Additional Photos...

... Are ongoing..updates as needed. Thanks for reading!

Tomorrow MORNING--

First running dog will be #26 at 7:00 a.m. to resume the test. Test dog will be at approximately 6:40 a.m.

The last dog for the night is on the line right now...

... That would be #28.

DeJa Vu...

Now, with Dog #22 in the holding blind (he had just saved #10 from a third no-bird, if you wish to look at it that way) the dog in front of him, #27, got a no-bird. Here comes #22 for his second shot at the test.

Dog TEN is off and running...

... with a normal flyer that he's just rounded up... gracious thanks for that!

Too Close for Comfort?

... Dog #10 is in the second holding blind... when Dog #22, just in front of him, approaches the line and gets a no-bird flyer. Keep in mind that Dog #10 has already had two no-birds. If he gets another, he'll run last in the test. Perhaps #22 has interfered with good karma toward #10. And...Here comes #10...

Handle for Willie, #21...

... He had a wide flyer and a subsequent hunt, then took the water for the retired, missed the bird and drove up the hill, requiring a handle to bring him back. He ran the blind by slicing the corner of the pond on his initial line and a few whistles later had the bird.

Streak Does the Work...

Tia Maria...

... rounds her birds up nicely. That would be #19.

Another Girl Lines into the water on the blind...

... And that would be #18, Peaches, for handler Jim Gonia.

An overcast sky is taking over...

...changing the lighting of the test, and perhaps setting the stage for tomorrow's carryover dogs in this test.

Another No-Bird for Dog #10...

... Again on the flyer. This is his second and a third would put him running at the end...

Girl Power! Another Water-bird Retired and Initial line on Blind...

... This one for #16, Angel, with Jack Vollstedt--way to do it!

Three Musketeers?

From Left to Right--Dennis Bath, John Parrott, and Buddy McDuff

Are You Superstitious?--Unlucky 13 Handles

... on the retired mark.

Wind Picking Up Again--No Bird Flyer...

... on #10, Jerry Younglove and Cree. 

Wow--Water Twice!! Lilly--You go Girl!

Dog #8, Lilly, took the water on her way to her retired, and then sliced into the water en route to the blind in just the correct place on her initial send, with a complete blind of two whistles. Nice job!

Chief Mitch says...

... about 25.7 more dogs will be run today. That is a best estimate...

Brother Bob...

... May have thought about giving up his religion... but handler Danny Farmer convinced him to play like a team. 

Back in the Groove...

.. at 2:07 p.m. with the running of dog #2, and he had a tough go on both marks, particularly the flyer. Dog #3 is currently after the retired bird.

Nobody's Perfect...

A miscount on birds brings a necessary rebird and handlers are invited to view the line...

A Lil' Bit 'O Color...

Here are dogs #87--Jazz, chocolate; #88--Pow, yellow; and #89--Willie, yellow as they do this test well...

Ty Rorem and Jazz

Jim Pickering and Willie

Pow brings back a bird for handler Al Arthur

Danny's on a Mission...

... to the line with Marley, #86

Tommie Two Step...

... or, that's FC-AFC Two Step's Tomboy. Tommie, and Tom Vaughn. Here they leave the line after completing the test.

Lassie Come Home...

... and brag on yourself for your pretty water route to the retired bird. This is #84, with Scott Harp.

Here Scott handles Lassie on the blind

Early 80s...

Kenny Trott sends Arson, #82, for the flyer

Regi, #81, launches himself for a rooster

Bill Sargenti sets up Magic, #80, for the blind

#79 is a Scratch...

... Just sayin'...

Puttin on the Ritz...

... #78 sliced through the water on the retired and came out driving to the bird. There have now been a few of these that are pretty to watch. Keeping in mind that there have been numerous nice marks by land.

Patience is a Virtue...Says Bo, #78

Gettin' her done...

is #77...

Jim Gonia and Tucker set up for the next bird

Zoom Handles...

... on the retired bird.

Uh Oh--No Go...

... for Dog #74 on the blind.

Jerry Lee returns from the flyer...

... and then rounds up her retired bird via water, nailing the bird.

Jerry Lee brings a bird back to Lynne DuBose

Dogs #69 and #70 Do It To It...

... and #71 is en route to the flyer as we "speak"...

Dave Rorem and Mister wait patiently

Gretzky, #71, in the holding blind

Alan and Fizz head to the line

Running out more flyers...

... just now, upon completion of the test by #68, the defending National Champion Flipper, with Dave Ward.

Looking Oh So Innocent...

... the Day, that is... with a bright sun climbing ever higher in the sky, which itself is a wide expanse of blue with high altitude thin wisps of clouds...

I just checked the Weather Channel to update tomorrow's rain... between 6 a.m. (70% chance) and 9 a.m. (100% chance) the rain should set in, and it remains at a forecast of 100% all the way through dark, at least.

Sure doesn't look like it right now, and the wind has died down to a mere suggestion of a breeze.

Billie Whitesox...

... With just one relatively early whistle...Billie (FC Shadow's Whiteshoes) shouldered into the water nicely and then, with a few more whistles, completed a nice blind.

Waiting in the blind--Billie has a bandaged pastern/ankle area

Work has settled into a routine...

... of sorts, for the time being. Dog #64 has just completed the test--Mark Smith with Quick.

Up to #62 and now running the blind...

... as with all dogs, trying to get in early and working it out from there...

#54 re-run...

