And The WINNER is

AND THE WINNER IS …

98. FC-AFC Texas Troubador (Tubb), LM
Owned by John and Martha Russell
Handled by Martha Russell

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to our 2014 NARC Blog Sponsors

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to our 2014 NARC Blog Sponsors!

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The Finalists

6. FC-AFC Landover Goldendaze Yukon (Yukon), LM, Chuck Schweikert

11. FC-AFC Coolwater’s Knockout (Punch), LM, Alexandra Washburn

17. FC Dottie Ray’s League Of Her Own (Dottie), LF, Andrew Kahn

20. Parriette’s Abby Gale (Abby), LF, David Zalunardo

24. FC-AFC KPR’s Wet Willie (Willie), LM, Jim Pickering

28. FC-AFC Dominator’s High Spade (Ace), LM, Mark Medford

29. FC-AFC Hockley Creek’s Big Hitter (Manny), LM, Robby Bickley

33. FC-AFC Bayou Teche Eye On The Ball (Slider), LM, Lauren Hays

42. FC-AFC Robbers’ Stray Bullet (Bullet), LM, Dan Hurst

43. FC-AFC Ragin Eye Of The Storm (Cane), LM, John Thomas

50. FC-AFC Candlewoods Life Is A Highway (Freeway), LM, John Stracka

60. FC-AFC Tru’s Little Cruiser (Cruise), LM, Paula Elmes

65. AFC Holland Cliffs Tropical Storm (Joe), LM, Alvin Hatcher

68. NAFC-FC Dottie Ray’s Ivy League (Ivy), LF, Andrew Kahn

81. FC-AFC Wolf Creek CR Skeeter (Skeeter), LM, Robby Bickley

83. FC-AFC Hilltop’s High Society (Gracie), LF, Sylvia McClure

85. FC-AFC B Bumble (Stinger), LM, Fred Kampo

98. FC-AFC Texas Troubador (Tubb), LM, Martha Russell

101. FC-AFC Trumarc’s Hollandaise (Holland), LM, Ed Aycock

102. FC-AFC Mercy Mercy Mercy Me (Mercy), LF, John Stracka

33. FC-AFC Bayou Teche Eye On The Ball (Slider), LM, Lauren Hays

LF: ended up behind guns and hunted over to the bird.

SR: took two steps and came back to the line then had to resend the dog and he jumped into the cover and got the bird

RF: got out to the area and got the bird

RR: Handled

Handled 29. FC-AFC Hockley Creek’s Big Hitter (Manny), LM, Robby Bickley

LF: smacked it

RF: clipped L corner of the pond and had to Handle to the bird

SR: Handle

RR: Handle

Handled 28. FC-AFC Dominator’s High Spade (Ace), LM, Mark Medford

LF: bird landed short and deep, dog worked it up quick

SR: jumped into the cover and re appeared with the bird.

RF: got deep of the area and had to Handle to the bird

RR: skimmed over the point and had to Handle to the bird.

24. FC-AFC KPR’s Wet Willie (Willie), LM, Jim Pickering

LF: just missed the bird and had to hunt it up

SR: jumped into the cover and rapidly retrieved the bird.

RF: chalk lined to the bird

RR: straight as a string to the bird. Fantastic !

20. Parriette’s Abby Gale (Abby), LF, David Zalunardo

LF: nice mark

SR: jumped into the cover made a couple loops around the holding blind and then got the bird.

RR: clipped the L corner of the pond & went straight to the bird

RF: got back in the pond and had to Handle to the bird.

Re Run 98. FC-AFC Texas Troubador (Tubb), LM, Martha Russell

LF: pinned it

SR: leaped into the cover and came out with the bird quick

RR: hit the L corner of the pond swam to the far shore and went straight to the bird.

RF: drove thru the cover running at the area slowed up just before he put his nose down on the bird. Spectacular!

17. FC Dottie Ray’s League Of Her Own (Dottie), LF, Andrew Kahn

LF: drilled it

RF: blew thru cover and smacked it

SR:disappeared in the cover and reappear with bird in mouth

RR: went thru the L corner of the pond and straight to the bird

Handle 11. FC-AFC Coolwater’s Knockout (Punch), LM, Alexandra Washburn

LF: made a rapid retrieve

SR: started out toward the LF and had to  Handle to the bird

RR: straight to the bird

RF: drove deep of the area hunted deep and then had to be Handled to the bird

6. FC-AFC Landover Goldendaze Yukon (Yukon), LM, Chuck Schweikert

LF: got out to the area hunted short of the bird and then found it

SR: jumped into the cover and reappeared quickly with the bird

RR: caught the L corner of the pond went out to the bale just missed it and had to hunt it out

RF: ventured down the L side of the cover drove deep into the field past the area put up a significant hunt deep before getting the bird.

