Event: Steve Croy's Pointer, Haney's All-In, Wins Crown
Result: Tar Heel Open Championship

Location: Hoffman, North Carolina

Post Date: Nov 29, 2023

Submitted By: Dwight Smith

The Champion and Runner-up with well-wishers (first row): Haney's All In with Jerry Raynor, Hailey Moreland, Shadow's Lord Magic with Judd Carlton, and Luke Eisenhart. (Second row): Stephen Croy, Mark McLean, Stacey Croy, Whitley Stephenson (judge), John Atkinson, and Claudia McNamee. (Third row): William Smith (judge), Carl Owens, Tommy Brigham, and Gregg Robinson. (Top row): Alex Rickert, Gary Futch, and John Ivester.

Haney's All In, a 3 1/2-year-old white and orange pointer male owned by Steve Croy, was named the 2023 Tar Heel Open Champion by judges Whitley Stephenson and William Smith.
He was handled by Mark McLean and scouted by Jerry Raynor. Steve Croy was on hand to see All In's performance. Steve Croy was accompanied by his twin brother Stacy.

Shadow's Lord Magic was named runner-up champion. He is owned by Carl Bowman and handled by Luke Eisenhart, scouted by Judd Carlton. Magic won the 2021 Tar Heel. The Bowman pointer is always a threat on the Hoffman grounds.

It is important to note that the Tar Heel Championship is the first leg of the Carolina All-Age and Derby Jamboree, which includes four national qualifying trials and two Open All-Age Derby stakes. So that gives Mark McLean a leg up on winning the $5,000 extra prize money that goes to the handler that accumulates the most points based on the Purina Point system during the Jamboree's four all-age stakes and two derbies.

The Carolina All-Age and Derby Jamboree is the idea of Carl Owens. He has worked tirelessly on the project, has it well organized, and stirred up a lot of interest - a man of ideas, he is. He is a businessman from the Charleston, South Carolina area. He enjoys his two setters and loves spending time with his daughter.

The Tar Heel drew an entry of 43 pointers and setters, up from last year's entry by a few. There was one scratch.

Weather throughout the four days of running was typical of the Sandhills weather for mid-October. Rain came at the end of the third day, and most seasoned field trialers agree weather plays an important part in the hunt for quail and other game birds.

Speaking of quail brings up the question of the availability of quail for entries to find. Again, the quail release team, led by Hall of Famer John Ivester, did their job very well. More than enough game was found and pointed for a good field trial.

The Robert Gordon Field Trial Grounds were in great condition for the first trial of the 2023-2024 season. The six-course venue is owned and maintained by the North Carolina Wildlife Commission, chaired by Monte Crump of nearby Rockingham. There are plenty of stables and corrals for horses, kennels for dogs, and campsites for owners and handlers. A nice clubhouse is available along with other facilities needed by those staying on the grounds.

Lee Crisco is the man on site who works for the Commission, and he is a perfect fit for the position he holds.
The Tar Heel Championship held a chicken bog on the third night of the trial, and Carl Owens hosted a Pee Dee-style barbecue on Saturday evening. Both dinners were excellent and well attended. John Atkinson's crew from nearby Florence, South Carolina, prepared the food. Monte Crump, as already stated, chairs the Wildlife Commission, and Steve Morris came to represent the Richmond County Tourism Board. The Tourism Board is one of the main supporters of the North Carolina Field Trial Association. The other supporter is Purina. Purina is a longtime supporter of the Tar Heel trials. What would we do without Purina's support?

John Ivester was the trial chairman. He had lots of help, including John Atkinson, President of the North Carolina Field Trial Association, Sammy and Nida Giddens, Bob Youngs, Robert Henry, and Ruthann Epp.

The group has worked together for several years, and no stone for a better trial is left unturned. At least up to this point, everyone has shown the kind of sportsmanship one would like to encounter in field trials, and a large part of that credit belongs to those putting on the championship.

It was a well-organized field trial. Greg Robinson drove the dog truck. He provided morning snacks, always on time for the beginning and ending of each brace. Barbara Youngs helped with the dog truck duties and keeping this reporter up to date.

Judges were William Smith and Whitley Stephenson. It is hard to imagine where two better-qualified judges could be found. Both are knowledgeable, alert, calm, good horsemen, and likable. William Smith was accompanied by his wife, Tommi. She was a great addition to the trial.

