Friday, June 22, 2007 |
Another cool, sunny, dry day greeted early contestants as they drove back to the Castle Rock Ranch area. The site for tests 7 and 8 was much deeper in the ranch. The new area contained a landscape of trees, the usual sage brush, and swampy areas with ponds.
Test 7 was a water blind. As it was being organized, it was announced that 2 callbacks had been left off the list. 26 and 57 were reinstated and the starting dog would be number 20.
Test 7 was a water blind. As it was being organized, it was announced that 2 callbacks had been left off the list. 26 and 57 were reinstated and the starting dog would be number 20.
Test 7 showing planter
|
Test 7 overview with Ted Shih
|
The first test dog appeared online at 7:15 am and the second at 7:25 am. Both had numerous whistles to keep the dogs online. The line mat was set at the far edge of a gravel road and the line to the blind angled down a mild hill to an area of marsh grass and flooded plain area. It continued across a grassy plain and flooded area to a strip of water with a heavy growth of cattails to the right. Once pass the water, it went over a wide point of land and back into the water beyond. It continued fairly close to the shoreline before crossing a bay to the shore beyond. There a duck lay, marked by a red stick about 300 yards from line.
Dog number 20 initiated the blind at 7:48 am. Early dogs had no wind and the light was good for both and dog. Most handlers got the line to the flooded plane, however, once the dogs reached the second water, they would angled left to the base of the hill. Most resisted at least a few casts to the right to go into the water. Some resisted all of them and went out of sight behind the raised point.
By mid-morning, a trail had formed from the line to the first water, but not beyond. Some dogs would disappear in the heavy cattails to the right and swim unseen behind the wide point beyond. Others would get on the point and finally take a cast to the right and swim unseen hidden behind the cattails until they were offline in the cattails to the right. There were numerous refusals because of the above problems.
Later dogs had a wind angling into the test from right to left making it difficult to hear the whistles. The test ended at 12:58 with dog 18. The seventh had also been a somewhat devastating test. There were at least 7 pick-ups and callbacks came with only 28 potential NAFCs; 17 had been dropped.
Those lost were: 10, 12, 13, 17, 18, 21, 27, 28, 31, 41, 59, 66, 76, 88, 93, 99, and 106.
Test 8 was quickly organized in the same area with the running line being a good distance to the left of the series 7 line. It was a water quad with two retired guns and an honor to the left. The line was located on the far edge of a road and face d the same water, marsh, and pond as the seventh series. To the left, on the mound that had been a problem on the blind, two gunners were positioned. They shot and threw a dead hen mallard to the right which splashed about 150 yards from the line. Across the pond, deep to their right, a second set stood on the side hill just below the road. They shot and threw a dead hen mallard, flat to the left where it fell at the edge of the pond 275 yards from line. Another group stood a good distance to their right, where the road turned, and threw a dead rooster angled back toward the road where it fell into sage brush 170 yards out. They were located just to the left of a hill where they would lay to retired. Much closer in and to the right, a set of flyer guns were positioned on the same road as the line. The road curved to the right from the line and they were around the corner. They shot a flying duck angled back to the right.It fell in the sage brush only about 93 yards from line. The order of the falls were left-middle bird, right-middle bird, right flyer, left dead bird. As the dog was sent for the go bird, the two middle gunners retired. There was an honor to the left of the line.
Dog number 20 initiated the blind at 7:48 am. Early dogs had no wind and the light was good for both and dog. Most handlers got the line to the flooded plane, however, once the dogs reached the second water, they would angled left to the base of the hill. Most resisted at least a few casts to the right to go into the water. Some resisted all of them and went out of sight behind the raised point.
By mid-morning, a trail had formed from the line to the first water, but not beyond. Some dogs would disappear in the heavy cattails to the right and swim unseen behind the wide point beyond. Others would get on the point and finally take a cast to the right and swim unseen hidden behind the cattails until they were offline in the cattails to the right. There were numerous refusals because of the above problems.
Later dogs had a wind angling into the test from right to left making it difficult to hear the whistles. The test ended at 12:58 with dog 18. The seventh had also been a somewhat devastating test. There were at least 7 pick-ups and callbacks came with only 28 potential NAFCs; 17 had been dropped.
Those lost were: 10, 12, 13, 17, 18, 21, 27, 28, 31, 41, 59, 66, 76, 88, 93, 99, and 106.
Test 8 was quickly organized in the same area with the running line being a good distance to the left of the series 7 line. It was a water quad with two retired guns and an honor to the left. The line was located on the far edge of a road and face d the same water, marsh, and pond as the seventh series. To the left, on the mound that had been a problem on the blind, two gunners were positioned. They shot and threw a dead hen mallard to the right which splashed about 150 yards from the line. Across the pond, deep to their right, a second set stood on the side hill just below the road. They shot and threw a dead hen mallard, flat to the left where it fell at the edge of the pond 275 yards from line. Another group stood a good distance to their right, where the road turned, and threw a dead rooster angled back toward the road where it fell into sage brush 170 yards out. They were located just to the left of a hill where they would lay to retired. Much closer in and to the right, a set of flyer guns were positioned on the same road as the line. The road curved to the right from the line and they were around the corner. They shot a flying duck angled back to the right.It fell in the sage brush only about 93 yards from line. The order of the falls were left-middle bird, right-middle bird, right flyer, left dead bird. As the dog was sent for the go bird, the two middle gunners retired. There was an honor to the left of the line.
Test 8 left and left middle
|
Right middle
|
Right
|
The first test dog came on line at 1:45 pm and handled on the two middle retired marks. The second test dog arrived at 2:04 and completed the test without handling. It took about 15 minutes for each to run the test. Concerned handlers were then allowed to view the line. Almost all birds were basicallydown, with some switching conditions. The first running dog, number 47, came to line at 2:30 pm and handled on one of the marks. Changes of cover, retired marks, and relatively tight lines affected dogs' memories and they would hunt for quite a while. Early handlers took the outside birds first then tried for the left-middle second. When dogs blew threw that and recovered the left-middle instead, a few went for the left-middle first then the right-middle. This met with mixed results.
Early in the test, the judges did not expect to finish in one day. However, in the early evening, it was decided that they would finish the test, even if it meant staying out in the field until after 9:30 pm. Unfortunately, they were unable to finish and one dog #45 remained to be tested in the morning. The 8th was suspended at 9:20 p.m after dog 36 was released from his honor.Test dog at 6:30 last dog shortly thereafter.
Partial call backs will be given about 6 a.m. Saturday a.m The next test will be held near the site of the 7th. First running dog will be given with the callbacks.
Early in the test, the judges did not expect to finish in one day. However, in the early evening, it was decided that they would finish the test, even if it meant staying out in the field until after 9:30 pm. Unfortunately, they were unable to finish and one dog #45 remained to be tested in the morning. The 8th was suspended at 9:20 p.m after dog 36 was released from his honor.Test dog at 6:30 last dog shortly thereafter.
Partial call backs will be given about 6 a.m. Saturday a.m The next test will be held near the site of the 7th. First running dog will be given with the callbacks.
AKC Reps L- Chuck Kimbrel and Wayne Bleazard
Head Honcho, Brad Clow
|
L- Craig Stonesifer and John Goettl
L- Dave Rorem, Alan Pleasant, Andy Attar
and Mac Du Bose - Scoping the test |
