# Most memorable FT moments - Good and Bad



## Brian Daniels (May 21, 2011)

There was a thread a few months ago where Earl Dillow and Bill Davis were trading war stories from their field trial days in the 80s/90s. Their stories were bitter sweet in the fact that they had to sacrifice a lot to get where they wanted in the game.

I'd like to hear some more stories from some of the more experienced folks on here in the FT game. Good or bad. Happy or sad.


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Cut em Shelby said:


> There was a thread a few months ago where Earl Dillow and Bill Davis were trading war stories from their field trial days in the 80s/90s. Their stories were bitter sweet in the fact that they had to sacrifice a lot to get where they wanted in the game.
> 
> I'd like to hear some more stories from some of the more experienced folks on here in the FT game. *Good or bad. Happy or sad.*


Wasn't that a song?


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## Pals (Jul 29, 2008)

huntinman said:


> Wasn't that a song?


You have some wonderful stories. I enjoy listening to you talk dogs Bill.


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## Criquetpas (Sep 14, 2004)

Ok everyone tells the " I got screwed" stuff. Here is a "gift one". Amateur all age, water blind, dog disappears in the tules, can't see dog for at least a minute or two, look at judges eyes closed dozing? She comes out with bird one judge says she got it. Go back to my truck, start to pull out to go home. Surely I am out with the disappearing act. Marshall hollers come back Earl you are back. She runs the water marks, pounds them and wins the trial. At least one of the sleeping judges is deceased. Hmm I guess this one erases some aw s--ts you just never know!


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## Bait (Jan 21, 2004)

That's a good one Earl!


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

OK.. Good one Earl... So it's your fault I got a JAM that day!

I have a good one that will take a while to tell... Don't have the time right now... Some of the older Alaska guys may remember the incident... I was young and dumb back then and I'm still a little ashamed of what I did. (However I did get 1 Open Point out of it). 

Howard, don't give it away if you remember what I'm talking about...

I'll be back later;-)


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## Raymond Little (Aug 2, 2006)

huntinman said:


> OK.. Good one Earl... So it's your fault I got a JAM that day!
> 
> I have a good one that will take a while to tell... Don't have the time right now... Some of the older Alaska guys may remember the incident... I was young and dumb back then and I'm still a little ashamed of what I did. (However I did get 1 Open Point out of it).
> 
> ...


What's with you Bill, retired and always gotta leave to do what???????????????


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## shawninthesticks (Jun 13, 2010)

Raymond Little said:


> What's with you Bill, retired and always gotta leave to do what???????????????


Potty break.


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## cakaiser (Jul 12, 2007)

One of my favorite memories was ole Jones. Am, really tight triple, close, with 500 yd long retired 4th bird, over the top of the flyer. That bird was thrown down a dike, to land right at the edge of a big lake. Proper line, just shave a corner..
There was nothing but water, to the left of that bird. As far as you could see.

Well, ole Jones got 3, then went left for the long retired... Got to the edge of the lake. Stopped and gazed out. You could just see him thinking, wow, that's a big swim. He then decided, gotta do it. Huge, leaping water entry, into...nowhere. 
I am cracking up..Dick just had the gun come out, help him get the bird.
To this day, wonder just where he thought he was going..


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## Raymond Little (Aug 2, 2006)

cakaiser said:


> One of my favorite memories was ole Jones. Am, really tight triple, close, with 500 yd long retired 4th bird, over the top of the flyer. That bird was thrown down a dike, to land right at the edge of a big lake. Proper line, just shave a corner..
> There was nothing but water, to the left of that bird. As far as you could see.
> 
> Well, ole Jones got 3, then went left for the long retired... Got to the edge of the lake. Stopped and gazed out. You could just see him thinking, wow, that's a big swim. He then decided, gotta do it. Huge, leaping water entry, into...nowhere.
> ...


You started this Charlotte, tell us about Ole Jones. How many pts, any DH's, Nat Q??????????
Thanks!!


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## cakaiser (Jul 12, 2007)

Jones was AFC. Didn't have that many points. Qualified for a national. 
He was limited in many ways, but... that boy would do a big swim. He was a real character. Have a ton of ole Jones stories, that make us laugh.

I miss him. Even though...he was a jerk, and I often wanted to kill him.
Never obeyed any command, if he thought, he didn't have to..


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## classact2731 (Apr 23, 2011)

cakaiser said:


> Jones was AFC. Didn't have that many points. Qualified for a national.
> He was limited in many ways, but... that boy would do a big swim. He was a real character. Have a ton of ole Jones stories, that make us laugh.
> 
> *I miss him. Even though...he was a jerk, and I often wanted to kill him.
> Never obeyed any command, if he thought, he didn't have to..*




That is Awesome!!!!!!! I know how you feel ,*minus all the accomplishments*


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Raymond Little said:


> What's with you Bill, retired and always gotta leave to do what???????????????


That's the problem... Not retired... Gotta leave to earn my keep every now and then! Wife is retired... Just a couple months ago... Darn it!


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## Breck (Jul 1, 2003)

I'll never forget the first Open I handled in and finished. I remember at the time Kippy had just bought Banner who ended up winning the trial. 
Anyway, my dog had been washed from the Q the previous fall and spent the winter at Hillary Brooks place with a 2nd chance pro to sort out if she could play or not. (turned out she could) 
Well, I bring her home from wintering in SC and run the NJ spring trials! At Lynne Budd's Cranberry Bog, except for the late Bob Larson, I was the only amateur still left standing in the Open 4th series against pros Forry, Mosher, Wayne Curtis and 2 others. I still remember the 350 yd water blind being a real ball breaker. Not only was it technically over the top difficult but after you ran it you walked 50 yards or so down the cranberry bog dike/road to receive your dog and everybody's birds were left in a pile there a few yards off line. Not just 1 poison bird but a pile of 'em. The wind was strong and stiff, Mosher lost several good dogs to the poison bird pile. Right when dogs made a reentry and were out of sight they were winding the bird pile and if they went for it you didn't have time to stop them. Pick up! My dogs land marks and especially water blind were stellar so we were looking pretty good going into the 4th. Well, in the 4th there was the same honkin' cross wind on the way out to the 320 yd long retired thrown on an island. It was blowing strong enough that even dogs making a big effort shouldering the wind were blown off course at the end, putting there feet on the wrong island. it was only 30 yards from the correct island and dogs winded bird from there which is what mine did.
I was very surprised we were not even awarded a Greenie. That was my 1st Open finishing experience both good and bad.
At the Open the following week we did manage to squeak out a Greenie so finishing 2 in a row was pretty good for a newbie. (PS none of the Open dogs that finished the previous week finished this one so that was pretty cool too) 
In the big picture AA greenies don't mean squat but you remember the 1st one you didn't get.


