Ya'll know how I hate to brag on my dogs

[AmarilloMike]

but I know many of you have a keen interest in them and I endeavour to keep you informed. Besides that within Texas it is only considered bragging if it is not true.

My Molly won a first in a field trial in Amarillo yestersday. And she won a first in Enid, Oklhahoma two weekends ago. I have three champions in my house now; Molly, Red, and Belle.

We also killed four rattlesnakes, one handler killed one Friday evening while training his dogs. Another killed one Saturday morning during a brace, and my brace-mate killed two yesteray afternoon during our brace. No handlers or dogs got bit but there were a bunch of very nervous armed men roaming the fields I can tell you.

The second picture was taken two weekends ago in Oklahoma when Molly won the trial that made her a champion.

I carried my 1905 VH12 with 30" barrels, choked cylinder and 20, eight pounds and a very handy sling.

Full disclosure: I entered my dogs into four trials, two on Saturday and two on Sunday. Molly won one of the trials on Sunday.

Best,

Mike

[Craig Larter]

Mike: Congratulations!! I know how hard it is to train dogs to that level, I run my Labs in hunt tests and have trained two Master Hunters. I enjoy running my dogs in trials/tests because you get to work with them all year long. Great Job, but only one thing would make your kennel complete------a black lab.

[Blind Dog]

Great work Molly. You find and bring in five birds, it isn't likely your brace mate will give you an opportunity for a back.

[Craig Parker]

Well Mike sound good less the rattlers, sure wanted to make it but Pete would have had me running backwards w/ snakes in the field. Did get the boys out turkey hunting with some luck. And yes I'm going to try to have them upgraded to Parker's by duck season. Congat's on the Championships and good luck in the Region runs.

[Double Lab]

Mike;
Great job. Way to go Molly. Trialing is great fun and you get to meet some like minded people. I run my labs in informal trails just to give them more time in the field. Last April both of my labs were in a shelter when I rescued them. They have come a long way since then in becoming all around dogs handling upland as well as waterfowl chores. I know how proud you must be. Would love to hunt with them. Craig- you're right on about the labs. Enjoy the pics of their first season. Yep, Parker, the male, is already pointing as you can see. He wears the orange collar in the pics.
Daryl

[AmarilloMike]

Craig L thank you. And it does add to the time with the dogs and out in the field. And if I wasn't going to compete with them there would be a lot less training. I got my dogs for wild bird hunting and field trial them during the off-season. I hope we have some wild quail this next season. Congratualtions on two Master Hunters.

Fred Molly said "Thanks!" She backs on wild birds just fine. But when she backs during the trial by the rules I have to hold her and when she sees me reaching out my hand for her collar sometimes she says "Oh no! You pulled that #$&@ on me last week. I am not falling for that again." And takes off, zeroing the back.

Craig P I am glad your grandsons got those turkeys. That was a much better use of weekend than field trialing.

Daryl very nice work on the Labs. Sure warms the heart when the dog does his job right.

Thanks for all the kind words and thoughts.

Best,

Mike

[Blind Dog]

I was browsing through the June/July NSTRA mag and found that Mike and his pups had a fine two weeks at the end of March in the WTX region. I'm assuming that these are 32 dog trials and Buck Creek Molly placed 2d on 3/17 and 1st on 4/1. Diamond Belle pulled a 1st on 3/17. They are both Champions now. Those Tomoka setters are still busy though.

[AmarilloMike]

Originally Posted by Fred Preston

I Those Tomoka setters are still busy though.

Thanks Fred!

Yep, about half of the dogs in a West Texas NSTRA trial are now Tomoka setters, and for good reason.

And thanks for bringing this thread up again.

Best,

Mike