... Gary was concerned, but Sly sat like a gentleman... well, sort of...

#59 Resumes the running of the stake...

... and handily rounds up the marks. Headed for the blind, and as has been the norm, broke early toward the water and is midway to the bird.

Gun Change in Progress...

... after Scott Dewey, #58, and handlers view the line.

Wind has diminished somewhat...

... and as the sun climbs higher, the temperature has become less biting up near the line. Still, most folks are bundled up. The temperature is just 50 degrees and with the running area in the shade and a five-plus puffing wind, it remains quite chilly. The wind does seem to help persuade dogs to stay left of water en route to the retired bird, but this doesn't seem to be much of a deal-breaker in recovering the mark...and as mentioned earlier, with a northwest wind, being outside the mark means the dog should get a good nose full of bird scent. Number #57 just ran and #58 is coming back with the flyer now.

No-bird for #54...

... and he felt good as the birds went off... Gary will be thinking about his rerun since the dog must be on the mat...

Back Running Dogs...

... as the re-bird was quickly dispensed.

Re-Bird in Progress

... right now. Steve Yozamp waits in the blind for his re-run.

Buster has Blind Trouble...

... after some early whistles, he got somewhat loose at the end... but recovered the bird.

Water Worries on the Blind...

... Most dogs seem to be worried about the presence of the water on the left... as they set up to run the blind, as they tend to attempt to bail in early. Thus far, just one dog has avoided the water and required numerous casts to get in. Usually it's numerous casts to get in at the proper point.

No-bird on #49...

... Alan Pleasant and Hawk.

Alan and Hawk leave the line

Wayne Curtis takes the mat with June's National Amateur Champion, Buster.

Buster brings in the bacon

Water Dog...

... as #42 cuts through the wet stuff en route to a nice mark on the retired.

Lou Magee and Duke

Dogs 47 and 48 have run...Handle on #48

... as Pacer ran deep of the bird and needed help from DeWitt Boice to recover the bird...and 42 is back to try the test again...

DeWitt Boice and Pacer in the holding blind

Another No-Bird...

... on the flyer, this one for Steve Yozamp and #45. The wind is amping up and the guns are shooting a bird being flighted right into the wind. Now, Jason Baker is on line with #46, Sister. She needed some assistance to get in the channel on the blind.

First Pick-Up--Unfortunately...

... for #44, Thom Felinski and FC-AFC Turkey Creek's Misery, a black Lab female.

She somehow missed the retired bird (the wind is currently blowing out of the northwest and therefore off the outside of the bird) and went quite deep, and then after nearly recovering a few times, went deep again and then began to get close to the flyer. A handle turned into a pickup.

Thom Felinski shows the disappointment everyone can relate to at this level.

By land or sea..

Most dogs are skirting the water by a little or a lot on the retired bird, but this doesn't thus far seem to affect the marks significantly. One dog (#40) sliced quite nicely through the water for this bird...but the water isn't really on line. And with the current wind situation, going through the water could put a dog inside the bird.

In addition, thus far the norm on the blind is that dogs are wanting to get in the channel a bit early and then require handles to straighten their lines.

First No-Bird...

... of the day, for #42, Lou Magee with FC-AFC Dominators Duke of Turrell (Duke)... this was on the flyer. Scott Dewey is now on line.

Double and a Blind...

... with converging equi-distant birds. The view of the marks is deceiving because of terrain, but they're each 230 yards out in a rolling bermuda field with some scattered large round hay bales. Directly in front of the line are two small channels that are partially on line to the retired (right bird) mark. Once the marks are recovered, a blind is run to the right of the test and the correct line slices through the right-hand edge of the closer channel--both of them lie in a south to north line. The marks face essentially west and the blind, 225 yards out, faces north. The blind is marked with a short, stubby evergreen.

This National has Commenced!

... As the first dog comes to line at 7:05 a.m. Again, this is #39, Gary Unger with Rough.

Instructions Found in Holding Blind

Test Dog is on the Mat at 6:42 a.m...

... First up is Bobby Smith with "Pride", AFC Twinbranch Pilgrim's Pride, a yellow Labrador male. He's running the test, a double and a blind with all rooster pheasants, right now. And Pride did nicely on the marks, but chopped up the blind.

Second test dog was Mark Medford with AFC Tequila's Hot Tamale, "Mollie" a Labrador female, and she sported right through the test, including an initial line through the water to the bank on the blind.

By the way, a bit of a mild cheer went up at the annual meeting yesterday when it was announced that this first setup comprising tests one and two of the National would include all roosters.

Mark & Mark--Two Baritones Belt Out the National Anthem...

WOW!

Mark Edwards and Mark Smith just delivered a stunning rendition of our National Anthem to launch this National Open Championship Stake, and they did so without accompaniment.

And, Mark Smith divulged they had just practiced once... that being last night.

Way to go, gentlemen!!!!

Guys, you were spectacular--Thank you!

Getting Closer to the Day...

... Judges have arrived and setup continues. The parking area is getting quite full and contestants and spectators wait in the wings to view the upcoming test..

Good Morning and Welcome...

... to this 2010 National Open Championship Stake, held in historic Vicksburg, Mississippi. The morning is marching toward dawn with a temperature of 47 degrees, and it looks like we'll dodge the rain for today.

However, tomorrow appears to be a different story, as the 70 percent chance originally forecast has now been changed to an ominous 100%...

On to this day! Good luck to ALL!