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## Criquetpas (Sep 14, 2004)

Come on Bill tell the story. Will tell another funny one or think it is funny. I had just run a poison bird water blind with one of my dogs. Print did a nice job. Poison bird was placed about six feet up in a tree, dry shot, send for the blind.
Number two dog Duke (FC/AFC Criquetpas Gettum Duke) his turn. Someone asked Judge Lee Jolley if any dog could get the poison bird. Lee replied nah too far up in tree. Dry shot, sent dog on the blind, lost sight of him for awhile, figure he got too far right, waiting for him to pop up in water, and waited and waited no Duke, finally comes back with a bird, figured he just got too far off line, got the blind didn't see him. All of a sudden a voice from the dry shot comes over the radio, we need another poison bird that last dog climbed the tree and got the bird damnest thing he ever saw that dog climbing the tree!


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Well it was 1995... That was an eventful year for me. I went through a divorce that year... We talked about that before. The game didn't help. Probably would have happened anyway, but this game is hard on a good relationship. If you have a poor one, look out. Right after the divorce was final (I mean the next week), the week before the Natl Am in Sun Valley... My old dog Preacher finally wins one and we qualify for the National! Due to the divorce, (and my spending habits!) I was so broke I couldn't pay attention. Well, thanks to my friends at CitiBank Visa or some such... I said "I'm going to the National!" And off we went... Had a great time. My first out of state trial of any kind... I was fortunate to train with my buddy Bill Petrovish, Billy Sargenti, Don Oliver of CA, Christina Jones of VA and Richard Pumphrey in ID. Some nice dogs in that bunch with guidance from Billy. None of them knew me from Adam, but they welcomed me in like a long lost friend. I'll never forget it and it was the time of my life. 

But that's not really what the story is about... I was in my mid 30's then and working for a local distributor of a National soft drink product. (Don't want to name the company, I still have some friends there). Anyway there was a trial coming up and I had the Friday scheduled off. As a salesperson, I had already contacted all of my customers ahead of time and taken care of their needs for that week, so they would not miss me anyway... A coworker wanted the same day off at the last minute to go to Seattle and the management wouldn't let him go. So, I (being a softy) felt for the guy and let him have my day off. Meanwhile, as I said before, I had already done my work for the Friday of the trial... So that morning for the first and only time ever... I called in sick. Then I went to the trial. Sherwin Scott was judging the Open with the local judge. 

My dog ran pretty well, but not quite good enough and I ended up with a 3rd place in that Open... When I showed up for work on Monday, the supervisor from hell calls me in his office and says "So, how was the field trial?" Uh,oh... 

He had driven all the way down to Turnagain Pass from Anchorage looking for me as he figured that's where I was. He never actually saw me, but did see my truck. I ended up getting fired from my job for calling in sick when I wasn't sick. 

I figure it was a pretty good trade off... I got an Open point and got out of a job I didn't like all that much anyway. I would have done it differently if I had thought much about it. But my life went straight up from that point forward, better career, personal life etc... Everything happens for a reason... Even losing a job to run a field trial... Though I'll admit that's a little extreme! 

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!


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## yellow machine (Dec 7, 2005)

Bill we are waiting..................


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## Criquetpas (Sep 14, 2004)

Bill that was truly life changing, hard to top it!


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Criquetpas said:


> Bill that was truly life changing, hard to top it!


That might fit your wife's version of the Garth Brooks song!


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## Brian Daniels (May 21, 2011)

huntinman said:


> Well it was 1995... That was an eventful year for me. I went through a divorce that year... We talked about that before. The game didn't help. Probably would have happened anyway, but this game is hard on a good relationship. If you have a poor one, look out. Right after the divorce was final (I mean the next week), the week before the Natl Am in Sun Valley... My old dog Preacher finally wins one and we qualify for the National! Due to the divorce, (and my spending habits!) I was so broke I couldn't pay attention. Well, thanks to my friends at CitiBank Visa or some such... I said "I'm going to the National!" And off we went... Had a great time. My first out of state trial of any kind... I was fortunate to train with my buddy Bill Petrovish, Billy Sargenti, Don Oliver of CA, Christina Jones of VA and Richard Pumphrey in ID. Some nice dogs in that bunch with guidance from Billy. None of them knew me from Adam, but they welcomed me in like a long lost friend. I'll never forget it and it was the time of my life.
> 
> But that's not really what the story is about... I was in my mid 30's then and working for a local distributor of a National soft drink product. (Don't want to name the company, I still have some friends there). Anyway there was a trial coming up and I had the Friday scheduled off. As a salesperson, I had already contacted all of my customers ahead of time and taken care of their needs for that week, so they would not miss me anyway... A coworker wanted the same day off at the last minute to go to Seattle and the management wouldn't let him go. So, I (being a softy) felt for the guy and let him have my day off. Meanwhile, as I said before, I had already done my work for the Friday of the trial... So that morning for the first and only time ever... I called in sick. Then I went to the trial. Sherwin Scott was judging the Open with the local judge.
> 
> ...


great story!


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

We used to run a double header trial up in Paxson, Alaska in conjunction with the Fairbanks club. One year we were running the first series from a big mound (everything up there was run for a big mound!) facing a big lake. Boyd Woodward was running one of his dogs, I can't remember if it was Mojo or the one before him Chet... Whichever dog it was watched the birds down and got the go bird, then went for the long middle bird. As it picked up that long bird the lake was in the background... The dog scooped up the bird and kept going... Launching itself into the lake with a beautiful water entry! The dog is now about 400 yards away from the line swimming across the lake away from the test, the line, everything. Boyd was blowing his whistle, the thrower was shooting his popper, nothing! Gus were yelling... The dog swam all the way across the lake and was still going... Boyd went around with his truck as close as he could and eventually caught up with the dog... Strangest thing... Don't know if he tumbled and we couldn't see it... Or what but he had his mind made up... He was going that direction...


