**Test 7 was completed and in the books today at 2:46 pm**
Thursday November 17, 2022
7th Series – Water Quad with Two Retired, One Flyer and One Simulated Flyer
32 Dogs Started this Series
Test Dogs: Test Dogs came to the line today bright and early at 6:42 am, beginning with "Gretta," and then "Steel" was up next to giving the teams a a good look at this large test and what they might expect.
Ed and Ti came to the line at 2:35 pm
SimF – Good line to the bird!
LR – Excellent line to the fall – very nice.
F – Out to the fall area and he snatched up his bird!
MR – Good line into the pond – got out and missed the bird – running deep – he was handled back to this bird.
**This concludes the 7th Series at 2:46 pm**
Andrew and Mickey came to the line at 2:26 pm
SimF – Straight to the bird.
LR – Curved in from the left, a couple loops and he got it.
F – Left line through the woods, one big loops and he had his bird.
MR – Went past the bird and one quick whistle brought him back to the bird.
Danny and Kanga came to the line at 2:14 pm
SimF – Straight out for the bird.
LR – Out wide left behind the blind and deep – she came closer and got it!
F – Good line down the left side of the field, angled towards the mound and her bird.
MR – Excellent line to the far shore – got out of the water and kept going – had guns come out to help. Picked Up.
Hunter and Rain came to the line at 2:03 pm
SimF – Straight to the bird!
LR – Straight to the bird with one tight loop at the bird.
F –Straight in to the bird!
MR – Came out of the water heading towards the flyer guns and got a quick whistle, then handled to the bird.
Here are some more photos taken at the event …
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| Retriever News Team: Becky Eckett & Gwen Jones |
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| Ty and Dave Rorem |
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| Kyle Broussard, Mark Jenson and Gwen Jones |
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| Judges Wayne Stupka, Andy Kahn and Alvin Hatcher |
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| This was a bad sign for sure : "Frost on the Pumpkin!" |
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| Thank you to Avery for our tent and the Grounds Crew for keeping us so well-taken care of! THANK YOU!! |
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| Those "called back" to the 6th Series for the Land Blind |
Chris and Tru came to the line at 1:50 pm
SimF – Good line – quick retrieve.
LR – Got under the arc for a short hunt.
MR – Out into the left side of the pond aiming at the flyer guns – goes out of sight – finally showed up with the Middle Retired bird!
F – Went into the pond – deep right of the flyer guns – hunted deep and right but she worked her way left and she got it!
Al and Doc came to the line at 1:39 pm
SimF –Straight to the bird!
LR – (did not see the route) But he retrieved this bird quickly!
MR – Straight to the bird!
F – Straight to the bird again!
Craig and Cool J came to the line at 1:28 pm
SimF – Perfect line to the bird!
F – Wide left and deep of the holding blind – came back in right and he got it.
LR – Straight line out to the bird!
MR – Good line out to the pond and in – he came ashore just to the left of the bale – a short turn to the left and he got it.
Mark and Limit came to the line at 1:17 pm
SimF – Straight to the bird!
LR – Out to the area and a small hook to get the bird.
F – Line brought him behind the guns, then a few large loops in the open field, then he ran past the guns and on to the bird.
MR – Hunted back and left – was handled to the bird with two very quick whistles.
Isaac and Torq came to the line at 1:06 pm
SimF – Torq easily recovers this bird.
LR – Ended up at the timbers – took a right and then he had his bird.
F – Big splash into the water and through it for a nice job on his flyer.
MR – He began to fade left on his line out and was handled to this bird.
Johnny and Flex came to the line at 12:54 pm
SimF – Straight to the bird!
F – Curved in to get his bird.
LR – Line was behind the flyer guns and left of the retired shore bird. Several large loops in the field and outside the arc – then he moved on past the guns and found his bird!
MR – Hunted deep, but was handled to the bird with several whistles.
Craig and Madduxx came to the line at 12:42 pm
SimF – A big Splash and then he headed back with his bird.
LR – Very nice mark.
F – Great line and right to the bird!
MR – Another great mark!
Danny and Willow came to the line at 12:30 pm
SimF – Straight to the bird
LR – One loop to the bird!
F – Some large loops in the area and then on to the bird.
MR – Handled before she reached the water and then more whistles to get to the bird.
Hunter and Rysk came to the line at 12:19 pm
SimF – Excellent!
LR – Out to the holding blind – circled around to the bird and got it!
