Saturday, June 24, 2017

And the WINNER is ...

The Winner of the 2017 National Amateur Championship is ...

43. FC-AFC MULLIGAN OFF THE RAINY "T", "Mully " LM

Owned by Randy and Mary Spangler
 Handled by Randy Spangler










CONGRATULATIONS to our New NAFC – MULLY, and Randy on a job well done!!!

And the FINALISTS ARE ...

After all 10 Series have been completed ...

The FINALISTS of the 2017 National Amateur are:

1. NAFC-FC COOLWATER'S HAWKEYE LEGEND, "Legend", LM, Alex Washburn

8. FC-AFC JJ OF RED ROCK, "JJ", LM, Jim McBee

25. FC-AFC B. BUMBLE, "Stinger", LM, Fred Kampo

33. GOLDSTAR MIMOSA, "Mimi", LF, Judy Rasmuson

43. FC-AFC MULLIGAN OFF THE RAINY "T", "Mully ", LM, Randy Spangler

56. FC-AFC MCKINLEY FIRST ASCENDER-HUDSON, "Hudson", LM, Bill Barstow

71. FC-AFC LUBYS AND WHITEWATERS PIRATES JEWEL, "Jewel", LF, Jeff Schuett

75. FC-AFC LITTLE MISS FREYA, "Freya", LF, James Roberts

80. AFC KIRKWOOD'S ACE OF LONE STAR, "Lexie", LF, Casey Adams

86. FC-AFC NORDIC WARRIOR, "Odin", LM, Armand Fangsrud

100. AFC COLD BLACK JACK, "Jack", LM, John Stracka

104. NFC-AFC WINDY CITY'S MIGHTY MOUSE, "Mickey", LM, Charlie Hines

111. FC HYFLYER'S LIFE IN THE FAST LANE, "Crash", LM, Randy Spangler

122. FC-AFC JOHNNY DOLLAR, "Buck", LM, Charles Bearden

Congratulations to all of these fine competitors!










10th Series SCRAPBOOK – Thank You to the Retriever Community!

The Retriever News Team would like to thank all of the folks out there who tuned into the 2017 NARC Blog. We worked hard bringing you the coverage and we had a great time doing it. The reason for that was that the Blog is not a product of a small group of people. For starters, it couldn't even happen without the Sponsors who support the Blog. Also, the ideas and submissions of people attending the event or in the outside audience are invaluable. We had the help of many volunteers and folks at the event, itself: from people helping us set-up and breakdown our remote "office;" to those who lugged our equipment; to those who even parked our cars, because minutes counted; to those who commented on the coverage, both with encouragement and our mistakes, so we could correct them.

We broke some records this year. Just as it was a superlative year for the National Amateur – celebrating 60 years. It was a terrific one for the Blog. We had over 630,000 page views from ten different countries. And while the majority of those were from the USA, it is encouraging to think that many people from around the world were tuning in as well.

We strive for the best product we are able to produce each time, but it takes lots of people surrounding us to make it happen. So a great big "Thank You" to everyone who contributed to the Blog. This is not the Retriever News Blog – this is the Retriever Community Blog!

Please enjoy these last few pictures taken at the Ninth & Tenth Series and a couple of fun ones thrown into the mix … See you next time!!


Can you guess whose socks these are??!!



The Gallery at the Ninth Series


Waiting for the Tenth Series to begin


"Trick or Treat" – Come on, Charlie, make a decision!!

The future of our sport …

Sue Kampo better hurry up on knitting that scarf – we needed it that day!

Remote "office" wind block – Thanks to Avery Sporting Dog for our wonderful new tents!

Hmmmmmmmm ………


The Judges choose the Winner!
The property of Randy and Mary Spangler


The Finalists march in …


The Gallery!


10th Series is in the books!

The 10th series has come to a close at 2:51 pm.
All the Finalists have run their final series of the 2017 NARC….