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## roseberry (Jun 22, 2010)

bill,
as you know, you needed to get out of that organization. in my world, if you are *at quota*, all your customers are *taken care of *and *i *am your sales vp........*i would fire you if you didn't go to a field trial!*

i would probably reset your objectives next quarter though.;-)


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

roseberry said:


> bill,
> as you know, you needed to get out of that organization. in my world, if you are *at quota*, all your customers are *taken care of *and *i *am your sales vp........*i would fire you if you didn't go to a field trial!*
> 
> i would probably reset your objectives next quarter though.;-)


That's so true! Like I said... My career went onwards and upwards from there. At the company I was fired from, I was the top sales rep for the entire time I was there. Won every sales contest and trip etc... Poor management. Within 2 years of that day I had tripled my income and had a boss who ascribed to the philosophy you just espoused. Just meet your goals and who cares where you are... Never looked back from that day on...


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## TimFenstermacher (Sep 9, 2012)

huntinman said:


> We used to run a double header trial up in Paxson, Alaska in conjunction with the Fairbanks club. One year we were running the first series from a big mound (everything up there was run for a big mound!) facing a big lake. Boyd Woodward was running one of his dogs, I can't remember if it was Mojo or the one before him Chet... Whichever dog it was watched the birds down and got the go bird, then went for the long middle bird. As it picked up that long bird the lake was in the background... The dog scooped up the bird and kept going... Launching itself into the lake with a beautiful water entry! The dog is now about 400 yards away from the line swimming across the lake away from the test, the line, everything. Boyd was blowing his whistle, the thrower was shooting his popper, nothing! Gus were yelling... The dog swam all the way across the lake and was still going... Boyd went around with his truck as close as he could and eventually caught up with the dog... Strangest thing... Don't know if he tumbled and we couldn't see it... Or what but he had his mind made up... He was going that direction...


That's like running to the wrong end zone or shooting at the other teams hoop! I'd luv to hear the dog tell that story!!!!!


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## HandyMan1 (Apr 2, 2008)

Best FT moments.
Both so far are with CFC CAFC Gahonks Aint He Handy who recently crossed over the rainbow. Handy was a Canadian National Open Finalist in 2005 and 2007. Those were great memories but the best was is 2004 at Waterfowlers club in Canada at Ducross's place. Great property with great water. They had three all age stakes that weekend, Open and two Ams. Handy was the only dog that finished all three stakes. Sunday we were squirting honey down his throat to keep his energy up. We got two second places and a CM (Jam). I remember at the last series on the second AM, twelve series now in three days, BIG water triple on the "million dollar pond" as they called it. The last bird to pick up was a boat mark about 300 yards away and thrown onto shore. Most of the dogs beached early and ran down the land to pick up the bird. Handy came back with the second bird and looked out and I could tell he was whooped. His ears perked up, I sent him and he swam out all the way. Granted on the back side of the boat but turned and picked up the bird. 
Twelve series, three days, three different set of judges. 
The second was Handy's last Open before he retired. It was at the Mobile Am Ret Club and Jason Flemming and Jim Oneal were judging. The entire Open was tough. Big tough marks and big blinds. The last series was on one of the big catfish ponds. This is prior to the new ponds. At the catfish ponds, you either did cut the corner marks of big ole swim marks. Well they chose the big ole swim marks. The flyer was all land then to the right at about 250 yds had a retired bird along the water edge in some thick tall cover. Then to the right again was the big punch bird at about 450 to 500 yds. 300 yds was all swim and the rest was driving up a hill side. Handy was the only dog to do the marks and did well on all three. He won that Open. My best memories have been where Handy showed his heart on the big set ups. These two stories are fresh in my mind due to we put Handy down a little over a week ago. He retired with 90.5 All Age points and always gave it all for me. I will miss that big yellow that every one referred to as the Handy Man. I now look forward to great memories with his son, Gator. He is coming up on three and half and already he has a fourth in an Open and jammed two Ams. Gator also has a big heart and desire to pull out the big ones. We are going to have a good time together.


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## Buzz (Apr 27, 2005)

I've had a couple of strange things happen at field trials.

At NDRC a year ago I ran my male Mick in the Am. They had both the derby and Am going at the main grounds. The Am had a triple with 2 retired. Flyer right out front up the middle, a retired bird up against some woods at about 200 yards right behind the flyer. And a retired bird out on the right. We got the flyer and the right retired. I sent for the bird right behind the flyer and Mick comes right in there but wasn't getting all the way to the woods. He did a couple loops out front then bailed out to the right where he did a couple more loops looking for a bird. The all of the sudden he stops and gets up on his hind legs to get a better look over to the derby. They were about 520 yards from where he was hunting the mark, and about 700 yards from line. Well, the booger heard the shot and must have seen the bird thrown, because off to the races he went. I was blowing the whistle and yelling to no avail. He went right over to the derby, got a bird, and brought it back to the Am, all happy like he just did real good. I should have asked if we got bonus points for that...

The first time I ever ran an Open with Raven they shot a quad with two retired. Amazingly she didn't want the flyer first. She watched all 4 birds down, then swung to one of the guns that was in the process of retiring. She goes and front foots that bird, comes back and has a little hunt on the left out gun. Then she comes back and lines up on the 350 yard retired bird. She hammers it. Well I guess the flyer gunners got really nervous. One of the gunners gets up and goes & picks up the bird. I ask the judges, what's that all about, I'm not done! He gets on the radio and one of the gunners pitches the bird out about 5 feet from the gun station. Raven comes back, lines up on the flyer. I send her and she goes right to where the bird originally lay. Not there. She gradually expands her hunt until it turns into a gorilla hunt. I was so p'oed I let her hunt longer than I should have. She wasn't going right to the gun station for nothing. Picked her up and went home.


