The 53rd National Retrieving Trial Championship was held in the Bairnsdale area for the first time recently, with competitors from every state of Australia entering the event.
To enter a National, dogs must win at a lower level and qualify as worthy of a place in the field.
Prior to this event, most competitors arrived three weeks early and took the opportunity to compete in the lead-up trial and, the following week, the Victorian State Championships prior to the National.
The Shire of East Gippsland supported the event as they could see the economic benefit to the area.
The competitions were held on various farms in the Bairnsdale area.
Competitors were exposed to a variety of terrain that included gullys, water and heavy cover.
The competing dogs were expected to take on whatever obstacles the judges put in front of them and return with the game.
Years of training have gone into getting these dogs to respond to hand, voice and whistle commands and to work areas as if they were retrieving “hot” game.
They are expected to work as a team with their handlers.
Three sets of judges were appointed for the three weekends.
The honour of judging the prestigious National event went to Greg Pleydon from Traralgon and Di McCann from Melbourne.
Both judges are experienced championship judges who have competed at the highest level with their own dogs.
Forty-three dogs saluted the judges on Friday.
They were to complete eight runs over three days.
By the end of the second day there were only 10 dogs left in the competition with 33 dogs being eliminated.
The final day, Sunday, saw the judges set the final two championship runs in a steep gully that featured quite a lot of obstacles including ferns, blackberrys and tea trees.
They also used a large dam and gave the dogs a long swim.
Two more dogs were eliminated in these two difficult runs leaving eight dogs completing the event.
Winners were:
– Russell Whitechurch (South Australia) and Adderslot Maggie May
– Mark Stockdale and Lucy (Traralgon)
– Richard Carr (Victoria) and Kobi
– Russell Best (Wangaratta)
– Jo Vella (Sydney) and Biscuit
