4th series of the 2024 Master Amateur Invitational is a triple with another walkup, flyer, and a diversion bird.
This is a big test for many reason. First the walkup bird is thrown from right to left landing along the edge of the pond in semi taller cover, this is a fairly flat throw. The gun station is hidden well behind shrubs along the top of a ridge line. This bird has a high arc and is thrown downhill.
Mark #2 is hidden behind a shrub and is thrown left to right and angled back down the point landing in various semi tall cover. This mark is around 70 yards. The true line to this mark is through the water.
Mark #3 is your flyer. This mark is sitting along the ridge line to the right of the test and is close to the walkup mark. This bird will be an under the arc of the walkup bird and is thrown from right to left angled slightly back and will land along the ridge line or near patches of taller grass.
A diversion bird will be presented as the dogs return from mark #2. This bird is well hidden behind a row of shrubs on the far left side of the test. The bird is a high arc bird thrown flat over the row of shrubs and lands along the top edge land in various cover. The dogs get a clear view of this bird as they are in the water swimming back from mark #2. Some dogs ran on land on their way back from mark #2 and this bird was right in their face.
The walkup and flyer are on a very tight line, see the graphic below. This could present a challenge to the dogs depending on which way the wind is blowing if they get the walkup first or the flyer.
Other challenges will be on mark #2. A wall of taller grass is blocking the view of the water directly across the road. This could push dogs either to the right or left which has potential pitfalls. If the dogs push off the cover and head to the right of the taller cover across the road it will put you in an old fall area of the walkup bird. If the dogs push off the cover and head to the left they could wind the diversion bird sent and starting hunting short on their way to mark #2.
This was another test that forced some handlers and dogs to be handled mostly on the walkup bird but a few needed help on mark #2 as well.
Livestream recording of the 4th series.