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Buzz said:


> I've had a couple of strange things happen at field trials.
> 
> At NDRC a year ago I ran my male Mick in the Am. They had both the derby and Am going at the main grounds. The Am had a triple with 2 retired. Flyer right out front up the middle, a retired bird up against some woods at about 200 yards right behind the flyer. And a retired bird out on the right. We got the flyer and the right retired. I sent for the bird right behind the flyer and Mick comes right in there but wasn't getting all the way to the woods. He did a couple loops out front then bailed out to the right where he did a couple more loops looking for a bird. The all of the sudden he stops and gets up on his hind legs to get a better look over to the derby. They were about 520 yards from where he was hunting the mark, and about 700 yards from line. Well, the booger heard the shot and must have seen the bird thrown, because off to the races he went. I was blowing the whistle and yelling to no avail. He went right over to the derby, got a bird, and brought it back to the Am, all happy like he just did real good. I should have asked if we got bonus points for that...
> 
> The first time I ever ran an Open with Raven they shot a quad with two retired. Amazingly she didn't want the flyer first. She watched all 4 birds down, then swung to one of the guns that was in the process of retiring. She goes and front foots that bird, comes back and has a little hunt on the left out gun. Then she comes back and lines up on the 350 yard retired bird. She hammers it. Well I guess the flyer gunners got really nervous. One of the gunners gets up and goes & picks up the bird. I ask the judges, what's that all about, I'm not done! He gets on the radio and one of the gunners pitches the bird out about 5 feet from the gun station. Raven comes back, lines up on the flyer. I send her and she goes right to where the bird originally lay. Not there. She gradually expands her hunt until it turns into a gorilla hunt. I was so p'oed I let her hunt longer than I should have. She wasn't going right to the gun station for nothing. Picked her up and went home.


You should have turned around to the judges when they threw that bird back to the wrong to and said it was in the wrong spot and claimed interference. You have to stand your ground... If it's a well known "player" the judges would have already called it. They should have done it for you. I've had that and worse happen to me as well when I was young in the game... But watch when it's a Name...


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## Raymond Little (Aug 2, 2006)

Ran my first derby in 2009 at PARC's fall FT and brought the whole family to watch wonder dog. It was a little chilly that Saturday morning and I left home with kennel boots and shorts on. Wifey acknoledged my fashion faux paux immediatly upon my exit from the truck to check in since everyone else was in jeans. Since derbies never run in order I was asked to participate rather quickly. Signal ready, left long mark 350-400 yds throws and Kemo locks in, right flyer is shot and he is still locked in on long mark. The silence is broken by Wifey commenting "There goes $80".


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Raymond Little said:


> Ran my first derby in 2009 at PARC's fall FT and brought the whole family to watch wonder dog. It was a little chilly that Saturday morning and I left home with kennel boots and shorts on. Wifey acknoledged my fashion faux paux immediatly upon my exit from the truck to check in since everyone else was in jeans. Since derbies never run in order I was asked to participate rather quickly. Signal ready, left long mark 350-400 yds throws and Kemo locks in, right flyer is shot and he is still locked in on long mark. The silence is broken by Wifey commenting "There goes $80".


Don't feel bad Raymond, about the only difference between that and my first time to the line at the derby is long pants and my dog saw the flyer... And darn near caught it as it hit the ground! I was so surprised when he took off that I just stood there watching him run. I still remember Boyd Woodward asking me why I didn't stop him? I said, "I didn't know I could"!
1985... Old Jake. Chocolate out of backyard breeding. He and I were a pair. I banged my head against the wall with him for a while... Till I finally realized that I just had to get a dog that really WANTED to do it. We kept Jake too. He lived to be 16.


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## Criquetpas (Sep 14, 2004)

huntinman said:


> You should have turned around to the judges when they threw that bird back to the wrong to and said it was in the wrong spot and claimed interference. You have to stand your ground... If it's a well known "player" the judges would have already called it. They should have done it for you. I've had that and worse happen to me as well when I was young in the game... But watch when it's a Name...


 Young guy running a Golden Retiever many ,many , years ago , was working on his CD novice. He was taught to tell the dog stay with a open hand and walk away. This young guy was running a licensed Derby stake. To his amazement he made it to the last series with his 20 month old amateur trained Golden running his first licensed trial the place Madison !Wisconsin. The Golden pinned the water marks. The guy was so nervous his hands were shaking. As he walked off the line, one of the judges, long deceased, told the young guy he was sorry but they had to eliminate him. The young Man asked why, the judge replied you hit your dog on the nose with your hand when you told her to stay. We considered it touching your dog and intimidation . I walked off the line thinking what the heck is this silly game called field trials. The local pro won the Derby. True story. If you didn't catch the "I " it was me. Their would be many more over the years, but, there were a few gifts too.


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Criquetpas said:


> Young guy running a Golden Retiever many ,many , years ago , was working on his CD novice. He was taught to tell the dog stay with a open hand and walk away. This young guy was running a licensed Derby stake. To his amazement he made it to the last series with his 20 month old amateur trained Golden running his first licensed trial the place Madison !Wisconsin. The Golden pinned the water marks. The guy was so nervous his hands were shaking. As he walked off the line, one of the judges, long deceased, told the young guy he was sorry but they had to eliminate him. The young Man asked why, the judge replied you hit your dog on the nose with your hand when you told her to stay. We considered it touching your dog and intimidation . I walked off the line thinking what the heck is this silly game called field trials. The local pro won the Derby. True story. If you didn't catch the "I " it was me. Their would be many more over the years, but, there were a few gifts too.


Ugh.........


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## Chris Videtto (Nov 4, 2010)

guys......great stories, you keep me wanting to read more! Should do a book!

Chris


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

I'll bet Earl has a million of them.

Need to get Mr. Bill Connor, Dr. Ed Aycock and some of the other "seasoned" FTers to toss a few bones on here... Change some names to protect the guilty if necessary...;-)


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## Jennifer Henion (Jan 1, 2012)

Awesome thread!


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## mbcorsini (Sep 25, 2005)

My best moment was my first. My dogs are trained by me, a full time working person, I entered my first Derby and we finished. We only jammed, but that green ribbon was like a blue for me. Everyone got hugs and I drove those 3 hours home so high. It was great.


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## Pete (Dec 24, 2005)

Open land blind run from the top of a hill,,in sage brush field. At a hundred yards a 4 ft. high X 8 ft depth X 10 yards across,wall of sage brush. I put the dog on line into the wall of sage with one whistle,,,as a stood there waiting for him to blow threw the other side,,,waiting ,,,,,,,,waiting,,,,,,,,waiting,,,,,,,waiting,,,,which seem like forever he never appeared ,,May be a pop who knows,,I start scanning the field left right ,,,left right,,,nothing,,,this went on for an eternity As I throw my hands up I look at the ribbon where the blind was and here comes my dog with the bird.
The judges gave me the funniest look ,,,like as if to say... You stupid knucklehead why didn't you handle him.
Apparently every one else saw him ricochet of the woody sage brushes at a right angle and come out ,,,outside what should have been my visibility also,,,,, and haul arse in a different direction. 



