Just wanted to get the thread started with some general appreciation.  We really had a great weekend with two flights of Master two flights of CPR, and an APR stake on Sunday.  

Grounds were very nice (thanks Dale S.) Weather cooperated nicely with the only downfall being some hotter than average afternoon time segments that made upland pretty challenging for some runs.  APR upland field was pretty brutal with blazing sun and odd wind on Sunday.  Some notes and thanks:

1) to the Chinavares and Swiderski's - Lots of work from Mark, Typhany, Dale, and Rachel awesome job.

2) to our Co-chair/Marshalls who worked their butts off to assist the judges - Rocky, Joe Dickerson, Ed Harris, Keith Pobanz and our head Marshal Steve Strand.

3) HUGE thanks to the best two gunners and bird planters who have worked to make every one of our tests up here better for the dogs and handlers - Eric Monski and Bob Gilchrist.  It is great to see each of you now have talented young PL's.  Norm - you and your Ranger and crew are always appreciated.  I am sure I am missing people working in other stakes and flights so please excuse me on this.

4) Judges - Kimble for making the 5 day trip from KS, Merrits from Co., Ziglars from WI, Mark Schmiedeshoff from NY, Holly, Troy Callanan from Minnesota, and the hardest working judge in the APLA - Doug Powell who judged a CPR flight on Saturday, APR on Sunday in some brutal sun, then became the self-appointed APLA equipment manager packing that pickup to the max on Sunday with test gear bound for Iowa.

5) Mike Garver (Zeke) who we have been working on for about a year to apprentice CP and finally just ended up having to twist his arm, personally insult him, and question his manhood to get a committment.  SEE I knew you would enjoy it!  I had a lot of fun and hope to judge with you again.

Takes a lot of people who know what they are doing to make these things go well and we were very fortunate to have a bunch of them at our test this weekend.



 

Don't get too impatient , Nobody has seen Colorado's results yet either.......sent by Pony Express I think

Just getting back to my shack in the woods, after a time away to watch friends and their dogs have some fun in at the MI. Tests.
A very well organized test IMO.All the thanks as mentioned to the great,and I mean GREAT volunteer help at this test.Gunners,marshals,bird boys,boy scouts,the cook/food,it was impressive. Mark,Typh,Rachel,Steve,Fred,Kieth,Eric,Bob,Joe,Ed,Mike and even his parents,Mike Craft,Norm,and so many others that I can't even think of all of you,a big thanks.
The grounds and water were very good,with a variety of sites to use.

As always the judges put in some serious miles,both to get there,and then following these dogs around.
Larry thanks for the words  after our upland run on Sunday,you too Brenda,makes a guy that comes out of the woods every now and then feel pretty good.
 
A huge thanks to the land owners,for the use of their awesome farm,hope we left it cleaner than when we started.
As always it was good to meet some of those that we only kinda know through these dogs of ours.
I've been privy to watch the development of some pretty good PL prospects from pups a couple years back till the present,along with some other folks dogs. I saw some real nice dogs run,and a few wow dogs.

I have to give a few congrats out to some of those DOGS,that I have some kind a connection with(Get as perverted as you wish with that Jon ).

Ridley, it was fun to see you run,and your owner is about what I expected,deal with it.He will improve as a handler if you are patient.

Banks, You are running smooth,how did you get your handler under control?

J.D. I knew you would do it in spite of Joe,impressive how you stay off those pen raised birds,what a nose.Grouse hunting prospect for sure.

Grady,sorry I missed your run,and you too have to keep your owner in check,I don't envy you.He has a hot button,watch out.

Duke,'NUF SAID,glad to have you on my truck,it was an honor.What a great week for you Mark,pops is proud.

Kenai,I told you so,way to go.Congrats Brad.

Rooster (see above Duke,just use Dale where I said Mark)

Midge,get Bob to come to you and all is well.

Jax,wow,come on up and I'll get you on some Grouseses! A great young dog.

Lexus,you already are a star of sorts at my house.

And to another dog guy,Dale thanks for everything.................Paco

Thanks to everyone for the kind words about Kenai.  The old grandmaster celebrated his victory with his usual great dignity by running out to our pond with our jack russell and digging up a bunch of black mud then rolling around in it.  I guess he just got jealous of Gator and decided to try out a new look.  What's next?  Brown?  I saw him checking out Duke last week.

Seriously, thanks to Jim Reynolds for selling me a great pup.  Congratulations to Kenai's littermates: Piper for her APR pass and Bea for her HR title.  I wish more of the pups from that litter would run APLA tests.  There wasn't a bad pup in the bunch.  Picking Kenai was tough with all those fine pups.

Congratulations to all the rest of those who ribboned and condolences to those who had a rough weekend.  Don't give up!

Thanks to Mark, Typhany, Rachael, Dale, and all others involved for what I hear was a great test.  I don't know how you guys find the time to handle such a complex project and train all those dogs.

Thanks to the judges for their obviously good eyes for talent,, and for the kind words that they told my wife Tracie about that yellow streak of lightning.

Most of all, thanks to Dale Swiderski of Hunters Rose Kennels for doing an absolutely amazing job of training.  He told me very early on that Kenai was capable of doing high level work and then he made it happen.  2 1/2 months last summer and 6 months this year to go from a pup that knew "here" and "sit" to a Grand Master Pointing Retriever and HRC Hunting Retriever.  Incredible.

Dale, I promise to work on my handling skills this fall and winter so when the spring campaign begins, I won't mess up too badly for Kenai to be able to bail me out.

I can't wait to get home next week to try to knock down a few grouse.  I'll try to get some pics if I happen to hit any.  I'm going to have a very short hunting season this year but I am planning on slowing down my work schedule next year to try to stop and smell some flowers.  I look forward to seeing more of you guys and will try to get with you to do a little huntin'.

Brad