CALLBACKS FOR NINTH

11, 19, 23, 24, 25, 45, 47, 52, 56, 61, 66, 72, 75, 86, 88

DOG NUMBER 45 starts this next test. 

FIFTEEN Dogs Back.

6:40 a.m. test dog

7:00 a.m. running dog

The Rising Moon...

... Will be full in just a few days.

Behind the Scenes--Work Seems Never Done

Everyone piled over to the ninth series setup... except National Club President Lee Jolley. There were two major sections of barbed wire fence that had been altered for the 7th series water blind and 8th series marks, and he remained behind to restore these areas to their original--or better--state.

When I took this picture, Lee had already repaired the fence from the marks. But, much more extensive care was needed for the wide fence alterations from the water blind. Here, he's hard at work.

The Move is On...

... I may or may not post from there... gathering up all this equipment and need to get things ready for both tests tomorrow. Remember, there are just two test dogs being run. May just pick it up later this evening... we'll see.

More soon!

Hawk's Rerun

... This dog was already judged on his right flyer before he was excused by the judges due to cow interference. On his rerun, he had a good left-hand flyer but then had some difficulty on the middle bird and hunted.

Rosa Rosa!

Does very well on this test.

MAJOR INSTRUCTIONS

This test is nearly completed.

There will be a move to the NINTH TEST. It will be the same hill and pond as the third series water blind.

Two test dogs will be run tonight.

One test dog will be run in the morning before the test commences.

CALLBACKS FOR THE NINTH SERIES WILL BE GIVEN LATER THIS EVENING BACK AT THE HOTEL--HEADQUARTERS.

Pow and Al Arthur do the test

... #88 had a nice job

Marley gets her birds...

... nicely for Danny Farmer. She is #86.

Stella Handles from Left...

... on the middle bird. #57 and David Didier

Umm, Handle and Then Pick UP...

... For #77, Tucker and Jim Gonia

Viggi gets the birds

does okay, #75.

Fizz gets his birds...

... with some hunts... #69 and Alan Pleasant

No-Bird for #61 on left flyer

Very Nice, Jerry Lee...

... Quite a command on the test. #72, Jerry Lee and Lynne DuBose.

Billie White Shoes...

I keep wanting to say that. Billie, #66, had two nice flyers and worked right around the middle bird and got it. Karl Gunzer, handler.

Here, however, his white tape is obscured by the shadow

And, after the cow exchange, a no-bird...

... this one for #57, Stella.

Ouch...

...Unfortunate flyer fall on the right bird for Hawk. Short and in. Pretty big hunt for Hawk. And now the cows are encroaching upon the test and are all in the middle of it. Hawk has been excused and will get a rerun to be judged on his other two birds.

Woo--Hoo! He Tied One On...

... and drew the applause. Very nice job. That's #47, Tie with Dave Rorem.

An Important Committee...

... That of Bird Throwers. It is ably Co-Chaired by Tracy Farmer, pictured below, and Steve Ritter, who also competed and is pictured elsewhere in this blog. Thanks for your work, guys!

Pete has orderly middle bird...

with very good outside birds. Nice job :) That is #45, with Steve Yozamp.

And for #56...

Sledge caught the left pond but missed the right pond for the right-hand flyer, came up behind the flyer station and got the bird, then had a nice left-hand flyer. On the middle bird he went right past the tree out there and up, took a hook left and down to the bird.

Sly Dog...

Dog #54 was a little pumped up on line, went right in the water on the right flyer, and then had a huge hunt on the left flyer and then up the left and into the trees and out the right side down into the middle bird.

Weezer Has A Run...

... #52, up the left, up the right, around and got the middle. Good outside birds.

With a hunt on the right hill...

... Ozzy gets the middle bird and has all three.

More No-Birds...

.... Dogs #45, and #47, and #49.

Now Ozzy, who is a rerun from a no-bird, is in the holding blind.

Two Very Important People..

Land Owner and Hostess Co-Chair...

Suzanne Medford and Randy Lampkin

After Gun Change... Inca Good...

... gets the middle bird from the right with a loop up the hill... #24, with Scott Dewey

Dog #39 has all three birds

Rough had a small hunt on the right hand flyer, a larger hunt on the left flyer, and went right and up the hill and back down to the bird on the middle retired.

