Working Trials
Working trials is suitable for all breeds, however it is a physically demanding sport so the dog and owner must both be physically fit.
Leamington Dog Training Club's Working Trials section meets every Sunday throughout the year.
Cost for the section is £25.00 per year and the clubs annual membership of £5.00.
The section meets in Car park 1 of Stoneleigh Park, for more information contact the section head on the number on the contact us page.
The working trials committee are as follows:-
John Wykes - Section Head
(KC rep - 01788 823717-Email: tarnforce@sky.com)
Norma Ansell
Sue Ashby
David Barker
Ruth Cahill
Dot Levin
Pat Herbert
Members Opening Rota
Opening Up Rota 2009-10
Found
The section is still looking for a newsletter editor, so if you are interested in being the editor then please contact John Wykes.
Each year, the section awards various trophies. This years winners are shown on the news page.
Working Trials date back to 1924 when the Associated Sheep, Police and Army Dog Society held the first event. In May 1927, the first Championship Working Trial to be recognised by the Kennel Club was held by the Alsatian League and Club of Great Britain at Castle Bromwich.
In 1961 the Working Trials tests were changed into a format which has continued until the present day. The very minor amendments made since then bear testimony to the standard set all those years ago. Dogs compete in ascending levels called "stakes". From the lowest stake, Companion (CD), through Utility (UD), Working (WD), Patrol (PD) and Tracking Dog (TD) at the very top.
The exercises are basically divided into three sections:
Nosework
Agility
Control
Nosework
The dog follows 'a track' laid by a tracklayer (who is a stranger to the dog) walking a set pattern. The track is approximately half a mile long and laid on grassland, ploughed field or heathland with each competitor working on similar terrain to others in the stake.
As the dog follows the track it has to seek out and recover articles placed along the track by the tracklayer. In UD the track is laid half an hour before the dog works and in TD the track is three hours old. The other component of nosework is search where the dog has to search for and retrieve articles placed in a marked area.
Agility
Consisting of a three foot hurdle, six foot scale and nine foot long jump.
Control
Consisting of heelwork, sendaway, retrieving a dumbbell, down stay, steadiness to gunshot and speak on command. In the PD stake, in addition to the control, agility and nosework exercises, the dog has to quarter the ground for a hidden person, complete a test of courage, escort a person following a search by the handler, detain a running person and perform a recall from a running person. These exercises are completed under strict control and the dog has to qualify Working Dog Excellent before entering the Patrol Dog stake.
Leamington Dog Training Club cannot be held responsible for the loss, damage or injury to any person, their dog(s) or their belongings while in the confines of the training club. |