31 dogs were called back: 6, 11, 16, 18, 25, 33, 37, 38, 46, 47, 55, 58, 59, 61, 72, 77, 78, 79, 82, 94, 98, 101, 102, 106, 112, 113, 115, 122, 131, 143 and 150.
16 dogs dropped: 5, 7, 14, 17, 29, 32, 52, 83, 86, 88, 116, 117, 121, 126, 137 and 142.
Starting dog #150 with a re-bird after dog #72
The 8th Series will be a blind on the Spangler's Northwest to the Southeast corner of their property.
The 7th Series Water Triple with an Honor started with our Labrador male test dog Zeus at 6:23 am, following was our Labrador female test Annie at 6:45 pm with handler Mary supporting some nice polka dotted boots that seemed to be the chatter of the crowd.
Our first running dog was #112 Freya at 7:13 with the last one being #106 Cole when he was released from honor at 6:29 pm. We had a total of 11 hours 16 minutes of running our 47 dogs that started this series. We averaged approximately 14.3 minutes per dog.
Here is how the day panned out...
Starting with the first of 47 dogs on this Water Triple of the 7th series started with dog #112 Freya coming to the line at 7:13 am. We finished with dog #106 Cole finishing his honor at 6:29 pm.
We will be back with the callbacks, instruction for tomorrow and what everybody is waiting for... CALLBACKS to the 8th!
Stay Tuned!!
Total Open Points 14
Total Amateur Points 24.5
Total Derby Points 1
Flyer: Bit of a hunt back … Cole's back with the bird.
Short: Perfect Line!
Long: Nice!
Total Open Points 77.5
Total Amateur Points 73
Total Derby Points 32
6:02 pm
Flyer - Very long flyer - Baby Pinned It!
Long - Baby wanted the long retired, she was sent for this bird second. She went on a straight line down the point, through both channels of water then broke hard right at exiting. She climbed the hill, broke hard left and went straight to the bird.
Short - Selecting this bird last, Baby took a perfect line into the water, crossed the small point on the left then she went out on the land. Like a laser beam .... straight to the bird! Great Job!
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Total Open Points 24.5
Total Amateur Points 33.5
Total Derby Points 4
5:49 pm
Flyer - Angling left Ptar navigated the five waters. When he hit the final land he stepped on the bird. Great Job.
Middle - Ptar splashed into the water on a line slightly right. He splashed in the water behind the holding blind. With a curve into the crescent pond, Ptar got out with the bird. Good Job
Right - Into the water at the first corner, Ptar angles slightly right toward the clump of four trees. Passing them on the right, he curved left across the hillside and went directly to the bird. Three for Three!
Total Open Points 9.5
Total Amateur Points 35
Total Derby Points 1
5:36 pm
Flyer - Very good flyer for Ranger.
Middle - Excellent line to the bird.
Right - Excellent recovery of the bird.
Total Open Points 9
Total Amateur Points 11
Total Derby Points 12
5:25 pm
Flyer - Luke crossed the channels of water directly on line to the bird. He came up in line with the gunners, immediately turned left and pinned the bird.
Short - He drove across the water and got out on the land and drove a bearutful straight line all the way to the bird. Pinned It! WOW
Long - Drove a straight line through both channels of water, popped. Alvin handle one cast to the bird.
Total Open Points 2.5
Total Amateur Points 17.5
Total Derby Points 27
5:12 pm
Flyer - Just was in and out of the five waters. She angled left toward the bird, once on land she had the bird in two steps off her line. Nice Mark
Middle - Through the land and water on a line directly at her bird. She ran the crescent pond shore right to the holding blind. Got in, come out with the bird. Great mark
Right - Just swam toward the bird, passed the second water on the left and splashed behind the casual water. She ran uphill, curved right to the fall area and got her bird with two tight turns.
Total Open Points 11
Total Amateur Points 20
4:57 pm
Flyer - The flyer splashed. Journey went in and out all five times on a line toward the bird. Once in front of the guns she curved the shoreline and pounced on the bird.
Middle - Handler sent Journey and she ran to the land tip. She passed the second water on the left and up the hill. Quickly came down and toward left. She want handled to the bird.
Right - Sent from the right side, Journey angled right. Once out she passed the second water on the left then splashed in casual water. Up the hill she angled right and get her bird.
Total Open Points 6
Total Amateur Points 11
4:44 pm
Flyer - Very high flyer.
Right - Betty's line took her up the middle on the far shore. She cut right put a couple of loops on and located her bird.
Middle - Got deep of the mark and was handled.
