Monday, March 27, 2006
by Bonnie Hidalgo

1A) Belle's Beau Max (Brittany Male) Owned by Gary C. Nelson; handled by David King.
1B) Dietz's Sasha Nogoodnick (Weimaraner female) Owned by Pam Dietz; handled by Scott Beyer.

Max hunted the cover independently at pleasant gun dog range.  Sasha ran her edges in communication with her handler.  Each had clean bird work; pointed with intensity and a successful retrieve.

2A)Longpoint CK Dulin (Vizsla male) Eric Barry owner; Bob Seelye handler.
2B)FC Gambles Odyssey Fritz (GSP male) Richard Hopkins owner; Ray Dohse handler.

Dulin ran a forward gun dog race with a clean bird work.  Fritz was less co-operative in handling and went with out game contact.

3A) Saybrook's Shooting Star (GSP female) Hunter Shelley owner; Mike Mullineaux        
       handler.
3B) DC/FC Upn'Adams Florens Louis, CD SH (GSP male) Katrine & Thomas Tazza,
       owners; Katie Tazza, handler.

The former was up early.  Louie had birds cleanly handled on course.  He was called back to retrieve but broke on shot.

4A) FC/AFC Semper FI Colonels Pride (Vizsla male) Dave Pomfret owner and handler.
4B) Three Oaks Drumm'n Up Riraff (GSP female) Peter Nichola owner, Scott Beyer              
        handler.

This was the first brace after lunch; it turned loose at 1:30 pm.  They hunted the cover adequately.

5A) DC/AFC Upn'Adams Super Sioux (GSP female) Tom & Katie Tazza owners; Katie
        Tazza handler.
5B) FC/AFC Trace's Silver Twist (GSP male) Bob Erbe & Doreen Fernandez owners;
       Bob Erbe handler.

Sioux hunted smartly and scored for nice finds.  She had no opportunity to retrieve on course. She eventually got to retrieve in a call back and handled it well.  Hook ran a nice race with two quality finds.  He completed his retrieve on his first bird.

6A) FC Thundervalleys Rugerheim M (GSP female) Fred Lowry owner and handler
6B) DC/AFC Barben's Martini With A Twist, JH.(Vizsla female)  Wayne & Trish James owners, Ray Dohse handler.

The Vizsla pointed nicely but bumped a bird on relocation and was up.  The Shorthair handled birds well on two occasions but bumped a chukar right after having a find late in the brace

7A) FC/AFC Palm Glades White Litnen (GSP male) Dave Walker owner and handler.
7B)  FC/AFC B. Dock Beacon, MH (GSP male) Bill & Susan Felins owners, Bob Felins
            handler.

Dock had a clean find with a good retrieve on course.  He handled responsively.
Lite hunted the course and moved attractively. 

8A) Bitteroot Semper Fi Cutter ( Vizsla male) Clint Sails owner and handler.
8B) FC Aztecs Midnite Shift (Weim. male) Tim Carwile & Mike & Pat Bailey owners,

Midnite Shift had a non-productive at 6.  He made some good moves but got into trouble and was picked up early.  Cutter did a nice job of hunting the course.  He pointed his game staunchly.  His retrieve was successfully completed on course.

9A) Cliffside's Bella Cacciatora (Vizsla female) Joel & Ciara Whidden owners;
            Bob Seelye handler.
9B) Riraff's Titus Andronicus ( GSP male) Peter Nichola, owner; Scott Beyer
            Handler.

Bella scored hunted well.  She had two good finds and completed her retrieve on course.  Titus ran attractively and pointed his birds with class.  His retrieve was completed nicely on course but soon after that he failed to back and was picked up.            

Monday's running of the first nine braces of the Gun dog Retrieving Championship were followed by a cocktail party and dinner compliments of the American Kennel Club.  It was a well attended affair.  A slide show of professional photographs taken by Steve for The Gazette was the highlight of the evening.  It was announced that the running would resume at 8 am on Tuesday.

Click on image for caption and larger view.