Got back yesterday from the Hudson Highlands Hunt Test outside of Newburgh NY in Stewart State Forest.
Argus did fine, but the big news was that Olivia came along with me. We left on Saturday afternoon after a good day gardening, working around the house.
Arrived in Danbury CT - stayed at a Residence Inn with a pool. Had dinner at the Olive Garden- first time for that.
Argus had to stay in the car - the hotel wanted $100 for a pet to stay inside. He was fine in car - no problems.
Room was a two room suite - so Olivia had her own room and TV.
Test was fine. Land was a wide double followed by a short blind, memory bird on left thrown left to right then the go-bird a flyer was about 120 degrees off to the right - thrown right to left. I set him up on right so we could swing more easily from first to second bird. I wasn't worried about him breaking, more worried about seeing bird. It was a walk up, so he did fine, sat on shot. We swung right and he saw flyer. Picked up flyer. Lined up well for memory bird - he had a good line to bird, and had a small hunt to pick it up.
Blind was off on left - basically on a side of a hill. So, I lined him up a little to the left of true line and released him. He rolled down the hill. Stopped him, cast back left, he went to bird and picked up.
Water was down the hill in a small retention pond. No flyers, just wingers.
Memory bird was straight out with gun station up a hill off to the right, go bird off to right. He did great on go-bird, lined perfectly for memory bird, but missed it by a foot. The wind had picked up and was blowing directly from the blind with the winger - so his nose must of taken over. He hunted up two or three times around blind. Finally he came back, just on hill above bird. I whistled stop, handled to bird with one come in whistle - he picked up cleanly and came back.
The blind was off to the left - about fifty yards. The bird boy was in a boat. He planted blind in some reeds. Lined Argus up - he took a good line - worked the line very well. he driftly left. Whistle stop. Got him to go right more. He blasted through some reeds and got to the bird from back side. Came in. Other people took a false line to the right, through a "channel" to the right of the true line with all water. Then the dogs could air the birds with the wind blowing towards them. So, I guess Argus and I challenged the blind more. Either way, got it back.
We were number two - so ran early. Asked Olivia if she wanted to stay for another hour or two to watch other dogs and wait for ribbons. She said "No". So headed back. Very happy to have her along. hopefully she'll come again.
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