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| Tuesday, November 9th |
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| Test
4 - Water Triple / Two Retired Guns and An Honor
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| Close up - Left and
middle guns |
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Another
cool, partly cloudy day greeted participants as they arrived
back on the site. There was little wind and all was ready
by 7a.m.. Only one test dog ran and by 7:17, the first
running dog, #33 came to line. Once again a switching
wing influenced performance.
Although there were several good jobs, the field
was split about 50-50. Quite few went out of sight
toward the end of the blind and a number picked up. Several
indicated their larcenous intentions by turning right,
away from the water after crossing the mound.
The last dog, #57 completed the third at 10:25 a.m.
Callbacks would be given at the new site and the fourth
would be water marks. Participants moved to the far side
of the property where a water triple was nearing completion
.The callbacks were announced as the new test was
constructed. Only 49 remained after the challenging water
blind. Those lost were: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 14, 16, 22, 23,
28, 30, 36, 37, 39, 41, 44, 46, 50, 57, 61, 67, 71, 72,
73, and 75.
The line was atop a mound and faced a rolling,
irregular pasture with a good sized pond in the middle
There were a number of mounds in the fields on both sides
of the water and three peninsulas protruded from the near
side of the pond, angling back to the left. Two
sets of guns were stationed across the water. On the left,
two guns stood on the shore. They shot and threw a dead
duck flat to the right, across a small inlet. It fell
on the shore about 150 yards from line. . Quite deep to
the right a second set threw a dead duck angled back to
the left where it landed in pasture grass 200+ yards away.
Far to their right and closer, on the near side of the
water, a group of live guns shot a flying mallard angled
back to the left, also landing in pasture grass 140 yds
away. The order was: Long middle, left dead, right flyer.
The two dead bird gunners retired as the dog was sent
for the flyer. There was also an honor on the running
dog's left.
Tests dogs ran at 11:10 and one handled on the middle
bird. It took about 15 mpd to complete.. The first running
dog, #78, appeared on line at 11:50 a.m.
Multiple changes of cover, the mound and peninsulas deflected
dogs from retaining a positive line. Since the two retired
marks converged, it was easy for dogs to start for one,
then go towards another. After an early dog handled on
both, the rest of the participants were quite concerned.
Happily, many of the following dogs seemed to remember
the marks and recover them.
By 2 p.m. completion time had picked up although
there was no chance of completing the series today
The 4th was suspended at 5:25 after dog 49 was released
from the honor. There are 20 remaining for tomorrow
morning. Test dog at 7 a.m., first running dog, number
51 shortly after. No partial call backs were given, as
announced earlier. Test 5 is rumoured as a blind (s).
It will begin with dog 18 or the next closest to it. |
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Eukanuba
Tent- L - Grayson Kelly, R- Burke Earley
AKC - (l to r) Robert Young, Nelson Sills, Milton Holcomb
Caroline Kelly and Gordon Heldebrandt
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Dog
8 Honoring for Dog 9
Purina Tent (l to r) - Artist Susan Norris, Pat Lamantia
Dave Smith, Nelson Sills - behind , Roy Pelton |
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