Total Open Points 48
Total Amateur Points 36
Total Derby Points 5
4:30 pm
Flyer - Sonic went through all pieces of water. In the small hunt slightly deep of the flyer. He worked his way in to the bird.
Short - Sonic took a perfect line through the water and then on land through water straight to the bird. Wow, great mark.
Long - Ran down the point squared across the channel, missed the second channel just to the left. Sonic drove the hill all the way above the guns, came down and grabbed his bird.
On the way off line, the judges had to remind the handler there was an honor. On the way back to the honor mat, "Sonic" took a bird and was reluctant to give it up … he had to honor on lead.
4:18 pm
Flyer - Running straight at the bird through land and water On land in front of gun, he curved left and went directly to the bird.
Middle - Through the water, tip, water, Willoughby went directly at the holding blind. After a short hunt, he was coming back with the bird.
Right - Ran to the tip of land, passed the second water on the left. Left momentum carried uphill. Shortly ran the side ran the side hill of the fall then curled left to get the bird.
Total Open Points 6.5
Total Amateur Points 9.5
Total Derby Points 12
3:54 pm
Flyer - Very good line to the bird.
Middle - Torq squared across the water and up the other shoreline to make a couple of loops high and right of the mark. Torq works the scent cone and is on his bird.
Right - Good line through the first water. He pulled right on the second water but made a great move bending left and directly to his bird!
Total Open Points 21
Total Amateur Points 25.5
Total Derby Points 3
3:47 pm
Flyer - Deets drove right in the water then corrected himself to the left on the way to the flyer.
Long - Sent for the short bird, Deets selected the long bird. He started digging to the right off line for the short bird. He entered another pocket of water, drove to the top of the hill, turned right and went straight to the bird.
Short - He entered the water on a good line headed straight to the guns, then he started breaking left and went straight to the bird for a clean mark.
Total Open Points 16
Total Amateur Points 29
Total Derby Points 24
3:25
Flyer - Good bird for Ellia.
Middle - Ellia's line took her across the pond and up the hill deep right of the right guns. She made a few loops and worked her way back down to get her bird.
Right - Angling slightly across the water, Elia arrived right and established a hunt wide right of the mark. She works her way back and has the bird.
Total Open Points 55
Total Amateur Points 69
Total Derby Points 33
3:07 pm
Flyer - Dagger drove across all the pieces of water digging right. He went behind the flyer gun turned hard left to go straight to the bird.
Short - Dagger turned hard right after crossing the water and continued on through another piece of water digging to the right. He got in the field and turned hard left going straight to the bird.
Long - He rand own the point and squared across the first water. Continued on to the second piece of water, he drove on a hard line straight up the hill to the long bird. Great Mark.
Total Open Points 10
Total Amateur Points 20.5
Total Derby Points 24
Flyer - Zeke took a great line to the flyer. He crossed all the water and made a quick left hand and turned directly to the bird.
Short - Taking another great line bearing left the whole way going straight to the bird. WOW
Long - Zeke ran down the point and squared across the first piece of water. He started diggin left to the top of the hill, he turned left and with one small loop he went straight to his bird.
Total Open Points 29
Total Amateur Points 47
Total Derby Points 19
2:48 pm
Flyer - Getting through all the water angling left toward the bird, Be was in front of the guns, curved let and was on her bird.
Right - Be went across the water right of the middle retired line. Splashing through in the next piece of water, Be exited, ran uphill to the right retired fall and grabbed the bird.
Middle - Angling left, Be's line was water, point, water then straight to the area. She entered the crescent pond and came right back with the bird.
Total Open Points 39.5
Total Amateur Points 22
Total Derby Points 1
2:31 pm
Flyer - Crash took all the water entries to come out on the point for his bird.
Middle - A great line to come in at the left end of the gunner hide. A quick left turn and he through the water and to his bird.
Right - Couldn't draw a straighter line with a ruler. Well Done!
Total Open Points 87.5
Total Amateur Points 132.5
Total Derby Points 30
2:22 pm
Flyer - Tucker took a good line through all of the water. On the last piece of land, he turned left and went straight to the bird. Good Mark
Short - Great line through the water left towards the guns. He went right of the guns then in back of them going left and retrieved his bird.
Long - Tucker took a great line to the end of the point and across both pieces of water and straight to the bird! WOW
Great run for the team!
Total Open Points 46.5
Total Amateur Points 22.5
Total Derby Points 18
2:05 pm
Flyer - Jenny navigated the water and land to come out in front of the guns. She turned left directly to the bird, then ran the land back past the gallery for her bird.
