Result: Reelfoot Field Trial Club

Location: Kevil, Kentucky

Post Date: Feb 26, 2024

Submitted By: Mary Sue Schalk

Open All-Age Winners (l-r): Pete Glass (scout), David Henricks (owner/handler) with Pleasant Run Sally, Michael Kennedy (judge), James Kleve (judge) with Crouse's Tennessee Game Kate, and Mike Crouse (owner/handler) with Crouse's Quiet Man.

The Reelfoot Field Trial Club hosted the second Ohio Valley Field Trial Circuit event of the 2023-24 season on December 15 and 16, 2023. Once again, the field trial goers were met with fair weather and missed most of the rain that came in at the conclusion of running on Saturday. With tradition, the past several years of this event, Joe Hopkins of London, Kentucky, and Michael Kennedy of Opelika, Alabama, returned to judge some of the stakes. James Kleve of Paris, Kentucky, and Alan Benson of Cutler, Illinois, also stepped into judge, allowing all judges to compete. The judges' panels combined experience, enthusiasm, and passion for the sport, providing a well-rounded pair for all three open stakes.

The Open All-Age stake drew six entries--five pointers and one English setter. James Kleve and Michael Kennedy served as the judges for the first event of the weekend. In the first hour, Seven of Diamonds had the lone find of the all-age stake before the handicap lake. The English setter, owned and handled by Joe Hopkins, ran a strong hour and handled his single find well. Drawing the second hour, Pleasant Run Sally bested the field with her forward, classy performance. She and her bracemate, Crouse's Quiet Man, put on a true all-age performance, running strong throughout the hour. The 3-year-old pointer female earned first place for owner/handler David Hendricks of Russellville, Kentucky. Crouse's Tennessee Game Kate returned to the winners' circle for owner/handler Mike Crouse. During the third hour, Game Kate met the edges with gusto and ran strong throughout the hour. The white 4-year-old pointer female came from behind after an absence near the halfway point but recovered with a strong finish down the power line for the second-place spot. Finishing out the placements for the Reelfoot Open All-Age stake in third place was Crouse's Quiet Man. His aggressive ground coverage kept the gallery forward in their saddles as he was paired with first-place dog Pleasant Run Sally. "Duke," a 5-year-old black and white pointer male, is owned and handled by Mike Crouse.

The Reelfoot Open Derby stake began immediately at the conclusion of the Open All-Age stake. Joe Hopkins and Michael Kennedy served on the judicial panel for this stake of three English setters and five pointers. Two braces ran Friday afternoon, with the remaining braces wrapping up Saturday morning. The two pointers earning first and second place ran Saturday morning. Both liver and white pointer males, Crouse's Comeback Kid and Crouse's Prairie Spirit, are littermates raised by Alan Benson of Cutler, Illinois. Crouse's Comeback Kid is owned by the father/daughter team Mike Crouse and Mary Sue Schalk of Dixon, Kentucky. Schalk handled "Ted" to the first-place spot as he scoured the countryside for 30 minutes. He handled well for a strong, young dog, thus earning placement. Crouse's Prairie Spirit is owned by Janice Benson and handled by Alan Benson. "Will" exhibited similar qualities as his brother, strong and forward; however, sometimes lateral, his second-place finish was well earned in his very first field trial. Grouse Feather Knighthawk, an English setter male owned by Allen Dunbar of Oconto, Wisconsin, was handled by Pete Glass of Pembroke, Kentucky, to the third-place spot. The English setter moved well, hunted diligently, and responded well to his handler.
The Derby stake drew a fair number and a strong field; always enjoyable to watch the up-and-comers.

James Kleve returned to the judge's saddle with Alan Benson to sort the eight-dog Open Shooting Dog stake. Three English setters and five pointers made the field. Super scout Cora Clary returned for the weekend and scouted the first and third-place dogs in the stake. Crouse's Total Eclipse, a black and white pointer female, won the stake for owner/handler Mike Crouse by convincingly showing to the front over the course of her hour. She ran the second hour with second place dog, English setter, No Leaf Clover. "Finn" is owned by Joe and Brittany Hopkins and handled by Joe Hopkins of London, Kentucky. With the top two dogs coming out of the second hour, you can imagine the enjoyment that was had during the hour. Rounding out the field was Crouse's Pond River Gus, owned by the Schalk/Crouse team and handled by Mike Crouse. Gus started off slow but progressed throughout the hour, carving out his spot on the podium. Another fair entry for our Open Shooting Dog stake and a nice selection of dogs for the judges to discuss.

