Who's going to Memphis?

[Marty N.]

I am thinking about them but two of the big dogs will be in a rice field or a timber hole. I know one will be in Nebraska chasing Phesants, if things work out I wll be the guy walking to the right of the owner killing all his Phesants.

I am just going to mark this fall as a lost cause and start thnking about North winds low sky's and big fat Mallards.

Good Luck you guys, "Hit it Hard"
Marty

[Frank B]

I will be working the line at the Open.
I have a real late number in the AM on Saturday.

Frank

[trooper]

Is Dan going to be there? Good luck and have fun!

Glenda

[goosebruce]

dans going to be there, but probably not till friday afternoon late. I was hoping theyd be here early nuff I could maybe meet them before I headed to arkieland. travis

[Damn_It_Boy]

Check out these big dogs and trainers running Friday.......Just posting a few to save space....

Handler
1 FC Day's End Above The Law Larry Clement Mark Smith
2 FC Butch's Dream Code of TCR Butch Statham Charlie Moody Jr.
5 NFC FC AFC Five Star General Patton Debra Bredeson Mike Lardy
9 Ford's Buzzin Thru The Brake Ken Wood Charlie Moody
11 FC AFC Wild Wings Hurricane Storm Jimmie Darnell Jimmie Darnell
18 Nick of Time Wild Wind Dusty Charlie Hines Mike Lardy
19 Utopian Slam Dunk Diane Green Tellus Calhoun
27 FC Badger State Ram Kicker Judy & Jim Powers Mike Lardy
28 FC/AFC Marsh Prairie Quick Pick Joe and Tal Broyles Mark Smith
32 FC It's In The Bank Ron & Donna Jackson Joe Harp
33 Boss's Lady Liberty Chris Christopher Chris Christopher
37 FC/AFC Candlewood's Ruffian Joan Fine Mike Lardy
38 FC Gemstone's " The Raven" Gwen Jones Gwen Jones/Charlie Moody
39 AFC CJ's Mister T Fred Kampo Fred Kampo
40 FC Bounce by Bingo Kurt Turner Scott Dewey
42 AFC Black Horse JJ's Dyna-MO Susan Krechel Susan Krechel
50 Tequila Rose VII Juliann and William C Benson Mike Lardy
53 Ford's Black Magic To Go John Mathis Charlie Moody
55 Castlebay's Flying Filcher Henry McNeil Tellus Calhoun
62 Moody's Medicine Man Sherwin Scott Mike Lardy
63 AFC Riparian Gone With The Wind Paul & Martha Blank Martha Blank
64 AFC PineAcres Ebonstar China Doll Jimmie Darnell Jimmie Darnell
69 AFC Days End Maple Creek Sugar Erik Gawthorpe Jim Darnell
70 AFC Coolwater's Makin' Trax Alexandra Washburn-Weidlein Alex Washburn
72 TNT's Det-A-Nator Jeffrey Schuett Mike Lardy
77 FC Howdy's Charming Pippa John Skibber Scott Dewey
82 FTCH-AFTCH Seasides One To Many Sherwin Scott Mike Lardy
85 Gray Dawn's Out Of The Blue Mark Medford Tellus Calhoun
88 FC Bayou Teche Tex Larry Clement Mark Smith
92 FC AFC Black Horse's Cancun Condo Susan Krechel Susan Krechel
95 Hidden Bay Muchos Brios Wendy Bicknell Mike Lardy
97 FC AFC Weezer Retreezer Robert Johnson Bob Johnson
99 AFC Coolwater's Ready To Go Alexandra Washburn-Weidlein Alex Washburn

[Damn_It_Boy]

Spent about 5 hours their watching Derby and Open. I wasn't very impressed with the overall quality of dogs.

[B3]

I spent a few hours watching and was very impressed that the open was very difficult. Not that long but extremely tight quad with an out of order flyer and 3 retired birds. Saw some nice jobs but nobody I saw front footed all the birds. Any dog that did that test impressed me.

What about the dogs was unimpressive?

Bill

[Damn_It_Boy]

I dunno. Probably just the game. I enjoyed watching SRS a whole lot more and some hunt tests.

I think it was the thought that the dogs are supposed to be so much better than hunt test dogs, and I found that not to be true.

Yea, the open test was tough. No doubt. The second series of the derby (ran right after the first series marks) was tough.

The dogs just didn't live up to my expectations. One of Lardy's dogs (Nafc, afc) totally fugged up the test. Roped him.

I guess I was expecting more? Not sure.

