res.
Basso & Gina.
It is absolutely amazing just how much energy two playful dogs can expend when chasing each other round a lake. I spent some time recalling them from the other side of the reservoir and did a bit of dropping practice as well.

DesO'Neile · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:53 pm Post subject:

Tuesday 5th August 2008
Glenwherry.
Foggy.
I couldn’t get the time off work so Ross took Roxy & Chris to help finish off the count we helped with a couple of Saturdays ago. It appears he ran both dogs at the same time in an effort to cover as much ground as possible. He thinks he heard, rather than saw Chris involved with grouse but in any event the big Dane pointed a snipe which as has become his norm he chased but since we only saw evidence of this tendency on Sunday I am positive I can sort it out. The big dog has been short of work for some time and the involvement with game has blown his mind.
Ross was extatic over Roxy’s performance. What really pleased him was that on two occasions he was able to concentrate on counting large coveys without dropping the dog only to find her lying at his feet when he finished. By large I mean nine. It is nice to be able to carry out important work and enjoy one’s self.

DesO'Neile · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:55 pm Post subject:

Wednesday 6th August 2008.

Balloo Link.
Chris & Roxy.
Roxy was just there to participate in the training we hoped to do with Chris. Since he came across his first Irish grouse on Sunday last Chris has run in several times on grouse and snipe. I set up several situations to rest his general steadiness.
#1 Chris on his own to point a bird. Steady as you like.
#2 ditto. ditto.
#3 Chris to point the bird and Roxy released after he is on point in such a way as to make her steal the point. Again Chris as steady as you like.
#4 Roxy to point and Chris to back.Once more as steady as you like.
I don’t see anything that suggests that this dog has real steadiness issues………yet. All I can do is keep on repeating the various drills. Just being under control close up won’t ensure steadiness at two hundred yards but by the same token if we don’t have steadiness up close you can bet your pension we won’t have it at two hundred yards.

DesO'Neile · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:25 pm Post subject:

Thursday 7th August 2008

Black Mountain.
Foggy, light rain. 11c. NNE 1 - 2.
Chris.
Ran across the paddock, mostly nice lines and a bit of pace. Didn’t need much handling just needed his tendency to cut back from the centre of the beat sorted out. Pointed a snipe haunt. Ran even better lines when we crossed the fence and headed up the hill in the heavier heather. Finished off with another gallop down hill to towards the car. Almost perfect. Negative :- Still a tendency to turn back on the left. Positive :- Today he ignored larks flushed by his running. Last week he would have given them a bit of a burl but he has had grouse this week………..twice!
Judy.
I was very strict with Judy and she didn’t like it but Judy is, I believe, a realist and any run is better than no run. She will get more of this in training before she gets less. She will turn in competition when I want and not when she wants.
Roxy.
I needed to flatten out this turn on the right hand side. The only problem is that where as Judy doesn’t like being controlled Roxy just falls apart when you turn the screw and if you over step the mark she just spins round and will eventually literally lie down if you go too far. I let her run far on the left but kept the right to about a hundred yards. Worked well………well more or less. She, like Judy, will get more of this. “Spare the whistle and spoil the dog.”

DesO'Neile · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:28 pm Post subject:

Saturday 9th August 2008.

Trial Day.
Glendine.
Fog and rolling mist giving way to driving persistent rain.
Chris.
I was very disappointed for Ross today. He has set himself the target of getting into a second round before the end of this season and on any other day he might have done it. Chris ran hard and wide and handled where necessary. Due to the weather conditions there was no second round and Chris had no bird.
Judy.
Gave it her all and ran hard in heavy ground. Ran the wind nicely and althought her ground work was good she was never going to shine in the high heather she had to run in.
Roxy.
I had left my whistles in the car so attempted to run her with Ross’ whistles. She ran hard but in the driving rain she was more than a bit wayward. If nothing else she got a good work out.
Surprisingly what grouse that were found sat reasonably well.

DesO'Neile · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:31 pm Post subject:

Sunday 10th August 2008.

Trial Day.
The Cutt.
Morning bright with occasional very light rain deteriorating through showers, some heavy, to persistent rain.
Roxy.
Had a nice down hill gradient and really took the bull by the horns. How refreshing to have a judge telling you not to bother turning the dog till it’s just over the horizon. I would have been very disappointed had she not made the second round……..had there been one.
Judy.
The wee dog gave it all. Ran hard and had good lines in relatively heavy ground. Would have been miffed if she hadn’t made a second round.
Chris.
Up to yesterday Ross had considered Chris’ run on Saturday as his best for him. He easily out did that today. Put down with a fairly wide ranging pointer both dogs gave it a good go. Chris ran nice and wide and was unfortunate to be beaten to a bird when our bracemate put in a slightly shorter cast and got forward. Chris was when put down again and set off in a similar vein. Ross has been running this dog for about thirty days whereas I have been running pointers for thirty years so it is no surprise that I spotted Chris winding birds and turning back to investigate. Ross “corrected” this deviation and on the next cast to the right the dog drew forward,”Going to game” but unfortunately he pointed just after the birds rose and not before. He then gave chase for a about fifty meters before he responded to the whistle and returned to Ross. This is bcomming very frustrating. We have the ground work more or less in order and the big dog has pointed all game/pigeons we have planted for him. He has even started to point snipe and snipe haunts but not grouse …….yet. When I was in Denmark I spoke to Tommy Hansen who had used Chris for ptarmigan shooting so I know he has handled similar game. I still don’t have a worry about our Big Dane but I have a worry about getting him enough grouse to sort the problem out. That is why Ross is now going to the N.I. Pointer Club’s Open stake at Glenwherry, in the hope of grouse involvement, and I am taking the bitches to Wicklow this weekend. It is very heartening for novice handlers to be complimented on the performance of their dog and Paddy Collins said to Ross ” That was a pity because your dog was going really well.” When I gave Ross a run down on Paddy’s C.V. he was even more pleased even though he was disappointed and the big dog’s failure to handle his game.

DesO'Neile · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:23 pm Post subject:

Monday 11th August 2008.

The Golf Links.
Basso, Gina,Jalad & Bess.
Ross took the dogs that are getting the least work for a run on the golf course. This may seem a bit of a waste of time but I don’t believe so. For a start off they were all just about knackered when he finished. Why? The less fit a dog is the easier running it needs to be able to have a good blow out and that is just what they got a good blow out. Yes they can get too much easy running and they need to have a tougher regime to get really fit but they need to get fit in stages.

DesO'Neile · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:25 pm Post subject:

The Glorious Twelfth 2008.

The Round.
Ross took Judy and Tam for a walk with a friend along the old carriage path that encompasses as series of holes on the golf course.

DesO'Neile · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject:

Wednesday 13th August 2008.

Black Mountain.
Light Southerly Air. Light rain most of the time and the sound of distant thunder.
Roxy.
Ran well enough but was down a gear because I was on her case and I made her come straight across from the right every time.
Judy.
She may be many things but stupid she ain’t. She realised that I was not in a mood to be trifled with and turned correctly every time.
Basso.
Made some nice cuts and struck some lovely poses but it was stop start.
Chris.
Ran and handled OK in The Paddock but once he got into the harder running he was gone, putting in the odd long (3/4 mile) cut and failing to respond. Safe to say he is fitter than at any other time since his arrival. Ross is building the piramid but one brick at a time.