2020 MAI - SERIES 3
Test Descriptions & Test Dog Work
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SERIES 3 – Gilligan's Island
Monday, April 19, 2021:
67 dogs were called back to the 3rd series.
Dogs called back: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73 and 74.
Dogs dropped are: 1, 15, 23, 38 and 65
67 dogs were called back to the 3rd series.
Dogs called back: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73 and 74.
Dogs dropped are: 1, 15, 23, 38 and 65
Series 3 Test Description:
"Gilligan’s Island" - land triple with out-of-order flier, land blind and an honor
It appears the Third Series may have been named for the prominent knolls in this part of the grounds.
The scenario is you are on an upland hunt. This is a land test with the line to the right hand bird going through a small amount of splash water, remnant of a small receding pond.
The birds go down: Right, left (flier), middle (go bird). The right hand bird lands on top of a knoll. It is thrown to the left at a slight angle back from a winger hidden by a well-brushed-up holding blind, The second bird is a live mallard flighted to the right from a brushed-up gunning station and shot, landing in tall grass. The line to the flier passes through a spread of full-body goose decoys. The middle station then throws the third bird, which lands in light cover on the far side of a dirt road.
After the marks are retrieved a blind is planted from a second brushed-up station located beyond the middle throwing station. The line to this blind is under the arc of the fall of the middle bird. It angles off a dirt road and drops down a bank into a depression filled with water grass. After the marks and the blind are completed, there is an honor off to the left in a location marked by orange paint on the ground.
No official per-dog running time was available for this report, but the test dogs each took ~ 5 minutes to complete. An announcement was made after part of the field had run that dog # 42 would be the final dog run on Monday afternoon, with the remaining field running on Tuesday.
"Gilligan’s Island" - land triple with out-of-order flier, land blind and an honor
It appears the Third Series may have been named for the prominent knolls in this part of the grounds.
The scenario is you are on an upland hunt. This is a land test with the line to the right hand bird going through a small amount of splash water, remnant of a small receding pond.
The birds go down: Right, left (flier), middle (go bird). The right hand bird lands on top of a knoll. It is thrown to the left at a slight angle back from a winger hidden by a well-brushed-up holding blind, The second bird is a live mallard flighted to the right from a brushed-up gunning station and shot, landing in tall grass. The line to the flier passes through a spread of full-body goose decoys. The middle station then throws the third bird, which lands in light cover on the far side of a dirt road.
After the marks are retrieved a blind is planted from a second brushed-up station located beyond the middle throwing station. The line to this blind is under the arc of the fall of the middle bird. It angles off a dirt road and drops down a bank into a depression filled with water grass. After the marks and the blind are completed, there is an honor off to the left in a location marked by orange paint on the ground.
No official per-dog running time was available for this report, but the test dogs each took ~ 5 minutes to complete. An announcement was made after part of the field had run that dog # 42 would be the final dog run on Monday afternoon, with the remaining field running on Tuesday.
Series 3 Test Dogs:
Susan and Gamay were the first test dog team to tackle this test. They came to the line at 3:40 p.m. Gamay retrieved the marks without incident, but on the blind she left the road early to the right and "squared" down the bank, which put her off line to the right and heading towards the gunning station that had thrown the middle mark. Several casts did not move her sufficiently to the left to remain within view of her handler. She eventually appeared to the right of the middle station, approaching the right hand station and its old fall. Susan brought Gamay back into sight and tried again for the blind, but when the problem recurred Susan picked her up.
Julie and Piper were the second test dog team. After pinning the go bird, Piper was sent for the right hand bird second. She did not climb the knoll but allowed the terrain to push her away from the fall. The terrain and perhaps the blind planter's brushed-up blind - located almost in line with and beyond a throwing station - may have contributed to the extent of Piper's hunt on this bird. When Piper's hunt approached the area of the middle station Julie handled. Several casts were needed to complete the retrieve of the right hand bird. Piper then took an accurate line through the decoy spread to virtually pin the flier. Piper took a good line to the blind, staying on line but needing several whistles at the end, as this team demonstrated that judging the exact depth of the blind might be a challenge.
After the second test dog ran, workers went to the field to adjust the winger that threw the middle mark in order to achieve a longer throw and get the bird into cover. The drone entertained the gallery during this hiatus. Drone operator Rich Pingatore piloted it above the gallery area for a close look at the gathered handlers, who responded by waving enthusiastically.
Ed and Rye were the third test dog team. Rye pinned the go bird (middle bird). She was sent for the flier (left bird) second. She hunted on both sides of the flier station but quickly arrived near the fall. She missed the bird several times in the tall grass although staying in the fall area. The judges commented that the cover in that area was "not as thick as it looks." On her third retrieve (right bird) Rye took a good line straight up the side of the knoll. She worked a bit short of the fall and eventually drifted to the right as she hunted. Ed handled her quickly. On the blind Rye needed a couple of whistles to leave the road. She headed off to the right after leaving the road but was responsive to Ed's casts to move her to the left and completed end of the blind cleanly.
