I had a great time this week. Met quite a few people and watched some great trainers and there dogs! Learned alot!! The one thing that stands out is dont forget your whistle when you go to the line! (series 2) Tuff derby for us. We acomplished 3 series and cme up 70 yards short of the final bird on the forth. I am happy and bummed because we were so close to completing it. Glad for the experience for sure.
Thank you to the ACC and all the people who made it all happen. Here are some photos we took of the trials. Enjoy.

http://s132.photobucket.com/al...9%20ACC%20Specialty/

Great pics, Thanks for sharing!

Dan,

Glad you enjoyed the Specialty and thanks for the photos!

Keith

It was great to put a face to "Team Poacher."

I think you should be extremely proud of Poacher...Way to go, and THANK YOU for the pictures..those of us that couldn't attend sure do appreciate them!

Juli

In looking at the pictures of the derby marks, the third series looks more difficult than the fourth?

out of curiosity, what were the distances, does anyone know?

also - were there any retired guns in the Q?

thanks
Juli

As it so happens I did put the range finder on the derby marks. 1st series 225yrd dead bird 140yrd live flyer go bird. 2nd series 135yrd dead bird 65 yrd dead go bird. 3rd series 165yrd dead bird 110yrd dead go bird. 50 yardsdown hill till water. 4th series 200yrd dead bird 100 yrd live flyer go bird. 90 yards downhill till water. The far bird was thrown across the far finger and into the bushes 20 ft from the water. The forth was a monster of a set up. The dogs that finished it got a ribbon. Some that finished were ugly hunts but they ended up with the bird. My boy lined the first and had a decent line going to the second when he wanted to switch to the old fall. I blew the whistle and ended our day. I wish in hindsight I had just let him swim around till he figured it out like some did I could of had a Jam. Ohh well live and learn.

The Q did not have a retiered gun that I know of I did miss some of the trial though.

Glad you all liked the pics and nice to meet you and your husband Ginny.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dan McNamara,

Juli distance means nothing. Getting your dog to focus and look out means everything. I made some good friends at the specialty including your wife Dan. I hoped you all enjoyed my lesson on pots and underwear.

Dan, a JAM is always nice, but for future trials it sounds as if you did the right thing. Letting dogs flounder around until they find the bird doesn't usually teach them anything and letting them go back to an old fall teaches them the wrong thing. By blowing the whistle when you did, you in effect told your dog "No!" and reinforced the idea that you should never go back and re-hunt an old fall. It is a lesson Derby dogs need to learn.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael L. Moscowitz:
I made some good friends at the specialty including your wife Dan. I hoped you all enjoyed my lesson on pots and underwear.

ACC specialty experience great! Lesson from MM on pots and underwear PRICELESS!

Thanks Tom I appreciate it.

Great photos! Thanks for posting!

Norene S.
Nordom Chesapeakes

Thank you Dan for the info on the distances and on the 4th series...I now see why it was more difficult!

Juli

Nice pics, thanks for posting.

Dan
It was great meeting you and your wife as well. Great laughs..glad to hear you made it to the end..i think my dog Theo is still sitting out there in the field wondering why no one is throwing any birds Met so many great people out there to mention. Saw amazing handlers and even better dogs. The fields were also incredible..Hope you made your ferry

have a great season. Ours opened last Saturday..no ducks but 2 geese ( figures) and Theo did a great job retrieving both in the water. ( well..at least I know she can do that correctly). By the way..there were HUGE migrations comming down...and they werent stopping so look up..they're coming !!.

cheers from Montreal

Marc


Hey..Mike Moscowitz..when are you inviting me over to your place for diner?? I want to see that great pot you were mentionning.

I told you she doesn't use it. Plus you will tell her about what I said about her cooking. And I'll be a dead man and my body will never be found.

Us French Canadians can be trusted with secrets Mike!! I'm sure your dog will find your body!!

The dogs won't look for me. They like her better. She calls them all those sweet names like sweety, La La .... She is the treat person.

I had a great time and it was nice meeting you.

We made our ferry. Just 4 changed reservations later. Thurday at 2pm ended up as friday at 7am. Hey ya only live once! My Mom was very happy to see us pull in the driveway thats for sure!

Mike M receiving his Qual Jam Ribbon from Mike Coutu





Photo by Billy Smith

Keith whos the hillbilly in the backround?