GUN DOGS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1941, Page 7

GUN DOGS

CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS WAIRARAPA CLUB’S MEETING. HELD IN FINE WEATHER AT TE WHITE The annual gun dog championships of the Wairarapa Gun Dog Club were held at Te Whiti, Masterton, yesterday in good weather. There was a fairly large attendance, especially in the afternoon, and generally a high standard was maintained by the competitors. Although the entries were smaller than last year, the performance of the winner of the AH Breed event, Mr J. Curtin’s Labrador Retriever, Rose of Tralee, would have been very hard to beat even in a representative field. In regard to Mr Curtin’s win, it will be remembered that this Wairarapa sportsman is overseas with the N.Z. Forces, and has left his dog under the charge of Mr R. V. Mason, who capably and thoroughly handled Mr Curtin’s dog in her meritorious win. In the land section Rose of Tralee was placed second to Mr D. P. Donald’s Springer Spaniel, Roderick of Three Star, but in the water department Mr Curtin’s Labrador swept the board with a clear-cut win over her nearest rival.

The runner-up in the All Breed Championship was Mr M. A. Rawlins’s Labrador Retriever, Cleopatra May, F.T.Ch., who was poorly placed in the land section, but secured second place in the aggregate for the championship by a good water performance. The Retriever Championship witnessed the complete eclipse of three of the entrants when they failed to cross the river or were recalled by the judge. Mr J. Curtin’s Rose of Tralee again secured the verdict over Mr M. A. Rawlins’s Cleopatra May, with Mr W. Nix’s Labrador, Judy, third.

Of the Spaniels and Setters and Pointers, so little competition was forthcoming that interest was not as keen as in former contests. The performance, however, of Mr D. P. Donald’s Springer Spaniel, Roderick of Three Star, was worthy of special note, and this dog’s’ win in the land section of the All Breed Championship was an outstanding and well-deserved one.

In a novelty event the handlers were required to do the shooting at the trap themselves and good-natured remarks greeted the Wairarapa Gun Dog Club’s patron, Mr - C. E. Grey—one of the best gunshots the Wairarapa can produce—as he stepped out with an unwilling and misbehaved dog belonging to someone else. Whether Mr Grey was upset by the unruly manner of his borrowed dog, or whethei’ he missed the first barrel to show his marksmanship with the second shot, can only be left to the imagination, but it was certain that all present enjoyed the club patron's sporting gesture. Mr W. Nix, of Featherston, turned out an easy winner, and brought his two birds down with the first barrel.

The judge of all the championship events was Mr H. T. Byrn, of Masterton, and his decisions met with popular approval from both competitors and spectatprs. During the day the results were announced and. the various competitors called up by the loud-speaker apparatus owned and operated by Mr H. L. Byrn, and this acquisition to the club’s outing was greatly appreciated. The trophies were presented by Mrs W. Harding, wife of the club’s president, the latter being absent through illness. Mr C. E. Grey, club patron, in a brief speech, congratulated the winners and extended thanks to the ladies for their efforts in catering, to Mrs Wardell for the use of her-pro-perty, to the judge, Mr H. T. Byrn, and to all who had assisted to make the gathering a success. Mr Grey called for three cheers for Mr J. Curtin, owner of the championship winner, and these were heartily given. The detailed results are as follow:— All Breed Championship. Land Section—Mr D. P. Donald’s Springer Spaniel, Roderick of Three Star, 96 points, 1; Mr J. W. Curtin’s Labrador, Rose of Tralee, 93, 2; Mr J. Bouzaid Springer Spaniel, Lyminster Dink, 70, 3. Water Section.—Mr J. W. Curtin’s Labrador, Rose of Tralee, 95 points, 1; Mr M. A. Rawlins’s Labrador, Cleopatra May, F.T.Ch., 93, 2; Mr W. Nix’s Labrador, Chum, 80, 3. Grand Aggregate—Mr J. W. Curtin’s Rose of Tralee, 188 points, 1; Mr M. A. Rawlin’s Cleopatra May, F.T.Ch., 159 points, 2; Mr J. Bouzaid’s Lyminster Dink, 123 points, 3. Spaniel Championship. Mr D. P. Donald’s Roderick of Three Star, 97 points, 1; Mr J. Bouzaid’s Lyminster Dink, 90, 2. Setter & Pointer Championship. Mi’ P. Churcher’s Irish Setter, Teddy, 26 points, 1; Mr S. Geary’s Pointer. Stamford Statesman, 25 points, 2. Retriever Championship. Mr J. W. Curtin’s Labrador, Rose of Tralee, 96 points, 1; Mr M. A. Rawlins’s Labrador, Cleopatra May, F.T.Ch., 85, 2; Mr W. Nix’s Labrador, Judy, 80, 3. Novelty Trial. Mr W. Nix, 1; Mr R. V. Mason, 2; Mr M. A. Rawlins, 3. Special trophy (for outside competitor gaining most points in the land section, donated by Mr W. Harding): Mr P. Churcher’s (Wellington), C.C. Retriever, Rip,