To all participants and volunteers, we say thank you! We certainly could not have these events without the support of our volunteers and sponsors. A big shout out to Greg Blair and Purina. Each club in the Ohio Valley Field Trial Circuit receives Purina dog food for prizes. Also, this year, we have received support from SportDOG, as they are providing some collars for prizes and collars for the top dogs on the circuit at the end of the season. Many thanks to our judges and our dog wagon driver, Vincent Major. A big thank you to the West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area team. We are very fortunate in Western Kentucky to be able to utilize public grounds for horseback field trials, and we appreciate the work that the WMA employees do to keep the grounds ready. The WMA serves both the Ohio Valley Field Trial Circuit and Region 4. The Region 4 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship will be held the third weekend in January at the West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area, with the Ohio Valley Field Trial Circuit Trial the weekend to follow. Please contact Mary Sue Schalk if you are interested in participating or volunteering! And to those working hard, playing hard, and chasing bird dogs - keep at it, and best of luck this season!

Kevil, Ky., December 15
Judges: Michael Kennedy and James Kleve
OPEN ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] - 5 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-PLEASANT RUN SALLY, 1695714, pointer female, by Valiant-Haney's North Star. David Hendricks, owner and handler.
2d-CROUSE'S TENNESSEE GAME KATE, 1685162, pointer female, by Game Wardon-Tennessee Coldwater Pearl. M. D. Crouse & Mary Sue Schalk, owners; M. D. Crouse, handler.
3d-CROUSE'S QUIET MAN, 1685396, pointer male, by Crouse's Ebony Masterpiece-Crouse's Gerri Wind. M. D. Crouse, owner and handler.

Open Derby Winners (l-r): Cora Clary, Mary Sue Schalk (owner/handler), James Kleve, M. D. Crouse (scout) with Crouse's Comeback Kid, Alan Benson (handler), Ben Weddington (scout) with Crouse's Prairie Spirit, Michael Kennedy (judge), and Joe Hopkins (judge). (Not pictured): Grouse Feather Knighthawk.

Judges: Joe Hopkins and Michael Kennedy
OPEN DERBY - 5 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-CROUSE'S COMEBACK KID, 1701214, pointer male, by Crouse's Heart of Dixon-Crouse's Skiptomylu. M. D. Crouse & Mary Sue Schalk, owners; Mary Sue Schalk, handler.
2d-CROUSE'S PRAIRIE SPIRIT, 1705219, pointer male, by Crouse's Heart of Dixie-Crouse's Skiptomylu. Janice E. Benson, owner; Alan Benson, handler.
3d-GROUSE FEATHER KNIGHTHAWK, 1703408, setter male, by Grouse Feather Hawk-GF Southern Belle. Allen Dunbar, owner; Pete Glass, handler.

Judges: Alan Benson and James Kleve
OPEN SHOOTING DOG [One-Hour Heats] - 5 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-CROUSE'S TOTAL ECLIPSE, 1673980, pointer female, by Crouse's Ebony Masterpiece-Crouse's Gerri Wind. M. D. Crouse, owner and handler.
2d-NO LEAF CLOVER, 1682457, setter male, by Erin's Hidden Shamrock-Diamond's Blue Girl. Joseph & Brittany Hopkins, owners; Joseph Hopkins, handler.
3d-CROUSE'S POND RIVER GUS, 1680453, pointer male, by Lester's Sunny Hill Jo-Crouse's Pine Landy. M. D. Crouse & Mary Sue Schalk, owners; M. D. Crouse, handler.

Open Shooting Dog Winners (l-r): Vincent Major, James Kleve (judge), Cora Clary (scout) with Crouse's Total Eclipse, Joe Hopkins (owner/handler), Michael Kennedy (scout) with No Leaf Clover, Alan Benson (judge), and M. D. Crouse (owner/handler) with Crouse's Pond River Gus, Mary Sue Schalk.