Sunday, November 14, 1999 |
The beautiful Joe and Marilyn Boatright Ranch, located in the rolling foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, is the site of the 1999 National Retriever Championship Stake. 82 dogs began with a double land mark and a land blind, to open the trial. The line was located on a road at the top of a draw with the test running down the draw and along both sides. The first bird was a dead cock pheasant thrown from right to left across a winding spring bed running down the middle of the draw, into 24 inch bunch reeds. The guns retired immediately into a fortress of hay bales next to their position. The line to the bird was down a 20 foot embankment over open ground across a ditch and into the cover. The second bird was a flying cock pheasant thrown square to the left. The guns were located on the right side the draw on the hillside, at a higher elevation than the line. The line to the blind was an angle off the embankment to the left from the same line as the marks, across an open area and into bunch grass, which threw many of the dogs off line. They then crossed a ditch and ran along the side of a high mound, off the back side and up a steep side hill to the blind, located on the same road as the line.
The handlers were instructed pick up the blind after retrieving the first bird of the marks. Then they would retrieve the remaining bird of the double. This had little effect on the dogs. The first test dog, AFC Cucamonga's Thunderbolt, handled by Jewell Easter, ran at 6:44 A.M. They were followed by AFC Duckpond's Sniper CD MH, handled by Alice Woodyard. Both dogs did the test very well. All of the dogs picked up the flyer first, the blind next and then the short retired bird. Almost all dogs that hunted the flyer, were on the dead bird side of the flyer. Generally the work was good on this bird. The wind had a great affect on the short retired bird and the blind. The early dogs had a cross wind from left to right that pushed them behind the retired gun station and they either winded it or picked it up after short to medium hunts. When the wind changed and the mark was down wind most of the dogs went directly to the area of the fall and found it with short to medium hunts.
On the blind, early dogs were pushed to the right because of the wind and the mound. There was less affect as the wind changed. Initial lines were fair to good with most dogs having several whistles. Two dogs were dropped after the series which was completed at 4:50 P.M.
80 dogs were called back for the third series, rumored to be a water triple. Dogs lost were numbers 7 and 82 with 5 and 57 scratched.
The handlers were instructed pick up the blind after retrieving the first bird of the marks. Then they would retrieve the remaining bird of the double. This had little effect on the dogs. The first test dog, AFC Cucamonga's Thunderbolt, handled by Jewell Easter, ran at 6:44 A.M. They were followed by AFC Duckpond's Sniper CD MH, handled by Alice Woodyard. Both dogs did the test very well. All of the dogs picked up the flyer first, the blind next and then the short retired bird. Almost all dogs that hunted the flyer, were on the dead bird side of the flyer. Generally the work was good on this bird. The wind had a great affect on the short retired bird and the blind. The early dogs had a cross wind from left to right that pushed them behind the retired gun station and they either winded it or picked it up after short to medium hunts. When the wind changed and the mark was down wind most of the dogs went directly to the area of the fall and found it with short to medium hunts.
On the blind, early dogs were pushed to the right because of the wind and the mound. There was less affect as the wind changed. Initial lines were fair to good with most dogs having several whistles. Two dogs were dropped after the series which was completed at 4:50 P.M.
80 dogs were called back for the third series, rumored to be a water triple. Dogs lost were numbers 7 and 82 with 5 and 57 scratched.
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