DAY 1: Flight B: Megan Baker and Allyn Foster; Test 1 "Lakeside”

We began our day at Flight B with Judges Megan Baker and Allyn Foster at a test named “Lakeside.” This test is a land/water triple, double blind, walk-up and a diversion shot. The first bird is the walk-up thrown to the left at 38 yards to the right of the line, bird two is thrown to the left down the pond at 70 yards and the flyer is shot to the left at 66 yards right to the left of the line. The first blind is under the arc of the flyer at 109 yards. Blind number two is directly across the pond at 97 yards, landing up a hill under heavy cover. This test took an average of six minutes per dog.

At 7:55 am, the Judges gave the contestants the hunting scenario. At 8:05 am the first Test Dog, “Presto,” a male Golden, came to the line. The first gun did not fire and some repair work was done in the field. At 8:13 am, our second Test Dog, a female black Labrador named “Freedom,” came to the line. She had to be handled on the right-hand, showing the gallery some of the perils of the test. The temperature started off this morning in the high fifties to low sixties with clear skies and extremely dry conditions. Of the first three running dogs we saw a nice job, a no-bird and a handle on the middle bird.

  

The Judges explain the Hunting Test "scenario" to the handlers…

Test Dog to the line …

Frank Barton explains the hazards of the "Lakeside" test.

It's a beautiful sunrise …

Julie Stevenson and Pete Fischer of Dogtra watch the test.

Alan Sandifer is the first "lucky" dog to run … #128

Test Dog number one, Wagzu's SunSuite Tempo Di Presto, "Presto."

Handler instructions in the holding blind.

Test Dog number two, AFC Watermark's The Black Pearl, "Freedom."

"Delta's" Lucky jelly Bean Machine …