of experience. Joe started his gun dog career with Golden Retrievers and has a natural affinity with the breed, however over the years he has competed on a bigger scale with his Labradors. Joe has judged the IKC Retriever Championships on 5 other occasions and qualified and ran in the championships on over 20 occasions and 3 times with 3 different Golden Retrievers. Joe said he was delighted to have been asked to Judge again on this occasion and thoroughly enjoyed his appointment and was happy with how the trial ran. Over the two days, Joe said he had seen some very good dog work as would be expected in a championship, however went onto say the second day was much better and the competitors really got a chance to show their dogs off. Joe said as good as the ground was, there was too much open ground but after talking to the keeper and guns on the first day, they asked for more birds to be shot into cover where possible. The excellent guns duly obliged and this resulted in a more exciting trial for the second day. Joe was very impressed with the dog work and said those who came through in the awards where the cream of the crop and congratulations must go to the hard work involved in getting there with their dogs. He said some excellent dogs and handlers fell by the way side
because of one thing and another, however there was nothing put forward in the trial that he wouldn’t have expected the dogs to handle. One dog in particular stood out for Joe and that was Tom Lowry’s FT CH Watergreen Hunter (awarded COM and Gun’s choice). He said the dog had an excellent run, very fast, stylish and hunted like a demon but fell short on the last hurdle, and as we all know Joe said, you are only as good as your last retrieve. Joe said judging the championships this year was most enjoyable but went onto say he doesn’t think he will judge another one due to his senior years creeping up on him. Joe has a passion for Golden Retrievers and said it was great to see a Golden running this year again in the championships. Joe has a young golden at the moment and he said he would love to get him qualified for a Championship before he has to ‘put the auld whistle away for good.’
The Running order: 1. Non runner 2. Mr Lorenzo Hynes with FTCH Trumpetaker Ash (DOB, 24.08.08) Winner of 2013 IKC Retriever Championship 3. Mr Richard Johnstone with FTCH Shimnavale Excalibur (DOB, 27.05.10) 4. Non runner 5. Mr Michael Corr with FTCH
Astraglen Hardy (DOB, 07.02.11) 6. Mr Eamon Murphy with Luna aruff (DOB, 14.05.11) 7. Mr Harry Gillanders with FTCH Ffynongain Razor (DOB, 04.04.10) 8. Mr David Beattie with Alabama Black (DOB, 1.12.08) 9. Mr Denis O’Grady with FTCH Tullyah Dasher (DOB, 26.05.09) 10. Thomas Lowry with Redbog Alice (DOB 16.01.11) 11. Mr Sean Nolan with INT FTCH Tweedshot Trimble of Lettergreen (DOB, 12.04.09) 4th in the 2013 IKC Retriever Championship 12. Mr Paul Toal with FTCH Altiquin Ripple (DOB, 14.04.08) 13. Mr Nigel Carville with FTCH Waysgreen Apollo (DOB, 18.08.08) 14. Mr David O’Sullivan with Redbog Andy (DOB, 16.01.11) 15.Mr Declan Boyle with Leadburn Jamie (DOB, 01.04.09) 16. Mr Danny Behan with Quarrypool Ainey (DOB, 24.05.07) 17. Mr Nigel Carville with Apollobay Apocalypse of Astraglen (DOB, 21.10.10) 18. Mr Michael Cronin with FTCH Watergreen Gemma of Monsell (DOB, 17.12.08) 19. Mr Sean O’Connor with Timpany Monty of Coolflough (DOB, 01.10.10) 20. Mr Damian Newman with FTCH Dunamoria Eve (DOB, 25.03.06)
First Day line up of even numbered dogs under judge Roy Rankin. Countrysports and Country Life Spring 2014
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