Pete


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## Criquetpas (Sep 14, 2004)

huntinman said:


> I'll bet Earl has a million of them.
> 
> Need to get Mr. Bill Connor, Dr. Ed Aycock and some of the other "seasoned" FTers to toss a few bones on here... Change some names to protect the guilty if necessary...;-)


The trouble with a lot of this stuff, unless you are directly involved leaves you open to liable. Only stuff i was directly involved in or as the biker's credo is " two can keep a secret if one of them is dead" will stay mum about!


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## John Robinson (Apr 14, 2009)

Ok, the dog in my avatar, Cody who we loved to death was one of those Mach II with his hair on fire dogs and a notorious water cheat. Cheryl was running him in the amateur at Butte around 2001 or 2002. 

Cody was super clean going into the water blind, which was on that fish pond-technical water, with dikes running at odd angles. The line was about 100 yards away from the water with some empty bird crates right on line side by side touching. Handler after handler had four or five whistles trying to get their dogs over those crates, most just skimmed the side and moved on from there. Cheryl points at the crates and lines Cody up, says "Back" and like a flash he is off on a perfect line, running full speed over the bird crates and toward the entry point, where without hesitation he veers right 70 degrees down the shore. Cheryl blows a hard sit whistle which he completely ignores, then she blows whistle after whistle, harder and harder. Cody never stops or even slows down as he runs to the end of the pond, makes a hard left on the first dike, still at full speed with Cheryl blowing her heart out, he goes left down the dike to the other end of the pond where he turns hard right, still at mach 2, then fifty yards to the bird. Then to add insult to injury he swims a perfect line all the way back. The gallery felt bad, but it was too funny not to laugh.

I know its not cool to put my wife up there with that story, but it's the funniest one I have.

John


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## Jennifer Henion (Jan 1, 2012)

Oh my god, John! That's funny, but Cody sounds like a really smart jerk!


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## RF2 (May 6, 2008)

roseberry said:


> bill,
> as you know, you needed to get out of that organization. in my world, if you are *at quota*, all your customers are *taken care of *and *i *am your sales vp........*i would fire you if you didn't go to a field trial!*
> 
> i would probably reset your objectives next quarter though.;-)


So...now that you have provided Bill with career advice...what is your best field trial moment? 

Mine was this past spring...when we made it to the water blind in our first AA event. Got big plans in the fall in addition to some new young bullets.


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

RF2 said:


> So...now that you have provided Bill with career advice...what is your best field trial moment?
> 
> Mine was this past spring...when we made it to the water blind in our first AA event. Got big plans in the fall in addition to some new young bullets.


Hey Allen, I remember a good one on you. First time I ever met you. Bee sting?


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## RF2 (May 6, 2008)

huntinman said:


> Hey Allen, I remember a good one on you. First time I ever met you. Bee sting?


Yeah...that only cost me an overnight at the Rhea County ER.  You probably don't remember the double D/Q in OK where we switched on the go bird and had a 12 hour drive home without picking up a damn bird...


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## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

Field Trial in mountains

Bird boy and girl in holding blind. Boy calls on radio and says he needs to see a doctor. When asked why he says "I have bee sting" 
When asked where .... well I leave that for you to ponder


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

RF2 said:


> Yeah...that only cost me an overnight at the Rhea County ER.  You probably don't remember the double D/Q in OK where we switched on the go bird and had a 12 hour drive home without picking up a damn bird...


No... But I've done that kind of stuff so many times if I had a dollar for every time I went out in the first series... I could buy a new dog truck... Or at least a new dog!


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## RF2 (May 6, 2008)

You were handling Ammo right behind us...we waited to watch her run before we started to haul our azz back home. I'm pretty sure y'all finished.


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Ted Shih said:


> Field Trial in mountains
> 
> Bird boy and girl in holding blind. Boy calls on radio and says he needs to see a doctor. When asked why he says "I have bee sting"
> When asked where .... well I leave that for you to ponder


Oh that's a good one Ted and brings back a memory!

In Alaska back in the late 80's we had a teenage girl that was working as a bird thrower, blind planter etc... One trial for some reason she and a teenage boy were planting the blind together... You know where this is going...

The first 10 dogs or so went along fine... Then all of a sudden the judge yells "plant the blind". (Before we used radios)... Nothing... "plant the blind"... Nothing... "plant the blind"... Nothing. Hmmm... Marshal walks out there to see what's going on, the two teenagers are steaming up the holding blind "playing house". Ahem...


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

RF2 said:


> You were handling Ammo right behind us...we waited to watch her run before we started to haul our azz back home. I'm pretty sure y'all finished.


I had almost forgotten about that. She got all the birds down there, but we were not in synch. She is so tuned in to Bill P. that it was foreign to her working for a different handler. Fun time though, met some great folks...


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## BonMallari (Feb 7, 2008)

After Clint's long hiatus away from the game he decided to show up at a trial where his long lost buddy Lanse Brown just happens to be, as he approaches the gallery a loud bellowing voice yells out " hey Mallari are you still sleeping with doctors wives?" 

Of course the crowd is silent and all Clint can say to Lanse is " I would like you to meet my wife MaryKent" took a few minutes to straighten that uncomfortable situation out. It's all good now


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## Aaron Homburg (Sep 23, 2005)

*Everyone has wonderful stories to share, thank you all for sharing they are a joy to read. Mine, several come to mind first few while judging. Have had the honor of judging while 2 folks have won double headers, both of them were ladies, 6 or 7 aa judging assignments and 2 double header winners, very cool! Had the honor of judging a very nice young man handling a very good yellow dog as a junior handler in a derby, very cool! Call me a big teddy bear but when handlers have tears of joy in their eyes when their dog does good still gets me, very cool!

As far as for me on the line was the last series at Cajun Riveria in my 4th or 5th AA stake second time with Pepper and he did very well in the last series even though I pointed him the wrong way on the last bird, he bailed me out and we placed 3rd! Then another is with the big yella Fred at Topeka did very well on the last series and we placed second! Was very proud of that big boy!!

Great memories Regards!

