Final Gun Change - Conditions - Updates

The final gun change of the day came at 1:07 pm.

The temps have increased to 36 degrees with the winds still coming out of the north. 

Shadows on the left gun station are now coming off the trees. These shadows appears to be pushing the dogs away from the mark.

23 dogs have completed this series since our last gun change. We have had three more "no birds" coming to dog #23, #35 & #36, which all still have to complete their rerun.

The dogs are still completing this test in about 4 minutes. With 21 left to run, it is looking like we have just under 2 hours left before we can put Test 1 - Double with Two Roosters, one being a Flyer in the books of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship.

39. FC-AFC LUCKY TIMES, "Lucky" LM, Drew Clendaniel

39. FC-AFC LUCKY TIMES, "Lucky" LM, 

owners Drew & Wanda Clendaniel

"Lucky" with handler Drew Clendaniel came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 1:02 pm.

Flyer - Lucky came back quickly with the flyer in his mouth.

Long - He made numerous loops to the left and expanded his hunt to the left as well before he committed to the tree line and going for his bird.

38. FC-AFC INDIGO HELLO DOLLY, "Dolly" LF, Edward Forry

38. FC-AFC INDIGO HELLO DOLLY, "Dolly" LF, 

owners Doug Cybula & Jenny Grasse

"Dolly" with handler Edward Forry came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:57 pm.

Flyer - Dolly made quick work of this flyer going out to scoop it up and bring it back.

Long - She had a good initial line making a loop left before going over to get her bird.

37. FC-AFC SKYWATCH SHERIFF, "Sheriff" LM, Ray Vreeland

37. FC-AFC SKYWATCH SHERIFF, "Sheriff" LM, 

owner Lou Vreeland

"Sheriff" with handler Ray Vreeland came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:54 pm.

Flyer - A hunt produced the bird.

Long - Nice line to the line of timbers. Sheriff got into the growing shadow and came out with the bird.

No Bird - 36. FC MOSSY RIVER'S SPLIT INFINITIVES, "Drifter" LF, Jane Patopea

36. FC MOSSY RIVER'S SPLIT INFINITIVES, "Drifter" LF, 

owner Robert McFarlane

"Drifter" with handler Jane Patopea came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship received a no bird. They will be placed back 5 spots and have their rerun in the 6th spots.

No Bird - 35. D & S'S PETIT CAJIN NOIR, "Zoe" LF, Mark Smith

35. D & S'S PETIT CAJIN NOIR, "Zoe" LF, 

owners Joe & Tal Broyles

"Zoe" with handler Mark Smith came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship received a no bird. They will be placed back 5 spots and have a rerun at the 6th spot back.

34. FC WILSON'S DUCKFARM GATOR-MAN, "Gator" LM, Clint Avant

34. FC WILSON'S DUCKFARM GATOR-MAN, "Gator" LM, 

owners Northrup Larson, Frank Higgins & John Wilson

"Gator" with handler Clint Avant came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:47 pm.

Flyer - Gator went out to retrieve his bird and came right back.

Long - He arrived at the base of the treed area to come back with his bird.

33. FC ELMINGO'S FLIP YOUR LID, "Libby" LF, Marcy Wright

33. FC ELMINGO'S FLIP YOUR LID, "Libby" LF, 

owner Marcy Wright

"Libby" with handler Marcy Wright came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:42 pm.

Flyer - To the bird and back.

Long - Libby went to the trees and began to hunt left. Expanding loops took her behind the gunners and working her way deep before coming into the bird.

32. FC-AFC FLAWLESS EXECUTION - FLEX QAA, "Flex" LM, Alan Pleasant

32. FC-AFC FLAWLESS EXECUTION - FLEX QAA, "Flex" LM, 

owners Johnny & Kathy Armstrong & Jane McCullough

"Flex" with handler Alan Pleasant came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:37 pm.

Flyer - A couple of bounces to look for the bird in the stubble and Flex got it.

Long - Good initial line, then got deflected left for a few loops before committing to the tree line to retrieve his bird.

