VIDEO. “With one look, I know if she found a truffle or not”: we followed a digging competition

the essential
This Sunday, in Labastide-Marnhac, sixty dogs and their masters compete to find truffles during a digging competition. Among them, Josy Fourtet, 72, and his faithful dog Ma Oxtanda, shine with their complicity and their passion.

It’s 7:15 a.m., Labastide-Marnhac wakes up slowly. However, in the night and the cold, the surroundings of the castle are already bustling. The Lot canine organizes its traditional digging competition, just before the selections for the French championship. Sixty dogs of all breeds, from all over , will compete. Josy Fourtet, a Lotoise, walks her dog, Ma Oxtanda, a Dutch shepherd. Just to warm up. Around 8:15 a.m., time for the draw to find out the order of passage but also the designated area. “This is the last competition of the season. Enjoy,” announces Julian Gomez, president of the Canine du Lot. Josy gets number 30. “We will have time to concentrate,” smiles the woman who started digging three years ago.

During the test.
DDM Aouregan Texier

In the meantime, new walk. Two white Swiss shepherds are behind. These are Tahicia and Must, and their duets Karl and Claire Andraud. Josy gives them a little sign. “It’s a big family here, everyone knows each other. We enjoy getting together!”, she laughs.

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“With one look, I know if she found a truffle or not”

Ma Oxtanda, whose name means little wolf in Basque, is eight and a half years old. She's been scavenging for three years. “Before, we did IGP (tracking, obedience and protection – Editor’s note). But she didn’t really like it. At home, I have four or five truffle trees, especially summer truffles. And Oxtanda loves it. Sometimes, at home, she brings me some without me asking!”, describes Josy. She continues: “My dog ​​likes to be in front of me. And that's how it is at the cave. She has a blast because I'm the one who has to listen to her.”

The judge, Robert Arrighi, checks the last details before the duo passes.
DDM Aouregan Texier

At the Lot dog leisure club, they are pushing Josy to get started. “They saw Oxtanda's talents! I'm not fast, I have to push myself a little. You must never stop looking at the dog, while picking up the truffles and bringing them back. I discovered that “in one minute, we could do lots of things!”, says Josy. So, the latter launches into competitions. “Dutch shepherds are very fast. Scavenging forces them to think and settle down. Above all, it's a great bond with the dog. With one look, I know if she has found a truffle or not,” says the one. who is 72 years old. Last year, she was able to qualify for the French championship. An extraordinary experience.

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Flawless, but a bit long

It's almost 11 a.m. when Josy's turn approaches. Five or six dogs before her visit, the latter puts herself in her bubble with her dog. “It allows him to calm down. And me too! We have a little ritual. I change his collar, and then I plunge my hand into the sausage bag and I caress his nose. There, she knows that he will you have to concentrate,” says Lotoise.

This Sunday morning, the traditional digging competition organized by the Lot canine took place, near the Château de Labastide-Marnhac. Josy Fourtet, 72, took part with his faithful dog Ma Oxtanda. Our report will soon be available online. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/jcJdghSW4j

— La Dépêche du Lot (@LaDepeche46) https://twitter.com/LaDepeche46/status/1880975261711368410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

A few seconds before passing, she finds the judge, Robert Arrighi. Great start. Ma Oxtanda rushes into the square in search of the six truffles, hidden randomly the day before. Each time she finds one, Josy gives her a small piece of sausage. In one minute, the dog finds five truffles. The sixth gives him a bit of trouble. Final time: 1 min 40, without any fault. “That’s good!”, congratulates Josy. The Lotoise concludes: “We didn't beat the time. It's not a very good time. We were 14th, and there we risk going down a little in the ranking, but that doesn't matter. We stay qualified for the French championship.” In the audience, the other participants congratulate the duo: “Well done, it was very nice!”

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