DAY 3: Flight A: Blake Lemish and Michelle Love; Test 2 “The Corner”

This test, "The Corner," is a water triple with a blind using ducks. The first bird thrown is 76 yards from the line in the right corner of the pond. Bird two is located on the left side and is thrown right onto the island at 45 yards. Bird number three is across the pond from the mat at 97 yards and is thrown to the right on the far shore. The blind is under the arc of the left-hand bird across the point of the island and to the far shore at 85 yards.

Flight A started the 2014 Master National with 143 starters after scratches. 126 contestants came to this second test. The weather was beautiful today. The wind was light and the water was glassy and the visibility was excellent. This test takes approximately five minutes per dog and seemed to be problematic for both dog and handler. Of the first seven dogs that we watched today, there were five handles. When the dogs were released by the judges to run the marks, it was never clear which bird they would pick first. The go-bird was the middle bird, however, many dogs were unable to get past the bird on the island. Some recovered, but many required a handle. When running the blind, the judge had asked the contestants to get all four feet "dry" on the island. Most contestants were able to achieve this.

… Another beautiful sunrise

Janet Peters and AKC Rep Russ Reavis 

Judge Blake Lemish

Tom Kielty  

Ray Shanks