MINDEN, Nev. — Dana Giovanello of Cabot, Ark. and his 6-year-old yellow lab Windy turned in the top performance in the opening round of the Retriever Trials at the 2003 ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge in Reno-Tahoe.

2001 gold medalist Super Sue struggled on Wednesday, finishing in fourth.

"It couldn't have gotten much better," said Giovanello of the performance, which resulted in only a two-point penalty. "She saw everything and got the right picture. I was just there to guide her."

Close behind Windy were 2002 ESPN Great Outdoor Games silver medalist Super Sue and her handler, Jerry Day, of College Park, Ga., with 6 points. In retriever competitions, points are awarded for mistakes or hesitations, so competitors strive for a perfect score of zero.

"It all starts over again tomorrow," said an extremely satisfied Day, who earlier this year announced plans to retire Sue after this year's Games. "This was a good showing for her."

While all of the competitors' scores were cleared after Tuesday, the order in which they finished will determine the order of their competition on Wednesday. Windy and Giovanello's top score will allow them to compete last in the semi-final round and benefit from watching the lower-scoring teams' rounds.

Other dogs making the field for the semi-final round include Boomer, handled by Chris Akin, of Jonesboro, Ark., 12 points; Cody, handled by Bill Autrey, of Bemidji, Minn., 22 points; Ticket, handled by Alex Washburn, of The Plains, Va., 24 points; Ice, handled by Jimmy McMahon, of Covington, Tenn., 47 points; Titan, handled by John Terraciano, of Billings, Mont., 55 points; and Pepper, handled by Larry McMurry, of Little Rock, Ark., 67 points.

The competition concludes Wednesday with semi-final, consolation and final rounds. Although the retriever trials are taking place at a private ranch on Tuesday and Wednesday, the official start of the Great Outdoor Games is Thursday at Rancho San Rafael Park in Reno.

Top outdoor athletes from around the world compete for entry into the ESPN Great Outdoor Games, held in Reno-Tahoe July 10-13. The ultimate championship of outdoor sports features one-of-a-kind, head-to-head competition in timber and target events, sporting dogs, and fishing. While entertaining large crowds on site, the ESPN Great Outdoor Games also draws a worldwide television audience airing on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports beginning July 19.