ANNOUNCEMENTS


Test Dog will run at 7:00 a.m.


Dog #106 was the last dog to run and 7 dogs remain in the morning, including 3, 9, 23, 37, 45 96, 111. 


The first few dogs must be in holding blinds. 


Callbacks will be given at this site in the morning. 

Handle for Windy and Ken on long flyer...
this has become a pickup, good ride for Windy and Ken, #106.

Brooke handles on right bird...
#99, for Michael Moore 

Wind is very strong...
... has been continually picking up strength since this test began and shows no signs of abating anytime soon.

Right after re-bird, a no-bird for #96
... of note, Bo and Robert Hayden also had a no-bird in the eighth test. 

Buttons Needs Help...
... on the right hand bird, but rounds it up with a reasonably quick handle. 

Quick re-bird in progress. 

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
Angel Vollstedt, #89, has just drilled the right hand impossible bird. She took the irrigation ditch channel all the way to the bend and drove up the hill and zeroed in on it. WELL THEN!

Angel is smiling on her honor. 

Buffy, #79, handled on long flyer, pickup on right bird
As the dogs are demonstrating, this is an extremely difficult test. 

Jinx is currently handling on long flyer...
... on the heels of a substantial hunt.

Now, after attempting to handle to the right bird, she has picked up. She came mighty close to being the first chocolate female in history to finish a National Amateur. Good go, Jinx and Jeff, #83!

Handle for Streak...
on the right-hand bird, but he got the long flyer by basically drilling it.

Chase gave it the collegiate effort...
... He came up with the long flyer, and then went out straight at the holding blind, broke up around it a bit, crossed the channel left of it and drove up the hill, broke back toward the right bird a few times and then began to work away and up from the area upon which time Tommy handled him to the bird. 

In this photo, one can easily see how fond Chase is of Tommy. 

Rough got the right bird after quite a hunt... is headed for the middle flyer now...
...on that right bird, once he got across the ditch the second time, he hunted in between the two birds and deep on the hill, then eventually worked over deep of the right bird and then hunted and worked until he found the bird.


Now, Rough is handling on the middle bird and has it. 

"Sent for it twice, knew it was there both times, didn't get it either time."
From Mark Rosenblum, after running the test with #71, Stormin' Norman.

Jim Carlisle is handling on right bird
Zoom was in the flat field approaching the channel to re-cross to get the bird, but was well left of the line, so Jim's whistle at that point was to preserve the opportunity for a clean handle.

Mootsie handling on flyer hen pheasant...
as the second bird of the test. She still has the right-hand bird to retrieve.


Now, she has swum the channel all the way to the turn, got out and ran right by the hen pheasant, even broke down to indicate a bird, but missed it, and needed a handle to get it.

A Hero to be Sure...
As Buster rounds up the key bird by going right of the ditch and around to the bird.

Pacer Boice had a heartbreaking go at the right bird...
He stayed in the channel of the irrigation ditch all the way to the end as it would then turn left, and at that point he got out, but circled deep of the bird and then got left and deep of it and worked down toward it a few times. Eventually he kept working left and deep and required a working handle to recover the bird. 

Pirate Handles on the Right-hand Bird

... but with some work retrieves it for a test completion.

This Right-Hand Bird...

Has many variables, beginning with high cover on this side of the ditch in front of the line, then an angle across the ditch and a run angling the road and up the field, across the irrigation channel again, then a drive up the hill through daunting cover in the form of high grasses and sage to the bird, which is not a duck but is rather a hen pheasant. The bird is contrary and thrown to the right.

The first running dog came to the line...
...at 3:42 p.m. and had a no-bird on the right-hand bird. This was #46. 

Test

Neither Test Dog Did This Test...
It is a triple and the right hand bird is a bear. More in just a few minutes.

NINTH TEST is now a triple. More soon. 

Official Photography...
...for the National Amateur is being handled by talented Molly Schlachter, this year she has her assistant, Nello DeBlasio. Photographs of this National can be viewed at the following link:


http://www.mcsphotography.com/clients.html

The Starting Dog will be #46.

CALLBACKS FOR NINTH TEST (22 dogs):

3, 9, 23, 37, 45, 46, 49, 58, 61, 68, 70, 71, 77, 79, 81, 83, 89, 95, 96, 99, 106, 111

Last dog, #96 (had the no-bird) is on line
and finishes at 1:30 p.m. local time. That would be Bo and Robert Hayden.

... Windy blows into town...
and grabs four birds in really nice fashion.

Oatie and Linda ...
... got four birds with a hunt on the retired rooster flyer.

Brook rounds up four...
... she gets them with a hunt on the long bird for handler Michael Moore. They are #99.

Remember those clouds?
Now we have thunder all around us, rain just south of us, and lightning in that direction as well...

No-bird for #96

Buttons Handled on the Right Retired
... picking it up last for #95, Mac DuBose

Announcements
The next test is a land/water quad at the House Ranch out 140 East about 20 miles, give or take. The ninth series was held on this property four years ago. A caravan will be leaving this site and headed that way before this test is over. The Ranch is just before you reach North Poe Valley Road on the north side of the highway. 
Callbacks will be given at the Ninth Series. 

Temperature and Cloud Cover
... the temperature has soared above 80, but cloud cover advancing on us has lowered the digit count just a bit. A light breeze continues to blow.

A Long Rooster Flyer Hunt...
... but four birds put away. This for #89, Angel and Jack Vollstedt

Buffy gets 'em ...
and puts four in the bag for Ted Shih, #79, running slightly out of order due to no-birds and multiple dogs. 

