HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1988-08-31, Page 3THE HURON EXPOSITOR, AUGUST 31, 1988 — 3A
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THE SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO RETRIEVER TRAINING
CLUB held its annual trials at the Hullett marsh on the weekend.
Bill Swanson of RR 6 St. Thomas and his dog Czar were only one
among many teams on animals and handlers from across Ontario
Retrievers
'fhefiullett Marsh was the scene of ac-
tivity this weekend as the Southwestern
Ontario Retriever Training Club hosted its
annual retriever competition. Top notch
dogs took to the fields, their handlers com-
ing from across Ontario, and from
Michigan, Iowa, Indiana and other
American states.
These dogs are trained to bring back
water fowl and pheasants, which are plac-
ed in the field or in water, with as little
direction from their handler as possible.
Some dogs perform fast and flawlessly
while others are less perfect, and they are
all judged on their performance and win-
ners selected.
Fifty dogs is considered to be a good tur-
nout, and there were 51 in the open corn-
s petition on Sunday. And there were more
retrievers in the other classes such as
amateur, junior, puppy, and qualifying.
These classes are based on the age of the
dog and the difficulty of the test. A
retriever that gains enough points in the
qualifying competitions is able to compete
in the open, and the dogs shown in the pic-
tures are trying to do just that.
Jack Gee is a Seaforth area resident who
is involved In retriever competitions as a
hobby. He says it was a good weekend and
the trials were first class.
Mr. Gee became interested in retrievers
while he was hunting, and saw a dog bring-
ing back birds for another hunter. It
wasn't long before he had a dog of his own.
He later went to observe some retriever
trials like the one held in Hullett on the
weekend. He thought his dog could per-
form as well as the ones competing, and it
wasn't long before be had a new hobby.
Now he enjoys training his dogs for
retriever trials, and appreciates them as a
hunter. He says there are statistics from
the United States to show that a hunter
who doesn't use a dog will get back two out
of five birds shot on average, while a
hunter with a retriever will generally get
all five.
Mr. Gee has a dog which qualified for the
1988 nationals to be held in Brandon,
Manitoba. The best dogs from Canada and
the United States will be there, but there is
only one winner which will be labelled the
Canadian champion.
In 1989 the nationals are going to be held
on the same grounds which were used this
weekend in the Hullett marsh, and Mr. Gee
says it is a first class place for the competi-
tion to be held.
"This marsh is probably the best train-
ing ground for these dogs in Ontario," he
says.
Mr. Gee says the visiting competitors
are impressed with the quality of the
facilities in Hullett, and the control the
Ministry of Natural Resources keepers
have over the flow of water.
There will be up to 100 dogs competing in
the national open next year, and hundreds
of people will accompany them to the area.
There is still some work to do, as formal
approval for the nationals being held in
Hullett has not yet been given. Mr. Gee is
99 per cent sure the Southwestern Ontario
Retriever Training Club will be hosting the
nationals, and that they will be held in
Hullett, but he has to make a presentation
in Brandon to get formal approval.
Retriever trials make an interesting
spectator sport. The dogs compete one at a
•
RETRIEVERS and their handlers took the the Hullett Marsh on Sunday for the South
Western Ontario Retriever Training Club's annual trials. First Class dogs from across
Ontario and the United States were on hand for the competition. Here Max, handled by
John Hamilton of Cambridge, brings in a bird in the qualifying trials. Corbett photo.
and the United States to come for the competition. The Hullett
marsh is acknowledged as one of the premier places in Ontario
for this type of competition, and next year the national finals will
be held there. Corbett photo.
round up water fowl
time, and up to four birds (bought from
mink farms) are thrown in different areas.
As they are thrown a shotgun is fired in the
air to simulate hunting and get the dog's
attention. The dog watches where each
bird lands and on command runs or swims
to where the birds are and brings them one
at a time back to their handler. 1f the dog
strays off course the handler blows a whis-
tle. The dog will sit down and look at Its
handler and wait for a hand signal to guide
It in the right direction.
There are different tests of varying dif-
ficulty for the dogs, and their intelligence,
stamina and their zeal for retrieving make
this a popular sport.
KEEPING HIS NOSE ABOVE WATER, this retriever swims to bring back a bird in the
qualifying trial. Corbett photo.
AN EAGER RETRIEVER launches himself into the water of the Hullett Marsh as his
handler blows a short whistle command. The dog sets off to where he has seen the
people in the canoe in the background fire a shotgun into the air and throw out a bird to
simulate hunting. Corbett photo.
A HANDLER gives, his dog only arm signals to direct him toward where his bird lies.
Corbett photo.
A DECOY catches the eye of this dog as he brings back a bird in the qualifying trials at
Hullett Marsh on Sunday. But the dog knows better than to go for it. Corbett photo.
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