Result: National Amateur Prairie Chicken Shooting Dog Championship

Location: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin

Post Date: Dec 13, 2023

Submitted By: Frank LaNasa

National Amateur Prairie Chicken Shooting Dog Championship Winners (l-r): Doug Reisner, Dr. George Ihrke, Judy Reisner, Ann Ihrke, Allison Bell, Ed Liermann, Jarrett Bell, Scott Jordan, Dr. Pat McInteer with Nemaha's Tap Water, Jeff Wallace (judge), Jim Womack, Frank LaNasa, Gary Wolfe, Sean Patrick Derrig with Erin's Rebel Attraction, John Mathys, Mark Johnson, Adam DeLude (judge), and David Steel.

This year's event brought together 18 handlers from 11 states to compete with their 39 bird dogs on the grasslands. It made for a great group, new friendships, and a competitive event. It is what amateur field trialing is all about.

Most trialers know that when competing on raw native ground on wild birds, things are never the same from year to year. Every year, the competitors are well aware they will be faced with unforeseen challenges. Without question, this year, the birds were more challenging to cooperate than historically has been the case. Although there were an impressive number of birds on all of the courses, throughout the entire trial, they were extremely jumpy. While native prairie chickens seem more sensitive to flight than most other gamebirds, the positive is that whatever the situation, all competitors deal with the same challenges; in the end, some fare better than others.

We were fortunate to have two field trial competitors, and workers sit in the judges' saddles. Adam DeLude from Campbellsport, Wisconsin, has hosted and competed successfully in many venues, including developing and handling his own dogs to impressive championships. He is intimately familiar with the Buena Vista Grasslands and its native prairie chicken. Jeff Wallace from Knoxville, Iowa, owns Cajun Kennels. Jeff has had pointing dogs since the 1980s, and he both hosts events and competes. Both Jeff and Adam were attentive and positive throughout and handled their duties with the class that makes an event better. In a challenging year to judge, their work was appreciated.

The National Amateur and National Open Prairie Chicken Championships run back-to-back. Consequently, both championships work hand in hand to help each other make it the best experience for the competitors. Ed Liermann has not only been a superb trial chair for the Open Championship but has done much to advocate for the benefits of having quality field trials on these native prairie chicken grounds. Ed has shown that field trial events can be givers to the local communities and positive influences for the natural resources and wildlife on the venues themselves. The benefits of Ed's work reach far beyond the boundaries of just the Buena Vista Grasslands and well into the other public grounds in the state of Wisconsin. His work with the Wisconsin DNR on a local and statewide level and his networking with local institutions of education preparing our next generation of Natural Resource managers have been a blueprint for others to follow.

Others who assist are my co-chair Mark Johnson, the AFTCA Vizsla Trustee at Large; Gary Wolfe, dog wagon driver extraordinaire; George and Ann Ihrke and Judy and Doug Reisner with road crossings; and John Mathys and Ed Liermann with marshaling.

This year's champion, Nemaha Tap Water, owned and handled by Dr. Pat McInteer, had three contacts with birds. Birds were flushed in front of his first two contacts with impeccable manners at flush and shot. On this third contact, Tap Water immediately stopped and styled up when a single chicken left downwind of him.

Runner-up honors went to Erin's Rebel Attraction on the strength of the most memorable find of the stake. While standing wide open in no more than 3 inches of cover, Attraction did a marvelous job of pointing and handling more than a dozen chickens, which flushed all around him, and he stood proud and stoic. His pace suffered some in the second half of his hour from a foot injury, but his focus never wavered.

The Running

Brace No. 1--Tek One Eyed Willy (PM/Kenton Bryant) and Cochise B (ESM/Marian Brown). A covey lifted as Cochise was zoning in on them. Styled up, his handler dismounted and put a final bird to wing. Cochise had a second contact at 25 on a single bird. Willie was strong, mostly forward. Willie had a good find on a single bird at 40 and then an unproductive at 53.

Brace No. 2--Cole Fusion (ESM/Jim Womack) and Erin's Tin Lizzie (PM/Mark Johnson). Both dogs hunted hard directly into a stiff wind. At 20, Lizzie failed to stop for a wild flushed bird and was up. Fusion wasn't satisfying his handler and was up at 35.

Brace No. 3--Walden's Ridge Slap Shot (PM/David Steel) and Chief's Rising Sun (ESM/John Mathys). At 5, Rising Sun suffered an unproductive with Slap Shot backing. At 30, Sun was up after his second unproductive. Slap Shot's race and pace grew more forward and stronger as the hour progressed, but failed to score as he finished the hour.

Brace No. 4--G F Texas Ranger (ESM/Allen Dubar) and Nemaha Touch A Grey (PM/Pat McInteer). Ranger had an unproductive at 5 with Grey backing. Grey suffered an unproductive at 10. Both dogs finished the hour with a steady ground effort but without any game contact.

Brace No. 5--Erin's Southern Comfort (PM/Sean Patrick Derrig) and B G K's Lone Gunman (VIZM/Jarrett Bell). After crossing back over Lake Drive, Gunman pointed, but no bird could be produced. Southern Comfort was showing strong to the front through the tough middle portion of the course. Crossing back over Lake Drive, the cover lightened, and Comfort took advantage with big forward moves, finishing his hour on a number of relocations on running turkeys.

Brace No. 6--Joho's Billie Boy (PM/John Hott) and Stone Church Rooster (PM/Scott Jordan). At 35, Rooster was pointed, and Boy came into the same area and pointed as well. Handlers flushed a nice covey in front of both dogs. Point was called for Church far to the front. Chicken left on their own, and so did the dog. Billie Boy finished the hour with no further contacts.

