All 47 dogs from Flight B Test 4 were called back to Test 5. When we arrived, it was sunny and 62 degrees. The temperature is expected to go up to 72 degrees by 5:00 pm and this test is expected to conclude at 6:30 pm or so. The wind is from the west a 6 mph, however, it seems to swirl in the basin where this fifth test is located. The line is 40-50 yards from the shore of a lake. Standing on a mat, you are viewing the cove where the test is held. The right side of the test is the right shore of the lake. The shore curves in in front of the line and juts out on the left to form a peninsula.
The first bird is a walk-up. The gunners are to the right of the line and the bird is launched to the left. This bird lands 37 yards in front of the line. The handler and dog then swing to the left in response to the duck calls. Bird #2 is launched from a group of trees out towards a clearing at the end of the point at 81 yards from the line. The flyer is next and the gunners are located behind a large bush down the right shoreline. This bird is shot to the left out over the water landing approximately 150 yards from the line. The line to this bird is under the arc of bird #1.
The diversion is shot as the dog returns from the first bird it picks up no matter which one the handler chooses to pick up first. The bird is on the handler's far left and angles in towards the line. It is landing in a bog. The judges said to remember that this diversion bird is not a mark – handling is legal.
The first Test Dog, "Echo" handled by Terry Scott came to the line at 11:47 am. She picked up the walk-up bird first. The floating flyer was her second bird and he did a perfect job. The peninsula bird was picked up third and she swam straight to it. Terry handled her in the swampy grass to the diversion bird taking seven minutes to complete the test.
Test #2, "Teacher" was also handled by Terry Scott. Teacher picked up the flyer first followed by the diversion bird. He had a short hunt on the peninsula for bird #3. He ran over the top of the walk-up bird and required a quick whistle to stop and pick it up. He took six minutes to complete the test.
We watched the first ten dogs run during which time there were five handles and one pick-up. The walk-up bird and the bird on the peninsula seemed to cause the greatest problems.
