Recap of the Day 4 – Tests 9 & 10

Series Nine – Water Double. The marshal said for all 12 dogs to at the field for 8:45 am with the test dogs being called to the line at that time. However, Mother Nature decided not to go along with the plan. We were under a rain delay until after 11:00 am when test dog Doc and Judy came to the line. After about another 30 minute delay after the test dogs ran, our first running dog #10 Johnny came to the line at 11:50 am. He received the only no bird, (the only other no bird came to the second to last running dog #7 Rain). The next dog #13 Songbird came to the line at 11:51 am. One dog #30 was picked up. We were down to our last two dogs #7 Rain and #8 Grit when the judges called for everybody to get out of the field at 12:52 pm. Then at 1:33 pm the last two dogs were called to come to the line. The ninth series was in the books at 1:45 pm. In the five hours we spent at the ninth series test sight, we had a total of 63 minutes of competing dogs, which means it took each dog 5.25 minute to complete their test. Two dogs were dropped #30 and 32. Ten dogs were going on to the 10^th and final series.

Series Ten – Water Double with a Drake Flyer. We have 10 dogs competing to be crowned the 2019 National Retriever Derby Club Champion. They are #7 Rain, #8 Grit, #10 Johnny, #13 Songbird, #14 Mona, #22 Lucy, #23 Pireaux, #26 J.J., #27 Willie and #31 Shadow. A new test dog “Just” with handler Sue George was called to the line at 2:31 pm. After the test dogs our first running dog #31 Shadow to the line at 2:56 pm. The last ten Derby dogs seemed to handle this test. With no handles, pick-ups, no birds, this test was in the books when the last running dog #27 Willie brought in his last bird at 4:14 pm.

This test took one hour and seventeen minutes to complete and an average of 7.3 minute for each of our 10 Finalists to complete their final test of the 2019 National Retriever Derby Club Championship.

Recap of the 8th Series

What an Eighth Series test this Land Double with one Retired turned out to be. The judges wanted to make sure they had a good, strong test for these 19 Derby dogs that were called back to this series.

The first test dog, "Doc," came to the line at 12:43 pm. Following the test dogs, was our first running dog #2, "Willie," with Luann Pleasant. We had a gun change after dog #4, "Abby," completed her test. During the course of this test, we had only 1 no bird/rerun, 1 pick up and 5 handles. We ended this series with dog #26 at 2:20 pm. Being shy of 2 hours of competing, it took on an average 5 minutes per dog to complete this test.

The judges have called back 12 dogs, which means they have dropped 7 dogs.

We will see what tomorrow will bring as we gear up to crown our 3rd National Derby Champion …

Seventh Series Recap

The third day of the 2019 National Retriever Derby Club Championship started of with a brisk fall morning. We were informed that dog #15 A.G. had scratched, so we were going to start this 7th Series Water Double with a Hen Mallard Flyer with 23 dogs.

Our first test dog, Kate with handler Sue George came to the line at 7:56 am and had completed their run at 8:04 am. The first running dog # 13 Songbird with Mary Tatum handling came to the line at 8:17 am. During the 3 hours this test took to complete, we had 4 no bird/re-runs with one dog #19 receiving two of them. We also had one handle. The last dog to run was #1 Ivy and handler Kevin Cauley on their re-run, and they completed their test at 11:20 am.

Getting 23 dogs through this test with the 4 re-runs took approximately 7.5 minutes per dog.

The Eighth will start with 19 dogs that got called back. Five dogs were dropped after the Seventh Series.

Recap of Day Two

We started Tuesday, October 8 with Test Four, a Land/Water Double. The first test dog, "Doc," with fill-in handler Lauren Hays Curtis would start our day. Dog #17, "Hunter," and handler Misty Melo was our first running dog at 8:13 am. The gun change and re-bird for this test came after #33, "Ollie," with handler John Stracka completed their test at 9:46 am. We had one dog pick up after the gun change. Our last running dog for this test was #15, "A.G.," and handler Trey Lawrence, they completed their test at 11:06 am. In just under three hours, 31 dogs completed their test. That averages to just under 6 minutes per dog to run their test. We had 30 dogs called back and one dropped – #9.

As we advanced to Test Five, a Land Double with a Hen Pheasant Flyer, we had a substitute test dog. Bayou Tech Perfect Game with handler Lauren Hays Curtis. Our first test dog, "Katy," with handler Sue George came to the line at 12:05 pm. After they completed their test, the marshal went out and moved the guns on the right bird and changed the throw to where it is a right angle along the milo and not deep in it. After the adjustment, "Kaufaxx" and Lauren came to the line at 12:25 pm. The first  running dog was #30, "Sam," with John Unbehaun. The gun change happened after dog #11, "Blue," and handler Bill Bailey had their run. This test proved to have its challenges. We had a total of 6 no birds and 4 pick ups. The last running dog was a re-run for #28, "Sunday," and handler Bill Bailey at 3:23 pm. We completed another test again just under three hours. The callbacks came in showing six dogs were dropped and 24 were going to continue on to the Sixth Series.

For the final test of the day, was the Sixth Series a Land Double with our first test dog, "Kaufaxx," coming to the line at 3:55 pm. Our first running dog was #3, "Dale," and handler Larry Morgan. These Derby dogs handled this test pretty well. We completed this test just under two hours, which means each dog completed their test under five minutes. All 24 dogs were called back to the Seventh Series.

Recap of Day One - Series 1 - 3

Monday, October 7, 2019 start the third running of the National Retriever Derby Club Championship on the beautiful property of Wood Dale Farms in Sedalia, MO. With 34 dogs entered this years event, we had 2 scratch so we started with 32 dogs.

The event started with the National Anthem being sung by Patrick Wilson at 7:30 am.

Series One - Land Double with a Rooster Flyer, started at 7:44 with our female test dog. Dog #23, Pireaux was our first running dog. This test produced 5 no-birds and was completed at 10:34 am. The callbacks was announced and all 32 were called back to the 2nd series.

We had quick move to get to the test site for Series Two.

Series Two - Land Double started at 11:17 am with our male test dog. The running dog was #32 Breeze. We had one pick up on this test. The test went in the books at 1:41 pm. Callbacks were announced with 31 dogs continuing to the next series and one dog being dropped.

Series Three - Water Single started at 2:17 pm with Madge, our female test dog. Our first running dog, #7 Rain with handler Dan DeVos came to the line after the test dogs. This test ran smoothly and we completed it at 5:25 pm. All dogs were called back to start the Fourth Series that would start on day 2 with the test dog being called to the line at 7:45 am.

Recap on the Second Series

On our first day of the 2019 National Retriever Derby Club Championship and we now have completed our Second Series. We started this Land Double test at 11:17 am with test dog Doc and handler Judy coming to the line.

We started this series with 32 dogs. We had one dog with a pick up.

This test took about 4.5 minutes per dog to complete.

The callbacks have already been announced and the only dog dropped is #16.

The third series will start with 31 dogs, with dog #7 being the first competing dog to run.