DOG NUMBER 76 WILL START THE NEXT SERIES ON THURS MORN

CALLBACKS FROM WATER BLIND TO LAND MARKS

Here are callbacks, given to me by Linda Harger, Chief Marshal:

2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 28, 32, 33, 34, 38, 41, 43, 45, 47, 48, 49, 53, 56, 58, 60, 62, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 82, 83, 85, 86, 88, 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 102, 106, 108, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115

The last dog has run. FOR TOMORROW'S TEST THUS FAR...

Test Dogs will begin at 7:30 a.m.

Competing Dogs start at 8:00 a.m.

Callbacks and Directions will be posted at the hotel and later on here. Due to the hour and being so far behind on photos, I probably won't be at the Worker's Party... which is where callbacks will be given. I will, however, post them on here sometime tonight.

Norman didn't want to go left...

... there were lots of whistles up front, and then had to work to get the blind, #34.

Hope...

... did get hung up a bit on the point but got off and did very well from there for Jerald Wilks, #33.

Well, Zeus...

.... Off the point, Zeus went right and Pete Goodale handled him back all the way to the bird, #32.

Lee Is Making Canaille...

... Do this blind on the line. Dog #28.

Ethel Made Yvonne Work...

... But they got the blind.

Skeeter! Take Those Casts!

... For Robby Bickley, #25.

Interesting!

After some working back and forth up to the peninsula, Bruce gave Gauge a big verbal BACK and that carried #24 all the way to the blind.

The Thunder Rolls...

... Somewhere over in the southern sky. And... it sounds ominous.

Weezer and Jeff worked well together...

... to put together a good blind, #23.

Jet thought Tia was good-looking...

... Or, her blind, anyway, as his was just as nice. That's #21, Jet and Jim Powers

Really nice work...

... for Tia, #20, and Suzan Caire.

A Good Many Whistles...

... for Trudi, #19, and Carma Futhey, but Trudi worked as a team.

Lorna and Magic...

... Had lots of whistles before the first water, and then worked things out on this blind from there, #18.

One of the Better Blinds Today...

... was just turned in by #17, Boo and Kit Johnson

Oatie Struggled...

... Through various parts of the blind from beginning to end and then got out a bit early to the blind, for #12, Linda Erwin.

Workmanlike Blind...

... For #11, Buster and Pete Hayes

Pacer Had Both Ends...

... Kind of tough on the front end, and much better on the back end, #10 for De Boice.

Hook Had A Nice One...

... for Charlie Hines, dog #9.

Nice job! For Pirate...

... Dog #8 and Gary Zellner

Arson...

... Had a good blind for Brad Clow, #7.

Really Nice Job for Webster...

... Dog #6 and Marion Carey.

Shire Was Right and Out, and Then In and Left...

... for handler Sharon Gierman, dog #4.

Bullet and Dan ...

... had to work from beginning to end but got the bird. This is dog #2.

Grandma Ruby ...

... She exited halfway down the bank and got the bird from there for handler Al Wilson, #115.

Anna was left early on...

...but straightened out into a good blind.

Hawk was very nice...

... really good blind for Jerald Wilks, dog #113.

Cree Makes Up Ground...

... for handler Jerry Younglove, with a nice blind. This is dog #112.

Pogo Does Well For Martha

... Dog #111, nice blind.

DIRECTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR WORKERS PARTY

The Worker's Party will start at 6 p.m.

The Band will begin playing at 7 p.m.

The location for the party is "The Barn at Finley Point" and to get there, turn off Hwy 93 onto Hwy 35, which is South Shore Road, (which turns into East Shore Rd) going toward Bigfork. Travel six miles to Finley Point Road, which is on the left. The address is 33213 Finley Point Road (Flathead Lake) Polson, MT 59860.

Problems in the second piece of water...

... were encountered by #110, Chase and Alex Washburn, but they have the bird.

The glare on the water is pretty intense...

... with above 80 temperatures that feel much warmer today.

The Peninsula was Quite Attractive...

... for Jack, who preferred to hang onto it for awhile... #109 did get the bird for Liz Jerome.

Dog #106 wide left

... at the end and just deep of the blind, Dreamer exited and ran behind and then back down to the bird.

Nike, #108...

Nike had a problem getting into the big water and then had some difficulty to the bird, but got it.

