Day 6 - Land Quad
Fog delayed the start today as judges moved back to the field of the 6th series land quad. The caravan left headquarters at 8:40 and arrived to find a quad that crossed the lines to the 6th series quad, facing south-east. The middle right bird (a drake duck at 187 yards) was partly up a rise and thrown to the right into some wild grape, grass and poison ivy cover. Next the left gunners at 118 yards threw a hen duck to the right and then the middle left guns (173 yards) at the base of the rise threw a cock pheasant to the left into wild grape. These three guns were basically inline and all retired. The last bird down was another rooster on the far right thrown to the left at 73 yards. Both test dogs (Jim Ling and Cash) and Tom Hawley and Dreamer handled on the middle left bird. The breeze was light and variable but mostly from the north. It was clear that the middle left retired bird was going to cause problems. The first dog ran at 9:25am and it and the next two handled. Then a few dogs began to get all 4 birds cleanly. The test remained doable but very difficult to the end at 11:20am. We moved back to the Headquarters to receive call backs. There we learned that the following dogs were dropped 6, 8, 13, 50, 52, 53.
The Finalists for the 10th series are 11, 14, 21, 25, 26, 31, 39, 44, 47, 63, 64, 66. The test will be a water quad.
Day 6 - 10th Series-Water Quad
Shortly before 1pm everyone was led to a high hill over-looking a pond far below. After walking down a steep recently bull-dozed trail we encountered a series of large ponds with a big hill on the far side. Four gunners were stationed across. The first test dog, Jim Ling and Cash ran the test and took 30 minutes. The judges modified the test and brought one set of gunners around to the near shore. They decided to forgo the 2nd test dog in the interests of time. The test was shot from left to right. On the left at 290 yards a duck was thrown to the right angled back. They retired. The line was a sharp angle entry across the pond over a dyke into another pond and out into the field. Next, gunner straight across and 2/3 of the way up a hill at 261yards threw to the right and retired. The gunner down near the shore threw to the left along the shore creating an over under pair. Finally, gunners on the near shore but to the right at 27 yards threw a bird to the left. All birds were ducks. The first couple of dogs hunted far up the hill between the two left stations. This large opening had been created when the first test was modified. The wind was blowing from the south (right to left) opposite to when the test dog ran. The test was taking about 20 minutes so it is expected we may not have a winner announcement until near 7 pm eastern standard time.
The 10th series ended at 5:40pm. Only two dogs #26 and #64 did it without handling. Five dogs had gone into the 10th without a handle. Only dog #26 finished without a handle.
The winner was announced as #26 FTCH AFTCH Spice Girl owned and handled by Jean-Luc Maheux of Quebec.
