Handled 60. FC-AFC Good Idea's Have It Your Way, "Whopper," LM, Ken Neil

F: crest the hill turned and made a rapid retrieve of the flyer

M: went into the mark under the arc tight to the gun station, then the dog drove deep est a hunt deep and left of the station before the dog was Handled to the bird to complete the retrieve.

LR: est a small area hunt before retrieving the bird.

Gun Change

59. FC-AFC Maple Creek's Mattie Mae, "Mattie," LF, David McMahan

******* THE OLDEST DOG IN THE TRIAL*********

F: got just a bit deep and worked it out quickly

M: made a large deep loop left of the gun station before turning to the right and into the area to make the retrieve

LR:  front-footed it!

58. FC-AFC Choco Lickity-Split, "Choco," LM, Don Brawley

F: a loop and a scoop gets the job done.

M: arrived under the arc, est a hunt getting a bit deep before working in towards the bird to make the retrieve

LR: made a few passes near the treeline before working over to the area and retrieving the bird.

57. FC Straight to the Heart-Dagger, "Dagger," LM, Johnny Armstrong

F: made two passes in to come up with his bird quick

LR: (retrieve second) appeared in a good spot near the tree line on the correct side. Then est an area hunt to retrieve the bird.

M: made a loop and a scoop for a Terrific performance!

56. FC-AFC Sundog's Maximum Pursuit, "Max," LM, Andy Kahn

F: est a significant hunt before making the retrieve

M: up the hill to then turn and go to the bird.

LR: est a hunt in and near the area before retrieving the bird.

Handle 55. FC-AFC Hockley Creek's Big Hitter, "Manny," LM, Robby Bickley

F: traveled a path right of the fall, made a few short passes in the area before making the retrieve.

M: exited the water wide left of the gun station, est a hunt shallow and left of the gun station near the waters edge before the dog was Handled to the bird.

LR: straight to the bird

Handle 54. AFC Lake Park Diamond In The Ruff, "Ruff," LM, Charles Bearden

F: went up the hill quickly turn to travel down the hill and to the bird.

M: reached the crest of the hill, made a pass left then right and down to retrieve the bird.

LR: punched out of the water deep of the fall area est a hunt deep on the opposite shore than the mark. The dog was then Handled to the bird.

Conditions Report

We have had a couple Handles. It appears as thou there is "drag back" bird scent that has built up on the levee, on the path to the Long Retired mark. This is causing the dogs to hang up short of the fall hunting the levee and then disappearing behind the levee with chance to the Handler's to handle and recover quickly.

Handle 53. FC-AFC Cool Fuel, "Nitro," LM, Rich Pingatore

F: made a loop and a scoop of the bird

M: traveled a path wide right of the area drove up the hill then into the area for a rapid retrieve.

LR: est a hunt short in possible drag back scent on the levee making several passes before reappearing behind the middle gun station and, then the dog was handled to the bird.

Gun Changes For Series 3

Gun Changes

59
81
106
18

52. FC-AFC FTCH Alexus - Pursuit of Perfection, "Lexi," LF, Lynn Cole-Kimball

F: put a small tight area hunt before snatching up the bird.

M: went into the mark under arc, got a bit deep, and then worked down into the fall to retrieve the bird.

LR: made a quick pass on the levee, entered the second pond ( the dog's are out of sight until they reach the fall area ) arriving in the fall and to the bird.

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51. Watermark's Ramrod, "Rowdy," LM, Gary Storch

F: crested the hillside before working into the area to retrieve the bird.

M: traveled a path right of the fall area, punching up the hill before working inward to retrieve the bird.

LR: entered the water, exited, then ran near the treeline up the then over to the bird.

50. FC-AFC Mulligan Off The Rainy "T", "Mully," LM, Randy Spangler

F: drove deep and right up the hill, then turned toward the fall and to the bird.

M: traveled a path under the arc, went up the hill, made a turn to the right, and over to the bird.

LR: arrived near the area, then went up the hill and back down to the bird for a job well done!

49. FC-AFC Delpond's Aunt Jemima, "Jemma," LF, Mark Menzies

F: traveled a path to the right of the fall, drove a bit deep but quickly recovered for a rapid retrieve

M: arrived left of the gun station, made a loop left and deep, then traveled down to the pond and back up the hill to the bird.