Way, way left and deep...

... for #104, Roxie, and Bill Benson. There is a glare right now and I'm wondering if perhaps Bill couldn't see her until she got quite deep.

Down Goes Dancer

... Dog #103 was just picked up on the right hillside by handler Charles Hays.

Super Spud...Tater

Nice job for handler Mark Medford. This is Dog #102.

Brook Shines...

... Nice job for Michael Moore. She's dog #100.

Skatch did quite nicely

... #99, for Larry Calvert.

Eva does the blind...

... for Lanse, #98.

Smooth Overall...

... for Kicker, #97, although he got left at the end of the first water.

Quite warm on the hill...

Not much wind and sunny

Jerrylee is Outstanding!

... Wow--for #96 and handler Lynne DuBose

Buster ...

... got somewhat left going into the second water but handler Charles Bearden got him straightened back out for a nice blind.

Ruby and Don Graves...

... had a nice blind, #92.

Another Scenting Trip...

... Right now...

Tyson got way right...

... in the first piece of water and this carried into the second piece of water. Tyson eventually recovered from there. This is #91.

Dog #89, Mattie with David McMahan

Mattie had some difficulty around the spit of scented land between the two pieces of water, but beyond that had a nice end to the blind.

Chad Got The Bird, #88

... Chad got right in the first water but straightened back out for handler Steve Bechtel, Jr., and got deep of the blind on the end before recovering the bird.

Dusty Hines...

Lined to the water and a nice blind from there for Charlie Hines, #86.

Grady Lined Into The Second Water...

... as he approached and got into the second water, he began to veer left. As soon as he cleared danger of running water, Chad began casting and kept working Grady back to the right and the line, and had four total casts to the bird.

Chuck and Louie...

...#83, had a very nice job on this blind.

#82... got the bird.

Kid's blind was under control and it was quite nice, for handler Claudette Klein.

Blue a Bit Loose at End...

... Sharon Gierman and Blue got the bird.

Chad and Freedom

... very nice job... #80....

Viggi and Len...

... Did a good blind off the gun change. Len feels only slightly better today, but any improvement is something he's welcoming, to be sure.

Gun Change in Progress...

Handlers come to view the line for a five-minute look.

Lots of Whistles...

... for #77, but Chip gets the bird for Tom Hartl

Linda and Comet...

#76, Linda Harger gets good work from Comet.

Guide Shows Teamwork

... Worked together as a team, as Guide took all casts and stayed on line with Sherwin Scott, #75

Duke Reigns...

Dog #74 does well for Lou Magee

Go Ozzy!

... He really gave teamwork to handler Benjy Griffith. Number 73. Nice blind.

Diesel and Joe Broyles...

... Got the bird.

Brother Aaron Struggled...

... #70, particularly up front on this blind. Connie Cleveland kept with him and he improved toward the end and got the bird.

Ali Rose To The Occasion...

... #69, playing some teamwork with Bobby Lane

Kimber Kept Gary On His Toes...

... But she got the bird and overall, worked with him.

Birdy Had A Nice Blind...

... Dog #65 and Yvonne Hays

Just In Case Anyone's Wondering...

... the fact that there are birds in the holding blind and at the flyer crates is not illegal... because these are actual stations from the previous test, where the birds have already been.

Just clearing this up if necessary.

Miah Gets the Blind...

... #63 and Stephen Ritter.

Straight...

... Was a bit interested with the holding blind short of the first water, but "straightened" out from there to have a workmanlike blind to the bird.

Saber Does It...

... #60 with Chris Hatch

Twister ...

... For the most part worked with Al. Just before he got even with the blind exit point while in the water, he had trouble answering whistles and stayed in the edge of the water until about even with the bird, where he then winded it and went up and got it.

Mootsie Has A Nice Blind

----The team of Mootsie (#58) and Ted Shih worked well together for this blind.

Diva--Stracka

Good workmanlike blind.

Alex and Punch Do Nicely...

Dog #53... good job.

Plenty Of Work At The End...

... Dog #52 did get the bird but handler Jean Wu had to work at it; Jacki was out on land to the right about 3/4 of the way to the bird and it appeared she couldn't see her handler.

Work for Windy...

