Early Monday - Many competitors arrived Sunday after the local field trial in Oklahoma.  I flew in Sunday morning, checked into the hotel and was able to meet others at the training area down Long Chimney Road - Julie Cole, Steve Parker, John Nichols, Marston Jones, Tom Cox, Joyce & Jeff Shaw and another young gentleman.  We all ran our dogs on singles or doubles whichever was best for our dogs with several different tests.  As we were leaving Linda Harger and Maureen Coleman were setting up their camping trailer.  Fifteen of us met at 7pm at the Rib Crib for a smoked ribs.  In Stillwater, on Sunday, there is no alcohol in the restaurants except for a 3.2 beer and a local wheat beer..hhhmmm...it was a little mild for some.  The evening meal centered around the exciting wins for the brown dogs at the local trial!

      Open        1st  CH Westwind's Colonial Starfire MH    Michael Coutu
      Qualifying  1st  CH Blackwater Friar Tuck SH            Joyce & Jeff Shaw
                     2nd  Red Dirt's Big Iron                          Chris Payne
                     4th   Quail Run's Quicksilver                    Julie Cole

Other Chesapeake owners were arriving during the rain today.  This morning the training area was very wet and Edgar Johnson had to get a quick pull for his dog trailer.  Most elected to wait till afternoon to try to get in some marks.

Monday Evening - As 6:30p approached, owners gathered in the small banquet room along with their cocktails for socializing and the start of the evening festivities. Chris Payne introduced the Open judges and welcomed all to Oklahoma. As plates were being filled, John Nichols conducted the ACC meeting with reports from the individual ACC committees. 



Dr Sam Long of the U of Penn gave an update on the DNA study of Degenerative Myelopathy (DM).  So far he has samples from 40 dogs, 10 of which are confirmed as having had DM.  Another 3 are possible to have the disease but not confirmed as of yet.  He will be drawing blood from as many dogs as possible for the continuing study to find the gene responsible for this disease.  The good news is that in the Corgi breed they think are close to finding the gene!  The disease usually appears between ages 9-11 years. 
 

Wendy Chisolm gave a short update on EIC (Exercise Inducted Collapse) and asked for dogs to have DNA taken by swab over the next few days for the study.

Marston Jones conducted the calcutta which closed the evening events...except for Room 103!  Dr Long with assistants Melissa Schumann and helpers Marlene Drag & Bruce Ahlers started drawing blood for the DNA study.