Middle - She entered the water and crossed the tip and reentered. Once on land Jenny veered right after the small cedar. Once back to the area of the fall, she went into the crescent pond and came out with the bird.
Right - She ran the tip and pulling right in the water she went between the tress and continued a right momentum getting out of sight. She came back into the test from the right and immediately to the area and on her bird.
Total Open Points 41
Total Amateur Points 35
1:52 pm handled by Scott
Flyer - Good line over the middle of the island and with a splash into the next water, Hawk then runs to his bird and grabs it.
Middle - Going through the trees and pieces of water, Hawk bends left and works out his bird.
Right - With a big splash from his water entry, Hawk lets you know right away where he is going. And today its right to the bird. Well Done!
Zeke and Bert had a no bird. The will go back six spots and re-run in the seventh.
Total Open Points 18
Total Amateur Points 35.5
Total Derby Points 26
Flyer - Catch's swam with right momentum. Once on land he adjusted left to get in front of the guns. With a curve left he had his flyer.
Middle - His swim was water, over the tip, water, exiting straight out. He adjusted to the left then went into the crescent ponds in front of the blind. Coming out, he turned right then a quick left to come out with his bird.
Right - Catch ran to the tip of the land, then pulled right in to the water and ran left past the second water. With a slight left momentum at the bottom, he then went up the hill. Turned right to the fall area and around the tree and a step left he had his bird. Good Job!
Total Open Points 36
Total Amateur Points 17
Total Derby Points 25
1:23 pm
Flyer - Good line to his bird.
Middle - Dexter took a line all the way up the middle. A few loops on the hillside and he worked into the retired guns. From there he came through the crescent water structure and on the bird.
Right - Through the water and pulled right. Dexter drove the hill wide left but came back to the area in short order to recover his bird.
The 7th Series Water Triple is turning out to be another very challenging setup. I have a few insights that I would like to share with you regarding these marks. Once again these judges put a lot of effort into their bird and holding blind placement. Let’s talk about the right-hand retired gun. I will refer to this mark as R#1. The bird is thrown in a patch of thicker cover in front of a line of trees. This position makes it highly unlikely that a dog will stumble on this bird by accident. The gunners are tucked away in the woods. Typically, if the dog can find the holding blind where the gunners are hiding, the bird isn’t far away. So there is great thought put into the concealment of the hidden gunners.
It always amazes me how a very subtle change in lighting and wind conditions can have a dramatic effect on the dog work. The Retriever News Team noticed how the work differed when the wind changed.
I received some insight from the middle retired gun station. We will refer to this station as R#2. After looking at the diagram that I posted earlier, they corrected me regarding the exact location of the bird.
The below diagram will show that the bird lands on a side slope just out of the water and below the flat next to the road. That station noticed when the wind was at it’s most difficult direction a dog could easily miss this bird from just feet away. They also mention that the location of the holding blind was right next to the water. This seemed to make it difficult for the dogs to locate the holding blind. Note that the blinds are fully concealed and camouflaged on all sides.
When this test finishes playing out, the front runners at this will become more apparent.
You can just feel the anticipation build with every test. The suspense is killing me! Stay tuned…
Total Open Points 20.5
Total Amateur Points 10.5
1:07 pm
Flyer - Tuck took a great line thru all the pieces of water. She turned left on the land then went straight to the bird. Good Mark.
Long - He ran down the point then squared across the channel. Tuck took the next channel and ran right up to the bird with a few loops. Zero help from the wind. - Good Mark
Short - Perfect line - talked him into it - Tuck came up the right of the holding blind, established a small hunt right of it, then worked his way left to cross the channel and he was on his bird.
At 12:59 pm the bye dog was sent out so #32 Betty could have her honor. Our gun changed started at 1:00 pm.
Our humidity is still high at 91%, the wind is coming in from the east at 4 mph. Currently our temps are still hanging in the upper 70's, but we are still predicted to reach in mid afternoon.
Total Open Points 32
Total Amateur Points 17
Total Derby Points 11
12:46 pm
Flyer - Betty swam all three pieced of water angling left. On the fourth water she took a hard right. She took one loop toward the middle retired then she turned left and in two loops she had her bird.
Middle - She lined the water straight at to the bird. Betty adjusted right and into the crescent of the pond, she came up at the holding blind. She turned left on the back of the blind and get the bird.
Right - Betty ran to the tip of the land and went straight at the bird. She veered left past the second water. Going left uphill, she then took two loops downhill, she turned right and went back to the right retired and got her bird.
