West Ms Thank You

[Jay Dufour]

Yalls test was really nice,and went like clockwork.I like the way you go out of your way so every dog can see the marks.Wow, and a sense of humor too!!! It was fun.

[dinaw]

Enjoyed judging at ya'll's hunt; and with Becky Lyons! The weather just made it more ducky for the dogs Saw some really nice dogs in Seasoned considering most had just finished up with duck season with very little time to tune up for hunt tests.
Thanks for inviting me and Bo, see ya at the next test!

Dina Wrobleski

[Jay Dufour]

It was nice seeing you and Becky again.They say seasoned is hard to judge...but they way yall set it up the dogs had to fail themselves.great job.

[Meeka]

Jay, what flight were you runnin? Cause I thought we did have an issue with marks not being seen well in one flight. You not bein fececious are ya?

Bolivar, B3 is right. In the seasoned level, the blind should be AWAY from the marks. If a dog coming through training has not been exposed to a blind between marks, well . . . . it gets ugly. In Seasoned you get some dogs that are seasoned and some that are ready almost for finished. The latter can handle the between the marks blind with no problem. The real "seasoned" level dogs most haven't seen that concept yet.

Skuna, I wish I had time to have found you. Dont ever make the mistake again about stepping up and running. A pro can with no problem. I know I cant. I almost failed us by running first Sunday morning. HAd a handler error. Blind in skinny water through arc of a mark. Wind to the left towards thick cover. My dog was sucked over there hard. I gave too many angle backs. An over initially would have got him back on line and sent a message that the left area was out of bounds. I'm thinking if I had watched the test for a while and been paying attention I woulda done the blind different than I did.

2 Lessons learned. Pay attention to the test and run about 5th or on down. Second is dont run a dog if you are workin and have other things on your mind.

[skuna]

Meeka, Hate I didn't run into you. Y'all need to come to the Manor and run Southern Flight.

I like running first.....or at least toward the front......there is less scent hanging around out there to get the dog off, but I should have at least watched the test dog run.

Benjy, who will be kicking his self for a while on that one.

[Kelly]

Good job and thanks to everyone!
Kelly Scott
Red Stick Retrivers

[Kelly]

oops... Retri(e)vers

[Jay Dufour]

Yes,There was a problem with the right mark on Saturdays C test.It just happened that I ran my three when someone was winging them properly.I felt that the judges should have shut down the test until someone,,,anyone .....got that bird out where it was supposed to be.Yes ,there several dogs I saw that never swung with the gun off the long middle mark,and wouldnt have seen it anyway.I had one that did that too.There were several that saw it....but squared the ditch which threw them running at the blind,and had to be handled.With that poor mark,the ditch full of water,and the poison diversion,made that a really hard Finished test to get through.

[Meeka]

I agree Jay. Someone mentioned it to me when I got there and I tried to get the Marshall to get involved and he did . . . some. But I think the problem kept popping up. I agree with what you say.

That is the only testing issue I am aware of. You had very experienced judges, I think I see one on the Grand list, and two experienced Marshalls, one of whom has run hundreds of tests. For some reason, that flight had the only issue of that type . . . maybe it was the grounds? And, lets face it, some judges have different opinions of what a test should be like.

Looking back, a number of factors were at play. (1) The winger was set up on a downhill slope (that allowed it to be hidden a little better) so the throw arc could not be as high as if the winger was placed on the ridge of the road. (2) the mark was thrown into a 15 mph wind. I was told the wind had changed for the previous day when the test was designed. (3) We had ROTC birdthrowers in rainy, windy, 35 degree temps. (4) the line was behind the ditch. (5) the line was a muddy downslope and the turn from bird one to three was to the right and wide. I think I mighta been in mydogs way somewhat. Plus the dog had to look over the buckbrush.

All that being said, it was a very challenging test and some dogs did well. Some saw that mark. Some had better marks to see. I did not, but I asked someone and they said my dog didn't see the mark cause his head wasn't around.

I like critiqueing the test because it is fun. And I am probably getting qualified to judge soon, so I like looking at what judges and dogs do. I do this not to complain. My dog was running well, for the most part this weekend and is a hellofa marker, but we failed ourselves on that particular test.

[chance]

You slip over here to Grenada one weekend. Me and ole superx magnum gonna show ya how it is done.(yea right) Seriously, the guys in Vicksburg did a great job. Weather was cold, OK, so what. Meeka, Rick, Tom, enjoyed the hunt. Well organized and plenty of help. Satiddy nite gig was awesome. Hope I can make fall hunt with some chocolate dawgs to run.
Benji, gimme a call call. Gonna work dawgs the next several weekends.

[Zoie's Dad]

To all West Ms. Members-----We did an awesome job considering the nasty weather...
That was my first time to participate and help out with the marshaling, and I had a blast....

My Chocolate Lab, Zoie, got her first Seasoned Ribbon on Saturday---(thanks to all you members for giving me those tips to get her as far along as she has come in 1 year)...

Wish I could have been there on Sunday to help out----Nah not really, the snow skiing in Lake Tahoe waz great!!!!

See yaw soon---Thanks Jonathan for picking up my Ribbon Saturday Night