SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

September 20, 2023 Daily Report brought to you by PRO PLAN, Official Dog Food Sponsor and the Official Dog Food Supplier to the National Retriever Club of Canada.

Welcome to Day Four of the National Retriever Championship. The day started off with mini quiche & muffins from Forbidden Zone. The hot coffee was welcome as it was only 8 degrees when we arrived to finish up Series 5 land quad at Test Site #2.

Weather today is a contrast from yesterday – this morning is clear skies after a heavy down pour overnight. Winds are light out of the NW (at the handlers back) compared to yesterday’s strong easterly cross wind. A cool start to the day but forecast is for sun and 19 degrees.

The visibility of the test is much different with the right hand guns in the sunlight, the left short retired backlight, and the long left retired in the shadows. Test dog DeeDee & Debby Montgomery came to line at 7:37; she did a good job on three birds, but the long left retired still proved to be a problem and Dee Dee needed to be handled. The first running dog #13 came to line at 8:00. There are 19 dogs to run this series and they are at the first bird change at 10:00 and should be finished around noon.

Callbacks came quickly after the completion of the Fifth Series at approximately 11:30.

32 Dogs called back to the 6th Series: 1,2,4,6,7,8,9,10,12,13,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,30,33,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,44,45. Dogs not called back 3,5,11,14,31,34

Series 6 will follow at the same location. Dog #1 Starts

The land blind was a 270 yd side hill blind starting off with a mark(115 yds) thrown right to left on the left of the line to the blind. The go bird of the previous series had been thrown down the hill as well and the line to the blind went directly behind the old gunner station. The steep slope and loose dirt, together with the mark on the flat field area to the left of the line, a slight cross wind downhill and a ditch at the base of the slope all provided suction pulling dogs down the hill. The mark (a drake mallard) was picked up first, then the blind was run (hen pheasant). The working dog then moved to the honour position while the next working dog came to line. The honour dog was released when the working dog had been sent for the mark.

The first test dog – Sparky, handled by Nolan Nelkenbrecher did a good job. The second test dog Ember run by Matt Mutcheson picked up the mark with no issues. Ember had difficulty with the blind, falling off the hillside and ending up on the flat field to the left of the line to the blind.

The test proceeded smoothly and the last dog ran shortly before 3:30 pm.

Call backs came quickly ; Dogs 6,7,8,9,10, 12, 16,17,18,19,20, 21,22,23, 26,30,33,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,44,45. Dogs dropped 1,2,4,13,24,25

26 dogs back. Dog #12 starts tomorrows.

Tomorrows test Series 7 will be a water triple. The location is Alpine Lake/Murex – Test Site 6. The Caravan will leave the Merville Hall at 9 am, handlers are requested to be at the test location and parked by 9:30. The test dogs will run at 10 am. It is cool on the mountain so please come prepared with warm clothes.

Everyone is looking forward to the Workers’ Party tonight at the Community Hall. It will be a Texas barbecue generously sponsored by Nolan and Amanda Wannop and ANW Trucking! The silent auction also ends this evening, handler and dog photos will be available for purchase and you can’t miss the photo wall of fame show! See you there.