Thursday began with strong Chinook winds out of the southwest similar to the day before. Test 4 resumed with 29 dogs still to run. Two test dogs including Clem and Marlene Benn and Troy and Charlie Perkins both handled on the test which indicated conditions were at least as severe as yesterday. The wind increased by about 10:00 am making the test even more challenging. The length of each mark varied from 205 yds to 291 yds and work varied significantly. The judges used a red cross to signal for the birds which some considered symbolic. As the day before, some excellent work was produced however there were numerous handles and some pick ups. The test was completed by about 3:15 pm and the grounds crew had already moved to the same pasture as Test 1 and 2 to set up the 5th series land blind. There was great speculation regarding the number of dogs to be called back. Twenty five dogs were dropped after the fourth series. They were: 3, 4, 12, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28, 41, 43, 45, 46, 48, 49, 55, 57, 66, 72, 73, 76 and 77. In total there had been 15 handles and 7 pick ups on the fourth.
Test 5 - Land Blind
The caravan moved to the test site for the land blind. It was a 300 yd. poison bird blind running to the northwest with the line to the blind on a crosswind, downwind from the poison bird. Neither test dog was able to successfully complete the blind. Suddenly, the wind shifted from the southwest to the north as a front was moving in. The temperature dropped 10 degrees and the wind started gusting to 60 kph. The judges changed the blind and set up a no-picture 212 yard land blind, running southeast. The dogs were launched on this blind out of a ditch winding through the field. Most dogs did reasonably well on this. The test concluded about 6:30 p.m. . Callbacks were posted in the hospitality room soon after. No dogs were dropped. 41 dogs remain to run land marks tomorrow, starting with dog 70.
Prayer Time -Judge Pierre Benoit signalling the Guns
