Event: Kansas Prairie All-Age Classic, Barshoe Forget Me Not wins National Qualifier
Result: Gyps Hills Field Trial Club

Location: Medicine Lodge, Kansas

Post Date: Jan 8, 2024

Submitted By: Doug Meyer

Kansas Prairie Open All-Age Winners (l-r): Jon Humphrey (judge), Barshoe Forget Me Not posed by Matt Cochran (scout), Allen Vincent, Joe Worsham with a substitute for Ramblin Rivers Unplugged for handler Brian Gingrich, Dr. Buck Neil (judge), Westfall's Mandalay with Andy Daugherty, Donnie Jeffrey (marshal), and Doug Meyer (trial chair).

The Z Bar Ranch and Gyp Hills Field Trial Club again hosted the Kansas Prairie All-Age over the rolling hogback prairie on the 43,000 acres of native prairie in the Red Hills of South Central, Kansas. The multiple courses are routed to take advantage of the ranch's scenic views as well as the riparian areas along the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River, Cottage Creek, and East and West forks of Dry Creek. Water was in all of the creeks this renewal as the ranch had received nearly 8 inches of rain above normal, falling in a timely manner all summer. Despite the presence of 2,000 head of grazing bison and some mowing on the courses, visibility was difficult over much of the venue. The professional handlers and dogs were challenged to stay in contact with each other and still show an all-age race. Most of us have never seen Indiangrass, Little Bluestem, and Big Blue as rank as the cover this year. Ah...but the Bobwhite quail were there in force. The third-place dog, Westfall's Mandalay, pointed a covey early in the brace, and Andy Daugherty flushed 20 birds right in front, with another separate covey of over 20 flushing behind the dog 30 yards away. All the coveys pointed or moved were robust, showing just how rainfall benefits wildlife in the more arid ranges.

Barshoe Forget Me Not, a pointer female handled by Allen Vincent, was in a hurry everywhere she went, nailing a covey of birds in the created wetland on course 2 right after she entered one of the feed strips planted for all the Z Bar wildlife. This came at about the 45-minute mark, and "Patch" then showed a driving race through the rest of that country and out onto the prairie beyond. Vincent wisely kept her in check along the west side of Cottage Creek even though she was jumping to take off despite the warm conditions and heavy cover. When Allen let her go, her finish was fast and strong over the hill ahead. The race, find, and endurance was a no-brainer for judges Dr. Buck Neil and Jon Humphrey, who named her first place.

Ramblin Rivers Unplugged, a pointer female handled by Brian Gingrich for owner Bill Stapleton, in their first trip to the Z Bar, ran a strong race through the native prairie on the second hour. Her run in the hot part of the first afternoon was impressive as she was driving the whole way in her always-forward race. Unplugged made good casts when afforded an edge or spotting an objective far to the front. Despite not pointing birds for this effort, the judges put her up for second place after the impressive all-age ground performance. Good judges in an all-age stake know the importance of proving a dog's credentials on the ground through speed, drive, hunting the objectives, and endurance. Unplugged was all of that in the conditions.

Westfall's Mandalay initially ran a very strong race in the morning cool across the prairie with a find at 20 on a very nice covey. While Andy Daugherty flushed his birds, a second huge covey exploded from the native grass cover behind the dog, slightly unnerving Mandalay, but all was in order. His race was strong and forward until we entered the Salt Fork bottom, and Daugherty chose to keep a close handle on him until getting through this very tight section. When turned loose afterward, the dog had shortened, detracting from what likely would have moved second place.

Another dog in the mix was pointer male Big N Wild, for handler Matt Cochran. Big was busy hunting the country in a controlled manner. He had an unproductive early, an STF on a big covey after a nice cast along the edge of Cottage Creek, and then scored a good covey find at 40. Big then dove into the wide creek bottom along Cottage and was absent, with both scout and later handler coming back to search the woolly confines. Big popped out at the front without handler about 15 minutes later to actually record a strong finish. The judges weighed his effort long and hard for third place but ultimately chose the other dog for third. It was a good showing, especially in terms of hunting the country and his finish. Texas Wild Rex, pointer male for Vincent, was lost after an excellent ground effort and a good find. Disappointing but easy to have happened in the cover conditions this year.

