10th Series

10th series – Water Quad

The mat is facing north on top of a hill overlooking the pond. 

Bird # 1 (RR - Right Retired) is a Drake Mallard, thrown to the left across a channel approximately 256 yards from the line. 

Bird # 2 - (RF - Right Flyer) is a Drake Mallard, shot to the right approximately 218 yards from the mat. The line to this bird takes the dogs through a cattail pond. 

Bird # 3 - (LR - Left Retired) is a Hen Mallard thrown downhill to the water’s edge to the right, approximately 241 yards from the mat. 

Bird # 4 - (LF - Left Flyer) is a Rooster Pheasant, shot to the right approximately 134 yards from the mat.

This test is taking the dogs on average about 14-16 minutes to complete.

9th Series

9th Series – Land Quad

The mat faces East, overlooking a field of rolling hills. There is a 5mph wind, blowing left to right. 

Bird 1 (RR - Right Retired) is a duck, thrown to the right approximately 250 yards from the line. The gunners retire as soon as the dog is sent. 

Bird 2 (MR - Middle Retired) is a Hen Pheasant. The holding blind sits on top of a rolling hill. The bird is thrown in and to the right, approximately 169 yards from the line. The gunners retire as soon as the dog is sent. 

Bird 3 (LR - Left Retired) is a Rooster Pheasant. It is thrown in and to the right, approximately 187 yards from the line. The gunners retire as soon as the dog is sent. 

Bird 4 (F - Flyer) is a Hen Pheasant. It is shot to the right, approximately 176 yards from the line.

This test is taking the dogs on average about 10 minutes to complete.

6. FC-AFC SILVER STAR’S WATCH’EM LIKE A HAWK, “Hawk,” LM, Scott Leonescu

Came to the line at 7:10 am

1 whistle from the mat to the 1st water and point

2 to the 2nd water

2 to the 1st brown grass (slightly right of the grass)

2 more to the 2nd brown grass

1 to the 4th water

carried this line to the bird

8th Series

 8th Series – Water Blind with a Dry Pop

The mat faces southeast, and the blind is approximately 230 yards long. The dry pop is called by the Judges as soon as the handler and/or the dog hits the mat. The gunner is hidden from the line, and becomes visible to the dog almost half way through the blind. 

The initial line to the blind angles down a hill into the first corner of water. It then crosses a land bridge and slices into another thin corner. The dog must then cross 2 points, and finally swim across the final piece of water. The blind is approximately 8 yards from the water’s edge.

This test is taking dogs approximately 5 minutes to complete. 

7th Series

Series 7 – Water Triple with an Honor

The mat faces southwest. At the the start of this test, it is clear skies and there is little to no wind. 

(Island for Island Bird) Bird # 1 is a drake mallard approximately 196 yards from the mat. The bird is thrown to the right onto an island. The throwers retire as soon as the dog is sent. The line to this bird requires the dog to swim between 2 points on the way to the island. 

(MR for Middle Retired) Bird # 2 is hen mallard approximately 186 yards from the mat. The bird is thrown to the left, and the throwers retire as soon as the dog is sent. The line to this bird requires the dog to cross 2 islands of tulles and a long point. 

(F for Flyer) Bird # 3 is a drake mallard flyer, approximately 145 yards from the line. It is shot to the right and the flyer does not take any water. 

In addition, after all three birds have been retrieved, there is an Honor to the left of the working dog.

This test is taking dogs approximately 9.5 - 10 minutes to complete. 

Gun changes after dog# 20, 46, 76.

6th Series - Land Blind

Series 6 – Land Blind

The mat faces slightly south east, and there is a slight right to left wind. 

This Land Blind is approximately 215 yards from the mat. 

The line to the blind takes the dog through a narrow strip of cover 30 yards from the mat. It then crosses the return line of the 5th series’ duck flyer and Right Retired, and is just to the right of the Right Retired holding blind. The final obstacle on route is a narrow channel of water.

5th Series

Series 5 – Land Quad 

The mat is facing north, on the right hand side of a rectangular mound. The field ahead is mowed in irregular strips. 

(RF – Right Flyer) Bird # 1 is a drake mallard flyer, shot to the right 227 yards from the mat. The line to the flyer requires the dog to angle into a section of heavier cover. 

(RR – Right Retired) Bird # 2 is a dead hen mallard, thrown to the right across a narrow channel, 202 yards from the mat. The gunners will retire as soon as the dog is sent. 

(LR – Left Retired) Bird # 3 is a dead hen pheasant, thrown angled back to the right, toward the mallard flyer, 125 yards from the mat. The gunners retire as soon as the dog is sent. 

(LF – Left Flyer) Bird # 4 is a hen pheasant flyer, shot to the left across a road, 175 yards from the mat.

This test is taking about 9 minutes for each dog to complete.

4th Series - Water Blind

Series 4 – Water Blind

We're here at the same field as the 3rd Series. The bird crates have been left out, and there is one visible blind planter sitting next to the crates. The running mat has been moved 5 yds to the right. 

It is 57 degrees, partly cloudy skies, and there is a slight, and variable wind. 

The blind is 262 yds long. 

The initial line to the blind brings the dogs through the same swale they crossed in the 3rd series. The water entry point is 150 yds from the mat. There is good visibility of the dog at the entry point. 

The swim is approximately 50 yds, and the bird is approximately 60 yds from the water’s exit. 

This test is taking approximately 2-3 minutes per dog.

3rd Series – Land and Water Triple with an Honor

Welcome to Day Two of the 2023 National Amateur Retriever Championship!
104 dog/handler teams are back to this series to run this test.

Series 3

Land & Water Triple with an Honor

This test uses all ducks. 

The third series is land and water triple with an honor, using ducks thrown Right, Left and Center. The mat sits on top of a hill, facing northeast. 

Bird #1 is a drake duck, thrown to the left approximately 228 yds from the line. The bird is thrown onto a small island, in moderate cover. The gunners retire when the dog is sent for the flyer. (We will refer to this bird as Ret. Island for Retired Island bird)

Bird #2 is a hen duck, thrown to the left approximately 126 yards from the line. It is thrown across a channel. and the gunners retire as soon as the dog is sent for the flyer. (We will refer to this bird as Ret. Bridge for Retired Bridge bird)

Bird # 3 is a hen flyer, shot to the left approximately 246 yards from the mat. The line to the bird takes the dog through a swale. (We will refer to this bird as F for Flyer)

In addition, there is an honor to the right of the mat. 

This test is taking about 7.5-8 minutes to complete.

1st & 2nd Series – Land Double and Land Blind with Rooster Pheasants

Welcome to Day One of the 2023 National Amateur Retriever Championship!
116 dog/handler teams have traveled from all over the US to compete here today in Ronan, Montana.

Series 1 & 2

Land Double and Land Blind. 

This test uses all rooster pheasants. 

The mat is facing East. There is a subtle wind coming in right to left from the south. It is 52 degrees and there is light rain.

Bird # 1 is a dead bird, thrown to the right about 245 yards from the mat. It is retired after the dog picks up Bird #2. (We will refer to this bird as LR for Left Retired). It is tight behind the back of the flyer station. The line takes the dog through uneven terrain and broken patches of cover. 

Bird # 2 is a flyer, the station is positioned on top of a mound. It also thrown to the right about 145 yards from the mat. (We refer to this bird as F for Flyer). There is a small ditch in route, where dogs could square to the left, putting them under the arc of the flyer. 

After the dogs run the marks, they run the land blind. The blind is 130 yds long. The line to the blind carries the dog through a patch of cover (40yds), and then just to the right of a small pond. 

This test is taking approximately 6 minutes to complete.