LR: Pounded it!

48. FC-AFC Bayou Teche Eye On The Ball, "Slider," LM, Lauren Hays

F: went straight to the bird!

M: went into the mark under the arc, drove to the crest of the hill, then down to the bird.

LR: Smacked it!

47. FC Midway Twin City Limits, "Leo," LM, Seth Kelly

F: pinned it!

M: drilled it!

LR:straight to the bird for a picture perfect performance.

46. FC-AFC Bay Blue's All American Girl, "Libby," LF, John Russell

F: drove deep of the fall area est a hunt in the area before working it out to retrieve the bird.

M: hammered it!

LR: went up the hill and down to the bird for an excellent job!

45. AFC Kirkwood's Ace of Lone Star, "Lexie," LF, Casey Adams

F: went up the hill and down to the bird.

M: reached the gunners, went wide left then worked to the right before finding the bird.

LR: took both pieces of water en route, and straight to the bird. Great Job!

44. FC-AFC Bob and Ed's Excellent Adventure, "Chef," LM, Ed Krueger

F: Nice mark!

M: drove deep of the fall on the correct side est a hunt deep then worked into the area to retrieve the bird.

LR: ran down the treeline then down the hill and to the bird for a job well done!

Handle 43. Holland Cliffs Sweet Inspiration, "Sugar," LF, Alvin Hatcher

F: ran over the top - put on the brakes and grabbed it.

M: arrived at the gunners feet, hunted the shoreline to the right then left before driving deeper to the area to snatch up the bird.

LR: the dog stayed in the water and kept swimming past the area, then was Handled to the bird to complete Series 3

Pat's Perspective

The 3rd series water marks in a national are very interesting tests.  Time management takes a high priority.  You have to run 100 dogs.  So the swims can’t be significant.  With that being said, this test requires a balanced dog.  They can’t be too tight or too loose.  It is one of the most difficult tests to prepare for.  This test is a good example of that.  It is always a mixed bag.   This test uses 2 ducks and 1 pheasant.  It can be very difficult to scent a pheasant after retrieving a duck.  The middle bird is a pheasant and thrown very flat in the hip pocket of the duck flyer.  Both of these birds have a tempting hill deep of them that lures the dogs to climb and hunt deep.  The left hand retired gun is thrown hard angle back.  The perfect line slices the corner of two ponds.  A dog that is too watery can miss the mark on the outside.  A dog that is too cheaty is likely to end up behind where the gunners were and hunt left and out of sight.  Let’s see how this works out.

Test Dog

Test Dog # 1

AFC Colonial's Hubba Bubba, "Bo" LM
Owners Michael & Johanna Coutu
Handler -Michael Coutu

F: stepped on it!

M: under the & up the hill est a hunt deep of the fall, before working into the area to retrieve the bird.

LR: took off on a good line went over levee squared it and went deep out of sight hunting left of the holding blind before working it out and retrieving the bird.

Time: 8 mins 30 sec

Judge Mitch Patterson and his giant lollipop

 Test Dog #2

FC Hardscrabbble's Seaside Shuttterbug, "Bug", LF

Owners Margaret & Mitchel Brown

Handler - Margot Brown

F:drove up the hillside on the ridge and was Handled to the bird.

M: traveled a path behind and left of the gun station, went out of sight reappear left and deep of the station. She then was Handled to the bird to complete the retrieve.

LR: straight to the bird. excellent mark!

Time 8 mins 47 sec

 

Series 3 Water Triple With An Honor

Good Morning Spectators!

The mat is set on a grass knoll a top of a hillside. We are over-looking a large technical pond with several points the dogs will have to negotiate. It looks as thou it would be easy to get re-routed in this pond and forget where you are going! A challenging piece of water, to say the least.

The first gun station to be thrown is situated to the left of the pond and deep of the first piece of water the dog looks at. The gunners are standing on the left shoreline of a second pond deep of the levee of the first pond. This station is throwing a dead hen mallard hard angle back to the right, parallel to the shore. This station measures a distance of 220 yards and disappears behind a group of trees to retire after the dog's number is given.  The next bird to be thrown in this water triple is situated up the middle of the first pond, in the middle of the test measuring 173 yards. The gunners for the second station are sitting on the back hillside of the first pond. It was originally thought to be a technical pond at first glance. However, it is a series of small ponds arrange in a matter to present many places for the dogs to square the edge, get out early to run land, en-route hills to loose sight of destinations, all very challenging to these canine athletes. The second station is throwing a dead rooster pheasant flat and to the right, landing short to medium cover.  The final bird is 157 yard from the mat, go-bird of this water triple is a hen mallard flyer. This bird is shot to the right as well and lands in short to medium. It is taking about 8 mins 30 sec a dog to complete this test.  The dogs will honor for this series.

