2021 National Derby Blog
Monday, October 11, 2021
1. Just A Tubb Of Croc's, "T C," BLF, Michael Moroz
2. Keep To The Code's Heart Of A Lion, "Nala," YLF, Teri Brezee
Short left: Came out of pond wide left. Quick loop right and back in pond. Out wide left and over levee. Back to shore and her bird.
Long right: Great line on an angle across the hill to the bird.
54. Upper Lil Caillou's 5 Star Recruit, "Smoke," BLM, Rocky Pinell
53. Merganser's Duck Dog Herbert, "Herbert," BLM, Dianne Morley
52. High Peak's MVP, "Kobe," BLM, Samantha Thompson
Short left: Straight to area of the fall. Quick loop left of the bird. Turned right and got it.
Long right: Across the hillside into the pond. Cut across in front of guns. Tight hunt to his bird.
51. She's Got Some Go, "Fleet," BLF, Jason Baker
Short left: Went a little deep on the bank and made a quick turn back down to his bird.
Long right: Great angle out of the pond to his bird.
50. Crocs Minneapolis Miracle, "Diggs," BLM, Shane Olean
Short left: Came across pond just left of fall area. Tight turns and dug it out.
Long right: Across the hillside into the pond. Up wide left of guns. Got deep left before turning back to the right side and getting his bird.
49. Skywatch High Plains Drifter, "Traveler," BLM, Ray Vreeland
Short left: Across the bank and into the pond. Got out just left of the bird, then a few turns in area and quickly got it.
Short right: Got out of the pond to the left of guns. Hunted hillside, then went back into pond. Hunted left again, then moved right to his bird.
48. Riverwood's Red, Shaq And Blu, "Red," BLF, Mark Giese
47. TK Hot Premium Grade, "Jake," YLM, Brea Witt
Short left: Got out of the pond, wide left of fall, then quick turn right - got it.
Long right: Across hill and into pond. Excellent line up to his bird.
46. HR's Rhythm And Blues, "Jasper," BLM, Grant Settle
Short left: Into the pond, got up behind guns on levee, then worked up and down levee before before finding his bird.
Long right: Across the field and into the pond. Angled right across the field to the fall area then his bird.
A Note about this First Series – New Test
The short left bird lands behind two large cedar trees from where the Retriever News reporter is sitting. So we are only able to see if they go out of the area …
45. Gator Points Knockin' Boots, "Boots," CLF, Jason Baker
Short left: Down the shore, into the pond, back with the bird.
Long right: Into the pond, came out left of gunners, then a loop behind to the right and quickly down to the bird.
44. Jake A Roux's Ninnescah Warrior, "Chief," CLM, Travis Echelberry
Short left: Into pond, hunted it up in area.
Long right: Nice line. Quickly worked right to his bird.
43. Retriever Run's Miss American Pi, "Pi," BLF, Mark Mosher
Short left: Across bank into the pond, up to fall area, and then got it.
Long right: Across hillside into the pond. Drove up hill straight to fall area and his bird.
36. Rerun - Rocky Hooks JJ S Play It Again, "Sam," CBRM, Frank Pittelli
Short left: Across land, into the pond, and then got it.
Long right: Out into the pond, up on right, under the arc, and to his bird.
42. SouthWindz Midnight Brees, "Brees," BLF, Matt Miller
41. Turbo's Major Magic, "Major," GM, Julie Kirkland
Test Dogs - First Series - New Test
Test dog, Roux:
Short left - Nice line across the water to his bird.
Long right - Excellent line through the right pond. Drove the hill towards gun and bird.
Test dog, Tank:
Short left - Into the area, then deep for a loop. Worked back to the fall area and bird.
Long right - Out into pond. Cut short on right, angled across the field and hunted deep left. Worked it out.
First Series - New Test - Double with Two Dead Ducks
First Series - New Test - Double with Two Dead Ducks
This test is a double water test. The mat sits on the side of a pond facing east.
Bird #1: Long right - is situated on the side of a far hill 180 yards from the line. This set of gunners is deep of a small pond, throwing a dead duck to the right that lands almost behind the next pond.
Bird #2: Short left - is located beside the water. The gunners throw left, down the shore with the duck landing 130 yards from the line in heavy lily pads.
| Dead Duck #2 – 130 yards |
Announcement -- The First Series has Been Scrapped
The Field Trial Committee has decided to scrap the First Series. We are moving across the field to what was going to be the Second Series. We will label these posts 1st-B.
Thank you for your patience …
40. Pick-up - Core Sound's Can I Get a Hey Hey, "Promise," BLF, Reid Jones
Flyer - Took levee then cut across the field to his bird.
Right - Took right line to the flyer area. Pick up.
39. Jig Saw Jake, "Jake," BLM, John Lynch
38. Pick-up - Bourbon Country's Blue Ribbon And White Socks, "Socks," CLF, Jason Baker
Right - Sent for long flyer. Hunted wide right and worked over to right bird.
Flyer - Out to area left of gunners. Hunted left of gunners tent. Very extended hunt.
37. Pick-up - 4 Labs Running With The Rona, "Rona," BLF, Rod Sage
Flyer - Out to gunners tent. Hunted left of gunners. Looped deep and worked his way to the bird.
Right - Down hill, up levee side got just deep of guns and hunted deep both left and right. Back to guns and hunted left of gunners. Looped back deep. Very extended hunt. Gunners helped.
Breakfast and Lunch Menu
Please be sure to get your breakfast and lunch at Dee's Catering courtesy of our hosts, Robert and Barbara Hayden. Thank you, Bob and Barbara!!
