The field in Kokomo Indiana is a great location. However, a lot of rain the night before the competition left us with a mud pit, and we had our first mud QUAD. Surprisingly even with all the mud it was not that slippery on the competition field. The conditions made it so the dogs could go after a throw with very little consequences if they missed. We saw dogs making spectacular efforts at the catch with a complete reckless abandon, and some unbelievable wipeouts.

WOMEN’S OPEN DIV.
With 7 teams we ran two heats, and the last chance heat would then advance two teams to the Finals.

Heat (1) had Heather Bednar & FLICK tie with Deneane Hart & ARES at 36.5-yds for elimination. Team FLICK missed on their throw in the tiebreaker and made it easy on Team ARES to advance into the next round on a safe 20.5-yd catch. In Round 2 Deneane Hart & ARES score for 53.5-yds on their last throw. It’s too much for Danielle O’Neill & ZEEK to overcome. The 51.5-yd catch by Tracy Custer & BLADE eliminate Team ZEEK and their 50-yd catch. In the Final Round Tracy Custer & BLADE score first with a 50.5-yd catch and just kept getting stronger with each throw. Deneane Hart & ARES go down with a strikeout, but they went out swinging hard with a 57-yd miss on their last throw. It’s Team BLADE onto the Finals with a best catch of 55.5-yds.

In Heat (2) it was only three teams, however it was loaded with some very talented teams. Christina Curtis & NITRO score for 45-yds. It takes Sue Visocchi & FABI all three throws to score a better catch of 56-yds. Angela Ewtushik & RALLY needed two throws to score a 47-yd catch that eliminated Team NITRO. In the Final Round Team FABI grabs the lead on the first throw, good for 50.5-yds. Angela Ewtushik & RALLY immediately take the lead back on their first throw, good for 53.3-yds. It’s too much for Team FABI, and Team RALLY is off to the Finals.

The Last Chance Heat produced only 3 catches. A 48.5-yd catch by Deneane Hart & ARES and a 52-yd catch by Danielle O’Neill & ZEEK put them into the Finals.

WOMEN’S OPEN FINALS
It starts with Deneane Hart & ARES almost striking out, but their last throw is good for 42-yds. Team ZEEK needs two throws to better it with a 53-yd catch. Team RALLY comes close to a strikeout, but deliver with a 49-yd catch on their last toss. Team BLADE uses only one throw to eliminate Team ARES. Then Team BLADE takes an unnecessary throw in the round and scores the longest catch of the day for any women’s team, good for 62.3-yds. In Round (2) a pair of catches by Team ZEEK leaves them exposed on a best catch of 48-yds. Team RALLY uses only one throw to do the dirty deed, and it takes three throws from Team BLADE to avoid a strikeout on a 52-yd catch, Team ZEEK is gone. A pair of misses starts the Final Round. Team RALLY grabs the lead on their second toss, good for 43-yds. Tracy Custer & BLADE step up to the challenge and deliver a 60-yd catch that grabs the lead. Angela Ewtushik & RALLY go out with a massive 65-yd throw that falls as a miss, only 2-yds short of the American Record. It gives Tracy Custer & BLADE the win in the Women’s Open Division.

MEN’S OPEN DIV.
In Heat (1) the contenders were Chandler Curtis & FURY, John Troelstrup & ROOSTER, and Matt DiAno & MAGGIE. Round Two had Team ROOSTER score on their 2nd toss for 68.5-yds. Team FURY went 3 for 3 yet only came in with a 57-yd catch. Team MAGGIE then swiftly introduced Chandler & FURY to the ice-cold axe of elimination with a 63.5-yd catch. The Final Round saw Team ROOSTER take the leas at 68.5-yds. On the 2nd throw from Team MAGGIE they bumped that up a little with a leading catch of 70-yds. Team ROOSTER threatened that with their last toss, but a miss sent Team MAGGIE to the Finals.

Heat (2) required catches in the 60s to get out of the First Round. The contenders were Rick Rauwerda & RIFF RAFF, Adrian Custer & YARD DART, and Jeff Duff & JESSE. The Second Round took catches in the 70s to advance. Team JESSE got some ice-cold axe on a 67.6-yd catch. Team YARD DART began the Final Round with two misses, while Team RIFF RAFF took a pair of catches and a best of 71.5-yds. Adrian Custer unloaded an excellent effort on their last toss, good for 70.5-yds, and Team YARD DART was gone.

Heat (3) also required catches in the 60s to advance to the next round. The contenders were Nate Bednar & MARCY, Darron Barrus & THE EDGE, and Chip Baker & SEEKER. Team MARCY started the Second Round with a pair of catches and a best of 68-yds. The much-feared strikeout then stings Barrus & THE EDGE. Team SEEKER used one throw to make it official. In the Final Round nobody wanted to score a catch. Team SEEKER;s last throw resulted in a strikeout. That made it easy on Team MARCY to go safe with their last toss, good for 19-yds, and Team SEEKER was gone.

This Last Chance Heat was something special. John Troelstrup & ROOSTER go 3 for 3 and take a lead of 85.5-yds. Matt Bilderback & BUDDY came close at 79.5-yds. Adrian Custer and YARD DART had a strikeout, but it was no ordinary strikeout. Their first toss was out there for 90-yds, and one other went 85+ yards. Most people do not even dream of making throws like that. Jeff Duff & JESSE had a strikeout too, they just missed at 80-yds. Darron Barrus & THE EDGE were going down with two misses already. As Barrus came to the line for the last throw, he pulls a Babe Ruth and points where it’s going down field. 90.7-yds later Team EDGE was in the lead, had the longest catch of the day, and jumped to Number 3 on the Top 10 List. Chip Baker & SEEKER came within 10-yds and Roo Yori & AJAX came within less than 8-yds, but it was Team EDGE to the Finals.

MEN’S OPEN FINALS
Matt DiAno & MAGGIE, who were in the lead with The QUAD Series, begin with a huge 81.3-yd catch. Meanwhile Nate Bednar & MARCY go down with a brutal strikeout, brutal because they had an 84-yd miss. The usual suspects used only one throw each to send some ice-cold axe of elimination at Team MARCY. The Second Round saw Team MAGGIE pop off with another one in the 80s, this one good for 84.5-yds. Rick Rauwerda & RIFF RAFF went 3 for 3, yet left themselves exposed on a 73.5-yd catch. One throw later, Team EDGE made it official, good for 79-yds, Team RIFF RAFF was gone. In the Final Round Team MAGGIE makes the bold move and decides to throw first. After one miss per team, it was Team MAGGIE taking the lead on an 80-yd catch. With the point series on the line, Team EDGE gave us a moment. It was an 86-yd throw that the dog missed by ever so little. Had that been a catch, there is no telling what it would have done to the point series. The last throw from Barrus was more than 15-yds of what was needed. It gave Team MAGGIE the win, and it resulted in them taking The QUAD Series too.


Jeff Hoot, Director
The QUADRUPED®