Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Back for one more round...

...here is a bit more additional information for the fifth series: 

Starting number is #43

Test dogs start at 7:30 a.m.

First running dog is scheduled for 8:00 a.m.

The test site will be at Simonds property; signs will be posted from Shaw's Grocery. There will be no caravans.

Good night!

Callbacks are in...

Dropped from the fourth:

3, 14, 20, 24, 30, 35, 40, 47, 64, 65, 71, 75, 77, 81, 92, 117, 122

Signing out... 

Raining and late hours

Well, it's raining once again at night in Stowe as we wait for callbacks...oops, just a minute, I'm running back inside to check...

Pam's Drawing of Test Four


......................................................................................................She did this from the gallery's perspective.

More comments on Test Four

Fred Kampo from Wisconsin: "I like the test. It's a tough test."

Charlie Hayes, Princeton, Minnesota: "It's difficult and I like it. Sure it's tough. A dog that really wants those birds will focus and get them. Although there are times a dog can wind another bird, but if he really wants that bird he's after it won't bother him."

Danny Farmer, professional trainer, Texas: "Overall I like the test. What would I have done to change it? I would have stood the longer right hand gun where the bird lands and thrown the bird where the guns are now. That would have helped to eliminate the wind factor."    

What is contributing to the difficulty of this test?

Quote from professtional trainer Dave Rorem of Minnesota and Texas: "I love difficult tests, but this one, although the bird placement was good, had marks that were too tight for a swirling wind in high cover. Perhaps on a day with steady weather patterns it would be tough but doable.

"However, that isn't the case today much of the time. When I was throwing the flyer, there were four different wind changes and that affected at least five of the dogs I saw on my shift. They were hunting one bird and winded another and due to the high cover didn't know where they were or necessarily that they were picking up the wrong bird.

"In my opinion it wasn't so much about marks because of that as it was about luck...the wind played too much of a devil's advocate in the marks." 

Rain has set in...


...but without the sound, visual effects and danger brought to us earlier by thunder and lightning. 

As of this writing, 55 dogs have run and 22 of them have been handled to one of the two retired marks. Some of these dogs are now carrying two handles. A few dogs have switched and handled, not necessarily in that order.   

The cover is pretty high and some dogs miss either longer bird and keep on going into the big field deep of the birds, requiring handles back to either prospective bird. Some dogs get to the right of the right-hand longer gun (technically the middle gun of the test) and put on substantial hunts well behind the concealed holding blind and finally must be handled to that bird.  

Weather suspends the test...

...momentarily. Hopefully we'll be up and running soon, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

A quote from Ted Shih of Golden, Colorado, who just lost both of his bullets after the third series: "The tests were straightforward and challenging. My only complaint is that I and the dogs didn't do better."

On the fourth test...

"Good to get 'em all without handling, especially at a time when it doesn't seem possible!" from Bob Johnson with Weezer...sentiments seconded by pro Andy Attar. 

View from the hill...



.........................................................Here is the way the test looks from just inside the gallery rope up on the hill.

Tal Broyles, from Louisiana, on gallery view: "It's a beautiful morning, and we've got a great view of the test!"

Gallery viewing was quite limited in the first setup, got better for the water blind, and is terrific for this test.

As I write, the heavens have dumped some rain on us. It's letting up and the sun is coming back out, but thunder is rolling and cracking ominously...the test is still running.

Candid Comments going into the fourth series...

From time to time I'll post comments and thoughts from handlers and pro trainers related to this National. Here are a few thus far:

John Pampy, Las Vegas, Nevada, on the third series water blind: "Well, it didn't have much water. I'd have liked to have seen more water in it, you know, more of a traditional water blind. But we run what they set up."

Jerry Kamphius, West Olive, Michigan, on the water blind: "Well, it was okay for a National third series water blind. It was a bit ticky-tacky, but you see that in short blinds."

Andrea Meisse from Rocky Point, North Carolina on the water blind: "They got it done quickly and it was okay for this stage in a National."

Hugh Arthur, pro trainer from Lincolnton, Georgia...a general comment: "Less is more. The less water you get in these first four series, the more chance you have to get back."  

An exciting flyer...


Check out the position of Dave Opseth's test dog while the exciting flyer is shot and then sluiced. To make the situation even more tempting, the line is elevated above the flyer. WELL, I AM GOING TO TRY TO POST WITHOUT THE PICTURE. It won't upload, signal is too weak. If I can get this and a few other posts on, I'll do pictures when I mobilize for a better signal. 

Out of the first eight dogs, three have handled.

Also, signal strength is very iffy...I've been trying to get on and I'm told as those clouds go away, so will my signal...  (See comment, above.)

Good morning!

Well, keep your fingers crossed. I am, anyway. That's because at the moment I am on a hill near the fourth test and I'm picking up just enough signal to get on the internet. That's not the case when I'm down the hill and closer to the test. But, climbing up here is, of course, in my humble opinion, a much better alternative than having to mobilize and drive X miles to a signal.  

Yesterday's blind, as you've probably seen from the callbacks by now (posted on Jean Wu's page) took a rather bloody toll on the dogs. Cumulative work and/or ragged or failure blinds are simply gone. 

At some Nationals, you see blinds judged less harshly than others. That, however, is not a blanket statement, and please don't take it as such, for many factors go into callbacks and the way things shake down. But, in the final analysis on yesterday's water blind, there was not very much good work. That remained constant throughout the day. And the judges judged the blind. 

And on this brilliantly sunny Vermont morning (after another round of storms last night) 94 dogs remain to tackle this fourth series water triple.

I'm told this signal may not hold out as the sun climbs higher in the sky. We'll see, but test dogs are being called to the line right now. 

When I can, I'll be back up the hill to give it another try. Of course, trips in and out of here by vehicle, if necessary, will be less frequent.

Thanks for reading!