Event: Fleetwood and Lone Star Open Shooting Dog Classics
Result: Westark Field Trial Club

Location: Booneville, Arkansas

Post Date: Feb 6, 2024

Submitted By: Thomas Rice

Fleetwood Open Shooting Dog Classic Winners (l-r): Shawn Kinkelaar, Eddie Taylor with Lester's Another Shockwave, Jason Super (judge), Rick Thone with Hale's Smooth Touch, Everett Brannan (judge), Tommy Rice Jr., and Tommy Rice III with Grand Prairie Thrill.

The Westark Field Trial Club held its Fleetwood Open Shooting Dog trial that started October 9 on the J. Perry Mikles field trial grounds in Booneville, Arkansas. These courses consist of old cattle pastures that have grown into lush cover with old fence rows and hardwood bottoms on the edges that require a dog to hunt for the birds that call this place home. The cover is mowed in strips to help dogs and horses navigate through the briars and thick grass, but the quail liked to stay in the thick cover, which does not help the handlers' attempt to flush, especially with the wet spring this area had this year the cover was high.
The temperatures were high in the mid-80s and low in the 50s, and bird contacts were more abundant than in the last couple of years. Jason Super and Everett Brannan rode in the judges' saddles and were attentive to all dogs and handlers, which was much appreciated by all handlers, owners, and gallery members. Big thanks to Ronnie Miller for hosting this trial; he does a lot of work for the handlers and participates in enjoying this event.

Lester's Another Shockwave took first place. He was handled by Shawn Kinkelaar and is owned by Tom Jackson, Jerry Moisson, Lance Schulz, Bjorn Peterson, and Todd Mann. Shockwave ran in the 14th brace and carded his only find within the first five minutes off breakaway. He was tucked away in a thick fence row off to the left of course, where he had pinned a covey. From there, he had a big race where he would not be seen and show up from the front. At the 50-minute mark, Shockwave had a stop to flush on a covey that was in the middle of the mowed strip that he was running down. Shockwave would be gone at pick up, only minutes to be found in front of course, ending what would be the winning brace.
Hale's Smooth Touch produced a smooth ground race, one find, and an unproductive to get second place. She is owned by Dr. Jeff Hale and is handled by Shawn Kinkelaar. Touch ran in the 10th brace, put together an easy, smooth race, and handled nicely, showing that she could run the edges and apply with her handler. Touch carded her only find on a corner of a big swing that produced birds for the gun and showed style and class throughout the flushing attempt. Touch did have an unproductive several minutes after her find where birds had been seen before, but the thin cover may have had the covey slip away before handler's arrival. She finished her hour with moderate range but stayed up front.
Named to third place was Grand Prairie Thrill. Thrill is owned by Mac Stidham and handled by Tommy Rice. Thrill ran in the first brace of trial, where she had a good forward race and was smooth in her handling. Thrill had an unproductive 10 minutes into the brace where scout called point and flight of birds before handler and judges could see the dog. A lengthy flushing attempt and relocation were tried to get a bird pointed and flushed but did not produce. After making some casts, point was called for Thrill, and another lengthy flushing attempt did finally produce a covey that had run some distance to escape; all was in order. Thrill finished the hour, going strong to the front.

Following the shooting dog stake, the companion derby started with a field of 16 derbies. Taking first place was Dark Rebel, who was handled by Tommy Rice. Rebel had a moderate race but carded two very nice derby finds where he showed great manners around game. Second place was Laura Pergolizzi, owned by Nicole Lombardi and Doug Swingley and handled by Shawn Kinkelaar. "LP" had a nice race where she showed some good cast and had a nice find on a covey where she showed good manners around game. Third place was High Enchantress, handled by Scott Hadley and owned by Scott and Tierra Hadley. The female pointer had a good race, showing a lot of speed and independence. She was to the front but did not have any bird contacts.

Booneville, Ark., October 8
Judges: Everett Brannan and Jason Super
FLEETWOOD OPEN SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 44 Pointers and 4 Setters
1st-LESTER'S ANOTHER SHOCKWAVE, 1691812, pointer male, by Lester's Shockwave-Miller's Stitch In Time. Prairie To Pines Kennels, owners; Shawn Kinkelaar, handler.
2d-HALE'S SMOOTH TOUCH, 1693424, pointer female, by Touch's Smooth Rider-Touch's White Radiance. Dr. Jeffrey A. Hale, owner; Shawn Kinkelaar, handler.
3d-GRAND PRAIRIE THRILL, 1676501, pointer female, by Seekin A Thrill-York's Hollywood. Mac Stidham, owner; Tommy Rice, handler.

