A Bit of History on the Tenth Series Grounds – Bear Ranch by Alice Woodyard

The Tenth Series is being held on Breck and Cindy Howard's Bear Ranch. Bear Ranch is one of very the earliest retriever properties developed in the Mission Valley. It was acquired 30 years ago, back when the Mission Valley retriever community, now totaling over 20 training properties, consisted of professional trainer Don Remien and just a few other pioneering retriever enthusiasts. Bear Ranch was acquired as three parcels, with the middle connecting section acquired 5 years ago, after which the Bear Ranch stretched for a full mile, running from section road to section road.

The original ponds built 30 years ago by the Howards were created under the sponsorship of a federal waterfowl restoration program and were put in at the suggestion of the federal program officials who spotted the habitat and bird production potential of the area. This is a nice example of habitat protection and retriever training supporting each other's goals. Since then the Howards have added several more ponds and there are now numerous ponds on the Ranch. The aerial photographs taken for this event by Elite Retrievers show only a portion of them!

 

What do you see in this photo? Look closely …

 

Tackling the Tenth by Alice Woodyard

The experience of being a finalist at a National Championship is a very special one.

Saturday morning for these special teams that have made the cut for the Tenth is nevertheless likely to start with a very mundane task: a visit to the local car wash to rid the dog truck of two week's worth of grime. With each truck now ready for the Finalists' Caravan, the 16 finalists for the 2019 National Amateur Championship gather near the grounds where the event workers organize them into an orderly procession.

The Finalists Caravan is greeted by the cheers of the workers and gallery on its arrival at the site of the Tenth Series. Everyone gathers and the National Anthem plays, after which the teams of gunners (three out of four of the stations today will be shooting flyers) take their places throughout the field.

Next it's guns up for the test dogs. In keeping with established tradition, the birds for the first test dog are decorated with streamers. And, in keeping with what is becoming yet another tradition, the second test dog runs under the watchful buzz of the overhead drone that is recording her every step for later upload to the internet!

After all the final details are checked, we are ready to watch 16 of the most talented and fortunate amateur retriever handlers in North America run the big land-water quad and wrap up a week's worth of the challenging testing that will determine the 2019 National Amateur Champion.

After each contestant completes the test to the applause of the gallery they swing by the sponsor's tent for congratulatory handshakes and hugs from the representatives of event sponsors, Purina and Avery. Then its back to that recently washed dog truck to care for their dog - and with more hugs there for this amazing retriever that has made it to the Tenth.

Finally the handler proceeds to the gallery to decompress and watch the remaining contestants tackle the test they have now completed (with of course an occasional check of the blog to see the latest announcements).

A Few Statistics on the Blog Itself … By Alice Woodyard

This blog you are following is one of a set that Retriever News manages for four different retriever nationals. It was set up in its present form in 2009.

Here are some statistics on how it is followed by the retriever fancy:

The page views generated by followers adds up to over three and a half million page views since 2009. Just during this National for example, the blog received 65,000 page views on Monday alone. And on Tuesday it had already generated 27,000 page views by 10:30 am.

Page view statistics (all numbers approximate) for National Amateur blogs:

2019 National Amateur through Tuesday mid-morning: 211,000 views

2018 National Amateur: 345,000 views

2017 National Amateur: 652,000 views

2016 National Amateur: 539,000 views

2015 National Amateur: 504,000 views

2014 National Amateur: 398,000 views

2013 National Amateur: 432,000 views

2012 National Amateur: 325,000 views

2011 National Amateur: 214,000 views.

The stats reflect a general increase over time, not surprising with anything having to do with the internet. Lower numbers can be explained by fewer dogs entered at that National and the combining of series, which has a significant impact on how frequently people want to check on progress and the latest developments. 

Where do they come from?

The great majority are accessed via the Retriever News website. Another sizable number are accessed from Facebook with RTF also responsible for some.