[Boomerrang]

Damn It Boy:
You should talk to ole Tellus Calhoun and get his take on FT difficulty. Hunt test extrordanaire and top SRS contender didnt have a pleasant day at the open. You should have hung around for the last two series of the derby. Heck the last one was just a little ole single about 175 yds down a shore line that the dogs had to swim about 10 yds from the bank all the way down then up the bank another 30yds to the bird. You know, just typical HT stuff.

Man that would be great for you to walk up to the Open, Am or Q with an HRCH and just front foot every bird. Just show those FT'ers whose really got the best dogs. I have no idea why these idiots(including myself) are paying $$$$$$$$ for top FT bred dogs when they could get HT pups at a fraction of the cost.

Go figure

[B3]

Keep in mind that those tests are not there to showcase the dogs and make them look good. With a 100 dog open the worst thing that could happen to the judges would be to have the dogs hammer it. If they did they would likely scrap the test. There are so many things difficult about that open series. Its not that long with the long birds being 200-250 yds but the dogs lose sight of where they're going about 40 yds from the line after they come down the rise and hit the cover. The long marks would maybe have been easier if they'd been longer as the dogs naturally wanted to drive to the hillside in the background on the long retired marks. Don't think the judges didn't know that when they set it up. Its not about just distance, its about putting the birds where the dogs wouldn't naturally go.

You might have noticed the handlers trying all sorts of selection technique to beat the test. Primary, secondary and no selection and they still had trouble.

Bill

[Damn_It_Boy]

In no way was I knocking FT's. I went to watch because I'm considering running Derby in the spring.

My point was strictly that regardless of how tough the test were, I was (my person feelings here) dissapointed in the quality of work I saw.

I did watch the 3rd water series of the Derby. Some HRCH's would have had a tough time with that double. Very technical. Problem is, I only saw one dog smack that setup in the time I was watching. The majority did not take off on good lines going to the 2nd bird, and ended up running the bank back to it. The bird was in easy view from the handlers location laying right out on the bank.

Tellus had a tough day, and as I understand, so did Lardy's dogs. Where was Mike? Who was that running his dogs?

The quad in the Open was an awesome setup. The flyer even made a few dogs break. Those were some tight marks. But hey, aren't these suppose to be the best dogs in the country?? Maybe my view was skewed because of the toughness of the tests?

Oh, and I bought a pup from a GHRCH because I plan on duck hunting with him. Some of the little bitty dogs I saw running yesterday wouldn't make it through a tough hunt (ie: ice, timber trash), and surely not through a tough season of duck hunting.

Just my thoughts. I'm not saying I'm right, just saying.

[Damn_It_Boy]

Bill, I must have been posting while you were.

Maybe my ignorance is from not having a better understanding of the game? But, that's exactly why I went and watched. I wish someone had been with me that could have explained the concepts of each mark on that open setup. ie: suction, ect....

Maybe high just went into it with higher expectations than normal. I surely didn't expect to see that many dogs fugg up a test like that. In both the open and the derby. I know the derby lost right at 1/2 the field going into the 3rd series. Not sure on the open as I doubt they got through yesterday. I left on dog 86, and it was about 4:30 with piss poor light.

[flyntwt]

I like this conversation. I didnt get to go, but the differences in the two arenas is cool. Oh, and was Lardy not there?

[BamaK9]

IF they were "@#$%#" it up that bad....there was a reason. Like somebody said earlier, with a 100+ dog open, I can guarantee that they threw everything but the sink at them 'factor-wise' in the first. I'd be willing to bet that you didn't understand the concepts that were involved with the particular setup that was eatin em up. (not a knock on you biggun, I just know that you're just gettin started and FT's ar definitely a different game than HT, nuthin wrong with that)

Generally there is going to be one or 2 birds in a setup like that which is gonna give them all problems....which is by design. They have to separate the dogs and get rid of a chunk of dogs to make it through the trial by the end of the weekend. If they were all smackin it, it would take them a week to run the trial because it takes almost a day and a half to run 100+ dogs on one land series....gotta thin the herd.

I don't know who runs LArdy's dogs for him now, used to be Dave Smith but he left and it could be Ray Voigt? Troy would be the one to ask.

I wouldn't count out those 'itty bitty' dogs for hunting at all, if they can dig out a retired bird in a 375yd water mark...they've got the balls to climb over a log or 10. Kip Kemp might argue with ya about whether or not his little AFC bitch 'Minnie' can hang out in the field. I dont know if she's 50 lbs or not, but if she is...49 of it is heart and guts and he hunts the he!! out of her I believe in good ol MS.

[Damn_It_Boy]

How the hell is a 49* dog gonna bust ice?