Series 3 Test Dogs

Test Dog came to the line at 8:09 am

Test Dog #1 Sister/ Clint Joyner

100 yards Land Flyer: nice mark!

225 yards Water Short Retired: drove hard on the corrected side of the holding blind est. a med. size hunt in the area to retrieve the bird.

345 yards Long Retired: took a nice initial line tight to the flyer station. dog got deep of the flyer station and winded it having to be Handled to the Long Retired.

Test Dog #2 Payton/Sammy Thompson

came to the line at 8:20 pm

Flyer: good mark!

SR: drove hard on the correct side of the holding blind, reaching the road deep of the mark and working his way back down to retrieve the bird.

LR: again driving hard traveling on the correct side of the holding blind making it to the road deep and working his way back to retrieve the bird clean. A nice example of this difficult test.

3rd Series Test Description

The wind has picked up and the clouds have moved in making the sky appear dreary. The wind is whistling out of the West gusting out of the Northwest on occasion at 7 mph. Series 3 is a combination Land/Water marking test. The mat is facing to the East situated about 175 yards from the water's edge where there are a 1/2 dozen or so Avery decoys placed in this oblong shaped pond. There are spiratic thick patches of  lily pads throughout this body of water.

There are three gun stations situated in the field, two of which are retiring behind well disguised holding blinds. The first bird is thrown to the left and a dead Rooster pheasant. The Rooster is measured at 345 yards and will be referred to as the Long Retired (LR). The second gun station to be thrown is situated just deep of the pond placed in medium to heavy native grasses. The second gun station is shorter and to the right of the Long Retired mark. The second gun station is throwing a dead Hen Mallard to the left in some watery thick grasses about 20-30 yards from the water's edge. The second mark is measured at 225 yards and also reties. The third and final mark of this Land/Water marking test is a Hen Mallard Flyer thrown to the left landing in a checkerboard pattern of cover on land. This gun station is situated at 100 yards to the left of the entire test with the gunner's sitting on the down slope of a gentle rise. To further complicate the dog's path of travel is a split sand road through the test that could carry the dog away from the marks. The test is shot Long Retired , Short Retired, and Flyer. A beautiful scene with much for the dogs to maneuver and think about during the 9 to 10 minutes per dog it takes to complete this series. 

Callbacks to the 3rd Series

Scratches #26, #37

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,65,66,67,68,69,70,72,73,74,75, 76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92

4 Dogs Dropped: 14, 56, 64, and 71.
86 Carried To The 3rd Series

Series 1 & 2 Conclusion

The Series concluded at 7:41 am. Now we are all axiously awaiting CALLBACKS to the 3rd Series. The 3rd Series is on the same grounds only 50 yards away from the line of Series 1 & 2

Re-Run 31. FC Wing Magic’s Standpipe Moon “Piper”, LF, Mark Edwards

Flyer: stepped on it!

Mem: travel at the holding blind made a turn behind it and then down to retrieve the bird.

Blind: smooth accurate blind with few whistles to complete the retrieve

38. FC-AFC Creekside Maggie J “Maggie”, LF, Chris Ledford

Flyer: bird was shot a bit short. Dog had a small hunt before retrieving the bird.

Mem: Drilled it!

Blind: accurate smooth blind retrieve with few whistles.

36. FC Ledyno’s I Wanna Be A Lucky Star JH “Eddie”, LM, Wayne Curtis

Flyer: the rooster came out of the box giving an ear piercing screach. The throw & shot was long and strong. Dog established a hunt just short of the area and worked deep to retrieve the bird.

Mem: nice mark!

Blind: had two early whistles that carried the dog to the end for a smooth and accurate blind retrieve.

35. FC Shooter’s Super Chief “Buddy”, LM, Alan Pleasant

Flyer: bird was shot long and strong. The dog put up a great mark and Pinned it!

Mem: drove past the area just a tad and worked back to retrieve the bird quick for a clean retrieve.

