# Congratulations to all at the GRCA National Specialty Field Trial!



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

How exciting, Congratulations to them and I too hope they'll share photos.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

First series amateur land marks.
Flier on the left thrown in, middle bird retired.
Not a gimme test but really about Qual level. Many entries were not truly all age level and the judges gave all a shot at getting through the first series and having a fun day.
A friend sent this and the WB
I'll draw and post the land blind and water marks when I get home.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

This was the Am water blind.
10-15mph wind coming from 8 o'clock.
Lots of pull to the right with the wind and far shoreline. Initial entry tended to push the dog left forcing handles to the right, toward trouble.
This is a very good blind. Not long, no diversions but very challenging using just the water, wind and terrain.
14 of 29 dogs made the cut.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I think you forgot to mention the snow in Missouri in October! Quite a shock for all involved I heard!


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## Edward Lee Nelson (Jan 2, 2017)

Congrats FTGoldens with a 3rd with Shine in the AM and John and you with a 2nd with Louie in the open. Amazing Louie can get a 2nd with limited trials.


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

It's always exciting to read about and see pics of these accomplishments!


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

Alaska7133 said:


> I think you forgot to mention the snow in Missouri in October! Quite a shock for all involved I heard!


There was a nice mix of precipitation both liquid and solid. I brought some Northern Ia temperatures with me. The amateur finished with sunshine.🌞

I, and everyone that attended, appreciate the generosity of Robert Hayden. The use of his beautiful property plus the facilities and ATV's for this and three other events just this year! Thank you Mr. Hayden.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

This was the land blind for the amateur stake. Might not be exact but it is close.
This was a nice blind with quite a few factors in play, some obvious and some more subtle.
The wind from the left pushing the dogs to the right combined with the terrain sloping down the same direction. As soon as the dog stepped on the mat the judges signaled for a shot from the gunner seated right of the line about 80 yards out. A round bale blocked the dogs view of the gunner from the mat. Farther out the flier crates from the first series also pulled the dogs right. About 75 yards out, just left of the line, a large brush pile. If the dog headed left of the brush pile it would force handling to the right, not a good place to be. I think the distance was about 275yds. 
28 dogs made the cut.
Our number was first up in the rotation to run. Must have been a lucky number, Jake lined it, one whistle to stop him at the bird.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

This is the last series, water marks, in the Am. A beautiful test, perfectly placed birds and guns.
The flier obviously a little cheaty. There are also low terraces to cross in route. The money bird was the middle, short retired. You really had no choice but to send for the middle bird second. For those not familiar with this level of test, it is very hard to get a dog to check down on a short retired after picking up a long retired. In this test it was already a challenge with the long flier. The ideal path to the middle bird was the water along the edge of the point. Dogs that cut in to the point early put themselves upwind of the bird and most blew past it and came around to the long retired. Almost impossible to get them back to the middle bird after that. I don't think any that did got the middle bird without handling.
I came to the line thinking about when we had last trained on a similar indented triple, it had been a while.
Jake got the flier and I got him setup for the middle bird, gave him an "easy" q and a soft send. He took a good line then faded into the point in the last few feet. He corrected and turned left after he came out of the water but did not push across the road and ran right to the long retired. I tried to line him up and calm him down for the middle bird again but he pushed to the right of his previous line, went way deep and I picked him up.
Could have stopped him and handled for a green ribbon I suppose. Call me spoiled or arrogant, I have enough green ribbons and when you were still playing for blue it's hard to accept.
In hindsight maybe no easy q and a louder send would have pushed him the last few yards across the road?
The judges set up an outstanding series of tests and the dogs pretty much placed or eliminated themselves. 
This is also a great example of how a test does not have to be big to be good, I think every bird was under 200 yards.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Lots of different suction in that blind!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

That indented triple with the peninsula to confuse the dogs on the middle retired. Very good bird placement by the judges.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

This is the view of the water marks from the line. Middle bird thrown sharply back and left.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

And that clump of trees in front of the thrower, is real suction. Definitely great bird placement.


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

SRW, since I don't do hunt or field with Honey I don't always understand all of it but I do the best to following your posts describing the different tests. Thanks for taking the time to share them. There's nothing wrong with playing for blue (as you put it), I think we all should strive for excellence.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Congratulations to all!


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Thank you SRW for this.


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

SRW,

Indeed, thanks for posting the pics and explanations. That short retired in the 4th was perfectly placed (it was probably the best placed mark in the entire trial) ... straight downwind and the small clump of trees pushed dogs either to the right or left of the bird. But then, Bruce and Marlene are both very knowledgeable and very good judges ... they know bird placement.

In my opinion, the toughest test in the whole thing was the Open water blind! That was an amazingly hard blind, it challenged the skills of both the handlers and the dogs (and I failed it with two dogs!).

It was a good time!

FTGoldens


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

Edward Lee Nelson said:


> Congrats FTGoldens with a 3rd with Shine in the AM and John and you with a 2nd with Louie in the open. Amazing Louie can get a 2nd with limited trials.


