Event: U.S Complete National Amateur Shooting Dog Championship
Result: U. S Complete National Amateur Shooting Dog Championship

Location: Ahoskie, North Carolina

Post Date: Mar 20, 2021

Submitted By: Jameson Crandall

The U. S. Complete National Amateur Championship took place at Arcanum's Cutawhiskie Farm near Ahoskie, N. C.

Those familiar with this 800-acre tract of quail habitat know just how suitable these grounds are for field trials. The farm has been cultured to include everything a handler can use to show a dogs talent; dense cover, extended edges, pine forests, cutover, and most importantly a successful bird program. Field edges were recently taken out of crop production and transitioned to use for quail habitat. The implementation plantation thinning through the pinewoods allows for the growth of more habitat. The program has established upwards of fifteen large wild coveys on the property.

The farm also boasts a comfortable clubhouse where participants can share meals and fellowship, as well as horse stalls and electric hook-ups for camping.

Through the generosity and extraordinary vision of the late Dr. Aubrey Morgan, Arcanaum's Cutawhiskie Farm exists to be the permanent home of the Virginia Amateur Field Trial Association. The Virginia Amateur is the oldest active field trial club from Virgnia. The inaugural running was in 1920. The directors graciously allow other associations to use the farm.

The team that keeps these grounds in the finest of conditions possible is Barbel Fetkoter, Parke Brinkley, Gary Winall, Ellen Clements, Skip Brown, Gene Hogge, and other local field trial patrons.

The Championship began Saturday, March 20, and ended Sunday afternoon. George Doyle and Jeff Smith are requested for many judging assignments each year. They give equal and fair attention to every entrant, and have decades of knowledge and experience. They have bred dogs and campaigned successfully for many years. The Association is grateful for their time spent judging this Championship.

A team of steadfast individuals came together to ensure the success of this trial. Sharon Townley volunteered her culinary talent for the entire weekend. Sharon is a strong supporter and competitor, and somehow made time to cook for everyone and run three dogs. Rick Edwards put out birds both days. Kirk Regensburg hauled a gallery wagon and tractor to the trial and drove it both days. Steve Graham and J. R. Hasty ran the dog wagons and kept the braces on the starting line on time. Verlene Stephenson has incredible attention to detail. She always has my back and helps with entry fees and paperwork, and helps keep the trial up to par.

Purina and Garmin support the U.S Complete Shooting Dog Association with yearly commitment. The champion and runner-up received a tracking unit and a bark silencer from Garmin. We received stacks of Purina merchandise including hats, pens, can coozies, trainer's bags, lanyards, hand sanitizer, and dog food. Purina also supplied the champion with twelve bags of food and the runner up with six. We value and appreciate their support.

THE WINNERS

The champion and runner-up were down together in the 9th brace of the stake. Their effort began at 8:00 a.m. on the second day of the trial.

Bob's Elhew Sushi (Bobby Phillips) and Chippoke's Hoss Man (Lee Flanders) took to the breakaway with speed and style. The breakaway stretches along the long side of a pond before going into a meadow-like area of broom straw and spaced pine trees bordered on one side with forest and the other with a bean field; perfect habitat for quail.

At 7 minutes Hoss was found standing in tall cover. During his handler's flushing effort a large covey of quail came out of the grasses and Flanders shot his pistol. Hoss stood tall. Moment's later Phillips' scout sawSushi moving beyond the first road crossing, into more pinewoods. At 12 she was pointing and a pair of birds were flushed. Not far behind, Hoss came through the same block of pines. At this time the two became briefly separated. As Sushi and Phillips worked forward, Flanders found Hoss standing again and a single was flushed in front of the dog.

The next section of this course heads through a short woods path into more fields with long edges, as well as cutover and pine stands. Sushi shot through the path and hung a left along side of the woods edge before reaching a long hedgerow. Remaining on course, she covered the long edges on the field and pointed again at 33 at the farthest end. This far objective was searched by few dogs throughout the stake but proved to be fruitful for Sushi. After the long walk to the dog Phillips produced a bird, which flew closely over Sushi's head as she remained staunch.

