Midsummer Fun Day 2012

The annual Midsummer Fun Day in aid of the Countryside
Alliance was held on Saturday 23rd June 2012 at Cinder Hill Lakes,
Horsted Keynes by kind permission of Rory Clarke.

The unseasonably bad weather in the days leading up to the event,
with gale force winds and heavy rain, severely hampered preparations.
In fact, the main marquee was badly damaged and put out of commission
and with ground conditions extremely wet it was touch and go whether or
not to cancel. Fortunately, with slightly better weather forecast for the
day it was agreed to go ahead and thanks to a very early start to set
everything up all the events got underway more or less on time.

The format was similar to the previous year when it had been decided
to get away from the more formal working test ‘points style’ judging and
try and make it a really ‘fun day’ with something to suit all handlers,
standards, abilities and breeds.

To encourage complete beginners and inexperienced handlers to ‘have a
go’ there were 10 different ‘scurry tests’ to choose from – the ‘Woodcock’
group, with a choice of ‘Gold’ and ‘Silver’ level, and the ‘Partridge’ group
which was specifically designed for the new or inexperienced handler and
dog. Run against the clock, with time penalties given for any
‘indiscretions’, the object throughout was for everyone to succeed and if
handlers needed to help their dogs they were encouraged to do so.




	The annual Midsummer Fun Day in aid of the Countryside Alliance was held on Saturday 23rd June 2012 at Cinder Hill Lakes, Horsted Keynes by kind permission of Rory Clarke. The unseasonably bad weather in the days leading up to the event, with gale force winds and heavy rain, severely hampered preparations. In fact, the main marquee was badly damaged and put out of commission and with ground conditions extremely wet it was touch and go whether or not to cancel. Fortunately, with slightly better weather forecast for the day it was agreed to go ahead and thanks to a very early start to set everything up all the events got underway more or less on time. The format was similar to the previous year when it had been decided to get away from the more formal working test ‘points style’ judging and try and make it a really ‘fun day’ with something to suit all handlers, standards, abilities and breeds. To encourage complete beginners and inexperienced handlers to ‘have a go’ there were 10 different ‘scurry tests’ to choose from – the ‘Woodcock’ group, with a choice of ‘Gold’ and ‘Silver’ level, and the ‘Partridge’ group which was specifically designed for the new or inexperienced handler and dog. Run against the clock, with time penalties given for any ‘indiscretions’, the object throughout was for everyone to succeed and if handlers needed to help their dogs they were encouraged to do so.












	This year the event was based around a different group of lakes in a secluded valley and a variety of interesting ‘tests’ made full use of natural features available including the water, wooded areas, field margins and grassy headlands. Although entries were down on the previous year – 27 in the ‘Gold’ and 33 in the ‘Silver’ levels and 69 in the ‘Partridge’ group – with some of the ‘tests’ involving multiple retrieves it works out that there were over 1,200 dummies picked during the day!


	Some of the award winners at Cinder Hill While all the results were being compiled there was the chance to enter ‘Best of the Bunch’, a light hearted ‘beauty parade’ to find the ‘best looking’ working breed dog and puppy, and also have a go at ‘Pitch in the Pot’, a game of ‘target’ dummy throwing.
	WOODCOCK ‘Scurry’ Tests – GOLD ‘PICK ’n MIX’ 1st – Lwin Brittain-Millar and ‘Sambo’ 2nd – Diana Harrison and ‘Swift’ 3rd – John Dawson and ‘Jay’ 4th – Gwen Butcher and ‘Cedar’ ‘DUMMY RUN’ 1st – Willie Wicking and ‘Harvey’ 2nd – Mary Cooper and ‘Squiff’ 3rd – Anke Bogaerts and ‘Bracken’ 4th – John Dawson and ‘Jay’ ‘SPLASH ’n DASH’ 1st – Anke Bogaerts and ‘Bracken’ 2nd – Jo Hartland and ‘Gos’ 3rd – Martin Bagg and ‘Molly’ 4th – Mary Cooper and ‘Squiff’ ‘QUARRY QUEST’ 1st – Willie Wicking and ‘Harvey’ 2nd – Andrew Nicholson and ‘Sonny’ 3rd – Anke Bogaerts and ‘Bracken’ 4th – Di Harrison and ‘Quest’ ‘ON THE PEG’ 1st – John Dawson and ‘Jay’ 2nd – Andrew Nicholson and ‘Sonny’ 3rd – Anke Bogaerts and ‘Bracken’ 4th – Gwen Butcher and ‘Jay’ GOLD VICTOR LUDORUM Lwin Brittain-Millar and ‘Sambo’