Of the 211,000 page views generated by this National Amateur recorded as of mid-morning on Tuesday, 202,000 had originated from the US, 5000 from Canada and 500 from Australia, with the remaining 3,500 originating in Puerto Rico, Iceland, France, Portugal and several other countries. 

So every time you go check the blog it counts!

Thank a Glacier! By Vicky MacLean

The glacial history of the Mission Valley is a big part of what makes this a great retriever training area. 

Many years ago during the geologic time period called the Pleistocene much of Canada and northern United States were covered with large continental glaciers. In this area this ice sheet extended nearly as far as St. Ignatius at the south end of the Mission Valley. Slightly more recently it extended only to Polson.

As the ice sheet melted, the meltwater carried fine sediment which has filled the Mission Valley with about 400 feet of sediment. These fine clay particles are what enable the “glacial pot holes” that are common in the area - especially in the St. Ignatius/Charlo area - to hold water. These potholes that hold water so well provide wonderful waterfowl habitat. The glacial silt with its excellent water-retention properties also means that retriever training ponds dug throughout the Mission Valley tend to hold water well. The glacial deposits also provide the landscape which varies from gently rolling to very hilly because the terrain has mostly been formed by glacial processes rather than by running water/streams.

So, if you like waterfowl hunting and dog training in this area – Thank a Glacier!

A couple more interesting facts from the glacial lore of this area: 

Just before you drive into Polson from the trial grounds you drop down what is locally known as Polson Hill. This feature is actually a “terminal moraine," essentially the end location of a great ice sheet which, as it melted, deposited rocky debris at its terminus, leaving us with Polson Hill.

A notable feature on the open hillsides to the west and within the Mission Valley are the distinct parallel lines on the hills. These are the markers of ancient shorelines formed when the enormous Glacial Lake Missoula occupied this valley and other valleys throughout much of western Montana.

Mission Mountains et al … By Alice Woodyard

As you look around from Mission Valley you are ringed by mountains. 

Most of the mountains you see from the Ronan area in the Mission Valley lie within the boundaries of the Flathead Reservation, the reservation of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT).

Looking east from the Mission Valley you can't miss the spectacular Mission Mountains. These rugged snowy peaks - average height of 7000 feet - are known as one of the wildest mountain ranges in the west and consist partly of National Forest Wilderness Area and partly of tribal wilderness owned and managed by the CSKT. The side facing Mission Valley is the tribally owned portion - with the boundary between the two wildernesses running along the crest of this north-south range. If you have one of the Retriever Paradise tee-shirts from the 2015 National Amateur you have a picture of the highest peak of the Mission Mountains, McDonald Peak. The 2019 Retriever Paradise tee-shirt features another peak from this range, Mt. Harding, which is also known by its tribal name of Mt. Calowahcan.

Now swinging to the north and following the Mission Range with your eyes until it drops down, on a clear day you see the snow-capped peaks of the Swan Range. Glacier Peak National Park is in this area but is not visible from the Mission Valley.

Turning to the west you are seeing yet more mountains, these are the Salish Mountains. The part you can see lies within the Flathead Reservation.

Looking south and south west gives a view of the much closer Bison Range. This range holds the National Bison Range, a National Wildlife Refuge managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Here you can take one of the most popular driving tours in the area and view bison herds - often from up close - as well as having the opportunity to see pronghorn antelope and other wildlife.

Looking to the south you see snowy mountain crests. These are the Coeur d'Alene mountains and all of the part that you can see lies within the Flathead Reservation, with the reservation boundary running along the crest of this east-west range.

This completes our circular visual tour of the mountains that surround the Mission Valley.

A Bit of History … Contributed by Luann Pleasant

The Fourth Series is set on two special ponds at Freedom Fields, Winsom 1 and Winsom 2. These ponds are named in honor of a long-time avid amateur competitor in our sport, Cal Cadmus, DVM of Oakdale CA, who passed away this spring. Winsom was Dr. Cadmus' kennel name and his dog NAFC-FC Winsom Cargo was the 1986 National Amateur Champion.