Wrapping Up For The Night at 8 p.m...

... Closing down shop until morning. Remember, test dog runs at 6:45 a.m. Thanks...

Well, The Last Dog Is Running... (for the night, that is)

... Candlewoods Commander And Chief with Fred Kampo at the helm, has a quick hunt on the flyer and somewhat of a hunt deep of his retired bird. His blind went left of the evergreen with a pop deep of it and a quick blind overall.

Yet Another No-Bird, Now On #38...

... FC-AFC Hardscrabble Carbunnation and handler Judy Rasmuson

Now Another Flyer No-Bird on #37

... FC-AFC Landover's Right On Target and David Furin, and this team will also run in the morning.

No-Bird on #36 Will Run In Morning...

... On the flyer, for FC-AFC Chatanika's High Water Haylee and Thomas Wilkerson. Since there are not six dogs left to run tonight, Haylee will commence her re-run in the morning.

Handle from Well Deep of Retired...

... for #35, In The Hunt Farm's Executive Sweet, with Tom Bogusky.

Stormin' Norman...

... #34, FC-AFC Trumarc's Stormin Norman II and Mark Rosenblum had a nice flyer and a nicer retired mark, and now has wrapped up the blind. Nice work.

Hope had a medium hunt...

... #33, FC Silvertip's I Hope So, with Jerald Wilks, coupled with a bigger hunt on the retired.

Shorty has nice work...

... #31, FC-AFC Sanpitch River Shore Thing and Steve Bechtel, Jr.

On the Re-Run, Skeeter does nicely

... although he made a wide pass right on his flyer he still came up with it in short order, and had a beautiful mark on the retired bird, followed by a nice blind. That's FC-AFC Wolf Creek CR Skeeter and Robby Bickley.

Bruce Ahlers and #24...Gauge...

... FC Westwoods Iron Man, had a good job on the flyer, went deep and made circling hunts before getting the retired and is now about to send for the blind.

Dog #23 is on the line...

... and Weezer  (FC-AFC Weezer Retreezer) had an excellent flyer, a hunt on the retired and a very good blind.

No-Bird on Flyer for #29

... Bruce Hall and Zonka (AFC Invinceability) ... on the re-run, Zonka had a very nice flyer, quite a hunt on the retired, and a three-whistle blind.

Lee Jolley is on the mat with #28, Canaille

... AFC Un Petit Peu Canaille had an excellent flyer mark and a not-as-good retired hunt, followed by a good blind.

Due to Concern from Judges...

... As the light continues to deteriorate, the Judges have asked that the flyer thrower be replaced so that a bigger throw (breaking the skyline) will allow for better marking visibility. The change is being made right now.

The Reason #23 and #24 are out of order...

... is because they are both veterinarians (Jeffrey Schuett and Bruce Ahlers) and were helping with the injury situation on the grounds.

Ethel and Yvonne...

... got the retired bird first and did so nicely. The flyer hunt, however, covered much ground behind, deep and around but Ethel did round it up.

Handle in Progress... PICK UP

... For Dog #26, Sonmar's Mo Cash and handler Mark Medford

No Bird for #25...

... No-Bird caused on the flyer for Skeeter and Robby Bickley.

Back In The Saddle... Now a Handle

... Dog #22 is handling from very deep (Salt Marsh Ready Aim Flyer) back into the retired mark.

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TOMORROW

In the morning, the one test dog will run at 6:45 a.m. and the first running dog will assume the mat at 7:00 a.m.

Tonight, we will run until dog #44, or 8 p.m., or whichever comes first, UNLESS they occur close to each other and can be merged, as dog 44 is the gun change number.

Gun Change in Progress... Here Come the Troops

Jet had an excellent flyer...

... #21, FC-AFC Jet Black Bustin Thru The Brush MH, and then went a bit deep and worked out the retired mark. He had a nice blind to round out the test.

After rounding up the marks...

... Tia had a little difficulty on the blind (#20, FC-AFC Bayou-Star Beyond Independent) for handler Suzan Caire as she tried to work her right of the evergreen.

Pop and Handle on Flyer...

... after a hunt way short while en route to the bird... this all took place on the re-run for #13, Mick, with Jim Smith.

Mick takes a drink

... With Some Hunts...

... Trudi (#19, Catalina's Trumarc) hunted short in the ditch en route to the flyer, and also went right and very deep and hunted on the retired bird for Carma Futhey.

Magic Has His Marks...

... #18, FC-AFC Foxfires Slight of Hand, went high and worked out the flyer, then went well deep and hunted on the retired mark, and had difficulty on the blind.

Our 2010 National Open Champion...

... Got both marks, a good flyer from a tough fall, and went right deep but worked fairly quickly back to the mark, and had a nice blind. We are talking about NFC-AFC Hunter Runs BooBoo and Kit Johnston.

Woody, #16, is handling...

... AFC Third Creek's Big Stick just handled on the retired mark.

Dog #15 has been injured... UPDATE

... Bull, (FC-AFC Watuaga's Bull Gator) left for his flyer and upon going left and down the first hill, he went down while whining. Steve went out immediately to his dog and was almost as quickly joined by two veterinarians on the grounds and additional help. Soon thereafter, a Mule was brought down to transport Steve and Bull back to further attendance.

