First and Second Series – A Double and a Land Blind
This test uses all rooster pheasants. When the dog stands on the mat, he looks to his right at 200 yards. The first bird is a rooster pheasant thrown right. The gunners stand on top of a ridge and the throw lands in an indentation on the right side of this ridge. The second bird is a rooster flyer. The gunners are 90 yards in front of the line shooting to the right, then retiring. The flyer is allowed to ride out to the right across a draw landing on the opposite hill. The handler has been instructed to watch the birds go down, then the dog turns to the right and runs the blind first while the flyer gunners stand out and the second bird retires. The line to the blind goes gently down the right hand side of the hill through the gap in a stand of trees along a washline and out to the bird. When the dog returns with the blind, the gunners then retire.
At 6:52 am, our first Test dog, FC-AFC Ace On The River III with Handler Peter Kettola came to the line. He ran a beautiuful blind staying on line to the trees and out to the bird. Next, he picked up the flyer, going straight to the area and the bird. Third, he went for the dead bird; missing the bird he went over the ridge and was out of sight on the back side. He hunted till he found it. The test took approximately 6-1/2 minutes.
Test dog number two, FC-AFC Mitimat You Go Girl with handler Tim Thompson came to the line. He completed the test in the pouring rain.
The National Anthem was played by the Official Announcer, Louie Churack. Everyone sang, but their voices were drowned out by the steady rain. The judges then called for a thirty minute delay to allow the weather to pass.
