Off To Work

As many of you may or may not know I am spending time reporting on the training groups, helping orchestrate the events on the ranch, and training a full string of 18 puppies under the age of 12 months.  Soooooo...... I'm taking a break to clear my head and train my pups, I will be back updating the blog late this evening. P.S. My Spell Check on this dang site is malfunctioning GRRRRRR!!!! I will edit mistakes later. Thanks for following.

Lunch Is Served



The Office

The site for the luncheon is known as The Office.  The Office was an original barn on the property converted to an office and entertaining area complete with a lime stone veranda. Here are a few photos from the feast. Enjoy!!

Howard Simson, Rob Erhardt, & Dave Rorem enjoy lunch under one of the many live oaks on the property

Terri Curtis(not shown) , Wayne Curtis, Kenny Trott, Marcy Wright, & Bill Eckett filling up on some home cooking




Linda Bogusky,Sammie Thompson, Tom Bogusky, Marjie & Chuck Mize

The Homestead Photos

Royce & Rose Witte

 

The Hospitality At The Homestead

Royce and Rose Witte started this 1000 acres cattle ranch in 1996. They have dedicated their efforts toward producing the best beefmaster pedigrees and progeny of the breed. "Making the Best Breed Better!" has been their slogan since the ranches inception in the hope to bring all of those passionate about the Beefmaster breed together.  The Witte's felt that if their neighboring rancher succeeded then the breed would succeed and the industry would flourish if all worked together.  The Witte's know excellence and strive for it in everything they do so when introduced to the training of retrievers they were fascinated and embraced the trainers as they quickly saw the philosophies of the retriever enthusiasts were similar to the philosophies they shared in the beefmaster breed. It was a perfect marriage between cattle men and retriever enthusiast.

There are several homes on the property that are rented out for the winter months for clients of Bay Blue Kennels and other surrounding trainers that visit the Giddings, TX area. The Homestead now holds several retriever events a year and have welcomed the pre national training group with open arms. Along with the Witte's, Bay Blue Kennels is proud to be a part of this growing retriever community in Giddings, TX and are honored to share this amazing area with all.

The groups training here this week have enjoyed a luncheon provided free of charge by Rose and Royce and catered with food made from the heart by Rose herself.  They are one in a million and I pinch myself quite often and Thank God everyday that I get to call these people family and call the Homestead, home.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TO TRAIN & GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!

If you would like to show your gratitude for this special showcase you may write to:
Bay Blue Kennels
C/O Royce & Rose Witte
3650 CR 118
Giddings,TX 78942
Tera's Cell 660-441-1605

Apple Pie Vs. Lima Beans

While observing and listening to discussion from those in the gallery on the water quad the question of "If you were a judge today how would you shoot the order of this quad?" Many answers were given and reasoning for the order was presented but the best analogy came from Dave Rorem of Rorem Retrievers. As stated in the previous post the test had a hen pheasant flyer as the left stand out gun station shot to the left, then a short retired dead hen thrown hip pocket to the flyer, next a long duck flyer shot to the right stand out, and the last bird was a mid distance shoreline retired dead hen pheasant (that was also a check down bird from the duck flyer) thrown to the right in some water grass. It was agreed the most difficult order would be shot from right side to the left side of the test ending with the hen pheasant flyer as the go bird. The analogy was if you had just gotten done eating a big piece of homemade apple pie would you want to then eat a plate full of lima beans? And this is how a dogs eye sees dead hen pheasants vs hen/duck flyers. Therefore, in short a mixed bag of birds can be very effective along with good bird placement in ones test.

Teacher (Bill Eckett) & Student (Lauren Hays) ponder Slider's reactions to the test

FC AFC Bayou Teche Eye On The Ball "Slider"

Alice Woodyard & FC AFC Star Spangled "Banner" Girl II

Review Of A Good Test

On March 16, 2012 South Texas Retriever Club held its inaugural field trial at its home base known as The Homestead Ranch.  The the spring Open was judged by Jason Flemming and Chuck Mize. The 4th series watermarks posed such a challenge then that the Rorem/Eckett group consensus was to run the test and practice it again. But this time with some minor upgrades. The upgrades were in the form of dead pheasants and an additional flyer station. A Water Quad with two dead retired pheasants, a hen pheasant flyer, and a duck flyer.  The order in which the test was shot varied from dog to dog such as singles for some, inside tight double checking down off a stand out gun as a very effective short retired, outside double with a duck flyer go bird that allowed the dog to square the pond and then required the dog to make a longer swim away from the test on a severe angle to pick up a dead hen pheasant. Memory, discipline in the water, angles along the pond, and the way the guns station influenced one another became a challenge not only for the dogs but the handlers too. 

 

Water Quad from STXRC Spring Trial

 

Mid distance (shoreline) retired right hand bird of the Water Quad

Wayne Curtis (aka Ol' Dead Eye #1) shooting flyer in the Quad

Kenny Trott (aka Ol' Dead Eye #2) shooting 2nd flyer in the Quad