Young talent emerges at Nurseries

From Ceredigion has come 10-year-old Elin Hope and from Pembrokeshire have come Gabby Ridge and Rebecca Jamiesson.

What a success when a series brings out new handlers as well as new dogs.

Pembrokeshire

The tiallists met for their last event at Trefelli Farm, St. Davids, home of Eifion and Janet Hope. In atrocious weather Brian McConnell won the Nursery with Joe and thus will captain his side of five in the Nursery Championship on December 5.

The field gave an outrun of 300 yards and the drives totalled 340 yards. There was a chute before shedding and penning in a time allowance of nine minutes. The sheep were good.

Glos/Gwent

Returning to the usual and familiar field at Coedkernew by invitation of Colin and Mary Evans, there were 31 runs in all, including two in the beginners’ class, won by G. Mumford with Sue, 13 ran in the Nursery Class won by G. Glanville with Cammen Sam and the narrowest of margins, just half a point in front of John Aneurin Watkins with Mac on 12.5 points. With the only run of the day in single figures John Watkins beat the other 12 competitors in the Novice class.

The field was the same one as is used early in the year for a charity trial which is always well supported and financially successful. The field slopes from a wall that runs along the main road down to a hedgeline. The outrun is nearly 300 yards and the cross drive is uphill after which there is a gentle slope to the ring and to the pen,

Ceredigion

No triallist is more successful in the SWSDTA series than I.B. Jones and for the sixth time he has taken the honours in both the National and the South Wales classes. In both classes it was his dog Taff that scored enough points over the season but he did not always win, This week was an example when Taff was in second place just two points behind Eirean Morgan with Jill, Similarily Taff was a single point adrift in the South Wales class, which was won by John Davies with Hemp,

The courses at Tynwern are always set on flat ground field above a steep dip. For this event the outrun had been shortened and the handlers sent their dogs off from the Maltese Cross. Whichever side a dog was sent, it was a rare bunch of sheep which stood directly in line with the fetch gates.

There were the odd moments when the weather broke, but generally it was squally and windy.

From this series I.B. Jones has earned the title of captain and will lead his team in the Championship, but before that his team will do battle against Carmarthenshire on November 28.

Glamorgan

The Glamorgan hill course was unusual in that the fetch gate in that the fetch gates were used twice. First they were used in the normal way and then as a part of the driving section. There were a shed and pen within a nine-minute time allocation.

This steep course was obviously to the liking of Lyn Jones, of Cymro, who returned the only run of the day in single figures when, with nine points, he beat Glyn Coombs and Jack on 12. This was in the Nursery class. In the Novice class Colin Gordon with Meg resisted the challenge of Ceris Millichap and Zac to win by a single point.

Radnorshire

November 18: Handlers in the Radnorshire Nursery found the ditches which crossed the field near Kington quite a problem. The outrun was about 250 yards and the first drive was to the left. The two best runs of the day came from Nursery dogs, with Paul Tomkins winning on 11 points, just in front of Brian Pugh with Ben on 12 points. The best Novice run came from Doug Bayliss with Mac on 26 points.

November 22: On the flat trials field at Nantmel, known to so many triallists, it was a different story. The Novice winner, Glyn Owen had the only run in single figures with Ben (9pts).

Radnorshire has one more trial before announcing their team when they meet at Mere House next weekend,

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