From Left to Right: Tracklayer Kathy Watson, Judge Patricia Norris, Charlene Dunn, Charlie, and Judge Linda Baschnagel
From Left to Right: Tracklayer Kathy Watson, Judge Patricia Norris, Charlene Dunn,
Charlie, and Judge Linda Baschnagel
May 6, 2007. The day dawned hot and muggy at John Zinc Ranch in Sand Springs Oklahoma. The Indian Nations Tracking Club was there in force warning all exhibitors to spray 'cause the ticks and chiggers were out (gotta love Oklahoma)! As the draw drew near, the exhibitors lined the building waiting for their turn, as tracks were walked outside. Exhibitors were told 3 tracks out front, 3 tracks around back and 2 tracks up the hill. As each exhibitor drew their lot, the tracks went Border Terrier, GSD, Golden, Border Collie, Rottie, Lab, Border Collie, and finally another Golden. The gallery watched as each dog slowly and methodically made their way down the track. Track 1 - pass, Track 2 - pass, Track 3 - not so lucky and off we went to the back side of the ranch. It is now more windy and getting hotter by the minute. Track 4 - pass, Track 5 - pass, and then it came to Track 6. It was our turn, the track was 45 minutes old. We harnessed up and visited our tracklayer, Kathy Watson, while we waited for the judges to get across the field. As we walk towards the field (one I knew well enough to know there was no gate as there had been for the other tracks), I'm thinking this should be fun... Hence the question "How many AKC Tracking judges does it take to get a chocolate Labrador through a fence?"
The answer is 4. Linda went through first with Pat and Kathy standing
behind me. I tried to get Charlie through but as soon as his body touched
any part of the fence he would jump back. I called Bob Brown up to step on the
fence, and Pat stepped on the other part while I walked each and every leg of
Charlie's through the fence to Linda who held him so he couldn't back out again.
Once we were all inside, I approached the start with Linda and she asked if I
had any questions. Nope. As I started towards the flags the line caught on
something, I pulled it through and heard "Wait! Its got a tree limb caught."
"Well maybe it will slow the dog down." "It might hit her in the head."
I hang my head and think, "This isn't a good way to start."
So up to the start we go, I asked Charlie to down and
picked up the start article. "Find it" and off we went... Charlie
did his usual casting back and forth with the wind. He evened out past the
30 yard flag and we were moving at a good clip. He track looped once and continued
straight. I put more pressure on the line, "Are you sure?" and he kept
going, he circled a second time and caught the right turn and off we went.
"Good boy."
As
we approached the tree, the judge in me said, good place for a turn, and so it
was. Charlie cast down into the ditch with the wind following the scent,
up he came and off to the left we went.
As
we approached the bushes, he needed to go investigate, so I held my ground, he
circled right and away we went again. By now its hot and there is not a
lot of room left in the field, he approached the fence and made a quick turn to
the left, this leg is not so strong, he circled a lot, getting tired, he kept
checking out the flowers but wouldn't commit to walking through them (later I
found out they did but there was poison ivy, what a good dog he is knowing I am
highly allergic to it), he struggled at the last turn, working
hard. I
thought about watering him, but worried he wouldn't restart.
As worry set
in I coached "Come on, lets find your glove." That seemed to be enough for
him and off he went to the left. He pulled hard to the end, and stopped
and dropped his nose at the ground. I asked, "Is that something you need
to show me?"
As I walked up the line he came back to me, and I asked again
"Is this something you need to show me? I think it is." The light
seemed to go on in Charlie's hot, tired head, "Oh yeah! I down at these
things!" and down he went and up went my hand with the glove!
As we are walking
out of the field, hot and tired, I think "Oh No! Another fence!"
Total yards 460, total turns 5, 2 fences and an AKA of Dunn's Good Grief Charlie Brown!