Handle after big hunt...

... for #106, Dreamer (Good Idea's Dream On) with Ken Neil.

Here's another Handle--Bunny

Dog #105, FC-AFC Lil Mac's Black River Rabbit MH headed back to the flyer and needed help to come back in to the retired bird.

Dancer and Roxie...

... both have a bit of difficulty on the blind. #103, AFC Watermark's Shadow Dancer has trouble at the end, while Roxie (#104, FC Hardscrabble Roxie McBunn) doesn't respond well to several casts while going left of the evergreen. Both dogs got deep and hunted on the retired mark.

Keep in mind the evergreen is merely a point of reference while reporting on this blind.

Tater Just Brushes the Retired Bird...

... but missed it and got deep before recovering. This is AFC Jamestown's Super Spud, with handler Mark Medford.

Think Positive!

Visibility isn't the best...

... Simply because it's overcast. Scenting conditions aren't sterling, either. Rain is in the forecast with a 60% chance of probability, but the precipitation has held off thus far.

Dog #101 Handles...

... Teddy (Tweed's Rough Rider) has a hunt and gets deep of the retired, driving toward the fence, when handler Dennis Ebner intervenes.

Waiting in the proverbial final holding blind...

The Century Mark...

... Brook (#100, FC-AFC Citori's Accept No Substitute with handler Michael Moore) has a very nice flyer, a hunt on the retired and a very nice blind.

Just Missed Flyer...

... Dog #99 (Jazztime Bluegoose's Skatch) then went left with a hunt back into the bird, and had a deep and varied hunt on the retired bird.

Skatch got behind the blind momentarily, but now has it and is coming in.

Eva Does Nice Work...

... for new Hall of Famer Lanse Brown.

Kicker Works For His Flyer

... as he goes through the fence deep and behind the flyer guns a couple of times while questing for his rooster.

Judy Powers waits in the last holding blind with #97, FC-AFC Badger State Ram Kicker

Handle for #96...

... Jerry Lee (FC-AFC Great Bunns of Fire) got the retired bird first and then drove through the area en route to the flyer, requiring a handle.

ANOTHER HANDLE...

... Zoom, (#95, FC-AFC Joey's Zoom Zoom) is brought back in to the retired bird from deep of it.

Zoom and Jim Carlisle leave the line

Big Flyer Hunt... HANDLE on Retired...

... Shock (#94, FC-AFC Waterdogs Shock and Awe) has put on a substantial flyer hunt in the area, deep of the area, and also behind the flyer guns. He's now found his bird and is returning with the rooster.

Shock is currently handling to the retired bird from deep of it.

Striding with a Purpose ...

... Charles Bearden and Buster, #93 approach the final holding blind. (FC-AFC Downtown Buster Brown) Buster was wide into the flyer and made a loop near the retired holding blind and then went a little deep and came back to his retired. On the blind, he went left of the evergreen and had one whistle to the blind.

Another Reverse Order...

... Dog #92, Ruby, decided on the retired bird first and did nicely on both marks. The blind was good as well.

Getting ready to run the blind...

S-T-R-E-T-C-H...

... as #91 gets anxious, Alvin Hatcher reaches to launch him for the flyer... (FC-AFC Sureshot's TKO, otherwise known as Tyson)...

Gun Change in Progress... Here Come the Troops

Rainey Pulls Up Short... HANDLE - NOW DOUBLE HANDLE

... On the way to her flyer, Rainey got into the ditch and came back hunting short. She's currently handling on the flyer.

Oops. Rainey needs help for her retired bird, as well.

Chad Works Out His Birds...

... and has a very good blind. Chad is #88, FC-AFC Jazztime Hanging Chad and Steve Bechtel, Jr.

Another Handle... This one is #87... PICK UP

... as Molly gets dangerously back into the flyer area and has to handle back to the short bird. This winds up the show for her, and Mickey Rawlins is currently thanking the judges for their time as she returns with her second bird.

Sizzling Marks...

... for Dusty, #86 FC-AFC Nick of Time Wild Wind Dusty with Charlie Hines. Dusty had a good blind as well.

Conference Time...

... Dennis Bath, (left) and Tom Vaughn discuss important issues.

Grady Gets 'Em...

... He got past the retired bird but looped right back to it, and had a nice flyer and blind.

Chad Baker gives Grady a cast on the blind

Handle for #84...From Deep of the Retired Bird...

... as Phanny (Glen Lake F4d Phantom MH now comes in with her bird. She's now setting up for her blind.

PHANNY AND SCOTTY

Fearless Announcer...

... That would be Dean Ellis of Meridian, Idaho. He's had a serious injury to the tendons of his foot/ankle, but he's here, veteran announcer with many National Amateurs and Opens under his veritable belt.

Excellent on Three Birds...

... That would be two marks and a blind... for #83, Louie (FC-AFC Candlewood GoldenDaze Louie) and Chuck Schweikert.

Kid Goes Straight To It...

... as he takes the retired bird first, and then came into the flyer from the left, working right into the mark. Kid is otherwise known as #82, Phyllo Farms Mischief Maker, handled by Claudette Klein.

THE JOB IS DONE

Blue Gets His Birds...

... has a hunt somewhat short and then up into the bird on his retired. This is #81, FC-AFC-CNFC-CAFC Taylorlab Calumet's Big Blue, with Sharon Gierman.