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Fleetwood Open Derby Winners (l-r): Jason Super (judge), Mike Lemons, Tommy Rice with Dark Rebel, Ronnie Miller, Shawn Kinkelaar with Laura Pergolizzi, Everett Brannan, Eddie Taylor, Tierra Hadley with High Enchantress, and Scott Hadley.

FLEETWOOD OPEN DERBY - 15 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-DARK REBEL, 1706203, pointer male, by Just Thrillin-May's Orange Crush. Thomas E. Rice III, owner; Tommy Rice, handler.
2d-LAURA PERGOLIZZI, 1705950, pointer female, by Chelsea's Thunder Bolt-Buche's Elhew Rebel. Nicole Lombardi & Douglas Swingley, owners; Shawn Kinkelaar, handler.
3d-HIGH ENCHANTRESS, 1700180, pointer female, by Lester's Storm Surge-Lester's Snow White. Matt Griffith, Ron Stearns & Newley Hutchison, owners; Scott Hadley, handler.

THE LONE STAR CLASSIC
The Lone Star Classic started immediately following the running of the Fleetwood Derby. Rick Thone and Mike Lemons are responsible for putting this trial on, and a good trial was held. Judges were Jim Martin and Greg Poole, and both men rode with attentive attitudes and treated everyone with fairness. Forty-six shooting dogs were to be run with much cooler temperatures than the previous week. Once again, this trial was run right after the Fleetwood on the J. Perry Mikles grounds near Booneville, Arkansas. Topping the field of 46 was Panther Creek Rosie. "Rose" is owned by Frank Rutland and is handled by Tommy Rice. Rose ran in the third brace of the trial and produced a solid ground race with two finds. Rose's first find came at the 5-minute mark, where she pinned a covey of birds in thick trees. She was buried but kept her high style when birds flushed and shot fired. Rose consistently handled the front and made a good, showy cast. Point was called at the 55-minute mark for both dogs. Both dogs were together and seemed to be locked up on birds. A flushing attempt was made by both handlers, but nothing was produced. Rice and Rose attempted a relocation and were successful at locating the running covey heading to the hardwood bottom; very good work by Rose. Rose was seen charging to the front when time was called.
Second place was Lester's Another Shockwave, who ran in the ninth brace. Having won the first stake, Shockwave did another good job, where he had a good race that was under control and to the front, showing handleability and connection with Shawn Kinkelaar, his handler. Shockwave carded one find at the 50-minute mark in the middle of a big grassy flat. He finished the hour to the front, still hunting hard for game. Shockwave is owned by Tom Jackson, Jerry Moisson, Lance Schulz, Bjorn Peterson, and Todd Mann.
Another good showing for third place is Hale's Smooth Touch. Touch is owned by Dr. Jeff Hale and is handled by Shawn Kinkelaar. Touch, having just placed second in the Fleetwood, put in a great effort in this trial. Touch ran in the sixth brace, and within five minutes, point was called, but the handler saw feathers and caught back up to the front, where the pointer made some good casts, continuing through the course. Touch carded her one find halfway through her hour and was stylish throughout flush and shot. She went on to have a good finish and was "smooth" in her connection with the handler.

A big thanks go out to Rick Thone, Ronnie Miller, Mike Lemons, and Jerry Oswalt for helping and organizing these trials and to Brad, who works for the Arkansas Game & Fish, preparing this place for field trials. Great job guys!

Judges: Jim Martin and Greg Poole
LONE STAR OPEN SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 42 Pointers and 4 Setters
1st-PANTHER CREEK ROSIE, 1691574, pointer female, by Panther Creek Merlin-Pineywood's Belle Aire. Frank Rutland, owner; Tommy Rice, handler.
2d- LESTER'S ANOTHER SHOCKWAVE, 1691812, pointer male, by Lester's Shockwave-Miller's Stitch In Time. Prairie To Pines Kennels, owners; Shawn Kinkelaar, handler.
3d-HALE'S SMOOTH TOUCH, 1693424, pointer female, by Touch's Smooth Rider-Touch's White Radiance. Dr. Jeffrey A. Hale, owner; Shawn Kinkelaar, handler.

Lone Star Open Shooting Dog Classic Winners (l-r): Tommy Rice with Panther Creek Rosie, Steve Martin (judge), Shawn Kinkelaar with Lester's Another Shockwave, Rick Thone with Hale's Smooth Touch and John Van Horn.