31. FC DOCTOR CABERNET JUST IN CASE, "Doc" LM, Al Arthur

31. FC DOCTOR CABERNET JUST IN CASE, "Doc" LM, 

owners Tom, Erin & Nancy O'Brien

"Doc" with handler Al Arthur came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:35 pm.

Flyer - Direct path to the bird.

Long - Doc went through the cover and with a quick loop to the left, he went over and got his bird.

30. FC-AFC NINA MCFIZZ, "Nina" LF, Judy Rasmuson

30. FC-AFC NINA MCFIZZ, "Nina" LF, 

owner Judy Rasmuson

"Nina" with handler Judy Rasmuson came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:30 pm.

Flyer - Straight to her flyer.

Long - Nina went out through the cover and under the arc of the throw. She made a little loop than a move to the right and on her bird.

29. FC-AFC 3R'S MR T SMOKEN JOE, "Smokie" LM, Dave Rorem

29. FC-AFC 3R'S MR T SMOKEN JOE, "Smokie" LM, 

owner James Hurst

"Smokie" with handler Dave Rorem came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:26 pm.

Flyer - A series of passes finally yields the bird.

Long - Good line through the cover and Smokie came back with his bird.

Rerun - 23. FC MITIMAT'S RESPECT THE GIRL, "Reatha" LF, Paul Sletten

23. FC MITIMAT'S RESPECT THE GIRL, "Reatha" LF, 

owner Tim Thompson & Jay Chesshir

"Reatha" with handler Paul Sletten came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship 12:21 pm.

Flyer - Reatha went out and had a few tight loops to get her bird.

Long - She arrived under the arc of the throw and hunted to the left. She continued working to come up with her bird.

28. FC OFF TO SEE THE LIZARD, "Lizzee" LF, Ray Voigt

28. FC OFF TO SEE THE LIZARD, "Lizzee" LF, 

owners Bonnie & Tom Ritchotte

"Lizzee" with handler Ray Voigt came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:17 pm.

Flyer - Excellent, straight to her bird and back.

Long - Lizzee had a good initial line but faded left which created an expanding series of loops to hunt for her bird.

27. FC-AFC BAYOU TECHE SWING FOR THE FENCE, "Foxx" LM, Lauren Hays Curtis

27. FC-AFC BAYOU TECHE SWING FOR THE FENCE, "Foxx" LM, 

owner Lauren Hays Curtis

"Foxx" with handler Lauren Hays Curtis came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:14 pm.

Flyer - Foxx had a nice line all the to his bird.

Long - Another good mark!

26. FC TRULUCK'S GOIN' JESSIE, "Jessie" LF, Danny Farmer

26. FC TRULUCK'S GOIN' JESSIE, "Jessie" LF, 

owner Michael Kammerer

"Jessie" with handler Danny Farmer came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:09 pm.

Flyer - Jessie got out to the fall area and made a few turns before she found her bird.

Long - Going out through the cover, left of the bird, Jessie quickly turned back to the fall area and got her bird.

25. FC PEPPERJACK'S MARSH SURFER, "Dude" LM, Misty Melo

25. FC PEPPERJACK'S MARSH SURFER, "Dude" LM, 

owner Kerry Lavin

"Dude" with handler Misty Melo came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:05 pm.

Flyer - Straight his bird for an excellent mark.

Long - He went through the cover and water puddle down to the end of the corn field. Dude worked the tree line back to get his bird.

24. FC-AFC VALTOR'S HAYSEED KID, "Kid" LM, Mike Taylor

24. FC-AFC VALTOR'S HAYSEED KID, "Kid" LM, 

owners Valerie Martin & William Howard

"Kid" with handler Mike Taylor came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 12:01 pm.

Flyer - Kid had a tight hunt to come up with his flyer.

Long - Initial line a little to the right, but Kid corrected and came with his bird.

No Bird - 23. FC MITIMAT'S RESPECT THE GIRL, "Reatha" LF, Paul Sletten

23. FC MITIMAT'S RESPECT THE GIRL, "Reatha" LF, 

owner Tim Thompson & Jay Chesshir

"Reatha" with handler Paul Sletten came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship received a no bird. They will go back 5 spots and have their rerun in the 6th spot.