At this time Hoss and Flanders had made the second road crossing and were approaching the long finish. Hoss could be seen moving forward in the distance. After her release, Sushi made the second road crossing and ran the next field's long edges, already covered by her bracemate, and the handlers walked together again. Unseen for several minutes, the dogs were found pointing in a small section of flooded timber. This was determined to be a divided find and each dog remained steady through the flight of another pair of quail, and the shots of both handlers.

The finish of this course is a long strip of cover between another large field and some thick cutover. Hoss took the outside and Sushi made a slight right to hunt the inside edge. Only minutes before the hour was to end Hoss was seen standing on the left side, pointed into the cover. As everyone came closer, it was discovered that he was backing Sushi. Another large wild covey exploded.

Released together one more time, the pair continued forward with style with which they began. When time was called they were far in the front, expanding the gap between themselves and their handlers. The exciting hour ended and their handlers were smiling and congratulating one another.

Sushi is a product of Bobby Phillips' refined and selective breeding program. Her lineage includes winning patriarchy and matriarchy such as Hall of Fame and National Champion Dunn's Fearless Bud, Champion Honky Tonk Attitude, Hall of Fame Ch. Miller's Silver Bullett, among others.

Hoss is by Skyview New Edition and out of McKinney's Harbor Magnolia. These parents carry Ch. Gridiron and Ch. Hamilton's Blue Diamond blood heavily, as well as other recognized kennel prefixes and multi-champion names.

THE RUNNING

Bob's Elhew Sage (Bobby Phillips) and Beechwood Knolls Samuel High Card (Sharon Townley) began the Championship at 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning. Conditions were wet, as flat, low-lying eastern Carolina was hammered with rain for two days before the start. Sage found birds at 5 and moved on to point another at 15. The second bird ended her bid. Ace, given the opportunity, did not honor Sage's first find.

Backcountry Bruiser (Chris Catanzarite) and Islander (Pedrag Kazic). Bruiser was found by Islander's scout standing in thick, tall cover at 11 minutes. Handler flushed a large covey and Bruiser's prey drive kicked in. Islander was seen in the distance several minutes after the break away entering the birdy cover. After the first road crossing, at 16, he was found standing tall. Kazic produced the bird and his dsetter stood mannerly. Later he pointed again and the scene was a repeat of his previous flawless find. At the half he made a substantial cast. Handler, judges, and gallery were at a good viewpoint to watch him carry the long field edge. His instinct later took him back west to an area near his previous find where he encountered an unproductive, before moving on to complete a strong hour.

Shadow's Carolina Molly (Verlene Stephenson) and Outlaw Romano (Jim Crook) complemented each other, hunting the country as a brace of experienced bird dogs. Molly scored finds at 18, where a single was walking around near the base of a tree, and again at 40 near the flooded timber. Romano pointed at 12 and remained steady for Crook. Later he honored his brace mate on her second find. The two finished the hour and had far-reaching ground pattern.

Lancaster's Hit Man (Jimmy Crandall) and Cap'n Sam (David Huffine). The handsome setter Sam failed to back at 10. His bracemate's point was unproductive. Crandall and "Mugsy" continued, and had three finds, posed tall with style on both. He completed the course with a ground pattern fitting to the extended edges and hedgerows. When there were only four minutes left to go, he stood in the band of tall broomstraw. A strenuous flushing attempt resulted in a second unproductive.

Mohawk Mill Charmer (Ashby Morgan) and Chippoke's Cracker Jack (Lee Flanders) began with a divided find at 7 in cover near a woodsedge. The pair continued forward and Jack acquired another find and an unproductive. These two hunted with stylish gaits and tails, and finished their hour.