Other dogs in the 18-entry stake included Mayfield Storm Charger (Vincent) and Reed's Yellowstone (Cochran), who were both picked up by handlers on the sunny, warm first afternoon. Firefly's Invictus (Vincent) and Westfall's Power Trip (Daugherty) were both picked up about 45. Sandridge Big Iron (Vincent) was braced with the second-place dog and ran pretty well but was leashed at 50 after an unproductive. Texas Wild Rex (Vincent), braced with Mandalay, was strong on the ground with an excellent find, only to be lost around 30 minutes with the tracker required. Dream Chaser (Daugherty) was lost off breakaway braced with Big N Wild. Wynona's Nickleback Sugar (Vincent) had owner Bruce Sooter riding in support, braced with former winner Westfall's River Ice. Sugar had an unproductive at 10 while running a race that maintained good contact with her handler and finished the hour without game. River Ice had a find at 18, but the tracker was required late in the hour. Worsham's Spitfire (Joe Worsham) and Westfall's Pioneer Pete (Daugherty) were picked up in the heat; Spitfire at 40 and Pete at 25 after recording an STF on Bobwhites earlier. Dunn's True Reign (Vincent) and Westfall's Wheels Up (Daugherty) were lifted early. Westfall's True Grit was scratched due to torn pads and would have been braced with the first-place dog.

Despite the heavy cover, warm conditions, and only one cooler morning to run, we moved a surprising number of birds. Scouts and gallery all rode up birds fairly frequently, and we moved four additional coveys in the Derby stake, which was run on a separate continuous course area on the first morning. I was pleased and will try and determine a good place on the schedule for an amateur club trial this spring. Hoping the bison and some winter precipitation help to lower the warm-season grasses a bit.

Notes on Barshoe Forget Me Not. Allen Vincent picked up "Patch" as a small puppy from a litter bred by yours truly. She was precocious and had the opportunity to go north at 7 months to knock and chase sharp tails in the Columbus, North Dakota environs. She was probably Allen's strongest Derby prospect the next summer, and he requested Lee West's daughter to use the Barshoe prefix on her registered name; it was granted, and the winning began. She made the season-ending Derby Invitational and had other major circuit placements before winning this qualifier to take a big step to Grand Junction. Patch will also run in the Quail Championship Invitational this fall. I'm rooting for her!

Medicine Lodge, Kan., October 17
Judges: Jon Humphrey and Dr. Buck Neil
KANSAS PRAIRIE OPEN ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] - 17 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-BARSHOE FORGET ME NOT, 1692349, pointer female, by Whippoorwill Justified-Greypointe Invierna. Robert Gum, owner; Allen Vincent, handler.
2d-RAMBLIN RIVERS UPLUGGED, 1698585, pointer female, by Miller's Blindsider-Wells Southern Charm. Bill Stapleton, owner; Brian Gingrich, handler.
3d-WESTFALL'S MANDALAY, 1682881, pointer male, by Strut Nation-Eri's Amazing Grace. Bill Westfall, owner; Andy Daugherty, handler.

Derby Stake
The derbies run on a circular one-hour course west of the main trial venue. It is one of our training areas when we visit, and we have moved as many as 11 coveys on two courses as different braces run and encounter birds across the prairie and among the plum thickets and wooded edges. This year, we moved four different coveys of Bobwhites. Wynona's All Business (Vincent) was fast and strong to annex first place. Sta'ao O' War (Cochran), owned by Douglas Spale, who has added a field trial setter to his competitive retrievers, took second with a nice derby race. Westfall's High Cotton (Daugherty) was third in the 12-dog stake. Tough cover shut down a few of the youngsters, but you can be sure the ones who tackled this terrain will be heard from some more!

Our thanks to Purina and Greg Blair for their support and Grace Meyer for handling all the lunches, coffee, and biscuits with gravy in the morning; one thing the club doesn't have to worry about is her support. Thanks to Club Officer Joe Worsham for handling the marshaling as I was laid up (again) and forced to the dog wagon. Great to see Donnie Gerstner and his daughter Lisa, who is a documentary filmmaker, along with her other artistic pursuits. Lisa will be putting together a field trial history video as part of a tribute to her 95-year-old father's 80-year journey with bird dogs. The picture of Don turning loose a dog on the Z Bar a couple of weeks before his 95th birthday is something I'll treasure. Thanks especially to the Z Bar management, Keith, Eva, Trent, and, of course, Thane Yunker, who graciously handles the dog wagon for the club. We had a great time riding in the truck, discussing dogs and the ranch goings on for the duration of the field trial. Talley Ho, my friends. Come see us this spring if wild birds in natural country are your thing!

OPEN DERBY - 9 Pointers, 2 Setters, and 1 German Shorthair
1st-WYNONA'S ALL BUSINESS, 1704053, pointer male, by Miller Unfinished Business-Phantom's Sangria. Robert Rankin, owner; Allen Vincent, handler.
2d-STA'AO O' WAR, 1704718, setter female, by T's Nickleback-T's Hidden Grace. Douglas Spale, owner; Matt Cochran, handler.
3d-WESTFALL'S HIGH COTTON, 1705192, pointer male, by Foster's Tall Cotton-Flush Em Feathers Queen. Ryan Westfall, owner; Andy Daugherty, handler.

Open Derby Winners (l-r): Allen Vincent with Wynona's All Business, Dr. Buck Neil (judge), Matt Cochran with Sta'ao O' War, Jon Humphrey (judge), and Andy Daugherty with Westfall's High Cotton.