... Some trouble on the blind for Windy, particularly in the second piece of water, when Windy got right and refused many whistles in the running water. Handler Ken Neil managed to keep her along the water's edge on the right for several more whistles/casts after that; she broke up the hill about halfway from the water entrance to that of the exit point to the bird itself, and then got the bird from the right side.

Dog #48 Very Nice Job...

... Also, Mickey and Charlie Hines demonstrated that the running water NEAR THE END of the blind isn't an impervious wall to whistles.

Nice job from start to finish.

Dog #47 Gets the Bird...

... Lil was rather left of the line along the first piece of water and upon entering into the big water, and corrected from there with a few more casts to the bird.

Dog #46 has the bird...

... Some difficulties with whistles on this run.

Dog #45 Survives Some Anxious Places...

... It looked like trouble was brewing just deep of the dam when re-entering the second water. Handler Jim Pickering prevailed with persistence and convinced Willie to stay with him--they got the bird.

Another Completion...

... JR, #43, has a blind that skims the left-hand edge of the first pond and then works to the bird from there.

Cane Succeeds...

... Dog #41 had an overall good blind to the bird. Handler John Thomas gave several very smart casts in critical points during the blind.

Third Dog Has Picked Up

Dog #40 went as far as the dam between the two pieces of water. It's scented, and the dog didn't recover from there.

Second Dog Did the Test...

... Dog #38 broke left from the line, had a respectable blind all the way into the second piece of water and 2/3 of the way across it. Then, Fizz broke right and got out and kept pulling right despite casts to the left. When Fizz reached a distance about even with the blind, he was cast over and down to the bird.

First Dog On Line... PICK UP

Dog #37 is having some difficulty.

Second Test Dog Did Well...

Nancy White and Lily demonstrated a good blind.

Test Dogs Commence At 11:30

With Barbara Furlano and Wilson.

This water blind is 300 yards total distance with a long entry. Two of the three stations from the previous marks are in the field. The middle holding blind has birds in it, and the flyer station, with guns present, has flyers in the crates. The blind includes a swim across a short pond just deep of the brushed holding blind and off its right side, and left of the gunners. The line then goes out over a peninsula, which will be scented every ten dogs, and back into a big piece of water for an angle swim out and then up a hill to a little tree-top marking the blind. Handlers can move up as soon as each dog passes a ribbon about 30 yards from the line.

Wilson didn't re-enter the second piece of water.

Moving in Progress...

... Please be patient. This move is taking a while, even though the actual distance in the move is very slight. It signifies how staying in the same location, however time-consuming it is, can save volumes of time from any alternative, particularly in the same day.

I'm putting the computer to sleep for the time being, especially since I'm still unable to upload photos. Will be back soon...

CALLBACKS FOR TEST FIVE

79 DOGS.

2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38, 40, 41, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 67, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 88, 89, 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 102, 103, 104, 106, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115

START with #37.

Last Dog for this Test...

... Dog #8, FC-AFC Land Ahoy and Gary Zellner, three very good marks!!! Test is done. See you at the next site.

And -- still no photo uploading...

Arson's work...

Arson (#7, FC-CFC LKY's Controlled Burn and Brad Clow) had an excellent flyer. On the middle bird, he hunted back and forth on the peninsula short of the mark, and then bailed in the water to the left edge of the pond and hunted his way down to the bird. From that he came back and stepped on the right-hand bird.

Look in the Dictionary :)

With an okay flyer, Webster (#6, AFC The Blueprint and Marion Carey) followed up with two excellent marks.

HANDLE for Tucker

Unfortunately, Bill Fruehling had to handle Tucker to the middle bird of this test. This is #5, FC Wood River's Duck Tucker.

Short Break to Manage Water...

... Landowner John Pampy went into the field to pull a few boards to adjust the water level for this pond and the pond for the next test.

Now the test resumes with #5, Tucker and Bill Fruehling.

RE-RUN results in HANDLE...

... For #113, FC Counterpoint's Sidekick and Jerald Wilks went wide and had to handle back to the right-hand bird.

Shire Had to Work For his Birds...

Dog #4, Jmolnir's There And Back Again, made a circle and then got his flyer. Next, he went for the right-hand bird and swam to the right corner of the pond and went up the hill, and then turned around toward the middle bird; he then corrected and went back up to the holding blind and over to the right bird. On the middle bird, Shire swam to the left corner of the pond and hunted that area and went down the dike and then back and hunted the area again before he got in the water and worked down the dike to the bird.

ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING PHOTOS THIS MORN

So far this morning, blogger.com hasn't been allowing photos to upload into the Blog. Will keep trying.

I've been notified that this is a widespread issue and not just an isolated incident. We're trying to find a work-around.

Hoot HANDLES

That is #3, FC-AFC Hoot N Holler and Chad Costa, on the right-hand bird.

Nothing Stray About This Bullet...

Way to go Bullet with a very good flyer, "between the paws" middle bird, and a very good right-hand bird!
That's #2, AFC Robbers' Stray Bullet and Dan Hurst.

Dog #1 Picked Up...

... Unfortunately, Blue (#1, FC-AFC Carbons Blue Pursuit) got deep of the middle gun and hunted around the holding blind of the right-hand bird, and then got back down into the middle bird and picked it up. This would be a switch.

Ruby Found Three Birds...

Ruby (#115, FC-AFC Nebo's Grandma Ruby and Al Wilson) had a good flyer, and then swam to the left corner of the pond and ran the levee to the bird. Ruby then made several circles around the right-hand bird but got it.

Anna Strikes Gold!

... Well, Anna (#114 FC-AFC Texanna Yellow Gold MH) put three outstanding marks together for handler Ken Robbins.

No-Bird for #113...

... Wait six dogs...

Cree Handled...

After a few quick loops on the flyer and a very good right-hand bird, #112, FC-AFC-CFC-CAFC Adams Acres Muddy Creek got deep of the middle bird and handler Jerry Younglove had to handle him back to it.

Ms Pogo!

Pogo (#111, FC-AFC Trumarc's L'il Ms Pogo) had a very long flyer, but just had a few small loops to recover it, and then drilled her other two birds for handler Martha Russell. Way to go!

He Chased 'Em Down...

After an excellent flyer, Chase (#110, AFC Coolwater's Storm Chaser and Alex Washburn) got out left of the holding blind for the middle bird and then had a small hunt to the bird. On the right-hand bird he went straight out behind the blind and quickly corrected over to the bird.

JACK and Liz

Jack (#109, AFC Just Deal Me A Jack MH and Liz Jerome) had a small loop left on the flyer and then stepped on his middle mark. On the right-hand bird, he went to the holding blind at the last possible second in a deviation from a line straight to the bird, and then corrected back out to the bird.

Just Do It Nike!

Well, Nike (#108, Rockliffs Justdoit and Paul Foster) did it, all right. Great flyer, excellent middle bird, and a short hunt in the cover around the right-hand bird. Nice job!

In Thinking About The Next Series... and Rotation...

Test Five will complete the first four announcements of rotation... from there the "count process" will kick into play.

With official rotation having been 68, 96, 9, and 37, the first starting dog will be 37 or the dog closest to it.

Just sayin'!

HANDLE turned into PICK UP... #107

Unfortunately, #107, Ironweeds High Bird Shooter got deep of the middle bird and ended up in the area of the right-hand bird's old fall.

Montana Dreamin'....

Dreamer (#106, Good Idea's Dream On) had a very good flyer and got out left for the middle bird before getting back in the water and coming up with the bird from the front door. Then, she had a very good right-hand bird to complete the test for handler Ken Neil.

Way to go, Roxie!

FC Hardscrabble Roxie McBunn made nice work of this test for handler Bill Benson, with a tidy flyer hunt and two excellent marks on her retired birds.

Dancer Got 'Em...

... With a small hunt on the flyer, and a very good middle bird, #103, AFC Watermark's Shadow Dancer had a hunt covering both land and water on the right-hand bird and then got it.

Dog #102 Does well... To start the day...

With a small hunt just short of the flyer fall, Tater (AFC Jamestown's Super Spud with Mark Medford) then had two excellent marks on the middle and right-hand birds, with the right bird retrieved second.

Scaring Handlers...Test Dog Promptly at 6:45 a.m...

Nancy White and Lily demonstrated that the test could be dicey this morning as well. The light wind puffing along right now is the one that proved most difficult yesterday, which is out of the north to northeast... and of note, this is a wind that rarely occurs out here...

Quietly getting ready...

... for this test to resume... gunners and throwers assume positions in the field.

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