SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

Welcome to Day One of the 2022 National Retriever Championship.  Forty-four dog/handler teams traveled to Port Rowan, ON area to compete in the beautiful farmland of Norfolk County.  Of the 50 dogs entered, 6 dogs were scratched.  There are dogs # 16, 19, 29, 32, 33, and 42.

The caravan led by Rob Dugit left the Port Rowan Community Center at 7:00 am and travelled to Test Site #5, the Hudson Property, where Test #1 Triple Land Marks and Test # 2 Land Blind was held.  The caravan was met by the Traffic Crew, Dave & Donna Wardle who got everyone parked and ready to go.

The tests were run in a flat alfalfa-grass mix field surrounded by deciduous and pine trees.

The day started off overcast with light rain, temperatures in the low 20s. The rain tapered off and the sun came out.

Dave Thompson concluded the Calcutta auction by auctioning off the “dead dog pool”, dogs # 15 and 43.

Everyone was invited to the line where, Jim Ling welcomed the handlers to the 2022 National Retriever Championship.  A tradition for our National is the “Passing of the Paddle”. Dave Wardle, 2021 National Retriever Championship Judge, passed “the paddle” to the 2022 Judges, Hope Roberts, Doug Shepherd and Jim Ling to start the 2022 National Retriever Championship.

Honorary Test Dog

NMH GMH DANA’S KEENA OF LONG POINT QAA “Keena”

Owned and handled by Vera Aherne

Female Test Dog

FTCH AFTCH MJOLNIR ASTRID OF DAVADAR “Astrid”

Owned by Peter and Judy Mottola and handled by Peter

Male Test Dog

DAKOTA CREEK’S ACE IN THE HOLE QFTR JFTR “Piper”

Owned and handled by Grant Koeing

Indented land triple with one retired gun. The right hand mark is the first bird thrown.  It is a drake mallard thrown to the right (225 yds).  The gunners retire when the bird hits the ground. The second bird thrown is the left hand mark ( 175 yds) and the middle mark (130 yds) is thrown last. The second and third marks are hen mallards thrown to the right.

The mat is facing north. In the morning the wind was 10 km/hr increasing slightly through the day, blowing mainly from the south and southwest.

The test started at 8:30 am and concluded at 1:00 pm.

The starting Dog was #44

All dogs were called back to Test #2 Land Blind

The land blind is 255 yds with a hen mallard.

Starting dog # 3

The test started at 1:40 pm and concluded at 4:00 pm

Wind from the SW at 19 km/hr

42 Dogs called back.  Dogs not called back to Test #3 are Dogs #15 and 17.