Sunday June 20, 2010

A New National Amateur Stake Championship week begins...

Good morning on this first day of competition... which dawns in the mid-forties with a forecast temperature of the low-sixties range... excitement and tension are both emotions that are running high this a.m. as everyone readies for the first drive to the test... step one. Once on site, the wait begins.

Early hours on the site of tests one and two.

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Right on schedule...

Test dogs are on the line with guns going off for the first test dog at 7:28 a.m. More soon--both test dogs did the marks without handling.

The first test always brings apprehension and anticipation to handlers.

A view of the footbridge across the irrigation ditch that gives access to the test.

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Uno...

The first running dog came to the line at 8:00 a.m. and #67, "Pride" and John Pampy, just handled on the left retired bird.

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Moving right along...

We are up to dog #73 and just the first dog has handled on a mark.

Here, Jason Fleming and Lucky wait on deck.

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It's a first thus far...

Dog #75 had a no-bird and waits six dogs.

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Time management...

We are coming up on #80 at the ripe Pacific time of 9:18 a.m. This test has every opportunity to finish today with 110 dogs to run (there are two scratches) and such an accomplishment could set the tone for the upcoming week.

Ted Shih and Buffy on line

Bill Goldstein prepares to send "Streak" #81

Bill Kolstad signals for his marks with Kody

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Too attached to his bird...

For #82, on final delivery.

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Once bitten--twice ?? Hoping for third time's a charm...


Jimmy Darnell and Diamond, #75 at 9:32 a.m. endured their second no-bird and wait six again.

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Blind Ambition...

While most dogs are getting the marks--which some are hunting in varying fashion and others are rounding them up--when it comes to the blind, some dogs have early whistles on the it, a few seem to have trouble hearing whistles at the end, and a few dogs are left or right of the end of the blind.

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Speaking of the marks...

The left-hand retired is producing quite a challenge as many dogs don't hold the difficult line to the bird and instead roll left and across the irrigation ditch and then up the hill. Other dogs go deep of the bird and when working back get on that left-hand hillside. Please see Tina Ebner's Report page for test photo and diagram...I may yet get up photos of the test, if so, they will be in this block.

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Brisk morning...

The mid-forty temperatures and the tidy breeze have produced conditions which have many folks buried in sweatshirts and jackets and anything they can round up for warmth.

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Amendment to Official Rotation:

Per Gary Zellner, the correct rotation, amended from yesterday's announcement, is: 67, 95, 11, 39, with a return to 67 and count six for the fifth series.

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It's About Time...

Shouted from the gallery, as Jimmy and Diamond, #75, make a productive trip to and FROM the line.

Here, #88, Ladd with Paul Panichi watch as Diamond runs her land blind behind the flyer guns.

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Down, but out...

...of the flyer area, as a nearly flyaway bird results in a no-bird for #89, Jack Vollstedt and Angel

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Third Chocolate of the Day Precedes Gun Change...

Three chocolates thus far... are there more? Go brown dogs... including #69, Roux and Frank Price; #83, Jinx and Jeff Lyons; and #90, Jacki and Jean Wu.

If you thought you were having a bad day...

This might change your mind...

View one...

Ouch... Best of luck with that...

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Pick up on the blind...

Unfortunately, for #93.

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Brook has a family affair going on this week...

And Brook is #99, owned by Michael and Lynn Moore and handled by Michael. Her daughter is #24, Free, also owned by Michael and Lynn. Brook's romantic interest in producing Free is #19, Shaq, owned by Bill Fruehling.

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No-Bird for Numero Century...

That would be Mel Milton and Margo, #100

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Throwin' out the Lasso...

Wrangler, #104, ropes in the left-hand bird for handler Paul Foster with a beauty of a job. I've got a few photos to try to show you... we'll see if they've turned out well enough to post.

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Ouch--another pickup

This one on Mel Milton and Margo, #100. Time is now 12:25 p.m.

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Boo, #108, and John Stracka are currently handling...

on the left-hand retired.

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Third handle of the day...

Just now for #110 and Sunny with Gary McIlwain. Sunny also had some difficulty at the end of the blind.

No-Bird for Chevy, #112 ...

and Handler Tommy Parrish

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Gun Change at 1:02 p.m...

Immediately after #1 and done in under ten minutes with an opportunity to view the line included--good job!

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No-Bird for first dog up after Change...

That would be #2, Miah and Stephen Ritter.

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Powering up the Wind...

Now blowing about 15 mph sustained. Gusts to 25-plus. The left-hand retired remains downwind and the blind, which is crosswind, remains a challenge for some dogs.

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Handle for #112 on his re-run...

Chevy with Tommy Parrish, at 1:40 p.m. on the left-hand bird.

Here Tommy gets ready to launch Chevy on the blind.

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Another no-bird for #2...

Miah and Stephen Ritter, once again...

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Handle on left for #9...

at 2:05 p.m., that would be Mercy with John Stracka

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No-Bird for #10...

Stephen Bechtel with Cash...

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The Game Steward Compound is Important...

to the smooth running of the stake.

And it's getting higher...

Water is rising... compare this photo to the one posted from early this morning of the footbridge...

Eventually, the bridge was resurrected and moved again so that it spanned the ditch.

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Left-hand no-bird for #13

That would be Missy Bell with Blue...the time is 2:25 p.m.

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What was that golden flash?

#14, Dash and Lanier Fogg, just stepped on the left-hand bird and lined the blind...

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Whew... third time's a charm...

Miah, #2, with two no-birds under her belt, does the test.

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Handle for #16 on left bird...

Jester and Gerald Bailey. Jester, as many have done, went right and deep of the bird and then corrected left up the hill in a hunt.

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And another Handle, this on #17...

for Sharon Gierman and Blue

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No-Bird for Gary Zellner

and #18, Kimber...

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Blue gets 'em clean...

#13, on his rerun for handler Missy Bell.

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Another no-bird, this one...

on #20, Misty, and Wayne Stupka. These recent no-birds have been on the left-hand dead bird; it has a critical fall area and when missed the judges have been calling it consistently.

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Gun Change at 3:30...

following #23 and John Thomas with Chevy

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Handle for first dog after the change--#24

Which is Free, with Michael Moore

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At 4:12 p.m., handle for #26

This would be Smoke with Vern Cooney.

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Back up and running...

Fingers crossed, the server-database problems appear to be solved. I will be catching up later tonight with many photos inserted in text blocks... perhaps some now but will also need to post some text--thanks for understanding.

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Pickup for #55

Tiger missed the left retired on its right, went and swung around left and then well up the hill and way left sideways until Fred Kampo picked him up--Tiger, you've been a good one for Fred.

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One thing about it...

While we've been down we've had a streak of somewhat similar work, and no handles after #26 until the pickup of #55. There have been no-birds for #47, #49, and #53, and a few dogs have been loose at the end of the blind.

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Second to last dog handled--

Karen Young with her young dog, Bug, #65...

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Last dog to line at 8:15 p.m.

and #66 with Teak and Bill Barstow (my Alaskan friend) handled.

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Callbacks and Test Info for the Morning

Seven dogs dropped with two scratches leaves 103 dogs for the Monday morning Third Series water triple to be held at Curtis Ranch--North entrance, which is directly across the highway from the entrance we all took to access into Tests One and Two. Test dogs will run at 7:30 a.m. and the first running dog is #95.

Special instructions for the Test Three Site: Drive slowly and create no dust.

Those dogs dropped were: 24, 26, 55, 82, 93, 100, 110. The two scratches included 41 and 56.