Aaron*


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Aaron Homburg said:


> *Everyone has wonderful stories to share, thank you all for sharing they are a joy to read. Mine, several come to mind first few while judging. Have had the honor of judging while 2 folks have won double headers, both of them were ladies, 6 or 7 aa judging assignments and 2 double header winners, very cool! Had the honor of judging a very nice young man handling a very good yellow dog as a junior handler in a derby, very cool! Call me a big teddy bear but when handlers have tears of joy in their eyes when their dog does good still gets me, very cool!
> 
> As far as for me on the line was the last series at Cajun Riveria in my 4th or 5th AA stake second time with Pepper and he did very well in the last series even though I pointed him the wrong way on the last bird, he bailed me out and we placed 3rd! Then another is with the big yella Fred at Topeka did very well on the last series and we placed second! Was very proud of that big boy!!
> 
> ...


Aaron, you are definitely one of the good guys!


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## DSemple (Feb 16, 2008)

Shreveport

Running the derby with my dog Kate against another nice dog named Lottie. Final series both girls have about front footed every bird so far, big water double and they throw the memory bird from the tip of a point to a little round island. Both girls thought it was a set up and would not beach on that island and had to be picked up. 

Don


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## vScottv (Apr 22, 2010)

mbcorsini said:


> My best moment was my first. My dogs are trained by me, a full time working person, I entered my first Derby and we finished. We only jammed, but that green ribbon was like a blue for me. Everyone got hugs and I drove those 3 hours home so high. It was great.




Wasnt there some confusion there at the end? You were the Marshall, and you thought you were dropped an 18 looked like a 19 on the callback sheet, or something to that effect. Turned out you were looking for yourself to run the last series!


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## Brian Daniels (May 21, 2011)

This is why I follow this site. Great stories everybody. Keep em coming!


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## Mark Sehon (Feb 10, 2003)

The first time I won an Open. Check out who was running. This dog did not see a Pro till after his win.
https://www.entryexpress.net/loggedin/viewentries.aspx?eid=1363
Winning the Qual and the Derby at the same trial with two different dogs that I raised and did all the basics on.
Winning the Derby and Qual 2nd with the same dog at 21 months old in the same weekend. I bred him, raised him and did all the basics.


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## blake_mhoona (Mar 19, 2012)

Mark Sehon said:


> The first time I won an Open. Check out who was running. This dog did not see a Pro till after his win.
> https://www.entryexpress.net/loggedin/viewentries.aspx?eid=1363
> Winning the Qual and the Derby at the same trial with two different dogs that I raised and did all the basics on.
> Winning the Derby and Qual 2nd with the same dog at 21 months old in the same weekend. I bred him, raised him and did all the basics.


holy smokes talk about the field being loaded!


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

1988 or 89 running the derby with my first decent dog, Preacher. There were some good dogs there including Jazztime, Ed Minoggie with Painters Major Motion. Roy McFall had one or two good ones and Mike Edwards (very young then, but now a veterinary surgeon) had a really good Golden. I'm probably forgetting someone. Anyway, the field was loaded. Preacher wasn't even a year old, but held his own. He had placed in one derby already. This particular derby went 4 series that day and they could not find a winner... 

So, the judges called 5 or 6 of us back for the 5th series the following morning... Water marks. The trials was in an area of Alaska known as Big Lake. About 40 miles out of Anchorage. I was due to run first after the test dog.

I showed up late and they were already running. The judge asked me why I was late... I was honest when I told him my stomach was so upset I was unable to drive past a restroom for the entire 40 miles from my home to the trial grounds!!

I was new to the game and in the chase for the blue with some "big names". Man I was shook up! My dog felt it too... He did the 5th pretty good... But that series was in a big lily pad pond and most of the dogs couldn't find a bird and it got scrapped... We crashed and burned in the new 5th or what I considered the 6th series of the derby! 

I was upset that my dog couldn't do the test and dejected... I'll never forget at the tailgate party later, Larry Calvert gave me some encouragement. He told me that Preacher was going to be a good all-age dog and not to worry too much about the derby... Turns out Larry was right... Preacher was pretty good... Got his AFC and should of had his FC several times... But those are stories in themselves...


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## Raymond Little (Aug 2, 2006)

This thread always leaves me asking for just one more, come on Dr Ed!!!!!


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## Criquetpas (Sep 14, 2004)

I had a very difficult time running qualifying with Criquet just out of the derby. She just couldn't put it all together, over ran the marks disappear on the blinds. I decided to run her in open and amateur , still a older two year old. Got to the last series in the open, handled on a water mark, got a JAM and that made her qualified all age. Told everyone I qualified her, word was out I had qualified her for the National Open. People started to shake my hand telling me what a young dog to qualify for the National. Dah! Light comes on, no she is now qualified all age with the open JAM. She won the Amateur all age the next day her first placement in the all age. QAA day before then AA win. Moral of story the qual aint everything , maybe the all age is your cup of tea.


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## Kabbes (Nov 13, 2012)

I believe it was 91. Fargo N.D. The Open had around 105 dogs. As i take the last bird from my dog the judge tells me that I do not have to wait around, to go ahead and go back to the clubhouse and get my blue ribbon. He then turned to Lardy and told him he could also leave and pick up his second place ribbon. I'll never forget the look on Wayne Curtis's and Dave Rorem's faces as I walked past them. They were in holding blinds waiting to run. I remember loading up my Airstream at the clubhouse and laughing with Lardy at what just happened. I then drove past the test on the highway. It was pretty close by the road and I could still see the other contestants still running as well as in holding blinds. I thought how wierd. Not five miles down the road a truck kicked up a rock and smashed my windshield so bad I had to replace it. From the penthouse to the outhouse. By the way, the judge was Lanse Brown.


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## John Robinson (Apr 14, 2009)

Kabbes said:


> I believe it was 91. Fargo N.D. The Open had around 105 dogs. As i take the last bird from my dog the judge tells me that I do not have to wait around, to go ahead and go back to the clubhouse and get my blue ribbon. He then turned to Lardy and told him he could also leave and pick up his second place ribbon. I'll never forget the look on Wayne Curtis's and Dave Rorem's faces as I walked past them. They were in holding blinds waiting to run. I remember loading up my Airstream at the clubhouse and laughing with Lardy at what just happened. I then drove past the test on the highway. It was pretty close by the road and I could still see the other contestants still running as well as in holding blinds. I thought how wierd. Not five miles down the road a truck kicked up a rock and smashed my windshield so bad I had to replace it. From the penthouse to the outhouse. By the way, the judge was Lanse Brown.