22. AFC PINETREE'S PARTY GIRL, "Snookie" LF, Delma Hazzard

22. AFC PINETREE'S PARTY GIRL, "Snookie" LF, 

owners Delma Hazzard & Chip McEwen

"Snookie" with handler Delma Hazzard came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:55 am.

Flyer - Out and came back with her bird.

Long - Nice line all the way out to her bird. Snookie came back in quick fashion with it.

21. FC-AFC SEE JANE RUN FOR BLUE, "Jane" LF, Chris Ledford

21. FC-AFC SEE JANE RUN FOR BLUE, "Jane" LF, 

owners Tommy & Brenda Parrish

"Jane" with handler Chris Ledford came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:52 am.

Flyer - She went out to the corn field, hunted left and right before she found her bird.

Long - Went out wide left behind the gunners. Jane then worked her way back to get her bird.

20. FC RIVERWATCH YUKON GOLD, "Tater" LF, Charlie Moody

20. FC RIVERWATCH YUKON GOLD, "Tater" LF, 

owners Mark & Suzanne Medford

"Tater" with handler Charlie Moody came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:47 am.

Flyer - Nice Job.

Long - Tater had a good line through the cover and went deep. She came through the trees and hunted deep left and worked her way to the bird.

19. FC-AFC CHOPPER'S FINAL APPROACH, "Billie" LF, John Henninger

19. FC-AFC CHOPPER'S FINAL APPROACH, "Billie" LF, 

owner Joel Harris

"Billie" with handler John Henninger came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:04 am.

Flyer - She quickly came back with her bird.

Long - Billie had a good line to her bird and came with it.

18. FC LOUISIANA BLACK MAGIC SPELL, "Hex" LM, Tim Milligan

18. FC LOUISIANA BLACK MAGIC SPELL, "Hex" LM, 

owner Brian Rolling

"Hex" with handler Tim Milligan came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:40 am.

Flyer - Hex got out to the area and made a couple of tight loops and got his bird.

Long - He came into the bird under the arc of the throw. He hunted deep and then left of the gunners to come up with his bird.

17. FC-AFC MCKINLEY FIRST ASCENDER-HUDSON, "Hudson" LM, Wayne Curtis

17. FC-AFC MCKINLEY FIRST ASCENDER-HUDSON, "Hudson" LM, 

owner William Barstow

"Hudson" with handler Wayne Curtis came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:29 am.

Flyer - Hudson went out and back with his bird.

Long - His initial line was a little right and ended against the tree line area of the fall and he worked out his bird.

3rd Gun Change - 1st Series - Updates

This gun change came after dog #16 completed its 1st series. Another 21 dogs have completed their first series of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship in Paducah, KY. In this last bunch of dogs to compete, we had two more no birds being with dog #101 and #10.

The defending champion NFC-AFC Fresh Squeezed Juice had a "Farewell Performance" and received a standing ovation as he came off the line.

As the afternoon continues, and only 45 dogs left run, it is not too soon to start thinking about your dinner options for tonight (or this week). Please click on the link below to see what all Paducah has to offer for restaurants. The have everything from the finest cuisine and sophisticated farm-to-table offerings to brick-oven pizzas, deli-sandwiches, German, Italian, Mexican and good ole' western Kentucky barbeque.

https://www.paducah.travel/things-to-do/restaurants/

16. FC-AFC WESTSHORE BUDDY, "Buddy" LM, Jerald Kamphuis

16. FC-AFC WESTSHORE BUDDY, "Buddy" LM, 

owner Jerald Kamphuis

"Buddy" with handler Jerald Kamphuis came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:20 am.

Flyer - Nice Line to get this flyer.

Long - Buddy went through the cover on a nice line. He took a hard left under the arc of the throw, got deep, but then hunted his way back to retrieve his bird.

Rerun - 10. NFC-AFC KEENO'S GIZMO, "Gizmo" LM, Al Arthur

10. NFC-AFC KEENO'S GIZMO, "Gizmo" LM, 

owners Bruce & Betty Hall

"Gizmo" with handler Al Arthur came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:16 am.

