Open first series

Friday the 13th began in Greensboro, AL, with temperatures in the mid forties and drizzling rain. Open judges Danny Widner and Stan Chiras set up a challenging quad with three guns retiring. Dogs and handlers running early had a variety of problems with the marks. Most dogs split the difference between the two shorter retired birds or got lost on the way to the long bird. Some early handlers secondary selected off the flyer and picked up the #3 gun before it retired sucessfully. This bird seemed to be the hardest bird to pick up clean through out the day. Winds varied during the day and temperatures were in the mid-fifties. The work varied with no obvious factor contributing, but there were some very good jobs and many pick ups and handles. The Open ended at 6:50 p.m. on dog #33. The series will finish in the morning with no preliminary call backs.

Qualifying dogs and handlers began the day with a triple marked retrieve followed by a land blind. Most dogs and handlers completed this series successfully with various work. As the day progressed the water blind began as a nice blind, but with building north winds became a blind for the most bold hearted young Qual dog. Only 12 dogs remained after the end of the day to survive to the last series which will begin on Saturday morning. Forecasted weather doesn’t look very good with a 100% chance of rain. A day for only the most hearty dogs and handlers!! Qual callbacks are as follows: 1, 2, 7, 8, 12, 15, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, and 29.

Overnight the rain set in and Saturday was a day to stay indoors, however, the Mobile Field trial club and judges pressed on! Qualifying judges Mark Ingram and Frank Jones declared Bobby Lane’s “Ali” the winner for the second week in a row at the Cattle Ranch. Qual results are as follows:

• 1st Place – “Lanes Lets Get Ready to Rumble” owned by Bobby Lane and handled by Charlie Moody
• 2nd Place – “Oh Boy” owned by Kathleen Folsom and handled by Dave Smith
• 3rd Place – “Spring Creek’s Carya” owned by Tommy Fairchild and handled by Carter Hughes
• 4th Place – “Brew of St. James Gate” owned by Thomas Roberts and handled by Mark Smith
• RJ – “Mjolnir’s Dana of Long Point” owned by Vera Aherne and handled by Dan DeVos
• Jams: Dan DeVos and Onyx, Chris Ledford and Louie, Dennis Ebner and Teddy, John Goettle and Pete

The Open finished their land marks around 10:00 a.m. with these callbacks to the blinds:  1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 30, 31, 34, 39, 41, 43, 44, 46, 50, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 60, 61, 63, 65, 67, 68, and 70. A total of 37 dogs. The judges then set up a double land/water, land/water blind with the long blind run first past the short blind.   There were many dogs to wind the short blind and pick it up first which reduced the field from 37 to 15 quickly. The following dogs will have the opportunity to try their luck at the marks in the last series: 11, 12, 18, 22, 23, 30, 31, 41, 50, 54, 55, 56, 60, 68, and 70.

Amateur land marks

Amateur judges Bobby Smith and Eric Gawthorpe, replacing Dick Kaiser, set up a triple on a tree line which challlenged most dogs in the field. The triple was thrown starting on the left with that gun retiring, and then the right gun throwing and later retiring also. The flyer guns were set in the middle as last bird down and became a magnet for many dogs attempting to pick up the retired birds. There were a few nice jobs with most dogs having hunts on one retired bird or the other and usually both. Callbacks are: 3, 5, 6, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 31, 32, 36, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 48, and 49.

Derby judges Rita Jones and Chad Wilson had a trying day with many talented dogs and will finish their 4th series on Sunday. Derby results from Sunday are:

• 1st Place – “CK’s Lone Star” owned and handled by Jeffrey Adams
• 2nd Place – “Oh Liz, Just Charge It” owned and handled by Ken Wood
• 3rd Place – “Soggy Bottom’s Braveheart” owned by Mark Sehon and Timmy Juneau and handled by Timmy
• 4th Place – “Oakridgetvr What’s Her Name” owned and handled by Lorraine Hare
• RJ – “Ford’s Lone Star Charlie” owned and handled by Sam Milton
• Jams: Dennis Bath and Moon, Dan DeVos and Savvy, Rod Pfaff and Penny, Lorne Langevin and Woody

 25 Amateur competitors made their attemps at a double blind with dry pop. The first blind is run to the left of the gun station. The second blind was run to the right of the gun and past the first point, on the second point and up the hill. Many were lost on the left blind and not invited to the water blind. Only 10 dog and handler teams were invited back to the final series. They were: 12, 19, 20, 23, 31, 32, 36, 40, 42, and 49.

 Open judges set up a triple with two retired birds and a short stand-up flyer station almost 30 yards from the honor dog. The flyer is sluiced on the water in addition, but so far none lost to breaking as most dogs are on lead at the honor station. There have been big hunts on the left retired bird, and most dogs are having trouble remembering the right retired station. There have been a few successful jobs, but most are including big hunts.

FC Shadow's Sweet Something

Open winner is “Sugar” owned by Keith Dutton. This win gives “Sugar” her FC title!!

Amateur placements:

• 1st Place – “Minare Risque of Buckshot” owned and handled by Brad Bowyer
• 2nd Place – “Vinwood’s Merle Haggard” owned and handled by Charlie Hayes
• 3rd Place – “NAFC FC Hawkeye’s Coast Guard” owned by Jeff Talley and Bill Hillmann and handled by Jeff Talley
• 4th Place – “KPR’s Wet Willie” owned and handled by Jim Pickering
• RJ – “Stackbarrel’s Tin Lizzie” owned and handled by Dink Samuel
• Jams: Len Rentel and Tank, John Goettle and Ozzie