Total Open Points 24
Total Amateur Points 27.5
Total Derby Points 42
12:37 pm
Flyer - Nice line over the island and a perfect line to his angled back bird.
Left - Over the island and on line for the flyer. Blue is handed to the bird, then eventually picked up.
Total Open Points 6.5
Total Amateur Points 19.5
12:23 pm
Flyer - Ellie took all the pieces of the water then broke left off the backside of the flyer. She made several loops there getting dangerously close to the middle retired. She then broke left and finally got her flyer.
Left - She took the water and cut in front of the holding blind. Ellie then hunted to the right and came back left to grab her bird.
Right - She ran down the point and got in the water. Ellie started to shoulder hard right then drove uphill to the right corner, crossed the hillside all the way to the fall area. Good Job.
Total Open Points 7
Total Amateur Points 8.5
Total Derby Points 44
12:12 pm
Flyer - Archie entered the water lining at the bird and maintained that onto the flat near the gunner. One turn and he had his bird.
Right - His line went to water, point, water directly at the middle holding blind. Going over the land he angled right uphill then rant he side hill to the right retired and got his bird.
Left Into the water with left momentum, Archie adjusted to the right. Getting by the trees, he exited the water and was lined to the bird. Into the crescent pond, around the holding blind to the left and around the pond, Archie got his bird.
Total Open Points 42
Total Amateur Points 56.5
Total Derby Points 5
11:56 am
Flyer - Bounce had a nice line over the island arriving close tot he gunners on the point. She initiates a hunt deep and right with loops extending closer to the middle gun. She then was handled to her flyer.
Left- She established a hunt pattern short of the bird. Taking a loop around she came in to the bird.
Right - Great line to the mark.
Total Open Points 21.5
Total Amateur Points 16.5
Total Derby Points 8
11:43 am
Flyer - Izzy took all the pieces of water and immediately turned left and grabbed the bird.
Middle - She took the land and water heading tight off of the back of the flyer station. She started to drive deep taking additional piece of water left and off line to the bird. She kept going deep to the far far hillside, popped, and Rick blew a come in whistle to the bird.
Left - Took a nice line through the water and started to breaking left. She climbed the hill and went right to the area of the fall.
Total Open Points 48.5
Total Amateur Points 66.5
Total Derby Points 24
11:28 am
Flyer - Billie was close to and behind the guns. She swam the two piece of water on line to the guns. She adjusted the line to the left to entering the third water.
Left - She was sent with left momentum on a beautiful line to the middle retired. She missed the bird, then continue into field behind the flyer gunners. Handled to the bird.
Right - Billie's line went down the hill thru the water towards the holding blind. She skipped the second water which influenced her line left up the hill. She then went left then right at treeline and ran right looped around the tree and got the bird.
Total Open Points 3
Total Amateur Points 17.5
Total Derby Points 47
11:12 am
Sailor is over the island and on his way with a terrific line to the bird.
Middle - Pushing off the gunners, Sailor moves right and into the area of the middle bird. He's around the right gun station and his on the bird.
Right - Terrific line across the water. A couple of quick loops low and he drives to the bird.
Total Open Points 9
Total Amateur Points 26
Total Derby Points 11
10:59 am
Flyer - Very long flyer. Patton took all the pieces of water and exited it then broke to the left and grabbed her bird on this tough flyer.
Middle - He took a great initial line exiting the water then broke right to climb the hill. Patton turned left and came back down to grab the bird.
Right - He ran down to the end of the point and entered the water then started shouldering to the right. Patton hit the second piece of water on a clean line then squared across it. He drove the hill thru all the cover and broke right. At the top of the hill, he came back down to the fall area and got his bird. Good Job.
Total Open Points 1
Total Amateur Points 16
10:47 am
Flyer - Poncho drove downhill then in and out of the water five times. He curved close in front of the guns, then turned left and right to the bird.
Middle - Downhill with an initial line at the blind. He pulled right in the water, adjusted left. His line was still right of the holding blind, but he went around right then directly went to his bird.
Right - He ran from the right side, downhill and into the water. Poncho had a slight right momentum. He exited the water heading for the clump of four trees, then ran around the clumps and resumed the line directly to the bird. Making a slight loop halfway up the hill, Poncho nailed the bird.
Total Amateur Points 15
Total Derby Points 11
10:34 am
Flyer - Evie got in and out of the water five times, then came ashore in front of the gunners. With a quick loop about halfway she went in and got her bird.