Prayers go out to Steve and Gail O'Connell and Bull, who is a very talented dog.

UPDATE--It seems this is a freak accident caused when Bull slipped on grass going down the hill, and tumbled, in the process snapping a bone in his leg. His leg has been wrapped and stabilized and Bull has been given something for pain; currently he's being transported to Missoula.

This injury/accident occurred only about 50 yards from the running line and on this first bird of this National for Bull. It is any of our worst nightmare... and again, we extend prayers to Steve, Gail and Bull.

Found in the Game Steward Tent...

... are none other than Jean Wu and Anna Calvert...

Rex has three birds...

... with a good flyer, he went deep on the retired and had a nice blind.

Dog #13 will come back in six dogs...

... First of all, upon leaving the holding blind for the line, #13, Mick (FC-AFC Paddy Kate's Slick Mick) came out well ahead of his handler and captured a judge's lunch. The team went back to the holding blind for another try toward the line and this time when they made it, they received a no-bird.

Upon leaving the mat and rounding the corner of the tent, handler Jim Smith tripped on a chair and took a tumble, while Mick checked out more open bags. Both Jim and Mick are okay. They return in six dogs.

Oatie Does Well...

... Age, wisdom and talent come together in this test for #12, FC-AFC Suncrest Wild Oats and handler Linda Erwin.

Defending Champion...

... Does nicely with a fair-sized flyer hunt.

Halfway deep to the flyer...

... Pacer (#10, FC-AFC Fat City Pacer and Dewitt Boice) came back to the retired mark, and then went back out and had a nice job on the flyer. He smoked the blind with a check whistle at the end.

Good smart marks...

... for Hook, (Windy City's Bent Tail), #9 and Charlie Hines. Charlie polished it off with a sterling blind.

One of the nicest flyer marks of the day...

... has been turned in by #8, Pirate (FC-AFC Land Ahoy) for Gary Zellner. He then had a smart hunt a bit deep of the retired gun and a very nice blind.

Instructions Posted In The Holding Blind

Are as follows:

Another Close Call...

... for Arson, #7 (FC-CFC LKY's Controlled Burn and Brad Clow) as he had a nice flyer and then just about ran over the retired bird, but missed it. He recovered nicely and had a good blind.

More hunts...

... Dog #6 (Webster--AFC The Blueprint and Marion Carey) had a hunt in the area of the flyer and then got deep to the fence on the retired mark, and had a nice blind.

Worth the Wait!

The Re-run from the no-bird just after the gun change was golden for #114, FC-AFC Texanna Yellow Gold MH (Anna) and Ken Robbins. Quite a nice three birds!

Substantial Hunts...

... on the flyer and the retired station for Tucker (#5, FC Wood River's Duck Tucker) and handler Bill Fruehling.

Just Left Of The Tree...

... on the blind, Shire (#4, Mjolnir's There and Back Again had a nice flyer and a hunt deep on the retired bird for handler Sharon Gierman.

Ouch. --Handle--

Dog #3, Hoot (FC-AFC Hoot N Holler) was halfway between the passage point of the retired station and out to the flyer when he appeared to wind the retired bird and he turned and went and picked it up. On his next send he headed for the retired bird, needing a handle to get the flyer.

Nice Job for #2

... AFC Robbers' Stray Bullet and handler Dan Hurst

Scratches Include...

Dogs 30, 42, 54 and 66.

We've turned the corner in the book...

... #1, Blue (FC-AFC Carbons Blue Pursuit) and handler Missy Bell, do well, with a nice blind, as well.

Time Out...Replacing a Thrower...

... on the retired station. This will just take a few moments...

Ruby Rounds Them Up...

Al Wilson leaves the line with Jim Carlisle

... #115, FC-AFC Nebo's Grandma Ruby, with handler Al Wilson, has a nice flyer, hunt on the retired and a nice blind...

First Dog Up Has a No-Bird

... Dog #114 has a no-bird on the retired station.

Gun Change in the Works...

Waiting to Mobilize

#113 Wraps the Second Set...

... With good marks and a blind just prior to the next gun change... That would be FC Counterpoint's Sidekick (Hawk) and Jerald Wilks

Very Nice Job...

... for #112, FC-AFC-CFC-CAFC Adams Acres Muddy Creek and handler Jerry Younglove as Cree shows his stuff, particularly in the way he performed his retired mark. All three birds were nice.

Dogs 110 and 111 Follow Suit...

Chase and Alex

Pogo and Martha

... Jack's (#109) suit, that is... as Chase (AFC Coolwater's Storm Chaser) and Pogo (FC-AFC Trumarc's L'il Ms Pogo) picked up the retired mark first for their handlers, Alex Washburn and Martha Russell.

Jack Is Almost Bigger Than Liz...

Jack is a big dog, and Liz is a tiny gal... but they are a team! On this test, Jack gets the retired mark first and then works out the flyer. Now, he's got the blind.

Nike Keeps Paul on his Toes...

... #108, Rockliffs Justdoit has a nice flyer mark but gets deep of the retired bird and also into the wheat before hunting back into the retired bird for handler Paul Foster.

...Retriever Blog posts continue here