TEST DOG IN THE MORNING WILL RUN AT 6:45 A.M.

Last Dog For The Night...

... is Dog #101, Tweed's Rough Rider, handled by Dennis Ebner.

Unfortunately, Teddy picked up on the last bird.

Miss Brook...Has Slapped this test!

Wow--whata three marks for FC-AFC Citori's Accept No Substitute and handler Michael Moore.

Skatch was Wow...

Talk about three nice marks. :) Jazztime Bluegoose's Skatch with Larry Calvert, handler.

Eva... Do You Know Her Name?

#98, FC-AFC Eva-Ethyl Proby-Weber recognizes Eva Proby and Ethyl Weber. Eva's flyer incorporated a small hunt on a very short flyer, and she had a very good middle bird picked up third.  Her right-hand bird, picked up second, had a hunt in the middle field behind the blind before getting it for Lanse Brown.

Kicker ...

Although Kicker got keep on his flyer, he made quick work of it and then headed for the middle bird. He got out left but recovered in short order to turn right and get his second bird. Kicker did very nicely on his right-hand bird, (FC-AFC Badger State Ram Kicker) with Judy Powers.

Great Bunns of Fire....

Jerrylee, #96 has had an okay flyer, and then worked her way down the levee to the middle bird. Now she has pretty much pounded the right-hand bird to complete her test for handler Lynne DuBose.

Handle from near old fall...

... Unfortunately, for #95, Zoom (FC-AFC Joey's Zoom Zoom JH) and Jim Carlisle, from the middle bird out to the right-hand bird.

Buster Brown...

Buster, #93 FC-AFC Downtown Buster Brown, came out in the left corner of the pond and had a small hunt there and then worked down the levee to the middle bird. And--Buster did very well on his right-hand bird.

HANDLE on Ruby

#93, AFC Flyway's Ruby B. Gonia had an excellent flyer and a really good right-hand bird. However, she missed the middle bird and had to handle back to it from deep behind it.

Tyson...Did well...

Dog #91, FC-AFC Sureshot's TKO, had an okay flyer, and then stepped on his middle bird. He finished up with a very good right-hand bird

After another big flyer hunt...

... this one on a fall that landed short, #89, Maple Creek's Mattie Mae, handled by David McMahan, had a good middle bird and a decent right-hand bird to wrap up his triple.

Hanging Chad Works Things Out...

... After a tough flyer fall, which resulted in a substantial hunt, Chad came back to drill the middle bird and nearly drill the right-hand bird as well, driving out in front of the holding blind and over to the bird.

Dusty Hines...

... Dusty (#86, FC-AFC Nick of Time Wild Wind Dusty) had a long and deep flyer and he required a hunt to recover it. When sent for his second bird he seemed to have the middle bird in mind but then hooked a hard right and ended up in front of the gun and got that bird. Finally, he pretty much came out on the middle bird to conclude his test.

Gun Change... This Be The Last One Today!

Grady's Work...

... included a small flyer hunt followed by an excellent middle bird. Then, FC-AFC Cody Cut A Lean Grade went right up into the middle of the field behind the blind but came in and over and got the bird while still in front of the holding blind.

HANDLE for Phanny on Middle Bird

Phanny (#84, Glen Lake F4d Phantom MH and Scotty Seward) had a huge hunt on the flyer, and then ran over the middle bird and hunted the area deep of it before winding and picking up the right-hand bird. After that, Phanny went left on the middle bird, just behind the holding blind, and went deep again. She handled back to the bird.

Talk About Sweet...

Terrific marks for #83, FC-AFC Candlewood GoldenDaze Louie and Handler Chuck Schweikert

Kid... and Claudette

Phyllo Farms Mischief Maker and handler Claudette Klein had an excellent flyer. On Kid's middle bird, he came out at the holding blind and went right. For the right-hand bird, he came in from the right-hand side and went all the way to the left-hand side behind the holding blind and then hunted back to the bird.

Blue Gierman's Work...

#81, FC-AFC-CNFC-CAFC Taylorlab Calumet's Big Blue had a small flyer hunt, and then went behind the right-hand blind before getting that bird. Blue went left for the middle gun and winded it from there, going down the levee to the bird.

Dog #80, Watermarks The Black Pearl

Freedom staged a small flyer hunt; she drove deep of the middle gun and ended up over in the right-hand bird area. After picking up that bird, she went back out, got left and made a few loops before recovering and getting the middle bird.

Could You--Would You?

Len Rentel has been desperately ill since before this National started, and other than coming out to run Viggi, #78, AFC Waquoit Bay's Lone Arranger, he's been holed up in his home-away-from-home. He had a nice flyer, then drove off the left tip of the peninsula out to the shore and then right until he worked into the bird. He had a nice right-hand bird.

Re-Run Works Out...

... As Diesel stepped on his flyer, and then came out just left of his middle bird before going over to it, and was pretty much dead on for his right-hand bird before breaking right up the hill and then coming down to it.

Chip Gets Three...

A hunt on the peninsula back and forth for the middle bird then went over to the left shore before arriving at the bird, and the two outside marks were good, for #77, FC-AFC Widgeon's Carbon Chip.

