A new chapter within UKSHA

A very busy spell for myself in the last 2 weeks. Firstly I was over to Rothenbuch,Spessart in Germany 2 weekends ago to judge teams from the KBGS e.V.(Klub für Bayerishe Gebirgschweißhunde) I was invited to the Nordbayern / Baden Württemberg Group to help with their Vorprüfung as a trainee judge.

I looked forward to this as one of our team members from UKSHA,Jamie Simpson,was also sitting his test. Jamie and Watzmann von Wilden Fels did a brilliant job,judged completely independently,I was not allowed anywhere near judging him-I would've loved to have followed him but was not allowed.Better this way too as no one can say that there is anything going on. Jamie and Watzmann aced it,another team that has done UKSHA proud,another certified tracking team in the UK,slowly the numbers are growing with teams who are qualified to a recognised European standard. A brilliant result and achievement Jamie,very well done from all of us at UKSHA and the KBGS. Reinhard Scherr(Chairman of KBGS)told me last week at the ISHV Search to pass on his congratulations to yourself as well Jamie. A result to be proud of,3rd in the test with 788666.

One handler achieved near perfection,888888,well done Herr Dippl. 9 is top points,never have I seen one given.A 9 is where the team should never have completed that part of the work because of very extreme difficulty with very good performance(eg the team had no right to complete the task) During the test,there were 13 teams being judged. The judges lay the tracks the day before and everything is very well prepared. The morning of the test came and with it the nerves of the handlers. Having been through the situation myself and having been tested in similar circumstances,as judges you are well placed to offer advise and help calm the handlers. Just to let you understand,out of the 13 teams sitting the test,5 failed. These tests are not judged by friends who have no experience in tracking.Within our group as judges were myself and 3 other judges,over 50 years combined experience of working with tracking dogs. If the team are not good enough,they fail. Any teams that are failed are given advice on how to help them pass depending upon how and why they failed. The teams are also trained within the groups to help them pass prior to the test,however,a test is a one day affair,anything can and does happen.

Within our judge group,we had 4 teams to judge that day. 2 of our teams passed and 2 failed. This again shows how well Jamie and the other handlers did. The whole of the KBGS can be proud of the organisation and teamwork required to make these test days go so well.

Over the weekend it was very good to see old friends and new ones,meeting a good friends girlfriend was a highlight of the weekend for me,a new member of the KBGS is on the way,if baby is same as father the KBGS will have another honest,dependable and powerful tracker within its ranks.