Blind: one early whistle, one near the gun station and few to complete the retrieve for a smooth blind.

34. FC-AFC Windy City’s Dark Cloud “Stormy”, LM, Charlie Hines

Flyer: straight to the area established a sizable hunt in the area before retrieving the bird.

Mem: traveled under the arc made several loops by the holding blind before working over to retrieve the bird.

Blind: carried initial line near the gun station and required only a few whistles to complete the retrieve for a smooth accurate blind.

33. FC-AFC B Bumble “Stinger”, LM, Ray Voigt

Flyer: traveled to the area had a small hunt before retrieving the bird.

Mem: traveled under the arc made a loop near the gun station and jumped in the cover to retrieve the bird.

Blind: carried initial line near gun station, one whistle there requiring only a few more to complete the retrieve.

Handled 32. FC Vinwood’s Merle Haggard “Merle”, LM, Danny Farmer

came to the line at 6:58 am

Flyer: made a couple passes in the area before retrieving the bird

Mem: traveled toward the gun station took a turn toward the gun station established a hunt deep and had to be Handled to the bird to complete the retrieve.

Test Dog For Day 2 Series 1 & 2

The wind has changed slightly blowing steadily out of the East. The heavy dew has wiped away the scent built up from yesterday making scenting a bit tough.

Test Dog came to the line at 6:54 am

Flyer: good mark!

Mem: small loop to retrieve the bird

Blind: smooth and accurate with few whistles

On Our Way For Day 2

We woke to a silent calm air & a heavy dew dripping from everything standing. The temperature is a balmy 69'F. The sky is clear and as black as a Labrador Retriever as we travel to the trial grounds. Just before reaching the trial grounds the moon peered through the clouds beaming down on the longleaf pine forest we were fast approaching.

Rules & Rotation

Rules From The Marshal:

1. Every 23 dogs ran will be a gun change.

2. Rotation for the first four tests run will be 39, 62, 85, 16.

3. The first 26 dogs in rotation will be allowed to view the test from the line when first announced.

4. When the running dog is returning with the last bird in the test the Handler in the holding blind will be asked to take their dog off-lead to begin judgement.

5. First No-Bird Handler will go back five numbers and run sixth.

6. Second No-Bird Handler will go back five and run sixth.

7. Third No-Bird the Handler will run at the end of the rotation.

Conclusion Of The Day.....

The Judges called the test at 5:05 pm. Several dogs have yet to run Series 1 & 2. The Test Dog will run promptly at 6:30 am. The first competing dog will run at 7:00 am. # 32 will be the first competing dog to run in the am.  Good Luck to all left to compete in the am!

David Texas

No-Bird 31. FC Wing Magic’s Standpipe Moon “Piper”, LF, Mark Edwards

Flyer: had a huge flyer shot far from the gun station. The dogs number was called and the handler sent the dog. The dog put up a long but concentrated hunt in the area when the Judges decided it should be a No-Bird. Instructing the Handler to recall the dog. # 31 will have a Re-Run at the end in the am.

30. FC-AFC KPR’s Wet Willie “Willie”, LM, Jim Pickering

Flyer: hunted a bit short then quickly worked back to the area to retrieve the bird.

Mem: Good mark!

Blind: carried a great line and completed the blind smoothly.

29. NFC-AFC Seaside’s Pelican Pete “Pete”, LM, Steve Yozamp

Flyer: nice mark!

Mem: made a quick loop to retrieve the bird.

Blind: completed the blind with few whistles for an accurate and smooth retrieve.

28. NAFC-FC Dottie Ray’s Ivy League “Ivy”, LF, Andy Kahn

Flyer: straight to the bird.

Mem: drove through the cover to quickly turn back to retrieve the bird.

Blind: accurate and smooth blind for a successful retrieve.

27. FC-AFC Fresh Squeezed Juice “Juice”, LM, Mark Medford

Flyer: made a couple pass just outside the area before retrieving the bird.

Mem: Nice mark!

Blind: several whistles needed to complete the retrieve.