Right - Initial line was towards the middle retired. Her momentum was slightly right. She angled uphill crossing the side of the hill right into the fall area of the right retired and with a loop she brought it back.
Middle - She was sent with a line more left. Evie crossed first and second pieces of water with right momentum directly towards the middle retired. She pulled right past the holding blind and with one loop she got her bird.
Total Open Points 24
Total Amateur Points 31
Total Derby Points 20
10:15 am
Flyer - Buck pushed off the island and went out of the second water. He made some smart moves and entered the area of the fall in good position to snap up the bird.
Middle - Good team effort to identify and lock on to the middle retired gun. Buck went across the water and drove the hill. He sets up a hunt pattern deep and to the right. He checks back deep and right, then checking back again, he had to be handled to the middle bird.
Right - Buck's initial line is taking him right of the line. Buck continues the same trajectory through the next water. At the shoreline and had to be handled to the bird.
Total Open Points 65
Total Amateur Points 52.5
Total Derby Points 20
10:05 am
Flyer - Tru crossed all pieces of water nearing hard right. She corrected her line in front of the guns and took a big loop deep of the guns to go over to the flyer.
Middle - Tru entered the channel and exited the water bearing to the right. A short hunt slightly left of the hidden guns, she crossed the channel and quickly got her bird.
Right - She ran down to the end of the point to enter the water and immediately began pushing off to the right. She entered the second channel, exited and began a long drive up the hill to the right. She turned in immediately and got her bird. Great Mark.
This shot taken by Pat Burns of Elite Retrievers helps show what the "meat" of this test is:
Total Open Points 57
Total Amateur Points 41.5
Total Derby Points 7
9:52 am
Flyer - Nice wide flyer. Smokie took a good line thru all the pieces of water, and with a quick turn left he had his bird. Nice mark
Middle - He jumped into the channel squaring across it. He drifted left, saw water and turned towards the back side of the holding blind. He crossed the channel and grabbed his bird. Excellent Mark
Right - Smokie squared across the channel, drifting left then exited the water. He drove left into a piece of water off line to the left. He then climbed the hill to the left. Driving up he turned right and got his bird. Nice clean run for this team.
We found out that the Callbacks posted last night for the 7th Series reverted back to the 6th Series callbacks.
After further investigation and discussing it with our IT people,we have determined it was a glitch with our server that houses the Callbacks program.
Everything is fixed and back to what it should be, and we are sorry if there was any confusion for any of you that may have saw this.
Sincerely,
RN Blog Team
Total Open Points 11.5
Total Amateur Points 25
Total Derby Points 10
9:25 am
Flyer - Bullet went in and out of the water the times for a line in front of the guns. A quick loop and he had his bird.
Middle - He entered the water on a line toward the holding blind. With a self adjustment to stay left of the holding blind, Bullet was back with the bird.
Right - Bullet angled into the water with right momentum slightly right of the line going to the bird then pulling a bit more right on the entry of the second water. Exiting he drove the hill and about halfway he took a sharp right loop then continued up high enough to scent the bird. Bullet came down and to the left to get the bird.
Nice Job.
Our first gun changed happened after dog #143 at 9:38 am. Our temperatures 72 degrees with overcast skies. Our wind has shifted to the east northeast.
The change in wind direction from north to northeast is creating much more difficulty for the handlers. Where as the dogs were able to get a wind save by driving deep and up hill on the long retired, with the north wind the dogs can no longer wind the bird when they are climbing the hill deep and to the left of the long bird.
Conditions for the short retired also have changed and dogs can wind the short bird more easily now from deep and right of the bird.
Total Open Points 46.5
Total Amateur Points 74
Total Derby Points 1
9:11 am
Flyer - Stryder was going left of the island and continued wide left to the final point. Squares into the water and onto his bird.
Middle - Good initial line thru the first water then fades left to start a hunt pattern. The area he hunts increase to include the area in front of the right guns finally taking him behind the guns. He maneuvers thru the pond and to his bird.
Right - He arrives in the hill fading left and exits the last water pulling left and established a hunt pattern on the hillside left of the right guns. Eventually Stryder had to be picked up.
Total Open Points 12
Total Amateur Points 34.5
8:55 am
Flyer - Pistol drove straight out to the bird going thru three pieces of water. He turned right and then with a loop left he grabbed his bird.
Middle - He entered the first channel and when he got out he broke left. Started to climb the hill and was handled to the short bird with multiple whistles.
Right - Sent for the right retired, the dog went way left after exiting the water and had to be picked up.