The judges reminded handlers to stay well hydrated in the afternoon heat and that a ride in the 4-wheeler was available for handlers that would have difficulty with the long walk from the parking log.
Monday, April 19, 2021:
The last dog to run Monday afternoon was #42. Tuesday morning one test dog will run at 7:45 am, with the first running dog to start at 8:00 am. Dog #43 will start the 3rd series for Tuesday morning, with the additional 30 dogs to complete the test following.
Tuesday, April 20, 2021:
52 dogs were called back to the 4th series.
Dogs called back: 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 62, 64, 69, 71, 72, 73 and 74.
15 Dogs were dropped: 3, 7, 12, 20, 39, 44, 45, 49, 52, 61, 63, 66, 67, 68 and 70.
3RD SERIES COMPLETE – The 3rd series is now complete with the last running dog #74 coming off the line at 10:51 am.
The crew is quickly setting up for the 4th series to get started today. Judges are hoping to be able to get through all the dogs today by 4 pm, when testing will halt for the workers party. Handlers need to be in the holding blinds and ready to run, no delays, and the shift changes done quickly. Test dogs are expected to start running in 20 minutes, around 11:40 AM.
Susan and Gamay were the first test dog team to tackle this test. They came to the line at 3:40 p.m. Gamay retrieved the marks without incident, but on the blind she left the road early to the right and "squared" down the bank, which put her off line to the right and heading towards the gunning station that had thrown the middle mark. Several casts did not move her sufficiently to the left to remain within view of her handler. She eventually appeared to the right of the middle station, approaching the right hand station and its old fall. Susan brought Gamay back into sight and tried again for the blind, but when the problem recurred Susan picked her up.
Julie and Piper were the second test dog team. After pinning the go bird, Piper was sent for the right hand bird second. She did not climb the knoll but allowed the terrain to push her away from the fall. The terrain and perhaps the blind planter's brushed-up blind - located almost in line with and beyond a throwing station - may have contributed to the extent of Piper's hunt on this bird. When Piper's hunt approached the area of the middle station Julie handled. Several casts were needed to complete the retrieve of the right hand bird. Piper then took an accurate line through the decoy spread to virtually pin the flier. Piper took a good line to the blind, staying on line but needing several whistles at the end, as this team demonstrated that judging the exact depth of the blind might be a challenge.
After the second test dog ran, workers went to the field to adjust the winger that threw the middle mark in order to achieve a longer throw and get the bird into cover. The drone entertained the gallery during this hiatus. Drone operator Rich Pingatore piloted it above the gallery area for a close look at the gathered handlers, who responded by waving enthusiastically.
Ed and Rye were the third test dog team. Rye pinned the go bird (middle bird). She was sent for the flier (left bird) second. She hunted on both sides of the flier station but quickly arrived near the fall. She missed the bird several times in the tall grass although staying in the fall area. The judges commented that the cover in that area was "not as thick as it looks." On her third retrieve (right bird) Rye took a good line straight up the side of the knoll. She worked a bit short of the fall and eventually drifted to the right as she hunted. Ed handled her quickly. On the blind Rye needed a couple of whistles to leave the road. She headed off to the right after leaving the road but was responsive to Ed's casts to move her to the left and completed end of the blind cleanly.
The judges reminded handlers to stay well hydrated in the afternoon heat and that a ride in the 4-wheeler was available for handlers that would have difficulty with the long walk from the parking log.
Monday, April 19, 2021:
The last dog to run Monday afternoon was #42. Tuesday morning one test dog will run at 7:45 am, with the first running dog to start at 8:00 am. Dog #43 will start the 3rd series for Tuesday morning, with the additional 30 dogs to complete the test following.
Tuesday, April 20, 2021:
52 dogs were called back to the 4th series.
Dogs called back: 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 62, 64, 69, 71, 72, 73 and 74.
15 Dogs were dropped: 3, 7, 12, 20, 39, 44, 45, 49, 52, 61, 63, 66, 67, 68 and 70.
3RD SERIES COMPLETE – The 3rd series is now complete with the last running dog #74 coming off the line at 10:51 am.
The crew is quickly setting up for the 4th series to get started today. Judges are hoping to be able to get through all the dogs today by 4 pm, when testing will halt for the workers party. Handlers need to be in the holding blinds and ready to run, no delays, and the shift changes done quickly. Test dogs are expected to start running in 20 minutes, around 11:40 AM.