Jinx says "I'm not jinxed!"
... as she nicely comes up with four birds for Jeff Lyons. #83.

Streak has a Plan...
... #81, as he brings in four for Bill Goldstein

No Rough Seas on This Test...
Ken Steele and Rough clean up four birds.

 

...Working the Birds...
Jane Patopea takes the birds from behind the line. 

 

Here we go again...Nate made it
... Three birds retrieved sharply and on the long gun Nate drove right and hunted but then worked quickly around to the bird. 

Runner/Hiker Just as Jeff Schuett Makes Third Trip...
... He and Nate were in the first blind and just about to come to the line, again, when a person was noticed coming down a trail deep of the test. Jeff and Nate were excused to the shade while the person exited the area.

... #71 Gets His Birds
Gallery pleaser for Stormin' Norman and Mark Rosenblum

 

Zoom Indeed...
...out to four birds, for #70, Jim Carlisle and Zoom.

Roux Just Handled on the Right Retired...Now Double Handle
as #69, Frank Price, gives him guidance on the rooster flyer

Handle for Mootsie ...
... by Ted Shih, #68, on the rooster flyer.  

 

Bustin' Out...
... with all four birds is #61, Buster, with Pete Hayes 

 

Air Show

... several jets in singles and doubles have flown overhead recently.

Gun Change in Progress

Alley--Oop

... #60, rounds up four birds, with a substantial hunt on the long bird.

 

Keep your cool...
... Jeff Schuett and Nate get their second no-bird, again on the rooster flyer, which this time went behind the gun station. 

"D"--lightful.
... #58, young DeWitt Boice and Pacer, do a nice job on the test. 

Although Eva Handled on the Left Flyer...
... that is not a judged handle, because this is a rerun and Eva, 34, has already picked up that bird once and therefore already been judged on it. 
Now, however, Eva is handling on the longest bird, from the right side of the guns. Now, she handles again on the rooster flyer. Eva has qualified for five Nationals but only has run this one.  

Swashbuckling...Pirate...
... #49, does the test nicely for Gary Zellner

 

"Chasing" Them Down!
... Chase, #46, does an admirable job for handler Tommy Parrish

 

John Thomas and his Chevy...
... handle on the rooster flyer from deep left of the bird. 

Kimber Handles on the Rooster Flyer...
... from right and deep of the bird in danger zone territory near an old fall. 

Hunt for #9
... primarily the rooster flyer, for Mercy and John Straka

 

Wow--#45 Scorches this Test!

Gallery on Top of the World

No-Bird for #37...
... this time on the left drake mallard flyer, for Jeff Shuett and Drake.

No-Bird After the Fact...
... As Eva, #34, scooped up her drake mallard flyer (far left bird), she and Lanse Brown were then excused from the line as the rooster flyer gunners notified the Judges that their bird was a runner. 

Handle for #27...
... on the rooster flyer as Tyson needed help from Alvin Hatcher to recover it.

 

Foxtail and Cheatgrass
... throughout this field, along with plenty of various sage. Foxtail and cheatgrass are still green and soft, but in a few weeks will begin to dry out and pose dangers to dogs. 

 

The Curse is Broken...
... as all of #27's birds are on the ground and Tyson Hatcher is off and running.

Three Times Not a Charm
No-bird for #23, John Thomas and Chevy on the same bird. This time gun malfunction.

Second No-Bird in a Row...
... This one on #18, Kimber and Gary Zellner, and again on the rooster flyer. 

Cool-Down Nearby

Blocks of ice rest in water behind Linda Harger's dog truck.

No-bird for #9
... on the rooster flyer.

Shuttle Service...

Handlers have transportation up and down the hills and back to the parking area. This will be available not only during test dogs but also during the running of this test.

Pop on Rooster Flyer and Handle...
... for #5, Caddy and Kevin Savio, from deep of the bird and up the hill. 

Dixie is Whistlin'...
... #3, after picking four birds up clean for handler Lyn Yelton. 

Here some necessary cooling is in order... Lyn is pleased with Dixie's work.

Hard Times for Chevy (Parrish)
... He needed a handle on the short right retired bird as well; thus, the long bird was picked up by the guns. It's an accomplishment getting this far in the National. 

Second Dog has handled and is still running...
... Tommy put the whistle on Chevy from deep of the left-middle bird which is the rooster flyer.

First Dog at 8:14 a.m....
...does the test

 

Changing Direction...
For the first test dog, the longest bird of the test, (which is the right-middle bird) was thrown to the right after numerous practice throws. For the second test dog, this bird has been thrown to the left. During the running of the test, this bird will be thrown to the left.

Quite a Feat :)
Second Test Dog (Andy and Cutter) Running Now... The first test dog (Charlene and Lil) came to the line at 7:40 a.m...pretty good considering all the challenges presented in getting everyone situated this morning. Lil did a nice job and Cutter is underway.

Mountain Goat Country...
...to get in to this test. Once here, a sweeping panoramic vista (really) of four birds is set out for Series Eight. Because of the difficulty in access from the main parking area, the launch of this test is a bit behind. More soon!

Today's Forecast...
With a morning temperature of 51 degrees we're headed for sunny and about 80 today. The weather all week has been pretty incredible. This is a National, yet we've had no rain, and no broiling temperatures... just two days to go and it looks like we're lucky all the way through!

Good luck to everyone today. 

Next Year's National Information...
Presented by Brad Clow at the Annual Meeting: Location is Mission Valley, Montana. Chairman is Roger Fangsrud; Chief Marshal is Linda Harger; and Judges include Mitch Brown, Mary Howley, and Pat Nicholls. Dates are June 19 through June 25, 2011.