I was one of the new guys that ran in the afternoon. That was the funnest brace I have ever been in -- quite a show right in front of the gallery. I had a safety that flew about 150 yards to the gallery, hit right under the scorers table and Sadie slid sideways through the mud and caught it rising back up to fly under the flippin table. Pretty wild. The judge commented that that was the best duel of dog work of all the braces he had judged that weekend. We were out of birds in 16 minutes in that brace. Sadie's other brace was a good one too, against a wirehair and a gentleman that came up from Houston area. Lots of tough novice dogs at this trial and hard to get an easy brace; she did well to get three finds and a back each brace and come in fourth. Still have to say that I am a fair weather trialer and a lot better wild bird hunter, prayin for rain if it will just come during the week and not screw up my weekend fishing

Few pics attached that 13 year old took from the judge's UTV.

No one ever said that it was better than hunting wild birds, but it sure beat staying home, didn't it?

It's better than staying at home. I feel like I am doing my dog a disservice by going out to do it one day a year and getting out-handled by the guys that trial 20 days a year which seems like most of the folks I have run against. Feels like about a 50/50% split of dog ability/handler ability that makes a difference in these NSTRA trials at trial grounds with limited space and cover.

The extremely entertaining brace was against a newer guy with an inexperienced dog. The wirehair you ran against won't be a novice for long. You definitely faced some good competition. Your first brace was by far one of the most entertaining braces I've seen. Your pup took some tail feathers off of that bird the first leap she was determined to get that thing! Some of the game is about handler strategy but just like with anything else in this world you get better the more you compete. Hope to see you back out there in April!

That's a very classy pointer; high on both ends. Just watching him/her work was more enjoyable than setting home.

Were you there Dobank?

Keep in mind that you beat several champions, and some of the best bird dogs in the world when you came in fourth. That region now has 6 dogs in the top 50 in the nation, and a national Endurance champion.

How much hacking did you have to do? How much time did you spend out of bounds?

Danceswithquail- Bill's right. You did beat a national champion at that trial. And a whole lotta other good dogs. From the little gallery display you provided us and the way your dog looked and handled. You will do really well the more you play. Your dog's points are going to score pretty high on the score care because of how much style it has and from what I saw it very well on it's retrieves as well.

I had to start hacking her the 2nd half of the first brace, not to keep her in bounds, because she hadnt honed in on the checking the brush pile thing, so once you have run the course I hand signalled and hacked her to hit here and there brush piles that we hadnt checked. The 2nd brace, she was zigging and zagging to hit brush piles right out of the chute.

In between runs, she was laying across my lap nudging my arm when I stopped petting her and Dustin came over and said "pointers make crappy pets you know" -- looked up grinned and said "yeah I know".

And he has 2! Lol he saw your pointer pushing your hand for attention and goes, man those pointers have no personality at all! I'm actually running one of his Brittanys for him in the April trials. She needs a 1st place and a
3rd place to become a Champion. If you run in the April trials you never know who you'll get matched up against.

I can't imagine Dustin Nelson implying that you could make house pets out of pointers;

MSP24, no I was not there only commenting from what I saw in the pics. No doubt the dog is classy. As far as pointers making pets; remember Riggin White Knight he lived in the house with D Hoyle Eaton and was very well mannered and house broke.

The dog last fall was my Gwp Nick 7,7 but it was a 7,6 & a back score was 1,280 highest of all the weekend 
This weekend it was Socks who took two 4th ,1st
 And a 4th in the open
TC Morrow

Welcome to the forum. I hope I don't draw out against you this weekend.

Who knows... last year I said I was done with my trial experiment and got bored and entered one this year...probably do the same next spring...same deal after quail season is over and before fish really get going. Might have my male with his two bionic knees ready to give it a go by then

Thx BILL , I have a 10mts old GWP He will be a hard one to beat , @ 7 mts he took 4th in open trail in rose pine La he will be a rock star I think. I have 8 GWP's

Good luck to all!

Danceswithquail, Dustin was joking. This is his wife typing and we have 2 pointers that are both house dogs and full of personality. Ours like to hang out on the couch with us. They are old ladies and we don't trial them.

Are you the same one who stopped up my downstairs toilet?