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A few days before the trials Pete Guest and I stopped off to spend a day hunting woodcock with friend Stefano’s Spinoni. |
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Due to poor shooting on my part and a shortage of woodcock due to unusually warm winter in the northern hemisphere, the mushroom was the only prize of the day, apart from seeing Stefano’s excellent dogs hunting hard all day. |
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The plan was to stay at our home in Umbria to acclimatise the dogs then move on to the trials. We woke up to snow on the second morning so rather than get snowed in on the mountain we set off for the trials earlier than planned. |
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Rena and Nyika enjoy the snow in Umbria. |
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After only a two hour journey we arrived at the hotel at Borghetto on the outskirts of Civita Castellana just to the north of Rome. |
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The hotel as well as being modern and comfortable is surrounded by it’s own hunting ground and this enabled the whole trial to be conducted from comfortable surroundings. Very different from the previous experiences of early morning rv’s at bars in the countryside before driving out to hunting areas. |
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Peter immediately occupied the bed nearest the room heater. |
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The hunting lodge from which the trials began each day. |
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Each meet began with food. A little red wine and bruchetta, toasted bread garlic rubbed on and olive oil poured over with a pinch of salt. |
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Mencio returning after his ‘run’ accompanied by one of the game keepers. Judge Massimino in the background. |
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Peter looks over some of the hunting area. |
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Some of the areas were planted with a cover crop. The keepers would put additional pheasants onto the hunting ground in the early morning to ensure all dogs that covered the ground well had the opportunity to find game. |
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(Left) Stuart with Sanjika Kamuzu having gained a grading of Molto Buono (Very Good). Kamuzu is the third generation of his line to be classified in an Italian field trial. |
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Gathering on the morning of the 2nd days trials. |
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The Judge carries the gun during the trials and his opinion on the dogs work is clearly influenced through the eyes of the hunter. We later saw a judge choose not to shoot a bird because the dog was out of control flushing game without pointing. If the gun had not been in the hands of the Judge it would have been likely that the dogs bad behaviour would have been unfairly rewarded with a retrieve. |
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Trials are a good time to catch up with an old friend Sandro who has visited us in the U.K. |
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Friends Antonello and Michele also attended from Reggio Calabria. |
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Michele brought his dog Omar with him. This is a dog we had previously travelled to Reggio Calabria to use for a mating with one of our own bitches without success. Michele has said he is interested in selling this dog which already has a CAC and classifications of excellent for hunting. If anyones interesed give us a call !!! |
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Once again Pete demonstrates his love of a good fire |
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An evening meal at the hotel restaurant. |
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The Sunday trial. This time Porchetta, Panetone and red wine for breakfast. This was the busiest day with 50 dogs entered and five Judges.. |
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Pete, Sandro and Nyika. |
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HOME |
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All in all a satisfying event with Kamuzu receiving two classifications of ‘Molto Buono’(very good) and Nyika also receiving a ‘Molto Buono’ (Very Good). |
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Borghetto(VT) org. Arcicaccia - delegazione Lazio Cisp - G.C.Capitolino |