That is classic! Now everybody's fighting for third or fourth, what a letdown for them. Too bad about the windshield though.


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## EdA (May 13, 2003)

Raymond Little said:


> This thread always leaves me asking for just one more, come on Dr Ed!!!!!


Too many to remember but....

1985 National Amateur Retriever Championship, Cody is the defending Champion. Percy (FC-AFC Trumarc's Hot Pursuit) and I had a rough pre National training week. Percy spent most of the week in trouble. I had an early number and he had been so rank Rex wanted to work him early that morning before he was to run. Inexplicably based on the previous days he was brilliant. Off I went to run early while the rest of the training group stayed to train. The test was a land triple with a shorter middle hen pheasant flyer shot second. I got settled in with some anxiety and called for the birds. I watched the flyer intently so that I would have a reasonable idea where it was. As the flyer was shot I had a blur in my peripheral vision and the thought occurred to me, oh damn a dog has broken from the gallery for Percy's flyer but when I looked down Percy was no longer part of the team, he broke as soon as the bird was thrown, he didn't even wait for the shot. I was stunned but later realized that he had been under tension for a week and this was his release, Percy won that round but I loved that dog and we had lots of good times including the only Double Header I won. Percy was inducted into the Retriever Hall of Fame in 2011. I still have a vivid memory of standing alone on line in the first series of the 1985 National Amateur Retriever Championship.


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## BonMallari (Feb 7, 2008)

in July of '77 Clint went up to run Judge one last time before going away to med school,Judge had been on injured reserve for 18 months and we werent quite sure what if any he had left. the last weekend I get a frantic call from Clint saying he had just won the Amateur at the GSLRC,Mom was excited as was everyone else in the family...

But the next weekend was the last trial in Eastern Idaho...Clint was again in the thick of things in the Amateur except this time he was up against his then live in GF/training partner and her FC AFC golden retriever, came down to the last series which back then was a water blind...She gets up and does the blind in a snappy two whistles...on her way back to the truck, Clint/Judge are in the second holding blind...as she walks by she utters the phrase"....if you line this blind,You are walking home to Texas"...a few other choice words were spoken but the only one I can print here is Clint's response "..I will not lie to my dog and I wont take a dive for anyone.."

Clint steps to the line and says "dead bird wayyy back..back.." Judge takes a PERFECT line and about 25 yards from the line someone says..SOB he's gonna line the damn blind..." The gallery was stunned because they had heard the exchange in the holding blind and knew what was at stake...Judge won the Amateur and qualified for the '78 National Amateur, his GF finishing second...

Clint called us afterwards and said you may have to come get me I may not have a ride home...BUT we won again and qualified for the National Am...of course Mom and I both asked, what about med school ? he replied " oh I am still going but I am going to retire Judge, we have nothing left to prove and he goes out as a ..winner"

so he was retired at the age of six with 57 AA points and was the youngest dog qualified at the National two years back in 73/74..he won an Amateur at age 22 months and an Open the weekend he turned 24 months..He gave us many thrills to last a lifetime..I buried him at age 13 on a friends property in Denton TX alongside his kennel mate John Rex Rascal


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## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

2009 Mid Iowa Spring Field Trial, Pete Hayes and I are judging. Cold morning, 4th series water marks. We have created a U shaped shelter by wrapping around holding blinds. The open end is facing the mat and the marks.

Jimmy Beck and Rip have run a marvelous trial. Rip smokes the last series. No one is even close. Jimmy is on the mat, watching Rip return. I turn to Pete, raise my index finger, "1"?, I ask without saying a word. Pete nods.

I ask Jimmy "Is Rip Qualified for the National?"
Jimmy says "He has a couple of seconds. No win."
I say what does he need for his FC.
Jimmy says "The win"

I say to Jimmy, "Well buddy, Rip just qualified for the National and you have a new Field Champion."

Jimmy drops to his knees and tears of joy run down his face. 

No one else can see, because we all hidden in our little shelter.

But, I will never forget it


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

Was running the ORTC Trial at Sauvie Island, OR in 2002 or 2003, Suzanne King was judging. I forget who her co judge was. We were getting ready for the water marks and Suzanne wanted some limbs removed from a dead tree that was hanging over the water. 

I was up in the tree about 10-12 feet on the side of the tree that was hanging out over the water and facing back towards land. I sawed some limbs off and Suzanne would say... "Need some more". OK... Saw some more... "Need some more". OK... Sawed some more... All of a sudden I hear a crack down low... Sounds like its at ground level. Hmmm. Then another. Uh Oh! All of a sudden the tree starts falling! I scramble around the tree as its going down and bail off the side facing land backwards and land just in the edge of the water on my butt. The tree crashes into the lake. All of this happens at the same time. If I had been in the spot where I was sawing, I would now have been pinned under water by limbs!

Suzanne, the other judge, contestants, etc... All come running down there to the waters edge to see if I'm alive... Or at least if I saved the saw... (I did). After a minute or so, and once everyone determined I was OK... Suzanne says, "that was pretty funny you scrambling out of that tree... You looked like a monkey F...ing a basketball!!!"


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## Dogtrainer4God (Oct 10, 2006)

Ted Shih said:


> 2009 Mid Iowa Spring Field Trial, Pete Hayes and I are judging. Cold morning, 4th series water marks. We have created a U shaped shelter by wrapping around holding blinds. The open end is facing the mat and the marks.
> 
> Jimmy Beck and Rip have run a marvelous trial. Rip smokes the last series. No one is even close. Jimmy is on the mat, watching Rip return. I turn to Pete, raise my index finger, "1"?, I ask without saying a word. Pete nods.
> 
> ...


