Event: American Quail Open All-Age Classic
Result: Clarksville Pointr and Settr Club

Location: Huntingdon, Tennessee

Post Date: Jan 23, 2024

Submitted By: Lisa C. Little

The Clarksville Pointer and Setter Club hosted the American Quail Classic Open All-Age and Open Derby Field Trial on November 19-21, 2023. Due to the generosity of David Williams, his family, and the Carroll County Field Trial members, we have been able to run this trial successfully for the last several years in Huntingdon, Tennessee. Not only do we have use of the grounds and facilities, but club members have filled in so many necessary roles. David Williams and his family make sure the grounds are impeccably maintained, along with a quail program that provides each competitor with as many bird-finding opportunities as possible.

David, along with Gary McKibben, Michelle Williams Clark, and Scott Little, were on hand each day to help with scouting and marshaling when not competing. We would also like to recognize dog wagon drivers Phillip Barnes, John Burrow, and Lebob Stanfill. They were at each road crossing to watch for the safety of the participants, ready to hand out drinks and snacks at the breaks between braces, and always willing to help handlers with their canine competitors. We were blessed to have Brian Peterson and Lance Servais, both from Cecil, Alabama, as our judges for the field trial. They agreed to stay on after competing in the Carroll County Amateur Field Trial and fill the judicial saddle. These two bring a wealth of experience and knowledge, having reached great success in the amateur field trial arena winning a multitude of placements and trials. They not only work as a team of judges but also as competitors.

We had a field of 24 competitors in the Open All-Age stake and 13 competitors in the Open Derby stake. Professional and amateur handlers included Scott Beeler, Weldon Bennett, Billy Blackwell, Marion Brown, Brody Byrd, Fred Corder, Chris Cagle, Jamie Daniels, Mark Haynes, Larry Huffman, Gary Lester, Nathan Phillips, Korry Rhinehart, David Russell, Bubba Spencer, and David Williams. Each handler bringing the best in the field to the line. We were grateful to see handler Gary Lester back in the saddle after a long battle with health issues this past summer. We continue to keep Gary in our prayers as he still has a few more hurdles to tackle on his road to recovery.

We would like to thank each of the handlers and the owners for entering their dogs in this trial that occurs in the days leading up to Thanksgiving Day. We have developed a wealth of friendships over the years hosting this trial and spending this short period of time with the handlers, owners, and their families.

Due to the many duties of putting on a trial, the author of this report was unable to ride each brace and missed seeing many of the winners' braces. The remainder of this report is written from the judges' notes.

The Open All-Age stake began Sunday afternoon and finished on Tuesday morning. During the stake, we had a total of 31 bird contacts. Taking top honors and earning first place was Haney's Hurricane Seeker for amateur owner/handler David Russell. The 2-year-old male pointer's sire is Ransom, and dame is Haney's North Star. The young and talented Haney's Hurricane Seeker had an outstanding forward race with four finds and one stand to flush during his brace on the third hour course Monday afternoon. We would like to congratulate David and his family on this win as it qualifies Haney's Hurricane Seeker for the National Championship!

Garnering a second placement was Coldwater War Cry, a white and orange pointer male handled by professional trainer Weldon Bennett. The up-and-coming 2-year-old ran in the third brace on Sunday afternoon on the third hour course. Coldwater War Cry had four finds and an unproductive; his impressive ground race secured his second place on the winners' table. Coldwater War Cry is by Valiant and Coldwater Belle and is owned by Paul Melton of Sylvester, Texas.

Rounding out the winners' circle for amateur owner/handler Chris Cagle was Haney's Storm Warning. The 3-year-old, white, with liver-ticking pointer male ran in the 6th brace Monday morning. He also ran on the third hour course, which seemed to be the magical course for the All-Age stake. Haney's Storm Warning had three finds with a ground race that proved worthy of a placement. Haney's Storm Warning is 3 years old; his sire is Valiant, and dame is Haney's North Star.

The Open Derby ran Tuesday afternoon; everyone ate a quick lunch and got dogs on the line in a timely manner to get the seven braces completed. Each of the young competitors bring hope and promise for the future to their handlers and owners. Ranking at the top of the youngsters for this trial was Haney's Last Call. The white and liver male pointer turns 2 this month. During the 4th brace of the stake, he had one find and one divided find and impressed the judges with his ground race. Haney's Last Call is owned and handled by amateur Chris Cagle. Haney's Last Call's sire is Dominator's Rebel Heir. Of note, he is a half-brother to Haney's Hurricane Seeker and Haney's Storm Warning, having the same dame in Haney's North Star. This dame is owned by Chris Cagle and his son, Chris Cagle Jr.

Garnering second placement in the Derby stake was Lester's War Bird. The up-and-coming orange and white male pointer worked for his handler, proving his worth with two finds. War Bird is out of Lester's Storm Surge and R W Susie Q; this breeding has produced many winning dogs. Rounding out the winners' circle was Miss Arkansas, the only female in the trial to earn a placement. The white and orange pointer is owned by amateur field trialer Mike Lemons. Due to a horse accident, Mike has been unable to compete. Fellow amateur handler and friend Dr. Fred Corder handled Miss Arkansas against Haney's Last Call in the 4th brace of the stake. Miss Arkansas had a divided find with her bracemate and one back. Miss Arkansas is also sired by Lester's Storm Surge; her dame is Game Snow.

We would like to again extend our gratitude to the Williams family for the use of the grounds and facilities, the owners and handlers for their participation, and the club members for their contributions in putting on this trial.

Huntingdon, Tenn., November 19
Judges: Brian Peterson and Lance Servais
AMERICAN QUAIL CLASSIC OPEN ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] - 23 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-HANEY'S HURRICANE SEEKER, 1698759, pointer male, by Ransom-Haney's North Star. David Russell, owner and handler.
2d-COLDWATER WAR CRY, 1699004, pointer male, by Valiant-Coldwater Belle. Paul Melton, owner; Weldon Bennett, handler.
3d-HANEY'S STORM WARNING, 1691416, pointer male, by Valiant-Haney's North Star. Chris Cagle, owner and handler.

AMERICAN QUAIL CLASSIC OPEN DERBY - 10 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-HANEY'S LAST CALL, 1702601, pointer male, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Haney's North Star. Chris Cagle, owner and handler.
2d-LESTER'S WAR BIRD, 1705485, pointer male, by Lester's Storm Surge-R W Susie Q. Gary Lester, owner and handler.
3d-MISS ARKANSAS, 1705667, pointer female, by Lester's Storm Surge-Game Snow. Mike Lemons, owner; Fred Corder, handler.