Senior Hunt Test Tune-up

Cheltenham

As a final tune-up before Lumi's and Laddie's first Senior Hunt Test of the year, we ran the following series:

SERIES A. Poorman double with blind (Laddie, then Lumi)

The first mark (duck) was on the left, thrown left to right at 70 yards. The second mark (duck) was on the right, thrown from across the water right to left at 30 yards. After the dog picked up both marks, the dog ran a 40-yard water blind (OD) down the center.

Both marks were thrown with duck call and gun shot by the handler (me), while the dog waited at the SL. After I had thrown both marks, I returned to the SL to run the dog. That's what I mean by "poorman" marks.

The line to the go-bird, the second bird thrown, was down a short, steep embankment and diagonally across a stream. The bird was at water's edge on the far shore. The line to the memory-bird, the first bird thrown, was down a short, steep embankment, diagonally across an inlet, and approaching the far shore on a sharp angle, with the bird in high cover a few feet from water's edge. The line to the blind was across the inlet to a marshy point with the bird in high cover on a tiny island next to the point.

Both dogs showed confidence and enthusiasm, making the series look easy.