Ainsworth Training Report - Aug 4 - Aug 8

Monday, August 4 – daylight broke with fog and humidity – not super cool but better than it's bid. Lost my roader as Ed Meyer headed to home – he'll be back. Going to train Brett ( Jenny & Phil's nephew) later today. We still needed to get a move on and it sometimes takes a bit more effort with young adults but not this group, they are giving it there all.

Roading

• Ernie, Mariah, Suzie & Lea – this group are very experience – a solid 30min with drive from beginning to end.

• Erin & Brenna – got Brett set up after we ran the hills and he is a quick study. 16 min.

• Inde & Kate – Inde dragging a bit – 16 min.

Hills:

• Brie & Hank – both dogs ran considerably better than their last time down. After the fog burned off, it was warming quickly. No pointed birds or even a STF but they just couldn't smell birds this morning. Right in the middle of them (Brie) had birds flush all around – 12+ good size chickens. Hank had birds go behind him – still no luck but a very pleasing race & stayed with me at the end. 30 min.

• Tess & Shauna – same scenerio as last brace. Tess in the middle of birds coming off a hillside and barely acknowledged their existence. She still get's sticky but overall her biggest race off horseback –not ready to get on her for getting stuck but I will have to eventually. Shauna – the best young dog race in a long time. Flowing and front – good speed, style and pattern. Dropped her nose like a turtle in the area and as Bob told her to get out of there – the 1st chicken left and then 2 more. A slight stop, then a mandatory stop and light correction. More birds as we road – maybe 10-12 at least that brace. 40min & Shauna DOD.

Meadows:

• Bart & Clifford – ran these two but they hooked up playing a bit today and had a rather boring application on the meadow. Getting hot didn't help. 15 min.

Almost noon time and a trip to the dump was in order. Jenny, Sue went the shopping route and Bob & I did the dump route with stops to John Seidel ( didn't get him but
talked to him to make sure we could run on the loop) and so Joe at Ranchland and Kip at lunch.

Backed to camp and checked the birds, quail not doing the best but Huns are great and some movement back to the recall pens. All the kids set up games in the yards and had
a nice afternoon – the misters worked well and even developed a few lakes that the dogs have been excavating. A nice dinner planned, Phil got the stereo system up and running and Lee Sienkowski and his buddy Tom stopped on their way from a remote fishing trip – water too high to fish. It turned out to be a pleasant night.

Tuesday, August 5 - a cool overcast morning. We got word that violent storms hit Sycamore, DeKalb and places east. 100 mph winds – lost a branch at our place but Luke says a lot more damage in town. We looked on the radar and a storm was heading for camp so we held off running. ( big mistake) It stayed cloudy and threatening all morning so we just did birdwork. and roading.

Roading:

• Ritha, Annie & Sorrel – solid group – 30 min. no problems – Ritha

• Lilly, Dolly & Clint – only 10min. as Clint was stressed and not up to roading.

Birdwork:

• Midge – very good handle and a nice, stylish, well mannered find – lots of praise.

• Lily – 1st time down – worked well - listened and had a well handled piece of bird work w/great style.

• Shauna – listened and hunted well – did a good job w/manners and style.

• Brie – she's just gotten into such a habit of ignoring Bob and we're working on getting her polish back. She got several corrections & finished understanding what we wanted.

Went back to camp and got another load of dogs. These were the ATeam dogs.

• Lea & Brenna –hunted those two together around the pond at Hun Pond and couldn't get either one on birds.

• Mariah – worked her around and got a STF that she stepped on as I walked to her not pretty but we took it easier on her – the next one was more of a knock on 2 but I couldn't prove it.

• Sorrel – long story but more of the same – a very stylish NP that he eventually tried to self relocate and then ended on a bump only to do the same thing on the next one.

None of the crew could scent the birds – just too green and their not acclimated enough to turn up the scenting capacity on their noses. We said that was enough. Back to camp and we'll see how it is later.

Afternoon brought one of those great napping days – just a good day. Phil is still locked in the little room – working on a major project. The little room has become command central and he's plugging away – he won't be at camp until at least Wednesday.

The afternoon was peaceful and rather warm but not the blistering heat we had recently.
A good dinner and we finally had the music fixed outside ( Brett & Phil got it running) and we could jam a bit. Rain in the forecast for later tonight.