Now we wait for the announcement of our new 2017 National Amateur Champion …

STAY TUNED!!

RERUN 104. NFC-AFC WINDY CITY'S MIGHTY MOUSE, "Mickey", LM, Charlie Hines

The dog came to the line at 2:44 pm

RF:  Front Footed it!

LF:  Went straight to the bird!

ISLAND:  Swam straight to the bird!

LR:  Got into the first piece of water, got out on the big point, made a couple passes, re-entered and exited on the right shore, hunted near the cove and got it!

43. FC AFC MULLIGAN OFF THE RAINY "T", "Mully ", LM, Randy Spangler

The dog came to the line at 2:33 pm

RF:  Hammered it!

LF:  Hunted the water and left shore before getting his bird on the right shore.

ISLAND:  Jumped in the pond, swam to the island and got his bird!

LR:  Entered the first piece of water, swam to the big point, re-entered up on land on the right shore, got to the holding blind, made a couple of passes near the holding blind, before re-entering and hunted out his bird.


33. GOLDSTAR MIMOSA, "Mimi", LF, Judy Rasmuson

The dog came to the line at 2:22 pm

RF:  Pinned it!

LF:  Big splash into the pond and swam to her bird!

ISLAND:  Swam straight to the bird!

LR:  Entered the first piece of water, got on the big point and made a pass, re-entered, got on the "L" point, re-entered and went to the bird!
 



25. FC-AFC B. BUMBLE, "Stinger", LM, Fred Kampo

The dog came to the line at 2:10 pm

RF:  The dog ran deep, turned and had the bird!

LF:  The dog swam straight to the bird.

ISLAND:  The dog jumped in the pond, ran to the island and got his bird!

LR:  The dog jumped in the first piece of water, made a pass on the big point, and re-entered the water and hunted the cove until he found his bird.

HANDLE 8. FC AFC JJ OF RED ROCK, "JJ", LM, Jim McBee

The dog came to the line 1:58 pm

RF:  Stepped on it!

LF:  Swam straight to the far shore, hit the shore, got in the water and went to grab the bird off the left shore.

ISLAND:  Made a pass or two on land before the pond, then the dog jumped in the water and was handled to the bird.

LR:  Got in the first piece of water, rand to the big point, made a 90 degree turn to the left, re-entered and swam to the "L" point, then punched up hill and hunted inward to dig out the bird!



1. NAFC FC COOLWATER'S HAWKEYE LEGEND, "Legend", LM, Alex Washburn

The dog came to the line at 1:44 pm

RF:  Pinned it!

LF: The dog hunted the shore where the gunners sit, and Legend saw his bird floating in the water so he jumped in and grabbed it.

ISLAND:  Went straight to it!

LR:  The dog jumped into the first piece of water, swam to the big point, re-entered into the cove on the right shore, re-entered again, exited near the holding blind, made 2 passes by the holding blind,  then over to the cover to snatch up his bird.

122. FC AFC JOHNNY DOLLAR, "Buck", LM, Charles Bearden

The dog came to the line 1:28 pm

RF:  The dog ran down the hill toward the mark while making several passes up and down the hillside establishing a hunt when he finally retrieved the bird.

LF:  The dog took a straight line passing behind the gunner station and diving directly into the water to retrieve the bird.

ISLAND:   the dog ran a straight line to the water and entered swimming toward the island. The dog swam past the island and swam to the point and hunted the water between the point and the island. The dog swam back to the island and retrieved the bird.

LR:  The dog entered the first piece of water, re-entered and swam to “L” point and made a couple of passes on the L point, then jumped into the water and hunted in the water until he found his bird.



111. FC HYFLYER'S LIFE IN THE FAST LANE, "Crash", LM, Randy Spangler

The dog came to the line at 1:13 pm

RF:  Hammered it!

LF: Jumped in and went straight to the bird.

ISLAND:  Swam to the island and went straight to the bird!

