Field size about 12 acres, light cover of native grasses and Sage (we have a drought still going on), weather light winds, 36-50 degrees F, sunny, altitude 5,000 feet
It takes a lot of work to set up one of these tournaments, then a week before the tournament, when the entries have mostly come in, 3 of the people that were going to score and release birds have something better come up. Then on the day before your other Score keeper gets sick and can’t make it.
Quick thinking and helpful people are what’s needed. Fortunately we had both.
Saturday’s runs were very slow, most team ended up taking full time (20minutes for 5 birds). The Bourbonnais team of Hondo's Bella alias Maya pedigree and Rufnit Fletcher pedigree did very well finishing in just over 11 minutes and taking second place for the day on field 1 against 10 teams.
This qualified this team for the Finals on Sunday and earned valuable points toward a championship in USBDA. But that will take a lot more points, it is not an easy goal.
Maya and Fletcher also qualified for a second Finals run but separately by taking 3rd places in the other fields with other dogs (English Pointers) as team members and earning more championship points.
Sunday did not go as well for Maya-Fletcher, we found the birds but due to some bad luck and poor shooting we did not make the top 5 which is where prizes are earned. However the other team that Fletcher was on with English pointer Penny did well enough to finish 5th and earn ribbons and money.
Spectrolite's Flying Finn pedigree entered his first tournament on the day of his 6 month’s birthday. He showed a great nose, great search pattern, e xcellent pointing and passable retrieve (the last 6 feet are tough on a 6 months old puppy who wants to play). Finn finished 4th. A great accomplishment against experienced dogs that were mostly 12-18 months with one notable exception a 5 month old Lab (who won!!). Sorry not many pictures this time I was too busy running the tournament.
Claude Trincale