Grand Reports...........

[chance]

The clapping and cheering at Gunners Up! was a trip. Never could explain it, you would have to have been there.
To give you guys some idea of how it goes:
Bitch check and line up at 6:00AM in Lowes parking lot. Leave at 7:00AM to site. Sit all day to run. Chipper and I ran at 8:00PM on the first day. Same routine on Sunday except that we did not get to run that day. Waited till 2:00PM to run the Purina water test on Monday. Callbacks and hurry to Gunners Up to run it at 7:45PM on the same day we ran Purina. Same routine Tuesday morning to run Avery water. Got to the line around 11:30AM.
I agree with Jonathan, the Purina water test will be talked about for a long time. The blind was about 70 yds. The line to the blind had numerous logs that your dog had to go over. When you dog came over the logs, it usually wobbled and came off swimming on a line that caused you to handle. Numerous open trails that enticed your dog to swim in the wrong direction and get out of site. Towards the end of the blind was a choice to go left or right. The path to the right was the easier looking path. Wrong! The next cast put your dog out of site and you just had to hope he came site where you needed him. Extremely tough blind. Travis came off with Juice and said anyone who passed that blind should be exempt from running any other water blinds. Problem with Purina was the safety factor. Mutiple logs in the way of every mark also. Right mark was picked up with dog out of site. The last dog to run in our flight broke a bone in its foot on the blind. I don't believe that we will ever see another test in that kind of conditions.
Both land series were very straight forward tests. Big marks with distractions to cause dogs to carry lines that took them away from the fall areas. The middle bird on Gunners Up was a prime example. A mowed path was tempting for nearly every dog I watched. A beneficial wind saved a handle for most of the dogs. The blind on Gunners Up was challenging for some unknown reason. A downhill slide by your dog and most had difficulty getting a good clean left hand back.
Tony and Daisy did line the Tritronics blind. Great job.
Avery was an interesting test. A pair of pinched marks that would give some dogs issues to figure out the middle bird. The area of the fall is muddled on the second bird picked up on pinched marks. A strategically placed bushy limb caused the difficulty for Chipper on the right mark. She has always swam around this type on problem and came back around on line. This time she chose to swim through it on an incredible straight line. The limb sank as she climbed over it and she swung to the left. She came out on the bank way left of the bird in the drag back scent of the blind. She would not let me handle her out of it and we were asked to pick up. End of story for us.
Judgement for line manners at this Grand were extreme. The judges gave very explicit instructions in the handlers meeting concerning Grand level control while walking to and from the bucket. Creeping was marked down heavily also.
The waiting to run had one benefit. You got to know the other folks running in your flight. We would set up out EZ ups together to get out of the rain and sun. Share good things to eat. Pull for every dog to pass. It was sad to see one of your friends, old or new, to go out. At the Canada Grand, Marinda compared it to an intensive care waiting room. You wanted everyone to get through. When they did not, it left you with an empty feeling.
The Grand experience is what keeps everyone coming back. Everyone needs to go. No way to expalin ti, you just gotta be there.

[Damn_It_Boy]

Great write up!! Thanks for telling of your experience. Anyone who steps up to that line has two things........big gonads!!

[Damn_It_Boy]

Just for kicks and grins......

How did the multiple handlers fair?

Just a few............

Chris Jobman w/8 dogs - 5 are in the 5th, 1 grand dog in
Chris Akin w/8 dogs - 5 are in the 5th, 0 grand dogs
Eric Dutile w/6 dogs - 1 is in the 5th, 0 grand dogs
Barry Lyons w/8 dogs - 6 are in the 5th, 2 grand dogs in
Scott Greer w/8 dogs - 4 are in the 5th, 1 SRS champ in
Dale Johnson w/4 dogs - 2 are in the 5th, 0 grand dogs
Rody Best w/5 dogs - 3 are in the 5th, 0 grand dogs
Steve Vires w/4 dogs - 1 is in the 5th, 0 grand dogs
Ronnie Lee w/8 dogs - 3 are in the 5th, 1 grand dog in, 1 grand dog out
Chuck McCall & Jason w/9 dogs - 4 are in the 5th, 1 grand dog in, 1 grand dog out
Bill Autrey w/8 dogs - 1 is in the 5th, 1 grand dog out
Ronnie Lee w/8 dogs - 3 are in the 5th, 1 grand dog in, 1 grand dog out
Tammy Cook w/4 dogs - 1 in the 5th, no grand dogs

[mharville]

hate to hear a/b chipper going out. She's such a nice dog. Good description though. And tell marinda i got that piece of paper i've been wanting. -mitchell

[B3]

Any description of the purina water marks? Mine 2 whistled the blind but the memory birds took her out apparently.

Bill

[Duck Chaser]

sounds like cdwyer may just have a grand dog on his hands..

t-bone & daisee are next up..

abby had one flush under her or some such.., and caught one. she has to re-run. billy said she is jacked-up! she didn't need all that.. cross your fingers

damaupland

[flyntwt]

sounds awesome charles! GREAT job!


hoping this isnt a jinx,

WF

[Doc & Nash]

Steve where did youget this info and hurry up and get some more.

[muddinram2duck]

we are waiting.......

[Doc & Nash]

Just talked to Tony, anf editing the original post due to Travis not knowing what the heck transpired in the field:

Per Tony, Daisee caught the first bird, on the second he bird was running down the middle of a road, the bird picked up, Tony gave a sit whistle and she sat and watched the bird fly off. The judge instructed Tony to re-heal your dog, and Tony instead of giving Daisee a "Heal" command gave her a "toot toot" on the whistle and she took off to retrieve the bird. Per Tony handler error, plain and simple.

Regardless, Daisee had an incredible run,


Abby has caught four birds but they are going to let her re-run.

Charles has passed.

[mharville]

thats sux...for such a young dog to make it so far and then break on a flush.. Still got one hella dog their... Congrats charles

[muddinram2duck]

how old is she?

man that does suck, never know...

[CF]

I am still dumpin' cold water...or beer...on T when first chance comes......that was an awesome run!


Congrats Charles!!!!!

[Doc & Nash]

Updated previous post, with Tony's input

[Doc & Nash]

[quote="muddinram2duck"]how old is she?

man that does suck, never know...[/quote]

She will be 3 Oct 30 of this year.