Event Coverage

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 – Danville, Virginia

Day 1 began cloudy and cool with temperatures in the mid 40’s, with little breeze. Several days of rain had stopped, but the effects were felt by man and beast alike as there were soft fields and mud in abundance. As the day progressed the wind increased to 5 to 10 miles per hour out of the North. Skies cleared and the day warmed into the mid 60’s in the afternoon.

Retrieving Stake
Judges – James Baker and Ivan Clark

Brace 1) FC/AFC Palm Glades Minnie “The Mouse”, handler Dave Walker, FC Up N’ Adams Point U.P. “Chuck”, handler Matthew Basilone. The dogs began at the prescribed 8:30 AM. Point was called for both dogs at 7 minutes with both dogs in different locations. When her handler got to Mouse, he decided that she did not have game and took her on. Chuck had a nice stylish find in the trees on the north side of the second field. He had good style and manners, and made a good retrieve. Sent on, both dogs ran a forward race at a comfortable gundog pace. Chuck also recorded a nonproductive at 28 minutes. Mouse had a find at 29 minutes in the trees that line the final field. She was not afforded an opportunity to demonstrate a retrieve and was called back at time to retrieve, which she did well.

Brace 2) DC AFC Carolina’s All Hat, No Cattle MH “Stetson”, Bill Holloway, Baron Rudiger V Stradivarious JH “Rudi”, Scott Smith. Both dogs did a good job of applying themselves to the course. Stetson stopped and pointed near the midpoint but to no avail. Despite their good efforts both dogs would finish birdless.

Brace 3) NFC FC Frank N Stein “Frankie” Steve Bailey, Wingfield’s Palmglade Dan-D JH “Dan-D”, Dave Walker. Dan-D made his handler earn his pay with a somewhat rough race. He hunted hard and finished his time birdless. Frankie took a minute or two to get a feel for the cover in this “new to him” area of the country. At 8 minutes he was found standing in the trees at the end of the second field. His style was very nice and his manners were good. He preformed a very good retrieve. Sent on he found the edges and started to show us how the course should be run. Coming out of the “turn around field” he powered through a small corn field and disappeared going forward on a drainage ditch that is lined with heavy cover on both banks. He was found on this line at 23 minutes. He was dug into the cover, standing with great style, the bird directly where he said it was. Again his manners were impeccable. He finished his time forward with plenty of gas in the tank.

Brace 4)FC AFC Ricochet’s Upland Special “Risky”, Rebecca Jacobs, Northlakes Dixie “Dixie”, Justin Wiseman. This pair ran a good gundog race. At 6 minutes Risky was pointing on the edge in the second field. All was in order and the retrieve was completed nicely. This would be the only bird work for Risky. Dixie had a bit of direction problem early on but found the front and was rewarded with two finds. The first, at 11 minutes, where he displayed good style and manners. The retrieve was completed successfully. The second find was at 28 minutes in the final field. Again, good style and manners. Both dogs finished their time with plenty of energy left.

Brace 5) FC Snips Midwest Maverick MH “Maverick”, Ray Douse, FC AFC Palm Glades Shameless Sally, “Sally”, Dave Walker. The pace increased somewhat for this brace. Both dogs were fast to the front and covering a lot of ground. Sally was first to find game. She was found standing, at 6 minutes, with style to burn, in the corner of the third field. The birds left as the handler approached and the dog displayed first rate manners. Maverick had a good find four minutes later just before the “turn around field”, all in order, the retrieve successful. Both dogs used the edges well with Sally displaying a very intelligent, well directed race. At 19 minutes Sally recorded a high quality find along the edge of a corn field. Here she was found standing with great style, the birds right where she said they were. Her manners were beyond question and her retrieve was good. Four minutes later Maverick was pointing in the trees that separate the final two cornfields. He was again very nicely mannered, with high style. At 28 minutes, Sally recorded her final find along the brush line that runs to the right of the final corn field. She displayed her good breeding and quality training in her style and manners. Both dogs finished the time still jumping.