Awesomeness right there


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## roseberry (Jun 22, 2010)

RF2 said:


> So...now that you have provided Bill with career advice...what is your best field trial moment?


as everyone who has checked my record on ee knows, i aint got that many ft experiences!

but here goes, last fall my young boy crew needed to run a derby. my daughter had passed the cpa exam, finished her masters and was about to begin work at a big 4 firm. she asked if we could go on a mini vacation together before work started. she lives in memphis so we decided to go to st. louis for a couple of days and then run at the busch grounds in weldon springs.

we had a great time in st louis and then had a pretty nice derby going on saturday. the judges generously carried every dog that got the birds and we didn't finish on saturday and the 4th was to be sunday morning. we checked into a nice, name brand inn and suites in weldon near the grounds, our first night in this hotel. the next morning i got ready, had an itchy spot or two but attributed it to a chigger or three. no big deal. we went out and the judges had a "very simple", short converging water double. i was confident we had a greenie and felt i was battling for rj, maybe a placement.

ol' crew switched and got picked up. bekah said dad it looked easier than the first three. i replied that, "we don't even train on little setups like that!" she said, *"don't you think maybe you should prepare for the easy stuff too sometimes?" *

anyway, it wasn't chiggers........it was bed bugs! my daughter didn't get one bite and i had literally hundreds. my wife is a 25 year trauma rn, when i got home and pulled my shirt off for her to examine me she gets a look of serious alarm and says, "OH MY GOD!!!!!". when the old folk say, don't let the bed bugs bite......they is serious!!!!;-)


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## Bait (Jan 21, 2004)

have had many bad moments that I'll prolly never for get. Have had some great (although fleeting) moments I'll surely never forget. But, DID have this one moment that I'll never forget. (or live down for that matter) 
Running a Q at the C&D Canal in Maryland. It's kinda local so we train there fairly often as well. So, I'm working my way thru the holding blinds, towards the line, as dog after dog runs the test. I get to the last holding blind, and watching the dog before me running. Goes after the memory bird and starts fading his line, way fat to the right. gets out of the area a bit, and starts putting up a good hunt, like the bird is right in that area. But it's not. Just about when I start thinking this guy should maybe handle his dog, the dog puts his face down and comes up with a big, white, Nuemann's & Bennetts bumper.......Oh boy!in runs the dog to the line and the handler takes the bumper and hands it to the judge. (who happens to be a friend of mine......but maybe not anymore) The judge turns around and reads the name on the bumper, (pretty loudly too) "BAIT".....Oooops! So, here I am, in the last holding blind and the whole gallery turns their heads towards me. I could've shriveled up and died! This isn't the worst part of it.....When I look at the handler, as he's glaring at me, I see it's the same guy that I forgot to plant a blind for his dog in a HT 2 years prior to this. ......He said he's keeping the bumper......and I did NOT argue with him.  And, If I remember correctly, Vicky Trainor was the judge at that HT, so I'll never live either of those days down.


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## john fallon (Jun 20, 2003)

I very seldom was "in the mix" in the 4th series of an Open or Am for that matter, and I have not even run one in a few years... so the time when I went out on the water blind in an Open for something inexplicable other than by saying that" they are dogs", and then come back as test dog and crushed the big set of water marks that few of the remaining field ended up "Doing" , gave me an isolated noment of validation for my effort with the caliber of dogs that I train and run.

No washouts regards.

john


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## huntinman (Jun 1, 2009)

john fallon said:


> I very seldom was "in the mix" in the 4th series of an Open or Am for that matter, and I have not even run one in a few years... so the time when I went out on the water blind in an Open for something inexplicable other than by saying that" they are dogs", and then come back as test dog and crushed the big set of water marks that few of the remaining field ended up "Doing" , gave me an isolated noment of validation for my effort with the caliber of dogs that I train and run.
> 
> No washouts regards.
> 
> john


Seems like they always do in that situation. I've often wondered if it was because the dog knew the pressure was off? Still nice when they do it, though.


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## John Montenieri (Jul 6, 2009)

My best moments:
Judging
Watching Carol Sealock cry tears of joy after she just won her first open
Watching Steve Helgoth choke up after he won a 105 dog limited all age open.

running:
winning my first AA stake, Amateur Fort Collins
getting a 2nd Pikes peak RC, 1st 3rd and 4th all FC AFC's (Missing qualifying for the national am by about 30 days Arg!)

My worst moments:
running:
Having my boy trek almost overheat and get wobbly on me. scary moment
Running an am, clean to the fourth handled on the last bird
same trial running the derby handled on the last bird, all within 30 minutes of each other


I've been very blessed to say I've not had a terrible experience judging, YET! For sure some difficult moments but nothing to whine about.


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## copterdoc (Mar 26, 2006)

roseberry said:


> as everyone who has checked my record on ee knows, i aint got that many ft experiences!
> 
> but here goes, last fall my young boy crew needed to run a derby. my daughter had passed the cpa exam, finished her masters and was about to begin work at a big 4 firm. she asked if we could go on a mini vacation together before work started. she lives in memphis so we decided to go to st. louis for a couple of days and then run at the busch grounds in weldon springs.
> 
> ...


 I've literally lived in hotels for the last decade. 
Make no mistake about it. Bedbugs are EVERYWHERE now. I'm not even close to kidding about that.

The best tip that I can give you, is about how to find them before you get bit. You will NEVER see them or their signs on the bed itself. 

The staff will keep the bed clean and change the sheets daily (usually).
But, they don't mess with the headboard.

In a hotel, the headboard hangs on the wall like a picture. Take it off the wall, and lay it on the bed.
Then, take a flashlight and shine it in all the cracks and crevices that are normally in complete darkness.

If there's a CURRENT bedbug problem, you will see live adult and juvenile bedbugs. 
If there WAS a problem, you will see shed skins, eggshells, and possibly dead adult and juvenile bedbugs.

In my experience, there aren't many hotels that haven't ever had a bedbug problem. Even the "ritzy" ones. But, it's like a hooker with an STD. If they talk about it, they immediately lose all of their clientele.

At least there are some, that have the decency to fix the problem, before taking in a new "tenant".


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## mostlygold (Aug 5, 2006)

My first Qual with my first field bred Golden was at 1997 Golden National in St Louis. 69 dogs, biggest Qual I had ever heard about. She comes out and hammers the land marks and blind and does a nice job on water blind. Big water triple with memory bird across the pond with the line going just over tip of the point. She nails flyer and shorter memory bird then I line her up for long memory bird. She takes a great line to the point, the gets up on the point takes a hard left and takes off at Mach speed. She runs around the pond, jumps over the bird boy in his chair, leaps into the water and gets the bird. At that point I'm pretty sure we are out because of the cheat and say something to that effect to the judge. She starts laughing and says "she damn sure knew where that bird was and I think she took 5 yrs off that bird boys life". We ended up with a JAM, one of only 9 dogs that made it through that test.

Dawn


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