Result: Stillwater Field Trial Club

Location: Booneville, Arkansas

Post Date: Jan 5, 2024

Submitted By: Bob Barker

Open All-Age Winners (front row, l-r): Austin Bryant, Bridget Ledington, and Jon Humphrey. (Behind): Allen Vincent, Bob Barker, Mike Griffin, Randy Anderson, and Jim and Sherry Michaletz.

The Stillwater Open All-Age was held at the beautiful grounds at Booneville, Arkansas, on November 10-12. This time of the year, God blessed us with great weather, with temps in the low 40s and high in the 70s with sunny skies. The scenery is breathtaking, with Mt. Magazine in the background and the foliage beginning to change color.

Jon Humphrey did an outstanding job putting on this trial and has done this for many years. It takes more than one person to put on a trial, and this club wants to thank Mike Griffin for driving the dog wagon, Ronnie Miller for marshaling, and Austin Bryant for being the Wrangler.
Judges for this event were Jim Michaletz and your scribe, who had to step in the assignment after one judge's wife had a motorcycle accident, and then that fill-in judge had a horse wreck. Jim, formally from Goodman, Missouri, now resides with his wife, Sherry, in Montana. They are working their way down the southeast part of the United States, attending trials and enjoying warmer weather in their motor home. Jim has won numerous championships over the years, and it was a pleasure to judge with him.

I've always said what makes a good trial is birds, good food, fellowship, and good grounds. We had all four. Plenty of birds were pointed and, in a lot of instances, with large coveys. The grounds at Blue Mountain are some of the best in this part of the country for showcasing an all-age dog. The only downside this year was that the cover was higher than normal because of the rain they had this summer. I honestly was surprised that we did not lose a lot more dogs than we did. The club was generous by taking everybody out to dinner at Reid's Hometown Barbecue in Boonville on Friday night. It was enjoyed immensely by all. Lunches were provided by ladies from Booneville, which were much appreciated.

Handlers attending this trial were Bridget Ledington, Allen Vincent, Andy Daugherty, Randy Anderson, Matt Cochran, and Jon Humphrey.

The Derby was first on the agenda, and when it was all said and done, first place went to Westfall's High Cotton, owned by Ryan Westfall and handled by Andy Daugherty; second went to Wild Covey Sundial, owned by Brad Calkins and handled by Andy Daugherty; and third went to Full Ride, owned by Kevin Dixon and handled by Randy Anderson. All three were placed on race.

The All-Age brought 28 dogs to the line, and when the smoke cleared, Dunn's True Reign, owned by Norris Sims and handled by Allen Vincent, came out on top. He was braced with Touch's Fire Away in the first brace on Sunday morning. Both dogs broke away with speed, seeing them sparingly for the first 15 minutes because the cover was so high. At 29, both dogs were covering the edge of the big bottom when Allen called point. We had to ride a long way because the dogs were way out there. When we arrived, Reign was pointing in a mowed strip with Fire Away with a nice back. Allen flushed the birds with all in order. Both finished the hour running to the limits. What was amazing to me and Jim Michaletz was that they had some of the heaviest cover, ran the limits with little scouting, and were always to the front.
Second went to Miller's Wide Out, owned by Don Stroble and handled by Randy Anderson. Wide Out ran late morning on Friday. He was running good, hitting the edges, and at 20, point was called on the other side of a hedge thicket with Wide Out standing like a picture high and tight. Randy went in and flushed a large covey with everything in order. Wide Out went on to make huge casts in the bottoms of course No. 3, finishing strong.
Third place went to Bromance, owned and handled by Jon Humphrey. Bromance had course No. 2 on Saturday afternoon. Bromance was making some good moves when, at 25, he was missing in the heavy cover as you make your turn going east. At 30, scout calls point along the draw in the middle of this field. Jon went into flush and could not raise anything. He tapped his dog for a relocation. While working scent, a large covey got up a good distance from the dog. Dog stopped, and Jon shot. Everything in order. Bromance went on, and as you made your last turn on the road on course No. 2, the dog was working the edge on the right and slammed on point. Jon went on to flush another large covey that came up in waves. He went on to have a nice finish.

Other dogs in consideration were Bonner's Bulletproof and Westfall's Power Trip.

Booneville, Ark., November 10
Judges: Bob Barker and Jim Michaletz
OPEN ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] - 27 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-DUNN'S TRUE REIGN, 1680537, pointer male, by Dunn's Tried'n True-Dunn's Get Out Sue. Norris Sims, owner; Allen Vincent, handler.
2d-MILLER'S WIDE OUT, 1696660, pointer male, by Miller's Speed Dial-Lester's Sundancer. Randy Anderson, owner and handler.
3d-BROMANCE, 1668193, pointer male, by Tallokas Lane Change-Osceola Patty Cake. Jon Humphrey, owner and handler.
OPEN DERBY - 7 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-WESTFALL'S HIGH COTTON, 1705192, pointer male, by Foster's Tall Cotton-Flush Em Feathers Queen. Ryan Westfall, owner; Andy Daugherty, handler.
2d-WILD COVEY SUNDIAL, 1701529, pointer male, by Miller's Speed Dial-Wild Covey Jackie. Brad Calkins, owner; Andy Daugherty, handler.
3d-FULL RIDE, 1702143, pointer male, by Dixon's Rolling Stone-Dixon's Girl's Got Rhythm. Kevin Dixon, owner; Randy Anderson, handler.

Open Derby Winners (front row, l-r): Matt Cochran, Andy Daugherty, and Bridget Ledington. (Behind): Austin Bryant, Bob Barker, Mike Griffin, Jim and Sherry Michaletz, Randy Anderson, and Jon Humphrey.