Series 10 – Water Triple

We arrive at Pin Oak Kennels to find the sun beaming at a pleasant 52 degrees F. The wind is blowing from the north at 14 mph. The 2016 National Retriever Championship Series 10 is a Water Triple. The 10th Series brings us to a mound overlooking a very busy pond. The pond contains several islands, points, channels, etc. This pond is sure to challenge a dogs' perseverance and may throw a dog or two off course.
The mat is facing slightly southeast on top of a mound about 55 yards from the water. The first mark to be thrown in the 10th series triple is up the center of the pond to the east and deep in the field. The gunners come out from a group of hay bales situated across a road to make the throw. The bird is thrown to the left and is a dead Rooster Pheasant measuring a distance of 396 yards. The gun station retires into the group of bales and will be referred to as the Long Retired or LR.

The next mark to be thrown is situated on top of a mound deep about 25 yards from the pond. This gun station is throwing a Hen Mallard Flyer to the right. The Hen lands in light to medium cover at the base of the mound. This mark also retires behinds the mound. We will refer to this mark as the Retired Flyer or RF, it is measuring a distance of 220 yards from the mat.

The final mark or "go-bird" will be thrown is a dead Hen Mallard. This Hen lands on a cattail covered island about 150 yards from the mat. If the dog completes the test in a manner according to the rules, it will be considered a Finalist.

It is taking between 10 and 12 minutes per dog.

Long Dead Retired – Dead Rooster – 1

Right Hen Duck Flyer – Retired – 2

Left Island Duck – Hen Duck –3

***** ATTENTION ******

The 10th Series will be held at Scott & Alice Carruth's Pin Oak Kennels in Raveanna, Texas

Callbacks to the 10th will be given at Pin Oak Kennels

******** We have very poor cell coverage here. We will do the best we can but we will be delayed in reporting ******************

Series 9 Water Quad With An Honor

Series 9 Water Quad With An Honor

The 2016 National Retriever Championship travels to Dave Fowler's in Dodd City, Texas. As we wind thru the narrow gravel roads we come to a long gravel driveway heading north. Looking to the west we can see headlights in a large field with several ponds.

The 9th Series is a water quad with an honor. The mat is placed to the west of the gravel driveway on a pond levee facing to the south. The mat is no further than 20 yards from water's edge of two ponds.The test is thrown "around the horn"from left to right.

The first mark to be thrown is near the south east corner of the field about 100 yards from the entrance. This mark is placed at a distance of 282 yards on the east side of a gradual draw. The gunners are throwing a dead Rooster pheasant across the draw to the right. The gun station retires behind a bushy group of cedars. We will refer to this mark as the Long Retired or LR.

The next mark to be thrown is a twitch to the right of the field and a look on the side hill to find a Flyer station. The gunners throw a Hen Pheasant Flyer to the left, it lands in light to medium cover on the side hill. This station is at distance of 230 yards and remains visible through out the test. We will refer to this mark as the Flyer.

The third mark to be thrown in this 9th Series quad is an eye flicker in toward the far shore of the pond in which the mat faces. This gun station throws a dead Hen Pheasant to the right toward a round bale about 15 yards from the waters edge. The gunners take a few steps to the south east and disappear behind a gnarly tree near the pond. This mark is measuring a distance of  171 yards and  will be referred to as the Middle Retired or MR.

The final mark to be thrown, known as the "go-bird" and is thrown to the right. This is a tempting Hen Mallard as it is thrown only 58 yards from the mat. This gun station remains visible during the duration of the test.

Once the dog retrieves all the bird the handler's steps to the east to another mat. It is here the dog must honor another working dog as the marks are being thrown. Only once the birds have hit the ground the honoring dog maybe excused from the second mat and the test of Series 9 considered complete.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!

 

Middle Retired

Flyer Station

The Go-Bird Station

Long Retired

Series 8 Land/Water Quad Test Description

We arrive in the dark to Edwards Training facility for Series 8 Land and Water quadruple marking test.  We are located in a similar area as Series 6 and 7 blinds. The mat has moved 35 yards to the south in the cut grass. The mat over looks a ravine at the south of the end of property near the front gate. The field has a wonderful variation of grasses and terrain to throw the dogs off an accurate path to the bird. Well the judges are liking the "Sanger Special" concept where the long bird is thrown deep and in the same direction as a shorter more prominent mark. The bird lands tight to the backside of a shorter mark. This Series 8 Land/Water quad utilizes the "Sanger Special" concept twice, almost creating a "look" of a training - double, double.

