o'cockaigne

Last weekend, 18/19 and 20 October, we were once again on Ronostrand. Because of all kinds of circumstances we were last three years ago. When Simon was asked to explain and turn the trail, we decided to try to make Bernice and Brandir run for their "Haasvast". Bernice would not be a problem, she had already walked with Picaro of Annemiek Hawkins during the coursing of Swift in September and that went perfectly. But Brandir is still so young in his head, we had doubts about that. But yes, but try because together with Calhoun he runs fine. In fact, we would have liked Brandir last weekend to run with Picaro, but because he had a slightly thickened toe the week before, we did not do this of course. Luckily his toe was all right now and we thought it was best to let Brandir walk with Picaro and Bernice with a fiddle. So figured out, so done. Thursday afternoon we arrived and it felt like old. The trees were still not as beautiful as we were used to, but the beech nuts were already fallen and caused a lot of nuisance between the dogs. It was also found that we were standing underneath a thick oak, where with great regularity the acorns with a rotklap on the roof of the caravan fell, also in the middle of the night!

Saturday morning, early out of the feathers, because those two monkeys had to do their first licence run in quarter for nine. When we walked past Dear Andries, who was a little further afield, we saw that she was wrapping her stuff. Later on, we did not know that she had her papers and that the hounds could not walk. She seems to have been shot out of her slipper and has been called to have a jury member (sounds like a threat). It is said that they should know and comply with the rules. It is now for the second time this year that this ' lady ' is misbehaving during a coursing organized by WvCNL.

Anyway, quarter for nine, first the young female, Islay's Iora Rua of Janine Ballard would run. However, this is still too uncertain and hupte but somewhat back and forth. Then Bernice with fiddle. This went perfectly, they were very well-matched, they met often enough on their way and Bernice showed the jury that she was running her own course.

Then Brandir with Picaro. Brandir went off, looked at Picaro and stopped. He continued to follow the hare with his eyes and when it came to his side, I gave him a push and yes, there he went. The second half of the trail he ran as a spear and didn't look at Picaro. At the reception they both dived on the hare, without any problem. We all had the feeling that he would start better in the afternoon. In any case, Bernice had completed her first license loop well. That was the most important thing!                                 After they went well, when he returned home, a bottle of wine was first in the cooling so that if Bernice would not messing up it the second time, we could celebrate that Bernice may appear on the Coursingvelden next year. After having fed the hounds and we had our own breakfast indoors, we went to see the other courses. It struck us, especially on Sunday, that a lot of hounds did not have sufficient condition to accomplish the 800 meter in a good way. Especially the Barsoi's and Irish Wolfhounds were very disappointing. After the afternoon break, Bernice and fiddle, Brandir and Picaro were again ready for their second licence run. Bernice started very fanatically, Sonja couldn't keep her at the start. So here laughing..                              

Sorry Sonja, I couldn't leave it to post them.

After Bernice's fantastic license course, the tensions were high as far as Brandir was concerned. Would he do it right now? He was in any case very fanatical to the start. His first five passes were somewhat wavering but after that he got the spirit and walked a beautiful course with Picaro.

Brandir and Picaro are well-matched, on the long straights Picaro is of course faster than Brandir but Brandir does not beat a mud figure at any rate. By Kien courses they remain quite together and Brandir shows that he is running his own course. Even when the reception is fine, they both dive on the hare without anything of aggression or fear. Fantastic!

Meyappan, Meyappan, what a relief. Brandir has his first good license course inside!

After I had the brandir on a leash and left the beach, I saw Ira Johannen standing with a hound ready. This was not mentioned in the afternoon program and I did not know who it was. Since Brandir really had given himself, I didn't keep looking at how this hound ran but we all (fiddle, Bernice, Picaro, Brandir, Sonja, Annemiek and I) started to run out of the hounds. At the end of the afternoon we were told that this was again Iora Rua from Janine but that there was a lot of commotion since this bitch had left the ground after the first attempt of the morning, crippled the terrain. Two first aiders had found that she had a torn nail and in consultation with the jury it was decided that she was not allowed to walk in the afternoon. Since someone else appeared with her at the start, no one had to say that it was the same bitch, so she started anyway. I have heard about it, she has walked the whole course and got quite lame from the terrain. So this is really not as it should be!!! In the evening, we even knew that Janine was already in the morning before the first turn on the crippled walk of Iora Rua. As an owner you have at eternal times the responsibility for your hound and a broken hound do not let you walk!!! So there was a lot of disgrace and with these two traps the Deerhound owners left a bad impression. Thanks!

After work done it is well resting with your great friend.

In the course of the evening I was asked if I wanted to let Brandir run a licence loop the next day. The jury had talked about it and thought it was good for him. After consultation with Cis and Annemiek or Picaro it was could handle and whether they liked it, we decided to do it. So Sunday morning again early from the feathers and at quarter for nine we were back at the start with Brandir and Picaro. Now Brandir was really fanatic and started just fine. They walked a wonderful course! What a pleasure to see those two fly over the sand! I am glad that Brandir is now also ready to run his licence but we will still have to be careful with him, he is and still remains a ' babyhound '.

After feeding and having breakfast, we have a nice stool to watch the courses, together with Cis and Jannie. We had old fashioned fun again for ten. It was a great weekend!