Flyer - Gizmo came in close to the guns. He hunted the area and got his bird.

Long - He went down the hill and through the cover and into the puddle. Making one loop short to the end of the field, he then took a left and over to his bird.

15. GEMSTONE'S SKYY BLUE, "Skyy" LM, Scott Harp

15. GEMSTONE'S SKYY BLUE, "Skyy" LM, 

owner Gwen Jones

"Skyy" with handler Scott Harp came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:10 am.

Flyer - Skyy went out through the corn, just right of the bird to a dark clump that was not his bird. He hunted deep right then left before he got his bird.

Long - He went into the cover then down the road and into the trees. Going through the trees, he went deep of the bird. Working the area left of the bird, he came back to get it.

14. FC TANKS FOR THE MEMORIES II, "Hope" LF, Greg Bartlett

14. FC TANKS FOR THE MEMORIES II, "Hope" LF, 

owner Joseph Benage

"Hope" with handler Greg Bartlett came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:06 am.

Flyer - Hope went down the hill and across the corn. Just left of her mark she made a few turns then got her bird.

Long - She went out through the cover on a good line making a nice mark.

13. FC-AFC DOC'S MESA BOOGIE, "Mesa" LF, Jim Smith

13. FC-AFC DOC'S MESA BOOGIE, "Mesa" LF, 

owner W. James Smith

"Mesa" with handler Jim Smith came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 11:02 am. 

Flyer - Going out past the fall area to the left, Mesa made a few turns and worked her way to the bird quickly.

Long - She went through the cover and the puddle on a left angle directly to her bird.

12. FC COAL DELIVERY'S BLACK BETTY, "Betty" LF, Leon Stepanian

12. FC COAL DELIVERY'S BLACK BETTY, "Betty" LF, 

owner Leon Stepanian

"Betty" with handler Leon Stepanian came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 10:58 am.

Flyer - Long Flyer - Almost getting to the bird, she hunted short. Then starting to go wide left to the back of the fall area, covering a large area she then got her bird.

Long - Through the cover on an excellent to her bird.

Cold Weather Canine Care - AKC Canine Health Foundation

Cold Weather Canine Care

The sun is clearly over the horizon as a flock of mallards starts that familiar cork screw into your decoy spread. You pick a greenhead, fold him cleanly and he splashes into the frigid water. On command your Lab takes a couple of tentative steps towards the water where it had been bounding only a few minutes before. Is it fatigue, or something worse?

It may not occur to many hunters and other dog owners whose pets exercise or work during extreme cold conditions, but cold-weather preparation starts at home.

“As temperatures get cooler a dog burns more calories to maintain its body temperature, thus needs to eat more calories,” said Dr. Brian Zanghi, an animal nutritionist with Purina. “We recommend feeding sporting dogs a calorie dense ‘performance’ food once a day after finishing the day’s hunt. This will maximize digestion before the next day and they will have a more optimal exercise metabolism in a fasted or unfed state.

Zanghi, a life-long hunter and Labrador retriever owner, said, “It is the most advantageous to have a dog on a performance formula all year long and not switch to a maintenance formula in the off-season. All year long removes the 2 – 2.5 month of transition and back. Our sporting formulas also have sufficient Omega 3 fatty acids for joint health.”

At a grass-roots level, Zanghi suggests using a dog’s body condition as barometer: Can you see the dog’s ribs when it’s breathing and feel them at rest? Can you see the tuck at the belly? When viewed from above does your dog have a slight hourglass figure? These are all characteristics of an ideal body condition score of 4-5, with 9 being the max of severely obese.

Proper nutrition is paramount to keeping a dog healthy and warm in cold conditions. Don’t feed before heading afield, and let the dog rest before feeding in the evening. And remember, the more a dog eats, the more water it needs.

Bob West concurs. As director of sporting field operations for the Purina Professional Engagement Team, West brings 40 plus years of dog and dog training experience, including training multiple Versatile Champion dogs in the North American Versatile Hunting Dog association along with scores of field trial titles and retriever titles.

