AKC 2011 Non Retrieving Championship: Tuesday
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
By Bonnie Hidalgo, AKC Executive Field Representative
Brown's B.B.J. (BJ) B M Jim & Sunny House owners, Jim House handler
NFC/FC/AFC Tonelli's Sky High (Sky) GSP M Kathleen Boyd owner, Randy Berry handler
This was the first brace on the second Tuesday morning of the stake. Both dogs looked good on the ground. BJ scored a good find at 12. Along the creek at 17, he made a pretty picture on point and was mannerly through it all. Sky pointed at 25 but it was not productive.
At 45, above the pond, point was called for Sky but the dog was moving when his handler arrived and he opted to pick him up. Sky had run a nice race for 50 minutes but had no game contact. BJ went the hour but shortened late.
FC Kona Cream of Blackacre (Kona) GSP Catherine Black owner, Leroy Merrell handler
Cache's Halley's Comet (Comet) Destrie & Katie Hansen owners, Destrie Hansen handler
Both started very nicely, Comet made some big moves and showed a lot of ground speed. Kona seemed bothered a bit by the other handler's voice and was picked up early. Comet was aptly named, he was wide and fun to watch but as his handler remarked when asked to pick up, “I guess I brought a gun to a knife fight”. No birds pointed this brace.
DC/AFC Megasmoke Grand Finale (Al) B M Myra Dawn Ellis owner, Paul Doiron handler
DC MTB Emme's Cabo De Scipio (Cabo) B M Tom White & Margaret Horstmeyer owners, Tom White handler
These two looked good from the start. Al drew first blood with a classy find on the top of the hill at 3. He scored a second nice find at 7. Cabo pointed successfully at 8 and again at 11 showing style and manners on each. Al notched his third spectacular find at 14 far to the far right on the ridge; he was asked to relocate here and moved a short distance before locking up. His bird was flushed with all in order. Al pointed again at 17 but this was not productive. Al's fourth stylish find was above the creek in the rocks and was very nice. Cabo was picked up for not suiting his handler. Al scored a fifth good find at 40. He pointed again at 43 but it was not productive and his bid ended.
FC Wynkier Sierra Sunrise (Riser) ES M Sara Shumer owner, Trena Cardwell handler
FC Mikey's Spice Girl B F Jerry & Carolyn Cape owners, Paul Doiron handler
The fourth brace on Tuesday morning left from camp. Spice had two successful finds but was not running enough to suit. She was picked up near the creek. Riser took a hard tumble just after release. He pointed nicely at 9 but it was a pile of feathers. Trena opted to pick up noting that the dog seemed a little sore after his spill.
HavelockLilly Dapper Dan (Lilly) ESF Tyler Hoser, owner Trena Cardwell, handler
The final dog of the stake was also released from camp. Her effort was not changing the leaders and she was picked up early.
The 2011 Non-Retrieving Gun Dog Championship was completed on Tuesday May 3, just a little past noon. The entire event is being hosted by the German Shorthaired Pointer Club of Idaho and this was the first stake on the docket. The GSP of Idaho, led by Trial Chairman Jon Young has done a fabulous job of putting on this event. Early planning was the key and various members took on specific duties to ensure that all of the bases were covered. Secretary Brett Webb was the picture of efficiency. The entire committee in addition to Jon and Brett includes: Rick Dodge, Linda Cross Randolph, Rod Randolph, Kevin Keyt, Gary Chapman, Pat O'Kief, Gary Moen, Dave Amick, Bruce Blasch, George Wilson, Gary Stevens, Kevin Rush and Dean Crabbs. Congratulations on a job well done!
The venue is Mile Post Nine, which is BLM land just off of Hwy 95, near Marsing, in Southwest Idaho. This is big country and dogs can show very well here. The one hour course was arranged as an Out and Back and it proved to be a little too long; time was lost in dead heading at the ends. Even more time was lost to snow. The afternoon running was delayed on the first afternoon of the trial due to blinding snow squalls but was able to resume that day. On Thursday April 28 it began to snow in earnest at lunch time causing a white out condition. That storm lasted until Friday afternoon and left about 5 inches of snow in camp and more snow in some locations on the course. Saturday was lost to bad footing on the course due to snow and deep mud bogs. The Club dealt with these delays in the best way possible by carefully assessing the situation, reaching a decision and then notifying everyone involved.
