The starting mat is facing to the South, overlooking a large pond with ample cover along the shore line. The wind is steady out of the North, with 5-8 mph winds. The temperature is 59 degrees, with a 30% chance of rain. It is sprinkling on occasion.
The test begins with a gun station situated on a right hand point on the right shoreline of the pond. This station measures at 182 yards and throws a hen duck to the left landing in heavy wet cover. This station retires into a clump of pine trees at the base of the point. We will refer to this bird as the Right Retired (RR).
The next bird is situated deep and left of the first on the far shore to the left of the pond, deep of a point that protrudes to the right in the water. This bird is measuring at 271 yards and is throwing a drake mallard to the right into heavy wet cover along the far shore of the pond. This bird also retires into a huge clump of oak sapling on the edge of the pond. We will refer to this mark as the Left Retired (LR).
The next mark to be thrown is situated to the left up on the hill side, deep of the pond in a checkerboard mowed field. This station measures at 221 yards and is throwing a hen pheasant flyer to the right, landing in a cover strip. In the water along the shore line are a half dozen mixed species AVERY duck decoys. This gun station remains visible during the test and will be referred to as the Hen Flyer (HF).
The next and final bird is also situated on the hillside and is to the left of the last gun station. This gun station is throwing a rooster pheasant flyer to the left, landing in heavy cover. This gun station measures at 166 yards and remains visible throughout the test. We will be referring to this mark as theRooster Flyer (RF).
This test is taking an average of 15-20 minutes per dog to complete.
This is a meaty test with a lot of swimming that is sure to test the memory of all of these magnificent retrievers. Good luck to all, and let the retrieves begin!