Pointes Glassilaun War Paint (Jamie Nee) and Springflow's Backcountry P (Chris Catanzarite) paired nicely, finishing their hour sharing finds and backs. At 14 P was found standing with "Bat" honoring from the side. After successful flush and shot the brace carried on. The pointers casted into the woods and were found standing close to the half way point, Bat honoring P again. After a flushing attempt, Catanzarite moved P, though no bird was found after the relocation. After the second road crossing, at 40 minutes the pair was found again. This time Bat had the bird and P was backing. Nee choose to relocate Bat since no bird was flushed after several minutes. Bat hunted up and pointed again, directing handler to the bird. At the long finish, both dogs effortlessly reached the finish. P made a hard left along the edge towards the lodge, and Bat hunted into the woods ahead.

Remchester's Taking Chances (Sharon Townley) and Hirollin's Gone and Doneit (Warren Parrott). Chance, a powerful orange roan and white Brittany, hunts hard and covers some big ground. He scored his first find at 7 in the broom straw. At 13 he was found pointing and his brace mate was standing tall with the back. Only three minutes later they shared a well-handled divided find. At the half way mark Chance was standing again in the row of pines trees, with Parrott's pointer backing. The two moved forward after this to finish a strong hour.

Sweet Grass Slim (David Huffine) and Faith's Maximum Justice (Ken Delong) were was the last brace of day. Slim was found standing at 8, dug into thick cover. He was standing intensely with style, but upon the flush temptation won him over and he was done for the day. Justice showed a wide ground pattern. He hunted with class and pointed a single at 16 after the first road crossing, in the pines. The find was handled properly and Justice finished his run.

Brace No. 9 included the two victors.

Pirate's Mean Louise (Dennis Kivikko) and Crazy Mountain Buck (David Huffine) were found standing just before the first road crossing in some tall cover. Louise had the find and Buck was Honoring. The brace continued and crossed the road into the pines. Buck stood at 14, unfortunately he went with his prey upon the firing of his owners pistol. Louis and Kivikko moved forward, and Louise put on a show of long casts and hard hunting. Three quarters around the course Louise stood with refinement and Kivikko produced their bird. The team had a nice finish.

Ringo's Sweet Heart (Verlene Stephenson) and Beechwood's Samuel Colt (Sharon Townley) broke away midday Sunday. Heart tallied the most finds of the stake with five successful points. The two began together but were separated after the first find. Heart was found standing deep in a soggy bottom. The flushing attempt was several minutes long and difficult for the handler and the judge who dismounted and waded into the wet cover. Not too far from this action, Colt was found pointed into concealing cover on higher ground. He held head and tail high while handler shown a bird and shot. At 19 and 22 Heart found birds in the first pine forest. After coming through the woods Colt could be seen ahead making a wide cast, with pleasurable gait and a high tail. Heart found game in the pine strip, and again at 43 in the flooded timber. Colt finished with a final of many edge-running casts. Shortly after, Heart slammed into a stop to flush on a flown killdeer in the open field as time was called.

Sorrows of Satan (Jimmy Crandall) and Hirollin's Talkin' Smack (Warren Parrott). "Mavis" wasn't seen after the start of the brace. When she was found on point it was too late into the hour and she was out of contention. Parrott's pointer male achieved two well-spaced, attractive finds. He ran a distinguished race, moving forward and hunting the appropriate areas.

Sadie Ridge High Cotton (Dennis Kivikko), as a bye. "Buddy" ran in the final brace. Despite a great effort, he was not finding birds by 30 minutes. Kivikko suggested that picking Buddy up at this point may be a good idea. With concurrence from the judges, everyone headed back to headquarters.

Ahoskie, N. C., March 20 -- One Course

Judges: George Doyle III and Jeffrey Smith

U. S. COMPLETE NATIONAL AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP

[One-Hour Heats] -- 1 Brittany, 15 Pointers and 9 Setters

Winner--BOB'S ELHEW SUSHI, 1673976, pointer female, by Elhew Moneymaker--Bob's Elhew Julie. Bobby Phillips, owner and handler.

Runner-Up--CHIPPOKE'S HOSS MAN, 1675609, setter male, by Skyview New Edition--McKinney's Harbor Magnolia. Lee Flanders, owner and handler.