“An Iditarod dog may burn 6,000 to 8,000 of calories a day,” he said. “A hunting dog can burn 3,000 to 4,000 calories a day. Depending up the work and temperature a dog may need 70 to 100 increase in calories to satisfy the dog’s requirement for energy.”

West said that for every 10 degree drop in temperature the caloric need for a dog increases 7 to 7.5 percent. You can decide the baseline temperature. (This is a rule of thumb.) You must take into account factors like stress of travel and the excitement of hunting or other activity.

And then there’s hydration. During cold weather, you say? Absolutely. Water is a requirement for digestion of food, as well as helping the body absorb nutrients. It cools the dog’s body and removes wastes through urination.

The sight of a panting dog on a hot summer’s day is a common sight, and human nature is such that we probably pay more attention to hot weather hydration than cold, but a dog needs water all of the time. West said two factors affect hydration: change in ambient temperature and activity.

“A dog pants to cool,” said West. “Warm, moist air comes from the lungs and cools the tongue and the back of the throat, which act as a radiator for the dog. The cooled blood goes back to the core to thermoregulate the dog. There is less humidity in winter so the cooling effect is better.”

Frequent watering also acts to “clean the radiator, as West puts it, of mucous, slime and feathers.

West said the best substance to hydrate a dog is plain old water. There can be an obvious attraction to use something like a sports drink, but water is best.

“A dog’s body has a certain balance of electrolytes in its digestive tract,” said West. “When a dog loses body moisture through panting the amount of electrolytes becomes more concentrated. A product like Gatorade will super saturate and suck more moisture out of the muscle.”

Zanghi advises against using ice-cold water in the sweltering summer, as it could cause vascular constriction in the back of the throat, but when the outside temps are below zero, the water will be cold.

An easy way to hydrate dogs in the field is to carry plastic squirt bottles of water with you. Periodically, hydrate the dog by putting the tip of the bottle against the back of the lower jaw and gently squeezing. The dog will swallow without choking. Many high-drive dogs simply don’t want to take a break for hydration when there are birds to be hunted or other tasks at hand. Some dogs may respond better to a collapsible bowl or pouch for water breaks.

Giving the hardworking dog a break about every 15-20 min for a drink will help to minimize dehydration and allow them a breather to cool their elevated body temperature, as some dogs will not immediately drink after exercise or may need baiting with a few kibbles or broth in water.

Cold weather brings on other concerns for performance dogs. Dr. Joe Spoo a veterinary sports medicine specialist in South Dakota with a passion for upland bird and waterfowl hunting. He is owned by an English setter and a field-bred cocker spaniel. The opening scenario for this article came from him, and he offers some other pointers for cold-weather care.

“We don’t see much as see much hypothermia. Heat stroke is more common,” he said of extreme temperature maladies. “Signs of hypothermia could be a dog easing into the water or reluctance to retrieve. Keep an eye on their mental state. Shivering is not a reliable indicator of extreme cold, nor is teeth chattering as many dogs will do these things out of excitement. Gum color can be an indicator as pale gums can mean a restrictive blood supply.”

Spoo recommends some simple things to ward off the cold-weather issues. Neoprene vests are vital to cold-weather hunts as they do a great job of keeping a dog’s core warm. It is important to ensure proper fit as vests that are too tight can cause restrictive movements and one that are too loose allow cold water to enter and heat to escape. Dry dogs off after coming out of the water and offer a source of supplemental heat. That can be a blanket in the blind or a heated truck cab in more extreme cases. In the blind, have something under the dog’s paws and keep a dog from standing in water or snow for extended periods of time.

Snow and ice can also offer issues. Crusty snow and frozen ground can cause paw injuries. Spoo uses booties and in deeper, crusted snow will put additional wrap above the top of the boot to lessen abrasions on the dog’s leg in deeper snow. He buys in bulk from www.dogbooties.com.

When it comes to cold conditions, it ultimately depends upon the individual. There is no minimum “too cold” for performance dogs.