This National's One Chessie...

#76, Yakity's Shake Rattle 'N' Roll, and Linda Harger, had three good marks... behind the right-hand holding blind but Comet had a quick recovery to the bird.

Guide Puts One Down...

...#75, FC Nightwings Marsh Leader and Sherwin Scott had an excellent flyer, a quick slip along the levee to the middle bird and an excellent right hand bird.

Duke Does Ducks...

#74, FC-AFC Dominators Duke Of Turrell and Lou Magee had an okay flyer, and then came out left of the middle bird and over to it, and finished with a really nice right-hand bird.

Ozzy Handled...

... #73, FC-AFC Premier's Iron Man Ozzy and Benjy Griffith handled on the middle bird after a big hunt on the right-hand bird, left in between the middle and right holding blinds.

Angel Handled...

... #72, FC-AFC Volwood's Angel had a small hunt on the flyer and then a big hunt behind the blind for the right-hand bird. Angel went well right when sent for the middle bird and was handled to it while still in the water.

Well, the bird rejoined the flyer crates....

While Diesel was attempting to find his flyer on this test, the duck was busy in getting back to the flyer crates. In the meantime he put on a ranging hunt in the area. When the duck said hello to the gunners, they notified the judges and handler Joe Broyles was instructed to pick up #71, Wolf River's HD Duramax under control for a re-run.

#70 AFC Candlewoods Brother Aaron...

With a small hunt on the flyer, Aaron (with handler Connie Cleveland) then picked up the middle bird from the right side and went nearly over the fall to drive deep for the long gun, going just behind the blind to the bird.

Bobby Lane and Ali did well...

... with a short flyer hunt, and a mark from just right of the middle bird, finishing up by smoking the long right-hand bird.

Kimber brings in three...

... AFC Kimber VIII and Gary Zellner, with a really good flyer and right-hand bird, and just left and then down the levee for the middle bird.

Birdy Soars to the Top...

... of the pack in this test, with three wonderful marks. Good job for #65, FC-AFC Trumarc's Whistling Bird and Yvonne Hays.

Sugar, #64--FC-AFC Shadows Sweet Something...

Sugar had an excellent flyer. On the middle bird she went toward the holding blind and worked her way down the levee, and Sugar had a long ranging hunt left before recovering and getting over to the right-hand bird.

Another Gun Change...

Taking place right now...

Miah had three nice birds...

#63, FC-AFC Bayou Teche Miah had a nice flyer, went right and curved back into the middle bird and had a really nice right-hand bird.

Swimming and running...#62

After a really good flyer, Straight swam all the way to the middle bird (around the point) and then on the right-hand bird, went way right and over the hill, then way left before coming around to the bird. This was Lucyana's Full Speed Ahead and handler Laura Parrott.

HANDLE for #61, Dealer...

... FC-AFC Sureshot's Texas Hold'Em and Marv Baumer got the flyer and then the middle bird from the right-hand side. Dealer required a handle to recover the right-hand bird.

Saber Cuts A Swath...

... to three birds. Nice marks. This is #60, FC-AFC Tealcreek Patton's Saber, and Chris Hatch.

Well--Twister!

Had three nice marks (#59, FC-AFC Nebo's Onyx Tornado) for handler Al Wilson.

On His Re-Run...

Mickey, (#48, Windy City's Mighty Mouse and Charlie Hines) went left to the end of the pond and then worked over to the middle bird, and had a hunt behind the right-hand bird before recovering it.

Mootsie has three birds...

... After a decent flyer, she made a loop on the peninsula just short of the middle bird and then got it. On her right-hand bird, Mootsie (#58, FC-AFC Freeridin Smooth Operator) had a large, ranging hunt deep and left of the holding blind before coming back in and working over to her last bird.

Diva...

... Got her flyer, and then came up just inside and over to her middle bird. On her right-hand bird, she kept driving and correcting right, and then went at the holding blind before heading over to her bird. This is #56, AFC Waterdogs Iron Diva, and John Stracka.

Punch Got 'Em...

... #53, Coolwater's Knockout got his flyer, and then went to the left of the pond and worked down the dike to the middle bird. To round out his birds, Punch went at the holding blind of the right-hand bird and out to his mark.

Jacki with a twist...

... After her flyer, the only chocolate Lab in the National, and a girl to boot, put on a hunt on the peninsula short of the middle bird, and then had a very nice job on the right-hand bird. Jacki does "talk" a bit during her retrieves, with often a bark or two when sent. This is #52, AFC Huntersbest Sapphire Jubilee.

HANDLE from left and deep for #50...

... AFC Sister Bertrille (Bertie) and Ron Ainley.

Miss Windy...

... #49, NFC-AFC Candlewood's Something Royal got her flyer, came out just inside and scooped up her middle bird... now is driving hard for the long right bird -- and has it!

No-Bird for #48...

Lil Figures It Out

Charlene Koeth and Lil came up with the birds... #47, AFC Lil Chin Music had a good flyer, and then got the middle bird while apparently going for the long right bird. She wound up with a hunt on the right-hand bird, but got it.