Blue cruises up the hill on his blind

Freedom Misses Retired by Two Feet...

... and loops to gun station but then comes right back to her bird. This is #80, Watermark's The Black Pearl, and Chad Costa.

Chad is about to send Freedom for her blind

Reverse Order--And Now A Handle...

Dog #79, Thief (FC-AFC Castlebay's Night Robber) took the retired bird first with a hunt, and is now handling from deep of the retired bird for the flyer.

In the orange jacket, Judge Mitch Brown signals the guns

We Have Another Handle...

... This one is by Viggi, #78, AFC Waquoit Bay's Lone Arranger, as Len Rentel blows a whistle to bring Viggi back from the wheat stubble field deep of the retired bird. He now has the blind and is returning with his bird.

Viggi and Len leave the line

With a hunt to the right and deep...

... Chip then gets the retired, after a good flyer. He had a nice blind...

Back in Action...

with zee Chessie... Comet. #76, Yakity's Shake Rattle 'N' Roll had a good flyer, a hunt a bit deep on the retired, and then a nice blind.

A Short Break...

... is in progress due to a slight discrepancy in bird counts for the retired station and the land blind. The four-wheeler is already on the way back...

The Judges stretch and walk a bit

Nice set of Marks...

... with what has been thus far the best line to the retired bird, turned in by "Guide" #75, FC Nightwings Marsh Leader, for Sherwin Scott. Just reporting the news! Nice blind, as well. Good job!

Just Enough To Stay Out Of Jail...

... As handler Sherwin Scott manages to stay on the mat as he sends #75, Guide, for his flyer.

Doing it his way...

... #74, FC-AFC Dominators Duke of Turrell, went in for the retired bird first and did so by going in a little high and then right into the bird; he went behind the gun for the flyer and then pretty much over to it. Duke had a nice blind...

Duke and Lou leave the line

The Actual Line to the Blind...

... is to the right of an evergreen a bit over halfway out. When #73 ran the blind, Ozzy opted for a route to the left, and handler Benjy Griffith worked to bring him around to the right. This didn't quite work out, but the effort was made. This may, of course, be of no consequence, but this is the first such instance throughout the morning work thus far. Ozzy also hunted the flyer and the retired bird.

Benjy Griffith and Ozzy wait patiently in the second holding blind

Angel with a hunt...

... #73, FC-AFC Volwood's Angel, had a nice flyer, and then hunted the hill short of the retired bird before a swing deep and then into the bird. She had a nice blind to finish her test.

The Temperature Is Dropping...

... and Handler Jack Vollstedt is ready for anything.

Diesel Powerstrokes Through This Test...

... #71, for handler Joe Broyles. Nice job... Good flyer, a bit deep and came up with the retired quite nicely, and then delivered a nice blind...

First Handle of the Day...

... for Aaron, (#70 AFC OTCH Candlewood's Brother Aaron), with Connie Cleveland, on the retired bird, from deep of the bird, up near the fence line. He is currently being sent for the blind.

Here, Connie Cleveland attends to Aaron.

This second dog has completed the test...

... in about six minutes, in pretty good fashion. This is not "dog to dog" time, however. Just sayin'...

Bobby Lane watches Tom Brian and Jazz from the first holding blind.

Dicey at the end...

... The first dog took nearly ten minutes to run, and put on hunts on both birds. He had some difficulty at the end of the land blind and got a bit left of the bird, and then deep of the bird and around to the right before picking it up. Currently, the second dog, Ali with Bobby Lane, has just been launched for the flyer.

Lucky Number 68...

... is Tom Brian of Montgomery, Texas with Jazz... promptly one minute to 8 a.m.

Tom Brian studies his cap as he waits in the wings to begin the day's setup.

Running Dogs in the Holding Blinds...

Rounding out the last blinds are #71 with Joe Broyles and Diesel and in the back,  Jack Vollstedt with Angel

... Just about to kick off this event!

Second Test Dog Handles...

.... on the flyer. This test is a land double with a land blind, and more information will be coming soon.

FIRST TEST DOG CALLED TO LINE...

... at 7:24 a.m. Here, contestants, judges, and handler Nancy White are all on their toes.

GOOD MORNING FROM 2011 NATIONAL AMATEUR RETRIEVER CHAMPIONSHIP!

Handlers are already congregating as close as they dare in anticipation of test dogs... Workers have done an admirable job in readying the test for today's competitive action.

Today's Meetings Were Well Attended...

 

Please see details on Retriever Report

 

View from the Pier...

Lakeside at Headquarters

Retriever News Table ...

L to R, Molly Schlacter, Official Photographer, Caitlin Furin and Tina Ebner, Retriever News Editor

Quick Announcement for Today's Meetings...

... The Meetings will be held on the Lower Level of the Headquarters, Best Western KwaTaqNuk Resort, in the Victor Room.

The RAC Meeting will be held at 2 p.m. with the General Meeting scheduled for 3 p.m.

Laughter is the Best Medicine...

... and it helps lighten the day as Charles Bearden, (left) with Hugh Arthur, (center) and Gary Zellner enjoy  a private joke...

Pro Trainers Putting In Their Time...

Here, while visiting training sessions, I've found Jerry Patopea as he comes in from re-birding a test and changing stations out in the field.

Paul Sletten, (left) and Alan Pleasant study a training scenario.