NORTHFIELD, Minn. — Mike Jackson didn't say it, but we think he and Little Morgan may have had a score to settle at Oak Ridge Kennels.

The Big Air world-record holder has won four major jumping events since the retriever started competing last year, adding his third straight title this weekend at the Super Retriever Series.

Little Morgan jumped 23 feet to take the event title and the overall Super Retriever Series title. In second for both of them were Will Gutman and Daisy June of Missoula, Mont., with a jump of 22-10. Third place was Terry Casey and Skeeter of Parker, Texas, with a jump of 22-7 and Brent Ohlson and Raider of Lewellen, Neb., were fourth with 21-5

If it weren't for the Super Retriever Series event held here last year, the winning duo could claim undefeated status, even untouchable status. But there's a huge blemish on that record, one that the team earned in Northfield, long before the gold medal jump in the 2002 ESPN Great Outdoor Games.

A few months earlier, in the dog's first event at the Indianapolis Boat Show, Little Morgan set a world-indoor record of 23 feet, 1 inch. But Little Morgan's next competition wasn't so awesome — a 16th-place performance at the 2002 Super Retriever Series in Northfield, Minn.

"Before that event, we had gone turkey hunting," Jackson said. "Well, I'd gone turkey hunting and left Little Morgan in the truck, where he ate about three or four days of dog food and a 12-inch submarine sandwich."

Jackson said Little Morgan, who normally weighs 53 pounds, probably carried 59 pounds and a swollen belly in the jumping competition at Northfield.

"He didn't feel like doing it," Jackson said.

After Sunday's final, Little Morgan has made up for last year in spades. He followed that dismal finish with a world record and a gold medal at the Great Outdoor Games, then followed that with a Super Retriever Series record jump in Stuttgart, Ark.

His return to Northfield, though, may have helped other Great Outdoor Games qualifiers in the long run.

"I think having jumped Daisy June against Little Morgan lets me see what I need to work on," Gutman said. "It probably helped me get her used to traveling and I have a clearer idea what to do now."

For those of you wondering, that means spending more time chasing down and catching a Frisbee, which makes up a big part of the team's training regime. And when they get to, they spend the rest of the time jumping off Gutman's dock at his cabin.

Meanwhile, Jackson will just work on keeping Little Morgan from binge eating.

Final standings
May 18, 2003

Place, Handler/Dog, Hometown, Longest jump

1. Mike Jackson/Little Morgan Shakopee, Minn. 23-0
2. Will Gutman/Daisy June Missoula, Mont. 22-10
3. Terry Casey/Skeeter Parker, Texas 22-4
4. Brent Ohlson/Raider Lewellen, Neb. 21-5
5. Zane Ward/Xena Prior Lake, Minn. 21-5
5. John Kline/Haley Bloomington, Minn. 21-5
7. Milt Wilcox/Sparky Huntington Woods, Mich. 21-3
8. Tim Mohr/Jack West Allis, Wisc. 21-2
9. Chad Kalstabakken/Sadie Rochester, Minn. 20-10
10. Mark Stuart/Hogan La Jolla, Calif. 20-3
11. Ken Butler/Storm Tulsa, Okla. 18-7
12. Dan Aiman/Brody Arcadia, Ohio 16-9