		WOODCOCK ‘Scurry’ Tests – SILVER ‘PICK ’n MIX’ 1st – Vanessa Visser and ‘Pipper’ 2nd – Christine Marshall and ‘Puffin’ 3rd – Andrew Nicholson and ‘Sonny’ 4th – Mike Fleming and ‘Lucy’ ‘DUMMY RUN’ 1st – Fiona Milne and ‘Buffy’ 2nd – Lise Lavery and ‘Gala’ 3rd – Bryony Ehrhart and ‘Kayla’ 4th – Oliver Bennett and ‘Megan’ ‘SPLASH ’n DASH’ 1st – Debbie Morris and ‘Dixon’ 2nd – Gwen Butcher and ‘Archie’ 3rd – Sue Brothers and ‘Skipper’ 4th – Jo Hartland and ‘Oz’ ‘QUARRY QUEST’ 1st – Andrew Nicholson and ‘Sonny’ 2nd – Mike Fleming and ‘Lucy’ 3rd – Michael Clarke and ‘Jack’ 4th – Lin Stiles and ‘Mole’ ‘ON THE PEG’ 1st – Christine Marshall and ‘Puffin’ 2nd – Ken Wyatt and ‘Ballagh’ 3rd – Fiona Milne and ‘Buffy’ 4th – Lise Lavery and ‘Gala’ SILVER VICTOR LUDORUM Christine Marshall and ‘Puffin’




	PARTRIDGE ‘Scurry’ Tests ‘PASS THE BUCK’ 1st – Vic Norman and ‘Mable’ 2nd – Warren Marshall and ‘Swallow’ 3rd – Chris Clark and ‘Uggy’ 4th – Kate Sewell and ‘Molly’ ‘DUCK DOWN’ 1st – Kate Sewell and ‘Molly’ 2nd – Carl Attwater and ‘Blue’ 3rd – Joshua Paterson and ‘Belle’ 4th – Rita Hilton and ‘Amy’ ‘POINT TO POINT’ 1st – Kim Reed and ‘Belle’ 2nd – Kim Reed and ‘Molly’ 3rd – Ann Cairns and ‘Bother’ 4th – Vic Norman and ‘Mable’ ‘ALL OUT’ 1st – Kate Sewell and ‘Molly’ 2nd – Peter Szechenyi and ‘Szouka’ 3rd – Warren Marshall and ‘Swallow’ 4th – Stuart Reed and ‘Archie’ ‘BOGGED DOWN’ 1st – Warren Marshall and ‘Swallow’ 2nd – Carl Attwater and ‘Blue’ 3rd – Vic Norman and ‘Mable’ 4th – Kate Sewell and ‘Molly’



	If the smiling faces are anything to go by everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and with a donation to the ‘Countryside Alliance’ from the profits it was a very successful ‘fun day’. Of course, it was a massive team effort with over 35 volunteers and helpers ensuring things ran smoothly. A huge thank you to everyone who came along to help book people in, throw dummies, fire guns, click the stopwatches or make tea and coffee and also the sponsors – Sparks Farm Pet Foods and Bartholomews– for their generous donation of prizes.
Please note: Many of the photographs on this website were taken by Matthew Breach who retains their copyright. Should you require prints or wish to use any of the images please contact him.
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