Left Retired

Middle Gun

Flyer Station

Time-Lapse Video

Real-Time Video

A Contestants Perspective Of The 2016 NARC

And, we are off! The 2016 National Amateur Retriever Championship begins

By Jamie Woodson

The test dogs have run the combined first and second series, the national anthem has been sung, and the mother of all retriever field trials for amateurs has begun.  I'm too young to be nostalgic but, Wow, am I feeling sentimental this morning!

I'm  pretty new in this sport. It was only 2005 when my husband, Bill, and I painstakingly picked out our little four legged bundle of joy from a litter of roly poly puppies who were so black they looked like they were covered in velvet. Within an hour, "Elvis", was on his way home with us. We were so proud. I had been the retriever in the family for the last few duck seasons so I was thrilled to have a real duck dog to assist in the recovery of game.

We had a copy of Waterdog and a few canvas puppy bumpers. We were convinced we had the greatest labrador retriever in the world. As you can imagine, we had no clue what we were doing.

Elvis was super birdy, hard-charging, stylish, and supremely independent.  He taught Bill a ton of great lessons as they hunted together, competed in field trials, and stayed busy with chores at our Tennessee farm.

It didn't take long for me to start itching to have a dog to handle of my own. Enter Keeper. I raised her as a puppy and with the outstanding help of Right Start, Autumn Run & Handjem, we have had a heck of a ride together.

Flash forward to #2016NARC. Bill's young dog, Baby, didn't qualify this year. Really a bummer for my sweetheart - for both of us. That said, she's had an incredible year. A #2015NARC finalist at 3 years old, two open wins to start 2016, and is consistently placing in amateurs. Baby, like so many great dogs around the country, just wasn't able to get that elusive blue ribbon. Man, this is a tough sport!

As for Keeper, we have had a winding road to get here. Three years ago, she was half a point shy of qualifying and the next year - consistently placing, but no blue ribbon. She was test dog in Mondovi for the #2013NARC and last year (2015) was our very first official National. We made it to the 4th series and had an absolute blast during the entire experience. And, while we went out relatively early, I had the pleasure of watching all ten series and the most incredible dog work I have ever witnessed.

I'm normally not particularly sentimental but Keeper is nine years old now and I have an intense sense of gratitude every time we step up to the line together - even in training. This week, I am particularly thankful. Is it the fact that it's a national? Is it her greying beard? Maybe it's the reminder of our loss of our old boy, Elvis, this time last year. I don't know. What I do know is that these dogs just don't live long enough. They give us their heart and soul and so much more.

Back to the National...

We started with Dog #16 - Rosie (very nice job btw). Since Keeper's Number is 63, we have quite a while until we run. As I sit in the gallery, I'm feeling excited and nervous. I also sense the excitement and jitters of my fellow competitors and their families. I hear the genuine applause after a completion and the hushed whispers of "that was a nice flyer", "how deep is that retired bird", "see that green clump, that's where you want to be", "that's a very consistent throw", and the countless comments that help us process our excitement and anxiety.

The 2016 National Amateur has begun and we wish every competitor the best of luck! May the wind be with you and your flyers be friendly. 

A Collage - Mark Atwater - Up Close Photo

Day 2 of the 2016 NARC

Yesterday's tests certainly put some squiggles in the Judge's book. This morning we will be on a grassy knoll over-looking a large technical pond. The sun is rising over the mountain to provide a spectacular back drop for Series 3 a Water Triple. The weather is favorable now but, is calling for a scorching hot temperatures in the 90's later this afternoon.

Feel free to scroll thru old posts of yesterday as we added more perspective from Pat Burns and Jamie Woodson.  We also add some great shots from Mark Atwater - Up Close Photo. Enjoy the coverage and make sure to share, comment, & participate in our trivia to WIN an array of prizes from our Sponsors.