Inter-County Team Event - The Kelly Memorial Trophy

18^th April 2010

As we drove from our hotel to the event, the whole of Cheshire seemed enveloped in a thick mist. By the start of the first test though, spring had returned. And we had a bonus; no airplane noise, just birdsong thanks to THE volcano.

After a few changes to our handlers and dogs the team this year was Sara Gadd with ‘Gertie', Matt Ager with ‘Lola' and Steve Polley with ‘Bea'.

Of the six tests some were very difficult, and others allowed us to achieve good scores. Our first test, a mark retrieve in woodland turned into an unseen, dropping into thick cover with little or no scent. The second, a long mark retrieve down a track with a ‘halfway' unseen to be taken first was polished off nicely, as was the third test a very difficult unseen-to-shot through coppiced woodland over rough uphill ground. We enjoyed the fourth test, a complex team walk-up including a horrendously long mark retrieve over drifting scent. The fifth test, two marks and a blind over a river with a bank more like a cliff face tested the younger dogs, but we were clear by that point. Just before lunch a pair of mallard caused a major distraction during our final test over water and this dropped us well behind the leaders.

We stopped for a jolly picnic in the sunshine, and after a few stragglers completed their round the announcements were made.

The Kelly Memorial Trophy Team Event, organised by Mary Roberts and the 2009 winners Clwyd Retriever Club was held this year at the Bostock Estate by kind invitation of Richard Thompson. The winners were East Midland Gundog Club with the SEGS team second by two points. Nobody went away empty-handed as we were all given a generous goody-bag to keep hunger at bay for the four hour drive home.

Mike & Edwina