102. FC-AFC Mercy Mercy Mercy Me (Mercy), LF, John Stracka

LF: snatch it up qucik

SR: dove in the cover and came out with the bird

RF: traveled toward the area got deep hunted deep for a good while before coming up with the bird.

RR: got pass the area put on a significant hunt before finding the bird

A Cinderella Story

David Zalunardo is a native from Powell Butte, OR. He recently retired from the US Forestry Division 4 years ago. When David knew exactly when he was going to retire he decided it was time to buy a puppy. While on the old site working retriever central he found a breeding that looked like it might be a good one. A Labrador he could hunt with and run some hunt tests. David decided to name his puppy Parriette's Abby Gale and called her Abby. He hooked up with a local amateur training group and began to train Abby. A year and a half ago it became clear that Abby was a special dog and may be able to do so much more than what he was training for. Some folks encouraged David to seek the advise of a professional retriever trainer. He found a local professional Jerry Patopea who was willing to mentor him.

Today David Zalunardo and his Labrador Retriever Abby are competing in the 2014 National Amateur Retriever Championship in the 10th Series for the first time in his life. A year and half ago this was a thought that he never knew would even be possible. Well guess what David, you and Abby have been invited to the ball. Congratulations! What an accomplishment in just a year and half of field trial training. Just goes to show what hard work, an open mind and dedication can do for those who set goals and stick with them. Welcome to the retriever sport David and Abby.

Handle 101. FC-AFC Trumarc’s Hollandaise (Holland), LM, Ed Aycock

LF: front footed it

RF: scooted thru the cover on the L edge then drove deep to the area and got the bird quick.

RR: got into the pond traveled a nice angle at the area while swimming in the water got out on the far shore ran under the arch and turned to retrieve the bird.

SR: Handled

Gun Change

No Bird 98. FC-AFC Texas Troubador (Tubb), LM, Martha Russell

LF:

SR:

RF: no bird

RR:

85. FC-AFC B Bumble (Stinger), LM, Fred Kampo

LF: short deep of the area got almost there and turned R hunted L & R till came up with the bird.

SR: jumped into the cover jumped out on the far R side of cover and back in to get the bird

RF: dove thru the cover on L edge of the pond got to the area put up a small  area hunt and got the bird.

RR: swam to the peninsula & over the island drove out into the field R of the bird worked to the correct bale just missed it and had to hunt back to the area to get the bird.

83. FC-AFC Hilltop’s High Society (Gracie), LF, Sylvia McClure

LF: pinned it

SR: drove into the cover and hunted the bird up

RF: smacked it

RR: got into the pond kept angling the hillside toward the bird and front footed it. WOW!!

Handle 81. FC-AFC Wolf Creek CR Skeeter (Skeeter), LM, Robby Bickley

LF: took off high on the hill then had to work down the hill to get the bird

RR: went down the hill R of the cover crossed an inlet of water then out to the Flyer station and had to Handle to the bird.

SR: drilled it.

RF: over small channel went deep of the area and came back quickly to get the bird.

Robby is holding Skeeter's last pheasant he will retrieve in competition. Skeeter is now retired.

Skeeter has given the Bickley family all they could hope for. He will now enjoy the comfort of a fluffy pillow and an occasional dove hunt.

Handled 68. NAFC-FC Dottie Ray’s Ivy League (Ivy), LF, Andrew Kahn

LF: smacked it

SR: good line to cover and hunted in the cover till she found the bird

RF: took a small inlet of water and went to the area to hunt the bird up

RR: Handled

Handled 65. AFC Holland Cliffs Tropical Storm (Joe), LM, Alvin Hatcher

LF: hammered it

SR: went high down fence line toward flyer had to Handle to the bird.

RF: cut an inlet of water out to the area and rapidly retrieved the bird

RR: Handled

Handle 60. FC-AFC Tru’s Little Cruiser (Cruise), LM, Paula Elmes

LF: great job

RR: hard charging run into the left end of the pond and out to the RR to scoop it up on the run

RF: Handled

LR: Handled

Handled 50. FC-AFC Candlewoods Life Is A Highway (Freeway), LM, John Stracka

LF: went to the area and came back with the bird quick

RR: Handled

RF: Handled

RR:went straight to the bird.

Handled 43. FC-AFC Ragin Eye Of The Storm (Cane), LM, John Thomas

LF:missed the bird by inches and circled back quickly to grabb the bird.

SR: took a perfect line stopped short and with a fast L circled cover and got the bird

RF: took a great line put up a small area hunt and got the bird clean.

RR: got into the water ventured over the point turned L and wnt to the far shore kept driving up the hill the turned L toward the RF and had to be Handled to the bird.