Had a nice friendly discussion on how we are supposed to evaluate what kind of a presidential candidate a person will be based on whether or not he paid $400 for a haircut. It sounds like Mr. Geddeis could be turning into a liberal. We gladly showed him the error in his logic.

Wednesday, August 6 – Rain started seriously at about 3:30 and continued well into the morning – alternating from light to heavy and putting a big dent in our work. Phil finishing up his project today and we all spent time on the computers. Linda is still struggling with the injury but she keeps on smiling and having a good attitude. She's able to do a few exercises and hopefully that will help. Kids counting on a big dinner in town to night – celebrating the lack of time spent in front of the tube or the computer.

Roading: - rain stopped and cool so we got started roading!

• Mariah, Lea, Ernie & Suzie -- lots of standing water and this group just charged the course for 30 solid minutes.

• Brie, Kate, Hank & Tess – Tess getting with the program ( still have the front lead on her but barely need it. 30 min. – No problems

• Brett took over:

• Lily, Shauna & Annie – 20 min –Annie not real sure.

That was it for birdwork. Bob G. went to get some medicine for the quail –not doing real well. He also had some rabis shots done. I did a a lot of work on the computer and phone – tried to get caught up.

Phil &Jenny took the kids to town. Linda, Bob and I had a nice quiet evening planned and we added to that enjoyment when Joe & Laurie and their daughter came over for a nice visit. We hadn't really had a chance to visit with them so this was great. Joe might even play with Owen in the competition as her accompanist. Great to see them and they bought another business in town – used to be Kathy's Closet so she was really busy.

Thursday, August 7, 2008 – cool, dry morning – time to get moving. We got everyone on the run- going to Richardson's. Moving down the road by 7:30 not perfect but still much improved. We dropped a fence down south of the circle and got the show on the road.

Roading:

• Inde, Shauna & Annie - all coming along nicely – 30 min.

Hills:

• Erin & Brenna - only 1 chicken seen but both had solid GD races – good coverage and front. Erin more forward then Brenna but both were good. Erin a Jackrabbit chase that really stretched him out. A solid 29 min. brace with more left for both dogs.

• We got a call from Brett on the walkie talkie's – he was stuck on the south side of the home hay meadow. Phil took the truck and a tow strap and went to get him out. We waited so he could run his dog. Brett found one of those soft spots and got it buried pretty good. Got the call on the walkie talkie – got him free!!

• Lea & Midge – Midge a little slow starting but with a little help from Lea she got going. We saw 3-4 jack rabbits all in one area but the dogs missed them. A big move for both down along the CRP - going, going – gone – they reached a ½ mile front and north staying on course but really stretching. Nice solid race but no birds – Lea didn't want to quit and hooked some tweety birds at the end- guess the old dog was just too bored – Phil &Bob got her and had a talk then put the lead on her. A fun brace! 32 min.

• Lily & Sorrel – headed these two back to camp with the girls taking the rig home. Sorrel really showing some huge moves –took a dicky bird for a ride but I caught him – Lily a few spots with her nose down but overall a nice job - crossed the fence into the home meadow and sent them down Hun Alley – Sorrel ran over a bird in deep grass and was a bit spooked with Lily also knocking and chasing. Put them both on a cord – put a bird out and got Sorrel pointed with Lily backing – good stylish piece with good manners. Walked them quite a ways then cut them loose and finished nicely. 28 min. Improvement for these green brokes.

• Bart, Neely & Clifford – Neely still very unsure – stays by the horses . Bart opened up some and Clifford ran a solid puppy race – forward and hunting. 15 min.

That was the whole day as it was starting to heat up. We had a couple of horses go down in some holes – Sue on Ben who hit the deck – she rolled off gracefully and no worse for the wear! Eb tried to shake me up but I didn't let him off the hook . Back in camp –
Country Music Festival this weekend so the Phil & Jenny crew went to town and Owen met with Joe and practiced his songs for the contest.

Sue ran some more clothes line to the south fence and doubled our drying space – my wife informed me that this was a major improvement – when I was a bit to unimpressed with the innovation. Power went out in the mid afternoon – a car accident on Pine St just south of the commentary knocked a pole and that caused it. about 3-4 hours to get if fixed.