MR – Went out wide right but adjusted and came out of the pond at the blind – a quick left and he had his bird.
F – Very nice line to the fall area and he quickly got it!
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Mark and Limit came to the line at 12:08 pm and had a No-Bird on the flyer
They will come back after 5 dogs
Tim and Hex came to the line at 11:56 am
SimF – Smack!
LR – Went back to the left and hunted the area tight – moved right and to the bird.
MR – Excellent line across the field to the pond – in and then he came out just right of the bird – 2 loops deep, back to the shore and then onto the bird!
F – Straight to the fall area and his bird.
Marcy and Tavi came to the line at 11:45 am
SimF – Quick recovery of her bird.
LR – One loop deep and in left of the bird – got it!
F – Nice line – a big splash through the pond – a couple passes in the area and she had her bird.
MR – Her line going out to the area was wide and left – she crossed the water and needed to be handled to the bird.
Lauren and Ryan came to the line at 11:33 am
SimF – Smack!
LR – Came in on the left side and went a little deep but a quick turn put her right on her bird!
F – Nice line – 1 big loop in the fall area and she quickly had her bird.
MR – Got out right of the blind – had a turn deep right – came back to the blind and then she was out to her bird.
Craig and Buzz came to the line at 11:21 am
SimF – Good start grabbing his birds!
F – Came out into the area of the fall from the timber – out near the fall and he located his bird.
LR – Nice Bird.
MR – A few extra shakes to shed the pond water and Buzz was off for his last bird ... but he had to be handled and then eventually picked up.
Rob and Rain came to the line at 11:08 am
SimF – Straight to it!
F – Close to the Left Retired and kept going – out to the fall area of the flyer – made a loop – recovered and she got it.
LR – Wide left by the mound and got very deep – worked his way around deep of the blind – came in closer and she got it!
MR – Headed left – handler made several casts to get her into the water and she got it.
Jim and Slam came to the line at 10:56 am
SimF – No trouble scooping up this bird!
LR – A big splash! and he was through the water – a tight hunt in the area of the fall to pull out his bird!
F – Very nice line to his flyer.
MR – Straight to the bird!
Dedication, leadership, commitment, integrity, humor, mentoring, and the love of the field trial sport only describes part of Dennis Bath’s involvement and why the 2022 National Open Championship is dedicated to Dennis Bath.
His son, David, writes, “My dad bought his first lab in 1967 for hunting from Tom Sorenson. Shortly thereafter he went to a field trial in Wentzville (MO) and decided he would like to participate. Figuring he was an amateur, he entered the Amateur Stake. He was quickly eliminated before the birds were shot. Promptly he acquired a rule book to find out how to master this game. I think he is still trying. He is also constantly trying to improve this sport and the dogs he truly loves”.
Dennis has given the sport a great deal of his life … Many years ago Dennis was instrumental in initiating the Purina Outstanding Field Trial Retriever Award. In 1997, the Outstanding Amateur Award was added and Dennis is still a charter member of the committee.
Dennis has held every office in the National Open Retriever Club, including President for two terms and secretary-treasurer for six years. He was his time zones Gun Captain for both the NRC and NARC for many, many years and the Corporate Liaison for both National Clubs. He has judged over 125 All-Age Stakes, including three Nationals: two National Opens and one National Amateur. Locally, he was President (and worker) of the River King Retriever Club in Illinois for 40+ years.
Dennis has owned and competed with many Labrador retrievers, but we all will remember his greatest accomplishment in winning back-to-back National Amateur Championships with Lawhorn’s Cadillac Mack in 1979 and 1980. (Note that the 1979 and 1980 National Amateurs were the first two National Amateurs Dennis had ever run!) “Mack” accumulated 218 All-Age points and was inducted into the Retriever Hall of Fame in 1993.
In 2002 he became President and Editor-In-Chief of Retriever Field Trial News and was a Retriever News Board member until 2022.
Dennis was inducted into the Retriever Hall of Fame in Grand Junction, TN in 2000.
With this in mind, we believe our friend and fellow sportsman, Dennis Bath, is deserving of this recognition.
2022 NRC President Mitch Patterson wrote, “I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this dedication and I’m proud to call Dennis my mentor, and friend.”
Dennis came to the trial grounds and the Workers' Party on Tuesday, November 15th. It was great to see him!!
Malcolm and Poncho came to the line at 10:43 am
SimF – Straight to the bird.