LR:  The dog jumped in the first piece of the water and got out on the big point, established a hunt on the big point for several passes, before re-entering into the water, swimming across the cove hunting, got out on land by the holding blind, hooked over left and got the bird.

RERUN 56. FC AFC MCKINLEY FIRST ASCENDER-HUDSON, "Hudson", LM, Bill Barstow

The dog came to the line at 12:54 pm

RF:  Good Mark!

LF: Bird drifted very far from where it landed, Hudson went where the bird landed, established a hunt in the area before leaving the area to retriever the floating bird by the dead tree in the water.

ISLAND:  The dog swam straight to the bird!


LR:  The dog entered the first piece of water, then re-entered angling right, the dog began hunting water just a channel shy of the cove where the bird lands, then went to the holding blind and punched up hill to the right and caught a snoot full and then went into the cove to make the retrieve.



NOBIRD 104. NFC-AFC WINDY CITY'S MIGHTY MOUSE, "Mickey", LM, Charlie Hines

The dog came to the line at 12:46 pm

RF:  Good Mark!

LF: Dog went to retriever the bird, the bird was alive, dove on the dog twice before the handler was instructed to get to the line so he may rerun later

100. AFC COLD BLACK JACK, "Jack", LM, John Stracka

The dog came to the line at 12:33 pm

RF:  Pounced on it!

LF: The dog jumped into the water, under the arc of the island mark and swam all the way to retrieve the flyer.

ISLAND:  The dog jumped into the pond and swam to the island and got the bird.


LR:  The dog entered the first piece of water and swam to the big point, re-entered and swam to “L” point. The dog made a pass there and then went deep and right of the cove to retrieve his bird.

**** 10th Series Connectivity Announcement ****

We continue to be tested this week (just like the dogs that are participating in this awesome event) with internet connectivity issues. We are having a lot of connectivity problems here on location at the 10th series this afternoon. We are working hard to make sure the blog remains as up-to-date as we can! The coverage will probably include posts of few dogs being posted at a time as we can. Please bear with us!!  … And most of all, enjoy the coverage as we are SO CLOSE to crowning the new National Amateur Field Champion of 2017!

86. FC AFC NORDIC WARRIOR, "Odin", LM, Armand Fangsrud

As a first time handler the dog came to the line at 12:44 pm

RF: The dog  front-footed the bird

LF:  The dog jumped right in to grab the floating bird –belly up!

ISLAND:  The dog swam to the island and scooped up his bird.


LR: The dog jumped into the first piece of water, and made one pass on the shore of the big point before re-entering into the cove right of the holding blind and drove over  land and to the bird.


80. AFC KIRKWOOD'S ACE OF LONE STAR, "Lexie", LF, Casey Adams

The dog came to the line at 12:12 pm

RF: Good mark!

LF: The dog drilled the mark

ISLAND: The dog jumped into the water and swam to the island to quickly retrieve the bird

LR:  The dog jumped into the water and drove  to the big point to the left edge of the  “L”, and drove the hillside left of the fall and made a big loop to the right and deep before turning toward the water to hunt up her bird and make the retrieve.



75. FC AFC LITTLE MISS FREYA, "Freya", LF, James Roberts

The dog came to the line at 12:02

RF:  The dog drove a bit deep and made two passes on the hillside, then went into the cover to make the retrieve

LF:  The dog ran by the gunners on the shore deep in the cove, then jumped in the water and got the bird.

ISLAND:  The dog swam straight to the island, and got the bird.

LR:  The dog ran at the area, jumped in the first piece of water, re-entered the water, swimming to the big ”L” point to the left, got out deep and left of the holding blind on the hillside, then turned and jumped into the water and got the bird.



71. FC AFC LUBYS AND WHITEWATERS PIRATES JEWEL, "Jewel", LF, Jeff Schuett 10TH SERIES

The dog came to the line at 11:48 am

RF:  The dog had a small quick hunt.