Whitney and Katherine took puppies for their nightly ( almost) walk in the meadow. What a great place for puppies. The two Lea pups ( Stryker & Tequi) are starting to climb over the pen – time to switch to a stake out.

Friday, August 8, 2008 – a bit overcast and Roger is planning on moving bulls – we're out early to meet them and help but run a brace 1st – that was the plan. We were up, motivated & loaded early and off to the south pastures. Hit the 3rd pasture and Roger had mowed a bundh of the early flatland – missed my turn and headed west – got delayed on one hill – had to unload the horses but we got them out – the next one wasn't so good. We got STUCK – not delayed – but real stuck. Finally decided to unhook the trailer and try from a different angle – also decided to send out a brace while we worked on it.

Hills:

• Brie & Kate -- Both dogs best time on the ground – strong, forward and going with the crew – Bob saw 6 chickens in the air and went charging up the hill and found Brie standing with great style. As he road to her another got up and more as he dismounted – 6 or 7 more that she had pinned. Great piece – no birds for Katie but a good race – getting hot and the girls showed stamina. 40 min.

• Meantime – Phil and I unhooked and moved for a side approach – couldn't get it right –and then we had smoke coming out of the engine. Got it moved and found a trail of red
• fluid – looked to be auto trans. fluid. It was and eventually, we couldn't even get it to move -- - not good. We waited for the crew to come and decided to head to camp – put 2 dogs in Bob's Jeep – sent the brace out and Phil & I went to camp – Phil went to town for transfluid and a funnel plus his truck. I went back to get dogs at Triple gates before they got too hot.

• In the meantime, we met Devin and Heather – looking for bulls – told him what was up & he would tell Roger & Jason.

• Ernie & Ernie – Mariah a very solid performance but no birds. Ernie – dog of the day and probably dog of camp at this point. Big race – 2 – 3 hill in front – got turned around when a young scout pointed him off the wrong way by mistake and Bob went to him and got him front – only to loose him again. As they rode looking they saw a single and went over the hill and spotted him to the front on point – they rode to him and got off to flush & birds left all around and he had to duck on a couple of them but he was perfect in style and manners – about a dozen birds pinned – great find. Sent on, he continued to roll with no let down on the ground and a very solid 30 min. race.

I came and got the dogs – back to camp and unloaded and here came Roger into camp in his pick-up – a bit peekid – it turns out he roped a bull and got sideways with his horse who blew up and gave Roger a big bucking ride – he stayed on the full 8 seconds plus some – but eventually took a big hit. Sounds like ribs and maybe more. I suggested the hospital but he wasn't too keen on that idea. He headed home and later we found out he did go and they're transporting him to Kearny – appears he has hip damage. Not good for Roger. Bob went down and helped with the bulls. Devin came into camp with some bulls and then helped up put up the pen for our horses and put the bulls in the secure pen.

Roading: Sometime during the day, Brett got to road some dogs.

• Ritha, Hank & Annie - 30 min.

Phil, Brett & me went back to the truck with Transmission fluid, house jacks and a plan. We started with the truck and 2 qts of fluid later, it was fine – just boiled the fluid out, we'll have to wait and see if it did any long term damage.

Got the jacks going and got the rubber matts under the jack and dragged it over the bad spots but still couldn't get hooked. Only one jack worked well - drove my truck and the jeep back for another jack – dropped the young girls off and got Bob to go with us. Forgot to bring Phil a cold beer – we just were off all day long. Now with 2 jacks we were able to get it high enough for hooking to Phils . Got it unstuck but should've taken off his tailgate before we tried – a bit of a crunch !!!!!!!!! Bob led the way and we tried to find flatland ( in the sandhills!!!!!!!!!) to keep from damaging the bed anymore – we made it but not exactly a pretty site. Once we hit the good trail we were okay but the damage was done. Oh well – at least we got it done but it was 4:00 pm already and time for serious Irish Whiskey !!!

Hear that Roger was not feeling too good. Looks like he might need surgery to fix the ball and socket – maybe even some metal. He's not real happy. Bob and Brett were heading up Johnstown tomorrow to help Devin, Jason with the bulls up there. We were going to get some seious dog work done.

A great night for hamburgers and a movie and everyone watched " August Rush " a real good movie especially for folks that like good music.