Saturday, April 1, 2006
by Bonnie Hidalgo

Saturday April 1 proved to be a very hot and dry day for competition at the AKC Pointing Breed Championship Non-Retrieving Stake.  By mid morning it was tough on the dogs, the 7 am start was a great idea.

16A)  Covey Up Johnny (Pointer male) Ray Knight owner, Jim Heckert handler.
16B)  FC/AFC Shady's Be Sumbuddy (Brittany male) Delmar McCallister owner & handler
            Bud drew first blood with a staunch find at 4; John backed politely. 
            John scored two in a row at 9 and 12.  He was high and tight on both ends.  Bud backed at 12. 
            John pointed a dead bird at 14.  At 17 Bud pointed on the right side of a
            drainage crossing but corrected to the left.  His handler flushed
            the quail as it came out of the pipe!  Bud was very mannerly and intent. 
            At 19 it was John with a third find; this just as spectacular as the others.  They shared a divided
            find at 24; both displaying class and intensity.  Bud scored next at 44; John honored. 
            Bud's last find came at 53 and was flawless.  John's final bird work came at 55; another quality find. 
            Both of these dogs ran the edges with intelligence.  They made moves that made
            you sit up in the saddle!  They were correct in their gaits.  First class dogs all the way! 
            John's race was slightly more powerful than Bud's.

17A)  Celtic's Methus (Irish setter male) Paul Ober owner, Scott Beyer handler.
17B)  FC Scattergun's Maggie (GSP female) Ed & Trudy Moody owners, Ray Dohse handler.
            Maggie pointed game stylishly at 5.  Methus had a find at 8.  She pointed again at 30 but
            no birds were located.  She was standing again at 34; birds were flushed with all in order. 
            She scored again at 43.  Maggie showed class on the ground and on her birds. 
            She ran her edges well.

18A)  Chippoke's Patch (Setter male) George Mayhugh owner & handler.
18B)  DC AFC Upn'Adam's Piper Cherokee, CDX MH. ( GSP female) Katrine &
            Thomas Tazza owners, Katie Tazza handler.
            Cherry pointed at 6; Patch failed to back. 
            Cherry took the pressure.  She scored a second find at 56.

19A)  Three Oaks Drumm'n Up Riraff (GSP female) Peter Nichola owner, Scott Beyer handler.
19B)  NGDC/FC/AFC Buck's Hit The Road Jack (Brittany male) Ralph & Judy Kiracofe owners;
            Ralph Kiracofe handler.
            Jack carded a find at 10 with Lil backing.  Lil pointed at 18 with Jack honoring
            but this was a Nonproductive.  Lil pointed again at 25 at the ravine.  Birds were
            flushed with everything good.  Jack pointed birds again at 31.  They each carded
            a nonproductive at 36.

20A)  Georgia Wildfire (Irish setter male) Jerry Webb & Sandra B. Crosby owners, Ray Dohse handler.
20B)  FC/AFC Doubledee Deckar (Setter male) Gwynee McDevitt owner and handler.
            Red pointed nicely at 14.  Deckar got into trouble at that time. 
            The heat eventually took its toll on Red's race.

21A)  Doubledee's Falcons Dawn (Gordon setter female) Gwynne McDevitt owner, Walter Cruz handler.
21B)  Brigette III (GSP female) Elizabeth & Frederick Archer owner, Jim Heckert handler.
            Dawn had a clean find at 16.  She had a barren stand at 58.  Brigitte wasn't able to get birds pointed.

22A)  DC/AFC Tartana Cutty Sark (Gordon setter male) Marianne Goodwin, Susan DeSilver,
            Holly Wachuta owners, Susan DeSilver handler.
22B)  Riraff's Titus Andronicus ( GSP male) Peter Nichola, owner; Scott Beyer handler.
            Titus pointed game with good style at 5.  Cutter carded finds at 8, 13 and 18
            but was lost later in the hour.  Titus stopped to flush at 20.  He scored a second
            find at 50, again with nice style.

23A)  FC Carolina Blue (Brittany female) Fred Strawson owner & handler.
23B)  Tiber Creek's Raindeer (GSP female) Peter Nichola owner Scott Beyer handler.
            Raindeer had a clean find at 4.  Blue had no clean contacts.

The twenty-third brace concluded the running for Saturday.  Judges Art Cohen and Roy Pelton spent long hours in the saddle and completed eight braces for a second day in a row.  A social hour and dinner hosted by A.G. Edwards and Katie and Tom Tazza topped off the day.  The raffle drawing was held for the Tucker Trooper Saddle.  The lucky winner was Mike Milleneaux!

Click on image for caption and larger view.