Thanks Lee! Shine ran a very nice trial for me. And Louie ran a great trial for John despite, as you mentioned, limited trials.
FTGoldens


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Congratulations to FT and John.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

We just got back Friday night at 1:00!!!
OKAY YA'LLS IT WAS FREEEEEEEEZINGGGGGGGG IN MISSOURI HOLY CRAP!
I entered the Qual and Am with Bally.
First series was very difficult for seemingly everyone, and Bally did TERRIBLE
He didn't see the long flier go bird (how convenient for him...), and when I pointed him at the shorter middle bird, he took off instead for the longer left hand bird, backsided it by a mile, then winded the middle bird, ran and got it. I sent him for the left bird again, he went WAY left, ended up behind it, and winded IT from a mile away. I sent him on BACK for the flier, he took a few casts to get there. I thought for sure we were toast, asked the judges if we should do the blind (the land blind was run immediately after completion of the triple), they both said YES, PLEASE! So in typically fashion Bally cakewalked the blind, carrying the last cast about 150 yards directly to the bird. I felt awful, it's like everything that could go wrong on the triple, did. Yuck!!!!
By some incredible stroke of luck (or clerical error), they called him back for the water blind! 20 of 45 dogs were called back. Yikes.
The water blind started first thing Wednesday morning, and good thing Bally isn't used to cold weather because he had no idea how cold that water was gonna be when it hit his balls, so he had zero hesitation on the water blind, and completed it in about three casts, including a final cast in the water that put him directly in line, and he needed no more casts up and out of the water 50 yards or so. I was happy about that! Can we just run blinds the rest of the time??? 16 of 20 dogs called to the last series.

The fourth series was a water triple, two easy short birds and a long memory bird with multiple re-entries! I knew Bally would freakin hate that mark. He barely even watched it fall LOL
I knew he needed not just clean but good on this series because he hadn't actually marked a dadgum thing in the first series and we already had a handle.
The go-bird was just a short splash, no issue there. Second bird was a short swim then a run up the hill. Bally stepped on it. Last long bird, I had to really work him to get him to settle in and focus before I sent him. He was being a bobblehead looking everywhere but at the bird. Finally I got him to look at the right place, and I knew the second I sent him, he knew where he was going. He swam across the first piece, of course cutting out of the water too early but immediately correcting his line and taking a hard right up and over the hill. After that he was gone. Couldn't see him. Finally I saw little ripples in the far piece of water and then next thing you know, there's Bally's blond head swimming across the last piece of water straight toward the bird. He got out exactly in the right spot, ran the 20 yards or so up the bank and put his face on the bird. No hunts. Everyone watching cheered. I was SOOOOOO HAPPY. He finally showed me he is mentally capable of doing this, like I always knew. Now the cat's out of the bag, Ballyhoo!!!

Our bad first series kept us out of any color but I was very happy to walk away with a green JAM ribbon and everyone talking about how the fluffy showed em all how it's done in the water!!

Of course I waltzed over to the very do-able first series of the Am, bally stepped on his go-bird and short memory bird and I completely boofed the last bird and sent him running off into space. Probably should have had my game face on more for that...was too excited coming from the Q!

My boyfriend ran his young dog in the Derby and made it to the third series, their first try, including a very big second series bird that his dog hammered. Our training show itself!

This was a fantastic trip, we had SO MUCH FUN!!!!!

4th Series Qual water triple:










Bally with his ladies Isla & Jurnie:


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

SRW, it was nice to meet you and Jake ... I hope that Jake and Shine get to run a lot more 4th series together.

Anney, congratz on the JAM in what was a tough Qual in tough conditions!


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

FTGoldens said:


> SRW, it was nice to meet you and Jake ... I hope that Jake and Shine get to run a lot more 4th series together.
> 
> Anney, congratz on the JAM in what was a tough Qual in tough conditions!


Congrats and nice meeting you as well. I’m sure we will meet again in the spring.


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## drdawg (May 31, 2011)

Did anyone get satellite or real earth views of Derby or Qualifying tests? This is your chance to be published!  in the GRCA News!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

drdawg said:


> Did anyone get satellite or real earth views of Derby or Qualifying tests? This is your chance to be published!  in the GRCA News!


Dr Dawg you had an amazing time. Aren’t you headed to the NRC?


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## drdawg (May 31, 2011)

Yup! Offf tomorrow and shaking in my boots!


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

drdawg said:


> Yup! Offf tomorrow and shaking in my boots!


Go get em


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

drdawg said:


> Yup! Offf tomorrow and shaking in my boots!


Good luck drdawg! We'll be cheering for Maci!!!


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Go Maci! Good luck!


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

FTGoldens said:


> Good luck drdawg! We'll be cheering for Maci!!!


We will be waiting every day to hear how she is doing! Maci has been an incredible dog and I really want her to win!


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