ISLAND:  The dog hunted back from where the gunners threw from, before swimming to the island, to grab the bird.

LF: The dog got near the flyer guns and jumped into the water, going to the backside of the island, then quickly jumped into the water and swam to the bird.

LR:  The dog was en route and on a good path, then exited the pond, punching right around while coming right and deep of the holding blind, got a snoot full and made loop into the area to retrieve the bird.


NO BIRD 56. FC AFC MCKINLEY FIRST ASCENDER-HUDSON, "Hudson", LM, Bill Barstow

The dog came to the line at 11:38 am

RF:  Drilled it

No bird on the island bird

Tenth Series – Land/Water Quad with 3 Flyers and 2 Retired

Welcome to the Tenth Series. We are high on a bluff overlooking a marvelous technical pond that is in front of Mary and Randy Spangler's house.

The first bird down is the "Long Right Retired," a hen mallard flyer shot to the left at 361 yards. The bird lands in a small bay on the very far shore of the pond and is sluiced. After the dog is sent, the guns retire behind a mulberry bush.

The second bird is the "Island Bird," a hen mallard thrown right angle back landing on a small island in the pond at 158 yards. After the dog is sent, the gunners retire behind a small tree.

The third bird is on the far left of the test at 164 yards. This stand out gun is just to the left and deep of the Island gunners and is shooting a hen mallard and we will refer to as the "Left Flyer." The throw is a hard angle back that lands in the left corner of the water with a sluice. These guns remain standing out.

The fourth and final bird is the "Right Flyer" which is a big swing to the right. The gunners stand up on the hillside and shoot a rooster pheasant to the left at 128 yards. These guns remain standing out.



STATISTICS GOING INTO THE 10TH

These are the stats we have come up with for the dogs going to the Tenth Series:

71 - H - 5th
75 - H - 7th
80 - H - 7th
86 - H - 2nd
100 - H - 7th
104 - H - 2nd
111 -
122 - H - 2nd
1 -
8 -
25 - H - 7th
33 - H - 5th
43 -
56 -

14 BACK TO THE 10TH SERIES

Callbacks to the 10th Series

The 14 Dogs called back to the 10th Series are:

1. NAFC FC COOLWATER'S HAWKEYE LEGEND, "Legend", LM, Alex Washburn

8. FC AFC JJ OF RED ROCK, "JJ", LM, Jim McBee

25. FC AFC B. BUMBLE, "Stinger", LM, Fred Kampo

33. GOLDSTAR MIMOSA, "Mimi", LF, Judy Rasmuson

43. FC AFC MULLIGAN OFF THE RAINY "T", "Mully ", LM, Randy Spangler

56. FC AFC MCKINLEY FIRST ASCENDER-HUDSON, "Hudson", LM, Bill Barstow

71. FC AFC LUBYS AND WHITEWATERS PIRATES JEWEL, "Jewel", LF, Jeff Schuett

75. FC AFC LITTLE MISS FREYA, "Freya", LF, James Roberts

80. AFC KIRKWOOD'S ACE OF LONE STAR, "Lexie", LF, Casey Adams

86. FC AFC NORDIC WARRIOR, "Odin", LM, Armand Fangsrud

100. AFC COLD BLACK JACK, "Jack", LM, John Stracka

104. NFC-AFC WINDY CITY'S MIGHTY MOUSE, "Mickey", LM, Charlie Hines

111. FC HYFLYER'S LIFE IN THE FAST LANE, "Crash", LM, Randy Spangler

122. FC AFC JOHNNY DOLLAR, "Buck", LM, Charles Bearden

There were 3 Dogs dropped in the 9th Series
Dropped: 22, 52 and 69

The Conclusion of the Ninth Series

The 9th Series Test is in the books at 9:54 am. We are breaking down this test to move to our right down the ridge for the Tenth Series. We are awaiting the callbacks to see who gets to run the Tenth Series.