Domenick Muoio was in attendance to represent the UKC/American Field. He is a likable young man that fits right in with the field trialers. Muoio lives only a few miles from the Hoffman grounds.
The Tar Heel was a great trial and a good lead-off trial for the Carolina All-Age and Derby Jamboree experience.

The Winners and Others
Reporting any trial is a difficult job and a big responsibility. It is especially difficult when the reporter rides in a truck. In this reporter's opinion, all reporters should ride horseback, but that is hard on an 86-year-old's body, so this report was done from a truck. Hopefully, it is well received because I did the best I could.

Haney's All In drew the fifth brace on the first day of the championship. Clear skies and temperatures in the high 60s with dry conditions on the ground prevailed.
All In's bracemate was K H Game Train, owned and handled by Scott Griffin. Both pointers soon adapted to the course, and about nine minutes later, Game Train was found pointing with All In backing. Griffin and McLean gathered everything up after the flush and sent the two pointers toward the open country along Derby Road and the bowling alley area.
At the 30-minute mark, McLean and Griffin pointed out the fast-moving pointers far ahead. All In reaching to the extreme limits of the course, but always to the front, it seemed. Probably the best way to describe All In's groundwork was that he never left the front, was nearly extreme in range, and, importantly, never came from behind during the hour. Game Train also applied himself well, to the front and at good range.
McLean rode to the top of a knoll and pointed out All In as the course entered the bowling alley country along Derby Road. Then, a few minutes later, at 46, Mark McLean rode to find the Steve Croy pointer on point. He had game, well located, directly in front. All in order at flush.
McLean and scout Jerry Raynor gathered everything up again and sent All In toward the bear trap country. His finish was strong, at extended range.
According to some sources, Haney's All In's performance had set the standard for the trial. He had an outstanding ground effect, and one find with game well located and the proper all-age manners.

Runner-up champion Shadow's Lord Magic ran in the 20th brace on the last day of the trial. Rain on the previous night had left the ground damp and temperatures cooler.
The 20th brace was probably the most exciting brace of the championship, with both Shadow's Lord Magic and his bracemate, Southern Nation, rendering outstanding performances.

The brace began in the hill country before the bottoms below the clubhouse and ended past McGree's Castle. Shadow started with a find at the 10-minute mark, then an unproductive at 19. He followed up with a find at about the 46-minute mark. In the opinion of some, Magic's second find might have been the best find and bird work of the stake.

The Carl Bowman pointer's third find came just before the end of the hour, maybe at 58.
Magic had a strong race; he, too, was always to the far front, reaching through the heavy cover for more country. He impressed by always hunting.
Shadow's Lord Magic had three pieces of bird work, one unproductive and a good ground effort; maybe his ground effort wasn't to the extreme of that of Haney's All In.
Several other entries impressed.
Southern Nation was braced with Shadow's Lord Magic. He had three finds and a good, strong race. Coming from behind one time might have cost him.

No Strings Attached had multiple finds plus an unproductive and impressed with his style and intensity plus a good, honest ground effort.
Knight Moon, handled by Luke Eisenhart, put everything together until the end of his hour. Moon scored two finds, a big race, but was out of pocket at the end of his hour. Then, found after time on point.

Game Train, braced with Haney's All In, impressed with a strong race and one piece of birdwork.
Touch's Gallatin Fire rendered a strong forward race without a lot of scouting. His bird work included two covey finds and an unproductive.
Erin's High Note's race included some good moves and was upfront. He, too, had little scouting and did most of it on his own.
Nighthawk's Rebel was the first entry drawn, and he kind of set the tempo of the championship. He had three finds on the first course and a barren stand. Eisenhart seemed to encourage him to reach more in the mile-long field, but he laid down something the other entries had to top.
Miller's Heat Advisory had an outstanding ground race but went birdless.
Overall, there were a lot of good performances, and most included exciting birdwork and groundwork.

Hoffman, N. C., October 18
Judges: William Smith and Whitley Stephenson
TAR HEEL OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 40 Pointers and 3 Setters
Winner-HANEY'S ALL IN, 1698756, pointer male, by Ransom-Haney's North Star. Steve Croy, owner; Mark McLean, handler.
Runner-Up-SHADOW'S LORD MAGIC, 1668301, pointer male, by In The Shadow-Hello Kitty. Carl Bowman, owner; Luke Eisenhart, handler.

John Atkinson, Domenick Muoio, and John Ivester.