We attended the Fall Field trail for The GSP field Club of Alberta. We had a great time. Got the quad stuck in the creek. Rode horses until my butt was too sore to walk. Our dogs still need work, but we had a great time with lots of great people.
Here were some of the winners that I managed to get quality pictures of them and their dogs. If you don’t see your picture, you need to smile more next time 
Check out the SAWHDA Blog for more great dog news. Lots of our GSP friends were busy in June. Congrats to MEW and Tessa for their outstanding Rally performances!
Congratulations to Janna and Valentine who got a second qualifying score on their FDJ tests in the rain this weekend at the Brittany Club Test. Wet weather on Saturday and hot humid weather on Sunday took it’s toll on the dogs and the birds. Thanks to all the judges and contestants for a fun time!
Here’s Mel and Rosie’s run at the Rally Obedience competition. Way to go Mel. Rosie looks like she’s ready for Rally Advanced already. They make it look so easy.
Janna and I and a whole lot of dogs and horses (Over 100 entries) enjoyed a sunny/rainy weekend with the Calgary Pointing Dog Club near Bragg Creek for the spring Field Trial. We spent a lot of time in the saddle, and a little more time than expected in the air…Ouch my butt hurts. We met lots of great of great people, but please don’t ask Leanne about the fishbowl 
Thanks to Mike and Manette Jones for organizing the Trial, lending us horses, entertaining us, and ensuring everyone had a good time.
We competed in the Open Shooting Dog Stake, and the Amateur Shooting Dog Stake with Asia. While she was a big runner, it was obvious someone’s has obviously been neglecting her training as her bird manners are lacking. It’s a good things she’s my favorite hunting companion. “Thank you Judges” was said more often than I liked, but it was a great experience and we are all really excited about future events and competitions. Plans for the training bird pen construction were drafted on the drive home, and if it ever stops raining it will be built soon. Ducks and geese may need to be included if it doesn’t dry up soon.
On Monday, we woke up to a major rain storm. We’re not sure why, because Don Nelson wasn’t scheduled to judge or run anything. Valentine competed in the Puppy stake in the afternoon once the rainstorm slowed to a continuous drizzle. Janna was becoming a bit of a pessimist, but we stayed for placements to see that Valentine placed third in the stake and won a big yellow rosette. Talk about getting the trial bug! Janna I’m sure has us entered in every stake now that she feels like a contender.
Along the way we all got to do some marshaling and apprentice judging and while we’re not ready for an “All Age Stake”, we can have a lot of fun along the way. Anyone have a well broke horse with a good saddle for sale?
Only 4 more days to get these dogs fixed….I mean broke….you know if you know what I mean.
TRIALS – MAY 21-22, 2011 – CALGARY, AB
CALGARY POINTING DOG CLUB – M. JONES (403) 648-2577
Asia and Janna competed in the Open Shooting Dog Stake on Saturday. Asia backed a Brittany on a running bird but the excitement of a running bird proved too much to resist for everyone involved. Janna did some apprentice judging with Tom Doherty and Carrie Micheal in the Open Derby event and enjoyed watching the young dogs work.
On Sunday in Amateur Shooting Dog, Asia ran with Torch (talk about pressure!!!). She had a gorgeous big run with some excellent casts. After finding and working several feather piles and with about 2 minutes to go, she locked up on point and Janna went in to work the bird. Asia held her ground and was doing really well. Janna went in and flushed the bird up and shot and then Asia broke.
In the Open Puppy Stake, Valentine ran with Tiara (Stacy’s Vizsla puppy). After some playful introductions, Val finally got down to business. She worked really nicely to the front the entire time and she was into the cover and ranging out of sight a fair bit. She was able to sustain her run the entire time and worked a couple of feather piles, but most of the birds were already out so we didn’t have an actual bird. Valentine’s confidence level keeps rising and she keeps getting bolder and more independent. There’s flashes of Grandma Asia, hopefully with some more train ability, and more capable owners this time around. Next weekend we are off to the CPDC trial.
On Saturday and Sunday, Firepoint Good Day Sunshine “Rosie” (a daughter of Neva and Indy) took her first 2 qualifying legs for her Rally Novice. On Sunday she was 2nd in Class. We are so proud of Rosie and Mel. They have been doing some really cool stuff with their Rally and with Scent Hurdling. Way to go Mel and Rosie!
Only 1 more days to the start of the Brittany Club Field Trial near Calgary. Good luck Janna, Asia, and Valentine! Remember to WHOA!
With the big move this year and all the drama last fall of “how many dogs will we be keeping?” there was very little time for independent bird work and training with Chance and Valentine. Valentine has proved to be a chip off the old grandma Asia by completing her first leg of FDJ at the 2011 GSP Field Club of Alberta Test. Fun times were had by everyone even in the rain.
Thanks to the Judges, participants and volunteers! Next time I’ll bring rain gear and shoot straighter, I promise.