36. No Bird - Rocky Hooks JJ S Play It Again, "Sam," CBRM, Frank Pittelli
Dog #36 had a no bird and will go back six dogs.
35. Labrador Springs Black Tie Affair, "Tux," BLM, Jack Gwaltney III
Flyer - Out across the field and up the right side. Tight quick hunt and nailed it.
Right - Down hill, up levee, back down for loops left of gunners. Came back to right side of gunners and got it.
33. Pick-up - Bird Creek's Big Jake, "Jake," BLM, Robin Cagle
Flyer - Good line out. Turned left behind gunners, then moved out wide right. Hunted area and got it.
Right - Down then up side of levee. Got deep for a few loops left and right. Expanded his hunt. Had to handle after extensive hunt.
34. Post Creek's Shakey Graves, "Bones," BLF, Caleb Brown
Flyer - Excellent mark.
Right - Down hill, across bottom of levee. Came in wide right. One big loop deep and got it.
32. Highpoint's Pot O'Hunny, "Winnie," BLF, Jeff Sanders
Flyer - Out to fall area and established a hunt. Moved both left and right but stayed in area and got it.
Right - Straight to line to the blind. Very nice.
31. Midwest's I Am Groot, "Groot," BLM, Travis Echelberry
Flyer - down hill - out to just right of gunners tent. Turned right to other bird.
Right - down to the bottom of levee - stayed deep all the way out. Hunted wide left, then turned and moved right to the bird.
30. Seaside's Clinch River Cassie, "Cassie," BLF, Jason Baker
Flyer - Excellent line to the bird.
Right - Under the arc - quickly got the bird.
28. Pick-Up - The Queen's Heir Charles, "Charles," BLM, John Lynch
27. Wild Azz Willow, "Willow," BLF, Mark Lasnek
Flyer - Willow headed under the arc and found the bird nicely at 8:30 am.
Right - Navigating the levee, Willow faded left of the guns and set up hunt deep of the bird. She figured it out and recovered the bird.
26. The Tin Man, "TOR," BLM, Marcy Wright
Flyer - Tor has a wide flyer to recover and headed up under the arc. What a nice mark. It was a long fall.
Right - Right hand bird was perfect. Tor held the slope on the levee really well. Good job.
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25. Flatland's Sergeant Major, "Major," BLM, Gwen Jones
Series One – Test Update
The conditions are excellent with the sun behind us and a gentle cross wind. The guns are very visible. There is a wide open field between the guns. The dogs have to manage a slope on the backside of the levee on the way to the right bird. The wind has died down considerably.
NO -- WAIT -- it's pouring again and the temperature is dropping.
24. Lady Tak, "Tak," BLF, Caleb Brown
Flyer - Tak made a nice line and prompt pick up of her duck.
Right - Tak went out under the arc and turned left, setting up a ranging hunt, working her way back over to the bird.
23. Watermarks Run Maggie Run, "Maggie," BLF, Jamie Forqueran
Flyer - Maggie left for the flyer and arrived in fall area under the arc and went directly to the duck. Nice mark.
Right - Maggie set up her hunt on the right bird to the left of the gun station, made a couple of loops and moved to the right side and found her duck.
22. Pick-up - R&A's Notorious RBG, "Ruthie," BLF, Rip Shively
Flyer - Ruthie went out under the arc and hunted around the right area and did not come up with the flyer. She switched and was handled.
21. Execution Delivered By Giddy Excelerated - EDGE, "Edge," BLM, Johnny Armstrong
Flyer - Edge left the line and went right to the flyer.
Right - The right bird was just perfect. Nice mark.
20. Pick-up - Rimfires Son Of A Buck, "Peso," BLM, Rod Sage
Flyer - Peso left the line at 7:57 a.m. and headed towards the flyer and under the arc turned towards the bird. Nice mark.
Right - Peso left the mat wide left, behind the guns, and set up a wide ranging hunt left and deep of right gun. Handled as he headed back to the flyer.
Test Dogs – First Series
Habitat Flats North Bottom Gumbo, "Roux," LF
Owner Jason Zerrer, Handler Sue George
Gumbo left the line at 7:36 a.m. headed toward the flyer and went directly to it. Nice mark.
Sent for the right bird and put its nose on the bird. Excellent mark.
CTK‘s Take The Money And Run, "Tank," LM Owner James Hochstetler
Handler Lauren Parks
Tank left the mat and stared the hunt under the arc. He went right to the bird. Nice mark.
Sent for the right bird and went directly to the bird. Nice job.
First Series – Land Double with a Hen Mallard Flyer
The First Series comprises a Land Double with a Hen Mallard Flyer. The first bird is a dead duck located 200 yards from the mat. The gunners are at the base of a steep levee throwing right. The second bird is a Hen Mallard Flyer. The gunners are on the handlers' left up the far hill. This field faces north and sits on a terraced hillside. at 240 yards. The dog must run down through a valley and up to the flyer. There is a southeast wind blowing around 10 mph from right to left.
| Right Hand Dead Duck – 200 yards |
| Left Hand Hen Mallard Flyer – 240 yards |
Rain, Rain Go Away!
Good morning! Welcome to the First Day of the 2021 National Derby. We awoke to the sound of raining tippling down this morning. Some of us woke earlier due to the storms. It's raining "dogs and cats" you might say. That will make this a more challenging day, so please bear with us. We are very much looking forward to bringing you this event, but I can hear thunder out the window and we have to make this a safe National, so there may be some delays today also. They are expecting between one half inch or possibly over an inch of rain …