Brace 6) Wfk’s Bad Mad’s Pretty Boy “Pretty Boy” Dave Walker, Tony’s Redneck Bear “Bear” Jamie O’Donnell. This was another pair of quick and forward gundogs. Both dogs were taking the edges and making quite showy casts. At fourteen minutes, on the edge of the second cornfield, Boy swapped ends, pointing with great style, head and neck stretched out drinking in the scent of the well located bird. All was in order. Four minutes later Bear was pointing nicely into a small bunch of trees in the first cornfield after the turn around. Boy came in and naturally backed his brace mate. This was to prove to be a non-productive and both dogs were taken on. Near time, Bear pointed again this time the bird was home but a breech of manners ended his day. Boy finished his time without further game contact.

Brace 7) Wilson’s DP Trish “Trish”, Ray Douse, DC AFC Up N Adams Super Sioux CDX SH “Sioux”, Matthew Basilone. Trish was fast on the ground, always forward, with a nice gait. She went to the right places but was unable to be shown on game. Her strong race led to her being gone at time. Sioux, also was a fast, well gaited dog. She ran a powerful race where she spent her time cruising the lines. She was not always seen but would appear to the front often enough to define her race, which was very good. She recorded a nonproductive at the eighteen minute mark. Three minutes later she was pointing again. This time the birds were home for this very stylish GSP. Her manners were top notch and her retrieve was nice. She finished her time forward with plenty of power.

Brace 8) Locnload Elhew Red Rover “Red”, Ray Douse, FC DW’s Sally’s Hilted Affair, “Belle”, Dave Walker. This pair broke strongly to the front and were applying themselves well to the cover at hand. Red would strike first, at sixteen minutes in the corner of the second corn field, standing with head and tail high. Belle came in and displayed a stylish natural back. All was in order for this work. Red did not mark his retrieve well as the cover obstructed his view but finished the retrieve. Belle’s turn was next as she pointed birds going into the final field with Red coming up and backing his brace mate. Belle pointed her birds nicely and demonstrated good manners for the flush and shot. Her retrieve was quick and well executed. Red would record one more find at 25 minutes, all in order. Both dogs finished their time to the front.

Brace 9) Wingfield’s Annie Oakley, “Annie”, Dave Walker, AO Wildfire’s Solo Express, “Solo”, Alan Davidson. Away at 3:12 PM this pair went wrong to work. Annie pointed birds at twelve minutes in the third corn field. She had the birds well located, pointing with high style. Released from here she ran a good course that at times might have taken a bit more handler input than he might have liked. She finished forward. Solo ran an intelligent race that took him to the places you would like to see one go. He is a well gaited dog that is easy to watch. The rapport between handler and charge was apparent. His race was only rewarded with a stop to flush, which he handled well. He finished showing his good gait and application to the last minute. Alas, he would not record any additional bird contact, which he sure could have used.

Brace 10) Eshod’s Arkansas Lady “Lady”, ray Douse, FC Aztec’s Midnight shift “Rogue”, Tim Carwile. Lady ran a race that was fast and mainly forward. She hunted the lines and was rewarded with a good find in the last cornfield before the turn around field. All was in order for this work. She had a nonproductive late in the brace and finished her time to the front. Rogue made some very impressive moves that took him to several places that no dog had reached in this stake. He seemed to float as he ran the edges at top speed, hunting as he went. After the turn around field, he was found pointing in to a clump of old trees. He impressed all with his extreme style on this find. Head and neck were stretched out showing where the bird was located. His back legs stretched out behind him insinuating that he came on his birds while at high speed. Despite the wishes of all that witnessed this work the results were not what his handler had desired and his day ended.

Brace 11) FC AFC Texax Practical Magic “Hermione”, Gene Mosley, Vogelmeister’s Out On Bail JH “Bailey”, Dave Walker. This was another pair of GSP’s that were easy to watch. They both moved nicely and applied themselves well. Hermione ran an intelligent race that required little help from his handler and his scout finished with a fresh horse. He ran forward with an easy gait that covered the ground effortlessly. He had only a nonproductive at twenty five minutes but with good bird contact might have gone far in this stake. Bailey was also quick, well gaited and went to the cover well. He carded a well mannered find at thirteen minutes, displaying good style and manners. He was more of a handful as he spent much time in the heavy cover. He finished going forward in the final cornfield with energy to spare.

Brace 12) Barben’s Rob Roy “Robby”, Jamie Fountain, JJ’s Special Edition “Zip”, John Chokran. The final brace of the day was away with both dogs taking the first line out of sight. Both fell into a comfortable gun dog pattern and carried this pace throughout their time. Despite their best efforts, neither dog found birds.