Bart has been sent for the middle bird and ... HANDLE

...he's in a bit of trouble right now, having driven hard up the hill well left of the bird. He's up amongst some cows right now... and now is handling. Bart is #12.

No-Bird on #36

... For Al Arthur and Ozzy.

Yvonne and Birdy have handled...

... On the left flyer, just now... Birdy is currently en route to the middle bird.

Crowd Pleaser...

... on #25, Ali and Mark Smith

Ali delivers for Mark Smith

Dog #23 is Home Free...

... Boo. Paul Sletten

No-Bird on #24 ...

... on the middle bird. There is a ledge out there and if the judges can't see the bird hit the ledge they are calling it a no-bird. This would be the same thing that happened with #12's no-bird.

Tia Does the Test...

... went for the middle bird straight as an arrow...

Cutter Has Three Birds and Bart has a No-Bird

Cutter picked the right flyer up while staying dry, then picked the left flyer up out of sight, and was just right of the middle bird and went over to it.

Giving up the goods

Comment on middle bird and left flyer...

... The middle station is positioned sort of behind the slope of a rolling hill, and consequently, it's not possible to see the full gunner/thrower bodies. It's also difficult to see the bird down, or actually picked up, depending where it falls. The judges are making sure the bird falls on a ledge out there, and when it doesn't, they call a no-bird. Because of the varying terrain, the left flyer often falls behind a slope as well and when this happens you don't see that bird picked up.

Betsey Gets 'em...

... She hunted right of the left bird and sort of right of the middle bird, got the birds...

Jerry and Merlyn Do It...

... Somewhat of a hunt on the left bird...

Jerry Patopea sends Merlyn for the right-hand flyer

In Memory of Mia

We all know how much our dogs mean to us, and we're keenly aware their lifespans are limited. With that thought in mind, we hope to enjoy ten or twelve years with them, at least.

Recently, on Tuesday, November 9, Richard Underwood lost his beloved dog, Mia, to a sudden and fatal illness. She was not only an excellent competitor but also a great companion and friend, and she will be sorely missed. Mia took Richard to two Nationals and in the process ran a beautiful one in Dover, Delaware last November. She and Richard were a Finalist team and I'm certain that I wasn't the only one that enjoyed their ten series of work.

Mia, you were special and you had many fans... most of all, you were loved by Richard. You'll meet again just this side of the Rainbow Bridge one day.

Tenth Series National Open, November 2009, Dover, DE

Dog #1 is on line...

Currently running...

First running dog is #91

... at 10:40 a.m. This would be Charlie and Alan Pleasant

Test Dogs for Next Test Begin at 10:10 a.m.

Bobby Smith and Pride hunted the left flyer and handled on the middle bird.

Mark Medford and Mollie did nicely.

CALLBACKS FOR TEST EIGHT

All dogs are back. Therefore, 28 dogs go into the eighth series, which is being tweaked right now.

On the Move...

... to the next test site.

Atlas Shrugged... Rosa Barks...

Miss Rosa just finished this test with a flair and a dash... very nice job. She lined up and over and down into the first pond and sliced behind the gun and up through the first pond the initial cast.

With #66 coming to line...

... We are nearing completion. The next test is a water triple with two flyers and will be a very short move for the line, tents and such. Parking will remain in place, I think, and the gallery even stay in the same place. We'll see on that...

That Would Be.. DAVID Didier

David Didier and Stella after the blind

Handlers are working...

... to keep dogs on line and on and off the far point. Some dogs have more difficulty with the latter than others, but there remains much similar work. Currently, #36 has just finished running.

We are along through #7 right now...

... and the work is extremely similar overall.

Tucker driving to the blind...

... For Jim Gonia. #77.

Viggi on Line...

has the bird

Jerry Lee and Lynne are on line...

... This is #72, so far a nice job.

First Dog, #69 to the line...

... at 7:05 a.m.

Test Dogs to the Line...

... at 6:47 a.m.

Mark Medford and Mollie had a nice job.

Bobby Smith and Pride had more difficulty, at first prompted perhaps by the hidden entry factor of this blind. Pride broke left and kept wanting to go left, which is away from the water and test.

The Day Before the Day...

... That's today.

Weather looks promising. And, for 28 dogs, there remains the potential for earning three letters. NFC.

We should see two tests today, beginning with a water blind...

See you out there.