The Judges of the Non-Retrieving Championship were Tim Schillereff of Portland, OR and Jerry McGee of Stewart, IL. Both have a long history of working and campaigning fine field trial dogs. They have judged many trials both at regional and National Championship level s and are well aware of what it takes to be a Champion. They announced on the third day that they were holding four exceptional dogs and that the rest of the dogs would need to measure up to them in order to remain in judgment for the entire hour. Dogs were picked up when it was determined that they were not challenging the leaders, except in the case of dogs in contention for the best of their breed award. This system worked well to make up for lost time and knowledgeable handlers generally prefer to know when they are “not making any money”.
The Club assigned Gary Stevens to the task of Judges Marshal for the Non Retrieving Championship. Gary did a superb job of keeping everyone on course. He filled in for Judge Jerry McGee for part of one brace after Jerry's superglue failed him. Gary kept a line of communication open to the dog truck for those times of early pick-up. He rode every brace and kept a pleasant attitude throughout.
This stake was attended by Purina Rep, Roy Pelton and Tri-Tronics Rep Jim Morehouse. Purina Rep Gailen Cooper arrived on this final day of the hour stake. Purina was an extremely generous sponsor and in addition to financial and product support they hosted a fine banquet on the grounds on May 1. Tri-Tronics contributed some of its fine products. Sierra Trading Post was also a major sponsor. Other sponsors of this trial were: Tate's Rents, Fairfield Inn, American Pointer Club, Vizsla Club of America, Weimaraner Club of America, German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America, American Kennel Club and the Idaho Brittany Club. Contributing as Raffle Sponsors were: Tri-Tronics, Purina, Cabela's, Gun Dog Supply, Mike Okamura Handmade Knives, Dogs Unlimited, Sportsmen's Warehouse, Wing Works Upland Vests and Life Flight Network.
Chairman John Young made the announcement of winners during the lunch hour. Presentations were made, congratulations given and pictures were taken.
Winning the 18th renewal of the AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship was FC/AFC Foxglove's Making A Buck (George) a German Shorthair male owned by Karen Niffenegger and Brian Hill and handled by Brian. This GSP male appeared in the fourth brace of the afternoon on Wednesday April 27.
HVK's High Flying Kyte went Runner-up to the Champion. This Brittany male which ran in the third brace of the stake is owned by Dan Doiron. Paul Doiron capably handled his brother's dog.
Third place went to DC Terra's Cabo Wabo (Sammy) a Brittany male owned by Tom White and Margaret Horstmeyer and handled by Tom. Sammy was in the second brace to run on Wednesday morning April 28.
FC/AFC Foxgloves Uptown Girl (Ally) a German Shorthair female owned by Brian Hill and Karen Niffenegger and handled by Brian was awarded fourth place. Ally appeared in the last brace on the first day of the Championship.
Top Breed Awards:
Brittany: HVK's High Flying Kyte (the Runner-up Champion)
English Setter: Chukarhill Rimrock Ridge owned and handled by Cindy Findley who also received the trial's Sportsmanship award.
German Shorthaired Pointer: FC/AFC Foxgloves Making A Buck (the Champion)
German Wirehaired Pointer: DC Cascades Tumalo Tess owned by John and Sandy Williams and handled by Randy Berry.
Gordon Setter: FC Someday's On the Edge owned by George & Amy Lutz and handled by George Lutz
Vizsla: DC Drycreek's Tommy By Tommy owned by Kathleen Boyd, Nancy Colwell and Robert Studer and handled by Randy Berry
One of the few dogs to go the hour after the leaders were in place was NFC/ DC/ AFC VHK's Leapin Lizzie (Lizzie) German Shorthair female owned by Judy Hewett and handled by Randy Berry. She ran in the fifth and final brace of Sunday Morning, May 1. She was a favorite of many who watched her.
The Retrieving Championship commenced later in the afternoon, stay tuned for more details!