The first mark to be thrown in this quad is situated up the middle of the ravine. This bird thrown is a dead Rooster pheasant thrown to the left landing in clump of medium cover. This gun station retires  in a heavily brushed-up holding blind and will be referred to as the Long Retired or LR. The LR is measuring a distance of 295 yards.

The next mark to be thrown is a slight twitch to the right and shallow of the first (LR). The gun station is placed on the western shore-line of a tail-end channel in the large pond utilized in Series 5, 6 and 7. These gunners walk out to the left of a concealed holding blind on the water's edge and also throw to the left. This second bird thrown is a dead Hen pheasant landing in a big tuft of cover on the same shore in which the gunners stand to throw. We will refer to this mark as the short retired or SR and measures a distance of 180 yards.

The third mark to be thrown in this quad is a Hen Mallard Flyer. This Hen flyer is thrown to the left and measures a distance of  240 yards. This mark is a twitch to the right of the SR and deep on the hill-side west of the pond near a group of widely spaced trees. The flyer station remains visible during the test. We will refer to this mark as the right flyer or RF.

The final bird down in this quad is a swing to the left across the test and is a Rooster pheasant Flyer. This station is sitting in heavy cover throwing to the left measuring 130 yards from the mat. The Rooster is landing in medium to heavy native grasses. This mark will be referred to as the Left Flyer or LF and remains visible to the dog for the entire test.

Eighth Series Quad

1 - Long Left Retired

2 - Short Retired

3 - Right Flyer

4 - Left Flyer

Series 6 Land Blind & Series 7 Water Blind Test Description

We made a move to the northeast across the dam, behind the kennels of Edwards Training facility in Bonham, Texas. The mat is facing west overlooking the pond dam of the first piece of water from Series 5 watermarks. The wind is blustering out of the south, southwest at 27 mph and at times it will kindly lay down to 15 mph. The Judges did several blows of the whistles to make sure the dogs will be able to hear them all the way to the end of the blind.

All is good, the Land Blind or LB as it will be referred to begins in cut grass below the kennels. The LB passes thru heavy cover, over the gravel dam road carrying a steep path on the back side of the dam. Then the LB angles to the north out into a field of varying lengths of cover where the bird is laying in a tuft of cover at the base of a small tree at 230 yards. This bird is a dead Rooster pheasant.

To perform the Waterblind or WB the handler moves to another mat north of the first. The WB crosses the path or line to the LB. The WB also begins in cut grass then proceeds into heavy cover angling the gravel dam road. Then the dog must angle into the pond, slicing along the shoreline holding a stiff wind rather than blowing into the shore. When the dog exits the pond the path to the WB crosses the road again. The dog will where the dog will find a bird in the "Y" intersection of gravel roads at 250 yards.

Land Blind

Water Blind

Series 3 – Land Blind and Series 4 – Water Blind

Series 3 and 4 is a land blind, water blind combination series. The land blind will began at the top of a highly elevated, long slender mound. The mat faces due north and is positioned directly to the south of the mound where Series 1 of the 2016 National Retriever Championship started. The land blind is measuring at roughly 210 yards. The objective for this blind appears to run straight off of the first mound angling the western face of the mound to the dead Rooster Pheasant. The end of the blind is a bit tricky as a little bush marking the bird sits on the northern crest of the 2nd mound where the line to Series 1 began. One quick move and the dog could go disappear quickly. 

Once the land blind is complete the handler moves to the east where a mat is place on the eastern side of this large lengthy mound. The water blind starts with the dog and handler east of the land blind on the angle of the side hill. The water blind is a "no see-um" start and intersects the line to the land blind. When the dog reaches the crest of the mound the handlers may walk to the top to handle their dog. However, it was instructed that there is only lateral movement allowed and no forward movement permitted while the handler is handling the dog. 