Big Al Gets the Birds...

#46, FC Big Alfonse Capone of Mo-Kan, had a nice flyer and then came out left from the pond before working down into the middle bird. He had a very sweet right-hand bird to finish the test for handler Bob Hayden.

Fickle Wind...

... Has played havoc with some of the work today. Originally forecast from the southwest, it's blown lightly from the west for part of the morning, and then has switched to blowing from the north and northeast for many dogs. Where many dogs have winded the middle bird from the left of it, others (with the north or northeast wind) have driven right on through and deep. Currently, the wind is swirling and is occasionally blowing from the west again, causing some dogs to be wide right and then wind the middle bird. The weather channel is still forecasting, and in fact for the most part, claiming, a southwest wind.

HANDLE for #45, Willie

... In this case, after a flyer and a middle bird retrieved from the right, Willie went way right and deep, toward the next fence, and handled back into the right-hand bird. That's AFC KPR's Wet Willie and Jim Pickering.

Reagan Just Handled on the Right Bird...

... After putting on a hunt wide of the middle bird before recovering it, AFC Citori's Vista 40th Pres started to drive deep toward and just left of the longer right-hand retired station, but then broke down back toward the middle bird and required a handle to the right-hand bird.

Dog #43

JR'S flyer hunt was in the area and on the middle bird, he came out to the right but turned left and got it and on the right hand bird, he missed all the water, made a wide arc to the right and came in and got his last bird.

Quite Nice Cane!

He's the top open dog in the country right now--FC-AFC Ragin Eye of the Storm (#41) ... came out left on the middle bird but corrected quickly and had a nice right-hand bird for handler John Thomas.

Back to running...

With #40, AFC Red Butte's Tiger Lilly. Two are in the bag for her and handler Joseph Taylor is hoping she breaks the streak set in the last five dogs.

And, in doing so, she does take a wide right berth deep and then into the bird, but gets all three without handling.

Gun Change Right Now...

And, Now, Another One--Handle

... for #39, Chief (Candlewoods Commander And Chief) with Fred Kampo, on the middle bird, from going deep...

Tough Streak Continues--#38 Handles

Just now, Judy Rasmuson has handled Fizz (FC-AFC Hardscrabble Carbunnation on the middle bird.

Handle for #37, Aero...

... FC-AFC Landover's Right on Target and David Furin, handled from deep up in the field back to the middle bird.

Unfortunately... a Pick UP...

... for #35, Sweet...
That would be In The Hunt Farm's Executive Sweet, and Tom Bogusky.
Sweet picked up the right-hand bird second, and then when sent for the middle bird, Sweet got all the way back up into the holding blind area of the right-hand bird... consequently requiring a pick-up.

Norman Gets His Birds...

Dog #34, FC-AFC Trumarc's Stormin Norman II and Mark Rosenblum got the flyer with a small area hunt, and then a small hunt deep and right of the middle bird and had a nice right-hand bird.

Hope Springs Eternal...

... and comes out smelling like a rose... as #33, FC Silvertip's I Hope So has a small flyer hunt in the area, followed by beautiful marks on the right-hand (picked up second) and middle birds.

Zeus Prevailed...

... With a good flyer, Zeus (#32, FC-AFC Pure Labs Skys The Limit) went long when sent second, and then came out and rounded up the middle bird.

A Handle on the Right-hand Bird...

... for #29, Bruce Hall and AFC Invinceability... After a really nice flyer and a bit of a hunt just short and then into the right-hand bird, Zonka headed back right-handed, requiring help to the middle bird.

With two excellent marks...

... Canaille (#28, AFC Un Petit Peu Canaille) had a small hunt on the right hand bird to complete her performance for handler Lee Jolley.

On the Re-Run... Trudi Does Well...

... for Carma Futhey. That's #19, Catalina's Trumarc. Here, Marshal Arnie Erwin looks on as Trudi and Carma wait in the holding blind.

Miss Ethel...

... #27, FC-AFC Vinwood's Don't Look Ethel has a nice flyer for Yvonne Hays, and then put the middle bird between her paws. She went out for the right-hand bird by going left of the holding blind but went over to it in short order.

Skeeter's Work...

... included a good flyer, an exit on the middle bird over to the holding blind and then a turn right into the bird, and then a cruise out to land on top of the right-hand bird.

Gauge Does Well...

... #24 had a challenging flyer fall angled steeply back and had just a small hunt on it, then had a very good middle bird. He drove deep and around to the right-hand bird in quick fashion.

What Are The Odds?

Two veterinarians are entered in this National Amateur Championship. They are numbers 23 and 24. How 'bout those odds, I mean, really?!

Quick Re-Bird in Progress...

... No traffic or handlers to the line on this one... but such will be allowed during the upcoming gun change...

Handle for #23, Weezer...

Weezer (#23, FC-AFC Weezer Retreezer) got his flyer, and then swam to his middle bird. However, he went back into the middle area and had to handle to the long bird from there.

Jet--Does Well...

... #21 and Jim Powers, story to come...

...Retriever Blog posts continue here