SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

September 21, 2023 Daily Report brought to you by Garmin, official electronic training collar supplier to the National Retriever Club of Canada.

Black Creek and the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island are situated in one of the worlds loveliest areas, midway between the Strait of Georgia and the Vancouver Island Ranges or Mountains that extend the length of Vancouver Island. Extensive east coast beaches are minutes away. MT Washington, the premier ski area on Vancouver Island and one of the signature peaks of the Ranges, is a 20 minute drive. Mt Washington is a year round resort, balancing skiing and other winter sports with summer access to a myriad of hiking and mountain biking trails, a zip line facility like no other and a chair lift to the peak of the mountain that runs winter and summer

As is the norm for this part of the world the mountain was named after a member of the British aristocracy who was a rear admiral in the British Royal Navy in the `1860’s. One of the indigenous names for Mt Washington is Agiococook, the range of the Woban-aden-ok (to the place of the high white or crystal mountains). Seems a better fit.

The destination today for Series 7, a water triple, is Alpine Lake, one of the numerous lakes and large ponds that crisscross the slopes of the mountain and form an integral part of the high alpine ecosystem. The caravan will leave headquarters today at 9 am, test dogs are scheduled for 10 am followed by the start of the series.

We will be out of internet and cell range for most of the day, so reports will be later today. In the meantime enjoy the photos and look for the daily report and updates on facebook after about 5 pm PST.

The day started out with a gorgeous morning up at Alpine lake reached by a road that can at best be called interesting. A water triple was set, test dogs ran and then after 7 dogs the test was called. We then travelled back down to Site #2, the location of series 5 and 6 to run a water blind. During our time at Alpine Lake a lovely breakfast sandwich and hot coffee provided by Forbidden Zone Pizza was served by Susan Shearer and Debby Montgomery.

Once at Site #2 the judges wasted no time in setting up the water blind. Series #7 is a double water blind with a dry shot. There are two mats, the right hand mat used for the long blind on the left, the left hand mat used for the shorter blind on the right. Both blinds were on the right side of the pond, both mats on the left side. The dry pop was on the right side of the pond beyond the short blind. There was also a boat on the right side of the pond about 50 yds from the line.

Huge thanks to Daniel Shnitka – artist extraordinaire – and Bill Pearson our MapMarks artist for their contributions to test descriptions!!! You have helped bring the tests to life for our numerous readers!

The shorter blind was run first, followed by the long blind. If dogs were upwind of the short right hand blind the dry shot pulled dogs past the blind which was at the top of the slope down into the pond. The left shore of the pond had a row of dense cattails along the shoreline, as well as a small tree. The line to the long blind was tight to the left side of the tree. Running the shoreline was problematic as the dog quickly moved into deep shade thrown by larger conifers. Squaring the entry put dogs in the middle of the pond looking at the boat, old blind site and location of dry pop. Once the dog was in the water the tree blocked the handlers view if the dog didn’t stay online. Handlers were told they could move laterally as needed.

Once the handler was on the left hand mat and signalled ready the test began with a dry shot on the right hand side of the channel pond.

Three test dogs ran the blind. The first male test dog was “Beau” Outlaws Ruff and Rowdy QFTR and handler Glynn Matthews, the second test dog “Joe” FTCH AFTCH Big Valley Mer Joseph Campbell handled by Mark Roberts. Both dogs did a good job on the short blind and showed the challenges of the long blind. Joe had trouble getting in the water running the left shoreline, Beau went fat down the channel. The female test dog was “Jazz” FTCH AFTCH Razor’s M.M and All That Jazz handled by Matt Mutchenson. Jazz over ran the short blind and had problems getting into the water on the long blind. Once the test dogs were finished the test began.

The test was just called at 5:50 pm. Dog #7 was the last dog to run. Dog #6 to start tomorrow. The Caravan will leave HQ at 7 am and test dogs are scheduled to run at 7:30 am.