A test dog and the last 5 competitors ran the test starting at 9:15 A.M. after the sun had risen adequately to allow the test to proceed. While the early morning was decidedly cold the sun soon warmed us up and it was a perfect day for a field trial.

Series 8 - Water Triple

Recap: The test took place at the end of a long pond nestled in rangeland and fringed with bullrushes. No. 1 gun was situated at an angle across the pond, throwing the bird to the right along the shore to land at edge of the bulrushes at 160 yards. The guns retired behind a blind partly camouflaged by the bullrushes. No. 2 guns were situated across the pond and well up a hill at a distance of about 180 yards. No. 3 guns were to the right of line down the near side of the pond and threw the bird into the reeds at the edge of the pond at about 65 yards. The line was about 10 yards from the edge of the pond.

Series 8 - Water Triple (line at far left)

22 Starters ran Series 8 - Water Triple
Five dogs were dropped - 17 Dogs called back to Ninth Series Water Blind.

 CALL BACKS TO SERIES NO. 9

 NO. DOG, BREED/SEX, HANDLER

  2. FTCH AFTCH AFC FC STROKER, LM, John Gunn
  7. AFTCH FIRE STORM RAVEN, LF, Sharon Van Der Lee
 11. FTCH DIPPOMARSH KERENSA O CARRONADE, LF, Dan DeVos
 17. LISONALLY'S TWO FOR THE SHOW, LF, Jamie Balesdent
 18. FTCH AFTCH PETE PLOURDE'S SILVER BULLET MH, LM, Pete Plourde
 23. KANE'S RARE N'ABLE, LM, Dan DeVos
 25. FC AFC FTCH JAZZTIME'S FREQUENT FLYER, LM, Larry Calvert
 27. NFTCH CNFTCH HIGHWOOD APACHE SCOUT, LM, Dave Rorem
 30. WOOD RIVER'S MAKE MY DAY, LM, Bill Fruehling
 39. MIDNIGHT SECRET AGENT, LM, Chris Rasmussen
 46. FTCH N-NICK, LM, Charles Dygos
 50. FTCH DIPPOMARSH MADONNA, LF, Dan DeVos
 64. CNAFC NAFC FC EBONSTAR LEAN MAC, LM, Dave Smith
 68. FTCH CHARGED TO THE MAX, LM, Charles Dygos
 70. DIPPOMARSH HIGH GRADE, LM, Dan DeVos
 75. WESTWING PACIFIC DISTURBANCE, GM, Bob Harmon
 79. FC FTCH DOLLAR BILL DOUBLE OR NOTHIN', LM, Dave Rorem

 DOGS DROPPED AFTER SERIES NO. 8

 NO. DOG, BREED/SEX, HANDLER

 12. FTCH MEADOWCREEK'S AM EXPRESS, LF, Doug Grant
 16. FTCH AFTCH DAKOTA UNLIMITED, LF, Mickey Rawlins
 35. FTCH AFTCH SUNDEE'S ALASKAN STINGER, LM, Rick Regamble
 43. RAINBOW MOLLY, LF, Dan DeVos
 59. OTTO MALARA WETHERBY ODDS, LM, Peter Muursepp
                                

Test dogs ran about 10:30 A.M. with Dog No. 39 running at 11:00 A.M.

Series 9 - Water Blind

The area for the blind was the same pond as for Test No. 4, behind where the No. 3 bird of the triple was thrown. A poison bird was thrown from the right at 75 yds. It landed about 15 yards from the line to the blind. As the dog passed the poison bird the handler was allowed to move up about 10 yards. The line to the blind carried over the pasture for about 85 yards through 10 yards of lunging water and across mud flats to a point of grass at about 200 yards. From there it was a 90 yard swim across a bay to a bird planted in front of a juniper bush at the edge of the shore.

Series 9 - Water Blind

22 Dogs ran Series 9 - Water Blind
Eight dogs were dropped - 9 Dogs called back to Tenth Series Water Quad.

 CALL BACKS TO SERIES NO. 10

 NO. DOG, BREED/SEX, HANDLER

  2. FTCH AFTCH AFC FC STROKER, LM, John Gunn
 11. FTCH DIPPOMARSH KERENSA O CARRONADE, LF, Dan DeVos
 25. FC AFC FTCH JAZZTIME'S FREQUENT FLYER, LM, Larry Calvert
 27. NFTCH CNFTCH HIGHWOOD APACHE SCOUT, LM, Dave Rorem
 30. WOOD RIVER'S MAKE MY DAY, LM, Bill Fruehling
 46. FTCH N-NICK, LM, Charles Dygos
 50. FTCH DIPPOMARSH MADONNA, LF, Dan DeVos
 64. CNAFC NAFC FC EBONSTAR LEAN MAC, LM, Dave Smith
 79. FC FTCH DOLLAR BILL DOUBLE OR NOTHIN', LM, Dave Rorem
                                    

 DOGS DROPPED AFTER SERIES NO. 9

 NO. DOG, BREED/SEX, HANDLER

  7. AFTCH FIRE STORM RAVEN, LF, Sharon Van Der Lee
 17. LISONALLY'S TWO FOR THE SHOW, LF, Jamie Balesdent
 18. FTCH AFTCH PETE PLOURDE'S SILVER BULLET MH, LM, Pete Plourde
 23. KANE'S RARE N'ABLE, LM, Dan DeVos
 39. MIDNIGHT SECRET AGENT, LM, Chris Rasmussen
 68. FTCH CHARGED TO THE MAX, LM, Charles Dygos
 70. DIPPOMARSH HIGH GRADE, LM, Dan DeVos
 75. WESTWING PACIFIC DISTURBANCE, GM, Bob Harmon
                                    

The test area was at the north end of Ware Lake among marsh islets (with tall marsh grass) and many water channels and inlets scattered throughout. There was about a 45-degree spread between the 4 birds with about a 25-degree spread between the first three guns and gun No. 4 (the "go bird").

The No. 1 guns threw a bird to the right at 210 yards to splash into the edge of the open water of the lake. The line to this mark was across a body of open water and then along the edge of marsh grass to the bird.

Series 10 - Water Quad

The No. 2 gunners were to the left of the No. 1 guns at 165 yards. They threw a duck to the right from a beached boat to land on dry land in the marsh grass.

Series 10 - Water Quad

Still further to the left the No. 3 guns, also in a beached boat at 165 yards, threw a duck to the left.

The No. 4 guns, at the far left from the line, threw the "go bird" from the edge of the lake to land on firm ground in the marsh grass.

Of the nine finalists, only three dogs completed the test without handling.

By 6:30 P.M. the 1998 Canadian National Retriever Championship was at an end and the judges, Ron Craig, Claude Lafontaine and Gunther Rahnefeld, retired to determine the winner.

The Winner was then announced: Dog No. 11!

FTCH DIPPOMARSH KERENSA O CARRONADE, black Labrador female handled by Dan DeVos, and owned by Rosalind Pentecost was named the Canadian National Field Trial Champion of 1998!

Reported by Stu Mead
Test Descriptions by Sara Harman
Test Drawings by Birgit Juergensen