F – Stayed on a nice line – came in just right – made a quick turn and grabbed his bird.
LR – Way left, came in around the blind – popped – re-established his hunt and he got it.
MR – Wide right going out toward the flyer guns – had to handle back to the blind, then to the bird.
Dave and Kai came to the line at 10:29 am
SimF – Nice recovery of this bird.
LR – Out to the area, worked it out with a few tight loops.
F – Very nice line and a quick recovery of the flyer.
MR – Terrific line arriving at the shoreline just right of the bird – she pulled right and hunted right of the gunners – and then made her way over to the bird.
Amie and Floyd came to the line at 10:14 am
SimF – Nice line!
LR – Headed towards the blind – circled and came in towards his bird from the right and got it!
F – Went out by the Middle Retired area and kept going – had a large set of loops left and right between the flyer and middle retired birds – but he decided to go left for the flyer!
MR – He entered the pond heading right and away from the bird – got out and hunted wide right – came back towards the blind – passed a few times and he worked it out to get his bird.
Tim and Jenny came back to the line at 10:00 am
SimF – Nicely done!
LR – Good line – through the water and stayed tight to the area until she could pull out her bird.
MR – She hit the area right of the gunners – made a loop in the field and moved left to her bird. Smart.
F – Headed straight to the area! A splash into the water and she was on her way – a tight hunt in the area of the fall – and then she stopped – shook off the excess pond water and reached down to grab her bird! Very Classy!
Rob and Rain came to the line at 9:57 am and had a No-Bird on the Middle Retired (it didn't make it into the water)
They will come back after 5 dogs
Danny and Colt came to the line at 9:45 am
SimF – Quick recovery of this bird.
LR – Nice line – a big water slitting entry into the pond as he jumped in the water on-line to his bird!
MR – Couple of shakes to shed off some of the water and he was ready for his next bird! He went out angling across to the water – came in behind the gunners and launched himself off the point and into the water! He swam across and stayed on the shoreline to grab his bird!
F – Another big splash into the water! Out again and right up to his bird. Very well done!
Hunter and King came to the line at 9:23 am
SimF – Straight to the bird
LR – Slightly left line and he made a slight curve in to the bird.
F – Line took him under the arc, curved left and then straight to his bird!
MR – Line brought him under the arc – made a couple of short loops past the retired guns and then came back in for his bird.
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Alex and Duke came to the line at 9:15 am
SimF – Straight to it!
F – Straight to the flyer!
MR – Went down to the pond and then down the right shoreline – went back and forth on the shore – did not want to re-enter the cold water – Dog was picked up
Jerry and Max came to the line at 9:08 am
SimF – Straight to his bird!
F – Dog went in to get the left retired bird and established a hunt in that area, then ran towards the flyer and grabbed the flyer bird instead ...
Dog was dismissed by the Judges
Craig and Rayna came to the line at 8:51 am
SimF – Straight to the bird!
LR – One loop under the arc and to the bird!
F – Line brought her out to behind the flyer guns and the middle of the field – she made several large loops in the open field behind the flyer guns and then made more loops in front of he guns before finding her bird.
MR – Went across the water – far right into the field – was handled to the bird.
Alan and Google came to the line at 8:39 am
SimF – Straight to the bird!
LR – Lined into the woods to the blind and back out to the bird! Nice.
MR – Lined out across the field into the pond aimed at the back the flyer guns. Circled deep right of the gunners – worked his way left then right then way right – working closer to the Middle Retired – and he got it!
F – Out and into the pond, came out and ran right to the fall area and his bird!
Jason and Lethal came to the line at 8:27 am
SimF – Straight to the bird!
LR – Line took him under the arc – curved straight into the bird!
F – Out across the pond and came out well behind the flyer guns – a couple large loops behind before hunting the other side – a few more loops and he was at the bird.
MR – Lined to the bird nicely – but he kept going! – A quick whistle brought him back and he needed to continue to handle to the bird.
Kenny and Jammer came to the line at 8:15 am
SimF – Straight to the pond and to his bird!
LR – Took a line straight to the fall area of the bird – looped around and had a turn in the trees – back to the fall area and his bird. Very nice mark.
MR – Line out to the Middle Retired – into the pond and back out for 1 turn by the blind – quickly back around to his bird.
F – Took a good line out and entered the pond – out to the area under the arc and he was on his bird!