STAY TUNED …

111. FC HYFLYER'S LIFE IN THE FAST LANE, "Crash", LM, Randy Spangler

The dog came to the line at 9:40 am

RF:  The dog went up the hill, then down the slope to the bird.

MR:  The dog took a true path at the fall and put his nose on it.

LR:  The dog went running at the holding blind, went under the holding blind and front-footed the bird.

104. NFC-AFC WINDY CITY'S MIGHTY MOUSE, "Mickey", LM, Charlie Hines

Came to the line at 9:26 am

RF: straight to the bird.

MF: headed wide right of the fall, reached the bales deep of the fall; established a hunt deep and right of the bird, then made a left of the holding and worked over to the bird.

LR: ran at the holding blind; began to angle toward the bird, midway and put his nose on it.

RERUN 71. WHITEWATERS PIRATES JEWEL, "Jewel", LF, Jeff Schuett


RF:  The dog went straight to the bird.

MR:  The dog went running a true path at the bird, then took a hard left at the holding blind mid-way, then quickly headed right and to her bird.

LR:  The dog went running a path to the right of the holding blind, got to the hill and made a big loop left into the area and had her bird.



RERUN 56. FC AFC MCKINLEY FIRST ASCENDER-HUDSON, "Hudson", LM, Bill Barstow

The dog came to the line at 9:17 am

RF:  The dog drove to the top of the hill, while making a couple of passes there and got the bird.

MR:  The dog went running hard at the fall area and just drilled it! WOW!

LR:   The dog went running hard digging up the hill at the bird, and front-footed it! AWESOME!

100. AFC COLD BLACK JACK, "Jack", LM, John Stracka

The dog came to the line at 9:09 am

RF:  The dog nailed it!

MR: The dog made a pass just shallow, in the cover strip, then continued on to the fall and put his nose on it!

LR:  The dog got to the valley of the bales, made a couple passes there, and then punched up the hill to the area and got his bird

86. FC AFC NORDIC WARRIOR, "Odin", LM, Armand Fangsrud

The dog came to the line at 9:03 am

RF The went running at the bird, climbing the hill, then made a loop or two at the top and then went down the slope to get his bird.

MR: The dog took off on a confident run toward the fall, made a loop and quickly scooped his bird.

LR: The dog went running at the holding blind, while enroute made a move mid-way toward the fall that got him into the area and got his bird.


80. AFC KIRKWOOD'S ACE OF LONE STAR, "Lexie", LF, Casey Adams

The dog came to the line at 8:56 am

RF: The dog made a couple of passes in the area and had her bird.

MR: The dog punched through the cover, veering hard right, then established a hunt shallow of the fall, before working deeper to the left of the holding blind, then quickly made a move right in the area and to the bird.

LR:  The dog went running at the holding blind, got to the right of the holding blind and began to hunt to the right of the holding blind, before making a move to the left to retrieve the bird.

75. FC AFC LITTLE MISS FREYA, "Freya", LF, James Roberts

The dog came to the line at 8:49 am

RF: The dog smacked it!

MR: The dog took off at the bird, veering deep, hunted the bales deep, then rapidly made a move to snatch up her bird.

LR: The dog went running at the holding blind, angling right. then made a loop into the area, then made pass or two and had her bird.

NO BIRD 71. FC AFC LUBYS AND NO BIRD WHITEWATERS PIRATES JEWEL, "Jewel", LF, Jeff Schuett

No bird on the rooster flyer.

HANDLE 69. BRUSHY CREEK'S JUICY JUICE, "Pulp", LM, Charlie Hays

The dog came to the line at 8:35 am

RF: The dog made short work of this bird for an accurate mark.

MR: The dog veered wide right of the fall and followed a cover strip down the valley, away from the bird, going out of sight. The dog suddenly appeared and went straight to the bird.

LR: The dog took off way right of the holding blind, then began to hunt the cover strips shallow of the mark in the valley among the bales, before the dog was handled to the bird.