Day 5- Friday August 22 - Click here to read the update and news from Day 5.
Day 4 - Thursday August 21 - Click here to read the update and news from Day 4.
Day 3 - Wednesday August 20 - Click here to read the update and news from Day 3.
Day 2 - Tuesday August 19 - Click here to read the update and news from Day 2.
Day 1 - Monday August 18 - Click here to read the update for Day 1.
Purina Workers Party Wednesday August 20
The early end to the day on Wednesday with a number of handlers relieved that the water blind had been scrapped led to a festive air at the campground that afternoon and evening. The bar opened early, many non-participant Club workers showed up and the party was on. Bidding was fast and furious in the Silent Auction, and groups congregated under the big tent outdoors. Table raffle tickets were distributed in a contest where dogs paid $5 to run a blind and then got 10 raffle tickets if their dog brought back an orange bumper, 5 for bringing back a black bumper and 2 for a white bumper from the pile. This provided considerable entertainment.
Dinner was catered – an excellent beef dinner with numerous salads and fresh vegetables. For dessert there was Saskatoon berry crisp – a true crowd pleaser. At the conclusion of dinner event Chairman John McDonald thanked everyone for coming and he and Fred Benjaminson (Secretary of the Master National Club) handed out workers pins to all the workers. Each worker also got a National hat donated by Tritronics. Sue and Garry Taylor, acting Purina representatives for the event thanked Purina for sponsoring the event and informed the crowd that each worker should also visit the equipment shed to get a Purina knapsack filled with goodies as well as a 40lb bag of Purina Pro Plan Performance. This was a considerable contribution, as there were 54 workers recognized at this event.
Jim Couch and Jeff Morari handled the Silent Auction, and many of the items were very popular. A draw was done from the list of workers (won by Sue Taylor) for a pair of hunting boots from Traxx. A card raffle was done for a Tritronics collar – won by 16 year old Brayden McDonald (son of chairman John) – everyone’s favorite hired thrower. The Club raffle (organized by Don Lardner) was then drawn – first prize was a Ducks unlimited leather chair, second prize was a Garmin Street Pilot GPS and third prize was cash. A good time was had by all, and the event was a great success.
After the workers party, with dusk turning to nightfall club members John and Brayden McDonald, marshal Doug Hildebrand, Sue and Garry Taylor and Tim Fahl went to set out the snow goose decoys. It was getting dark and there was a light rain and a chill in the air – much like setting up for a daybreak shoot in the Fall.
Opening Night
The 2008 National Master Hunt Test will start on Monday morning at the Saskatoon Retriever Club grounds just outside of Bradwell, SK. You can feel the excitement in the air at the Club campsite and in the Clubhouse, which serves as Headquarters for this event. The campsite has been transformed into a small city, with campers and tents located in choice spots in the shade – as the forecast is for scorching heat at least until Wednesday.
The Clubhouse is literally filled to overflowing with items for the silent auction. Some of the items generating the most interest so far include laydown blinds and an assortment of decoys from Avery, dog food from Purina, a Ducks Unlimited 12 gauge/ 20 gauge shotgun, a beautiful cedar folding table and bench built by Jim Couch’s father Doug, an electric collar and remote release from Tritronics, a chain link dog run from Nordic Industries and a soapstone carving by participant Byron Crabb. These items and many others are on display and the bidding will probably be fierce right until the auction ends Wednesday night at the Workers Party.
The judges (Anne Everett from BC, Mike Cardinal from Ontario and Derek Dunn from Nova Scotia – see bios) have been here since Thursday and have been setting up tests with the help of a hard-working setup crew. They have been impressed by the beauty and diversity of the land and water that is available to them and are happy with the tests they have planned. Setup handlers and dogs (Char Couch with Flame, Louise Thorpe with Fen, Lynn Campbell with Wrinkles and Daryl Shmon with Shiver) report that they have been kept on their toes with some demanding tests.
Tonight (Saturday, August 16) was the Banquet at the Sunset Estates Hall. Members of the committee had spent the afternoon decorating the hall under the direction of Anne Hildebrand, social committee chair. The walls were covered with flocks of flying duck silhouettes and banners from many of the major sponsors. Tables along the East wall were loaded up with red cooler bags stuffed full of goodies from Purina . At the front of the hall was a hunting blind display set up complete with swamp grass panels and decoys to serve as the backdrop for a table displaying the beautiful judges gifts – bronze statues of a pair of mallards feeding.
After a cocktail hour to allow participants to visit and catch up with old friends and meet new ones, the banquet was called to order by Jeff Morari, President of the Saskatoon Retriever Club who served as Master of Ceremonies for the event. Jeff “sang” O’Canada on his duck call – getting the crowd going and making it clear this is going to be an entertaining week. John McDonald, Chairman of the event said Grace and then the buffet dinner was served. Dinner was catered and included turkey and all the fixings as well as numerous salads with chocolate layer cake for dessert – very enjoyable. After dinner, member Rhonda Morari played a keyboard and sang an original song for the crowd. She had written the song about a duck hunter’s bond with his dog and the pleasures of a day in the field hunting to honor the memory of some dedicated and much loved Club members who have passed on recently. Rhonda’s strong clear voice and her touching lyrics caused more than a few in attendance to wipe a tear from their eye – it was truly a beautiful tribute.
A few door prizes were drawn, and Jeff thanked the CMNRC sponsors Purina and Tritronics as well as major sponsors of the 2008 event including Allan Construction, March Consulting , Inland Heidelberg Cement, Artisan Consulting, Sask Water, PCS Patience Lake, Avery, Ramdar Resource Management and Alberta Tubular. The support from all of these sponsors is greatly appreciated and will help to make this event a success. Chairman John McDonald welcomed everyone to the event and then presented the judges with their beautiful statues as well as with a copy of the poster advertizing the event and garment bags, both from Purina. Judge Anne Everett complimented the Club on their grounds and their workers. Doug Hildebrand, the Chief Marshal told handlers that many of the birds would be shot from the line so ear protection should be worn. The caravan will leave the Clubhouse at 7:30 am on Monday.
Participant and Hunt test Secretary Sue Taylor was introduced. She explained that Purina was unable to send a representative to this event but in their absence she would represent them and hand out the goodies to participants and workers. Purina has been a supporter of the National Master Hunt test from the beginning, and their ongoing support is greatly appreciated. Sue explained that Purina rep Les Oakes was planning on attending and was looking forward to the week but he was seriously injured in a farm accident in early July. We will miss him this year, but send him best wishes for a complete recovery so we can enjoy his company at National events in the years to come. Sue said she is not as funny as Les and she does not have as many bags of candy to share (Les is a bit of a junk food junkie) but she will do her best to fill his shoes.
Rhonda Morari then announced each handler in turn, and they came forward to get a pin from John McDonald, their Tritronics numbered handler hat and their numbered bib (and sometimes a smooch) from Fred Benjaminson (Secretary of the CMNRC) and a Purina Cooler bag full of goodies and two bags of dog cookies from Sue Taylor. Once this was completed young Hunter Shmon came to the front to select the starting dog number. In a “pond” within a plastic container were 35 floating miniature duckling decoys, each with a number on the bottom. Hunter reached in a grabbed a decoy, and turned it over to reveal that Monday ‘s first test will start with dog number 18: Goldn Guns Goin a Blue Streak, WCX, MH, owned by Rick and Louise Roberts and handled by Louise.
That concluded the official program. Tomorrow the bitch check will be from 1-2pm, followed by official participant photos from 2-4pm (taken by member Katherine Brewster).
Submitted by Sue Taylor
Photos from Banquet
(click on thumbnail to view full image)