The water blind is measuring a total of 270 yards with majority of the blind being on land approximately 220 yards from the water edge. The dogs must cross over a four-wheeler path that leads to the top of the dam. The line to the blind carries the dogs to the west away from the action of Series 1 Land Triple. As the dog approaches the pond they need to catch a small corner of water just south of the dam. The dead Drake Mallard is sitting on top of the dam indicated with a tiny green bush. Again, if the dog makes any unexpected moves on top of the dam they will go out of sight from the handler. This seems to be the theme for both the land and water blind. Handlers are going to have to aggressively attack these blinds and challenge the line to the blind to be in contention for this 2016 National Retriever Championship. To complete both blinds it is taking between 4 to 4.5 minutes per dog/handler team. Good Luck To All!!!

Land Blind – the bush at the end of the right side of the berm

Water Blind – "no see-um" start

The view of the blind with the blind planter standing at the base of it

Series 2 Land & Water Triple

We continue the National Retriever Championship at Pin Oak Kennels owned By Scott and Alice Carruth. The 2nd series is just across the ranch road to the South from Series 1 Land Triple. The mat is placed a top of a mid-size mound over-looking a beautiful pond with all kinds of points and a pasture with varying lengths of cover. The Handler and dog team face almost due East to view this Series 2 Land/Water Triple. The wind is pleasantly whisping across the pasture with slight gusts from the South to South East at times. The first gun station to throw is situated to the North East across the ranch road. This station is throwing a dead Rooster pheasant to the left at 209 yards. The Rooster is landing in a slight depression of light cover. The gunners then retire behind a group of hay bales. We will refer to this mark as the Long Retired or (LR).

The next mark to be thrown is situated about 120 yards South and to the East of the LR. This gun station stands a top a mound located in the middle of the test and throws a dead Hen pheasant to the left slightly angle back landing at the bottom of the mound in sparse cover. This station will be referred to as the Middle Retired or MR as these gunners retire down the mound behind some hay bales.

The last mark to be thrown in this Series 2 Land and Water Triple is a Drake Mallard Flyer. The flyer gunners are place on a point protruding from the Easterly shoreline of this 1/2 acre size pond. This Drake Mallard flyer is thrown to the left and lands smack dab in the middle of the channel with an BIG splash about 70 yards off line. The flyer is sure to get some dogs lunging from the mat and some Handlers hearts a pumping. A gorgeous setting for this Series 2 Land and Water Triple with a wonderful vantage point from the gallery. Good Luck To All!!!

Series 1 Land Triple with A Rooster Pheasant Flyer

We arrive to the field in the wee hours of the morning to a grassy pasture with heavy dew. The air has a nip to it at 46'F ! There is a slight breeze at 2 mph out of the South bringing a rose color into our cheeks. The mat is facing due North placed a top of a levee. To the West of the levee is a technically challenging pond, to the East is a wide open pasture with a sprinkling of Pin Oaks and Live Oaks. The cover is lush and thick.

The Series 1 test begins with a gun station positioned to the West and deep of the levee. This station is throwing a dead Hen pheasant to the right. The Hen is landing in medium cover in front of a ditch. We will reer to this station as the Left Retired or (LR). The LR is measuring a distance of 217 yards. The next station to be thrown is located smack dab in the middle of the test a good bit of distance away from the LR. The 2nd mark to be thrown also retires behind an invisible holding blind situated in a group of hay bales. We will refer to the 2nd mark as the Middle Retired or (MR). The MR is throwing a dead Hen pheasant to the left pinching the Middle Retired mark to the Left Retired mark. This Hen lands in heavy cover deep of a group of trees at 140 yards. The final mark to be thrown is a big swing to the East where the Flyer gunners are standing 30 yards shallow of several groups of oaks. This station will be known as the Flyer, the gunners are throwing a colorful mature Rooster pheasant to the left. The Rooster is landing in a moderate length native pasture grasses. The distance on this Flyer is 160 yards. It is taking 6 to 7 minutess to complete this Series 1 Land Triple at Pin Oak Kennels. Good Luck To All!

Long Left Retired - Hen Pheasant

Middle Retired - Hen Pheasant

Right Rooster Flyer

The Levee …

Test Dog