Event Coverage

Thursday, March 26, 2009 – Danville, Virginia
Non Retrieving Stake - Day 6

As promised I am going to begin this report with the conclusion of Day 5. I am sorry for any inconvenience this might have caused.

Brace 32) FC AFC Palm Glades Minnie "The Mouse" GSP, handler Dave Walker
Diamond Reo "Beau" Brittany, handler Hans Borgman
Mouse was not on the same page as we were. She took a wrong turn early and was not returned in a timely manner. Beau ran a nice gun dog race. He used the wind and cover well. His score card showed a non productive, a feather find, and two good, well mannered finds. The first in the corn field coming out of the river bottom area, the second along the long corn field, near the end of the thirty minute course. He stood his game proudly and was very well mannered for the flush and shot. Beau would finish the hour.

Brace 33) PBF Ammo's Hello Dolly "Dolly" Brittany, handler Sandra Leavens
Barbel Fair Balance "Bear" Pointer, handler Jim Heckert
Dolly is animated dog. Her gait is eye catching. She would fall victim to a continuing bad luck run when at twelve minutes, as she was working an old fence line, she pointed. Unsure, she moved up and the bird flushed. Bear is a classy running dog who covers the ground with a long smooth action. He would also add to the continuation of the bad karma. He recorded a non productive in the far west end of the course. A second non productive in the river bottom had his handler asking if he could pick up his charge. Bear is a pleasure to watch relocate. When released, he is quick to go and completely guided by his nose, he was not looking for covers that a released bird might be but letting his nose tell him the way.

Brace 34) Loknlode Elhew Red Rover "Red" Pointer, handler Ray Dohse
FC DW's Sally's Hilted Affair "Belle" GSP, handler Dave Walker
Both dogs were quickly to the front. As we entered the second field Red was found standing by his scout. Despite a relocation, no birds were produced. In the mean time Belle was working up the old fence line, in the next field. As she reached the end of the line she pointed with intensity, saying here it is. Red came in and backed this stand. Belle's bird, when flushed, went back over her head causing her to take that step too much. Red was sent forward and at 23 established point on the edge of the far west corn field. He looked solid and sure but no game was produced. His handler asked if he could take him up.

Brace 35) DC Fieldfire's High Octane SH "Octane" Vizsla, handler Bob Seelye
Star's Gambling Bandit "Bandit" Brittany, handler Ben Lorenson
Octane started the action with a solid find in the left corner of the second field. He showed off his good style and training. At fourteen minutes he recorded a good back and then another find at forty minutes going into the long corn field. He ran well, finishing the hour much the same as he had started. Bandit had a find at fourteen minutes. He is an attractive dog on his game. After this, the wheels came off and he was lost to judgment.

Day six had us all expecting rain but we were surprised at what the dawn gave us. Heavy fog had the course covered. The committee and judges delayed the start of the day's running waiting for the fog to lift. We were able to get three braces in the morning before the fog rolled back in delaying the start of the afternoon braces for a number of hours. The fog lifted mid-afternoon and a light rain set in. There was very little if any breeze to assist in moving the fog and the temperature was to top out at around fifty degrees.

Brace 36) FC AFC Palm Glades Shamless Sally "Sally" GSP handler Dave Walker
Trueblu's Leather and Lace "Lacy" GSP, handler Jamie Fountain
After a two hour fog delay these dogs were off to a fast start. Lacy became another victim of the non productives. She was doing a good job on the ground but carded NP's at fourteen and thirty-two minutes that had her handler asking to pick up. Sally was putting on a show of bird finding. She applied herself well and the results were three nice finds. She is very well mannered with style that catches your eye. She also demonstrated her willingness to back her brace mate, which she did with high style. Her scorecard was padded with a good stop to flush. It seemed that she was going to break the string of hard luck that had been hanging over the dogs for the last few days when at fifty nine minutes she decided to exercise one of the birds, causing disappointment to everyone.

Brace 37) FC Up N' Adams Point U.P. "Chuck" GSP, handler Matthew Basilone
Eshod's Revolution "Mason" GSP, handler Ray Dohse
This brace featured two dogs that were quite fast on the ground. Chuck broke the ice with a find in the trees to the left at seven minutes. Mason would back his brace mate at this juncture. This find would require a relocation which Chuck did to satisfaction. It was not to be his day when he missed an opportunity to back his brace mate at eighteen minutes. Mason would card a back, two good finds where his God given style and man given good training was evident to all. He was doing a good job of covering the course while staying in touch with his handler. At twenty-one minutes he would be credited with a non productive in the river bottom. Shortly after this he gave is the slip and was not returned to judgment.

Brace 38) Eshod's Arkansas Lady "Lady" GSP, handler Ray Dohse
Barben's Absolutely Positive "Stoli" Vizsla, handler Jamie Fountain
This was not to be Stoli's day. He recorded a good back at twenty-five minutes but by forty-five minutes his handler felt his charge was not challenging the leaders and asked to pick up. Lady seemed to be on a mission. She recorded finds at four minutes, sixteen minutes and thirty minutes. She would be credited with a NP at twenty five minutes. It seemed that the bad luck day was about to change when at forty minutes she got relieved of her duties after a bobble during a relocation.

Brace 39) Star's Dixie Pearl "Pearl" Brittany, handler Ben Lorenson
FC AFC Top Gun Good Time Charlie "Charlie" GSP, handler Bill Monk
Charlie's' effort was short lived. He was moving well but would record only a non productive at ten minutes before retrieving a live bird at fifteen minutes. Pearl was doing a creditable job, hunting hard and running to the right places. He backed his brace mate at ten minutes with good style. He had two good finds of his own the second of which he was observed by the judges deep in cover standing proudly. He displayed his good manners on both of these finds. By forty-five minutes the muddy conditions began to take it's toll and shortly after his handler threw in the towel.

Brace 40) Waterproof "Nicki" English Setter, handler Jim Heckert
Milomix Roy "Roy" Gordon Setter, handler James D'Amico
This fine pair of setters put on a display both on the ground and on their game. At tem minutes Roy pointed with notable style off to the left side of the third field with positive results. Nikki would honor this find with high style. Just minutes later point was called for both dogs. Roy had a dead bird pointed. Nikki was standing far to the left, sown a cut path through the pines and cedar trees. This would be a non productive as the relocation was for naught. Nikki had a good find at twenty-five minutes where his style on game was first class. Unfortunately she had trouble with a running bird and was done for the day. Roy continued his forward, hard hunting style. He was displaying good application and the courage to complete the casts he took. He would have a very well mannered find on a woodcock at forty-two minutes. Going along the edge of the long corn field he would have a non productive. He finished his hour strongly casting along the edge of the long corn field.