“That is situational,” he said. “A lot of it depends upon acclimation, housing and training conditions. A dog that spends his days outside is likely going to acclimate to the given temperature quicker than a house dog. Temperature tolerance is highly individualized and it is important to know your dog’s comfort level whether it is heat or cold tolerance we are talking about. When we are dealing with extremes in temperature I’m extra vigilant with the house dog, or the dog kenneled in a well-insulated kennel as they haven’t had the time to adjust to extremes and so they warrant close observations as the weather changes.”

In order to cut down on other injuries, Spoo points to other factors. Housing between hunts and in between hunting is important. Warm, dry and with comfortable bedding helps prevent injuries whether you are transporting between hunting sites or between hunting days as it allows your dog’s body to focus on recovery and rest. If the conditions are cold and drafty in the crate, trailer or dog box that dog is continually having to expend injury and calories to stay warm, isn’t relaxing and isn’t allowing the body to recover.

“Other factors we see in injured dogs are unconditioned dogs in early season and heavy workloads in late season,” he said.

Ultimately, cold-weather dog care is much like cold-weather human care. Treat the dog like you treat yourself. We’re pretty sure you eat well, hydrate adequately and stay as dry and as warm as you can. Do the same for your canine partner. We’re also pretty sure he or she is going to work much harder than you are.

For more information about AKC Canine Health Foundation or to donate please use the link below.

http://www.akcchf.org/about-us/

11. FC TIDEWATER'S LET HIM ROLL, "Tank" LM, Alan Pleasant

11. FC TIDEWATER'S LET HIM ROLL, "Tank" LM, 

owners Jerald & Debra Wilks & Anne Marshall

"Tank" with handler Alan Pleasant came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 10:55 am.

Flyer - Nice Job on this retrieve.

Long - Tank went into the heavy cover, adjusted his line and went straight to the fall area to get his bird.

No Bird - 10. NFC-AFC KEENO'S GIZMO, "Gizmo" LM, Al Arthur

10. NFC-AFC KEENO'S GIZMO, "Gizmo" LM, 

owners Bruce & Betty Hall

"Gizmo" with handler Al Arthur came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship received a  No Bird and will be placed back 5 spots running in the 6th for a rerun.

9. FC ROAD WARRIORS DIETER BROCK, "Deets" LM, Dave Rorem

9. FC ROAD WARRIORS DIETER BROCK, "Deets" LM, 

owner Penny Youngblood

"Deets" with handler Dave Rorem came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 10:49 am.

Flyer - Deets went out to the fall area just left of the bird. Making one loop on the left, he went back right to his rooster.

Long - He went down the hill through the cover on a left angle. He straightened out, went deep and through the trees and left of the fall area. He worked his way back in to the bring back his bird.

8. FC-AFC WOOD RIVER'S MR BIG, "George" LM, Bill Fruehling

8. FC-AFC WOOD RIVER'S MR BIG, "George" LM, 

owners Bill & Gay Fruehling

"George" with handler Bill Fruehling came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 10:45 am.

Flyer - He went out across the cut corn to the fall area and quickly got his bird.

Long - He went down the hill through the cover and into the puddle. He headed right to the end of the field in the corn, but came back through the trees and out deep left of the bird. He worked his way to retrieve his bird.

7. FC MEADOW WOODS WHISPERING WILLOW, "Willow" LF, Clint Avant

7. FC MEADOW WOODS WHISPERING WILLOW, "Willow" LF, 

owners Millie Kahla & Shawn Peddy

"Willow" with handler Clint Avant came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 10:42 am.

Flyer - Perfect line to the bird.

Long - Willow went down the hill and through the cover to angle left directly to the bird.

6. ELEANOR LIVES IN A DREAM, "Rigby" LF, Paul Sletten

6. ELEANOR LIVES IN A DREAM, "Rigby" LF, 

owners Jay Chesshir & Tim Thompson

"Rigby" with handler Paul Sletten came to the line to run their first test of the 2018 National Retriever Club Championship at 10:39 am.

Flyer - Nice line slight right and nailed it!

Long - Rigby went through the cover and the puddle. Going wide right to the end of the corn field, she came back down the tree line to get her bird.