Here she is looking very proud and professional - well done Lola!
Lola has also taken time out from her very busy schedule to write a report for our website and I thought I would share it here too.
I was having a great time at the Cornbury Game Fair recently where 'little sis" was representing Welshies in the Sporting Dog Pavilion, when suddenly, late on Saturday afternoon, we packed up and headed home.
Now, I know I was rather disappointed that I hadn't been asked to represent Welshies, but I was having a great time camping in our campervan, and thought we were staying for the whole weekend.
Then, I remembered........ Sunday was the Lincolnshire United Retriever Club Puppy Test and Mum had sent an entry in for me. This was my third test, my previous two had been earlier in the year with the Vale of York Retriever Club. I had enjoyed these tests, but hadn't really understood what was expected of me. Mum wasn’t much help either as these were her first retriever tests too.
So, early on Sunday morning off we went to a lovely venue at Nocton near Lincoln. After saying hello to a few friends I recognised, it was time to do the tests. There were 4 tests, each test comprising 2 retrieves. The first 2 retrieves were along the grass banks of a reservoir and I managed those OK.
The first retrieve of the 2nd test was my favourite retrieve of the day, I got to swim and fetch the dummy out of the water. I enjoyed it so much I was ready and desperate to go in the water again. Mum wasn't having any of this though.... I was sat, looking at the water ready to go in again, but she didn't take the hint. She tried to get me to look along the grass bank where I knew jolly well there was another dummy but I made the point I would much prefer another swim. Mum can be very stubborn though, she INSISTED I went along the grass bank instead. So...... not wanting to risk not getting any dinner, I gave in and fetched the dummy from along the bank.
The 3rd test I got to do with one of my training buddies Oscar, we had to walk to heel, which Mum said I could have done better (no surprise there... walking to heel is SO boring, even for a black Welshie) and we took it in turn to fetch 2 dummies each.
The last test I had to fetch 2 dummies out of cover down a dip. I saw the first dummy thrown, fetched that, then Mum sent me back to the same spot again. I did wonder why she did this, as I hadn't seen the man throw another dummy, but he must have sneaked it there when I was on my way back with the first one. How crafty is that!
After lunch the results were announced and I was really rather pleased to be awarded a Certificate of Merit. My pal Oscar did even better, winning a blue rosette for coming 2nd. Then, to both my and Mums surprise, a shield was presented for the best Novice handler........ to Mum!! but I have claimed it as my prize, after all, it was me that did all the hard work fetching the dummies, Mum was just a bystander really!
Lola aka Wellbray Wisdom