Brace No. 7--Southern Confidence (PM/Frank LaNasa) and Walden's Ridge Rain Storm (PM/David Steel). A two-hour rain delay caused a late start to the morning running. Confidence suffered two unproductives in the first 20 minutes and was up. Storm had a find on a single chicken at 38; his race shorted before suffering an unproductive at 57.

Brace No. 8--Nemaha Tap Water (PM/Pat McInteer) and Boumeester's Duramax (PM/John Mathys). Both dogs started strong. Tap Water had finds at 7 and 28. Both dogs were wide and strong, hunting hard. Point was called for Tap Water at 44 but proved unproductive. At 47, Duramax had a nice find on a single bird with impeccable style. At 52, Duramax went deep, and point was called. Due to the terrain, it took a good while for the judge to arrive, and handler asked Duramax to relocate. During the relocation, a bird took to flight. At 56, Tap Water had a stop to flush on a single bird and finished his hour going to the front.

Brace No. 9--Warioto's White Boy Rick (ESM/Scott Little) and Pioneer B (ESM/Marian Brown). Both dogs started off handling kind and swinging to the front. Boy had a good stop to flush, and Pioneer backed. At 30, B was standing, and point was called. A deep relocation scored on chicken. Boy continued to get bigger and stronger in his application as the hour ended for both.

Brace No. 10--Pearl Jam Nation (PF/Scott Jordan) and Bryant's Give It A Rip (ESM/Kenton Bryant). Rip had an unproductive at 10. Pearl Jam had a stop to flush at 24. Both dogs were running a comfortable race. After coming across Townline Road, Rip had a second unproductive. Pearl continued with a forward race, suffering a second unproductive at the end of her hour.

Brace No. 11--Erin's Rebel Attraction (PM/Brian Sheehan) and True Ending (PM/David Moore). True Ending pointed at 5 when handler arrived. Ending moved up putting a chicken to flight. At 20, Attraction suffered an unproductive, and after collaring the dog and moving on, a single bird flew from exactly where the dog had pointed. The heavy cover kept Attraction at moderate range, but he got relief once the course crossed back over Lake Drive. At 55, Attraction styled up nicely, and point was called. While his handler was riding to his stand, a large covey of chickens exploded from all around him in the short grass. His manners and style were impressive throughout. Attraction finished his hour across Taft, moving out to the front.

Brace No. 12--J Maple Jester (PF IS/Joe Hughes) and Stellar's Natural Disaster (PF/Mike Duvall). At 12, Jester put a woodcock to flight. At 20, Jester pointed with a single chicken leaving. Natural came in and backed, and a second bird was flushed from in front of both dogs. After a short discussion, both dogs were picked up.

Brace No. 13--G F Parabellum (ESM/Allen Dunbar) and Joho's Grand River Bess (PF/John Hott). Parabellum started strong until he accelerated into a single chicken, putting it to flight. At the same time, Bess scored on a single chicken. At 25, Bess suffered an unproductive, and Hott decided to call it a day.

Brace No. 14--Luke's Gospel Truth (ESM/Jim Womack) and Northern Confidence (PM/Frank LaNasa). Truth had an unproductive at 47 and was picked up at 50. Confidence hunted and handled to the limits of the course for the hour but failed to score.

Brace No. 15--B G K's Luke (PM/Jarrett Bell) and Erin's Grey Justice (PM/Sean Patrick Derrig). Crossing Griffith Road, Luke had a stop to flush and produced two more birds upon his arrival. Now heading east, both dogs drove deep to the front. Crossing 130th Street, Luke pointed to the left with birds leaving as the handler arrived with all in order. Luke pointed at 25 with Justice backing, but it proved unproductive. Both dogs finish the hour.

Brace No. 16--Thumper's Anything But (PF/Mike Duvall) and Warioto's Crazy Daisy (PF IS/Scott Little). At 8, Daisy failed to stop when a chicken flushed from in front of her, and at the same time, Anything But stopped. Back across Lake Drive at 13 Anything But scored on a single chicken with all in order. Anything But scored again at 24 but took steps, ending her bid.

Brace No. 17--Skydancer Silver Spur (ESM/Dennis Lutynski) and Saginaw Luke Skywalker (PM/Mark Johnson). At 4, a single chicken flushed with Skywalker in pursuit. Silver Spur worked at moderate range, and at 30 handler ended his dog's bid.

Brace No. 18--Gal Gadot (PF/Joe Hughes) and Nemaha Magic Marker (PM/Pat McInteer). Gadot had a stop to flush at 15. Both dogs were running well. At 20, Marker had a nice find on a single chicken. At 30, both dogs had a stop to flush. Across the blacktop, Hughes decides to pick up at 40. At 46 point was called for Magic Marker, but it was an unproductive. At 59, point was again called, and while relocating, a bird left from in front of the dog, ending the hour.

Brace No. 19--Notorious Immortal (PM/John Mathys) and Grouse Feather Witcher (ESM/Allen Dunbar). Both dogs started well, hunting aggressively to the front. At 15, Witcher had a stop to flush, and Immortal failed to back. Witcher's race moderated the second half, and he finished with no further contact.

Brace No. 20--Confident Nation (PM/Scott Jordan) scored early on a covey with all in order. He continued to reach further into the country, requiring help. At 57, he scored a second time on a single. He finished strong.

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., September 22
Judges: Adam DeLude and Jeff Wallace
NATIONAL AMATEUR PRAIRIE CHICKEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 31 Pointers and 9 Setters
Winner-NEMAHA TAP WATER, 1696256, pointer male, by Coldwater Spectre-Coldwater June. Dr. Pat McInteer, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-ERIN'S REBEL ATTRACTION, 1691807, pointer male, by Erin's Country Rebel-Erin's Fatal Attraction. Brian Sheehan, owner and handler.