Event: Everglades Trial
Result: Associated Field Trial Clubs of Florida

Location: Punta Gorda, Florida

Post Date: Feb 28, 2024

Submitted By: Petie Brown

Amateur Shooting Dog Winners (front, l-r): Sherry and Jim Michaletz (judge), Beth Brown with Myakka Freddie Freeloader, Deb McEwen with Funseeker's Texas Preacher, Petie Brown with Myakka Maxed Out, Christina and Chris Wheat (judge). (Back row): Alex Mauck (judge).

Judges were easy to come by and in abundance for once, with Alex Mauck, from Ontario, Oregon, returning after a 38-year absence. Alex judged the Open Shooting Dog stake, enabling him to enter dogs in other stakes. Jim Michaletz, most recently from Montana, and his wife, Sherry, joined us along with Chris Wheat and his wife, Christina, from Stockholm, Sweden. Chris grew up in Gainesville and Clearwater, Florida, field trialing around the country with his parents, the late Dr. Bill and Carol Wheat. Also in attendance at the start of the trial, ready to jump into the judicial saddle, was Bill Bhame, currently from Bend, Oregon. Unfortunately, Bill had a family issue arise and left his judicial duties to Chris Wheat and Daniel Linehan.

The Everglades trial is a three-day trial, with the extra day allowing for an hour all-age and an hour shooting dog, along with a 30-minute derby and a 20-minute puppy stake. We took out three braces in the morning and another three in the afternoon, with the trial chairs in every brace through the first day and a half. The temperature was comfortable, with no need to carry water as 4 inches befell Christmas day. The summer burn grass was high, but with the water on the ground, it was easier to find the dogs with the rooster tails coming up behind them.

We have two rotating trophies that are awarded to the winners of the All-Age stake and the Shooting Dog stake. The Robert Brown plaque is awarded to the winner of the Shooting Dog stake. Rob was one of the founders of the AFTCF, and his daughters do their best to maintain his traditions of hospitality and sportsmanship for the club. Jim and Barbara Goza donated the B. J. Memorial in memory of Jim's champion, Bullett's Tradition.

Being New Year's, the social side of the trial always gets a lot of attention. On Friday night, we enjoyed the usual bring-your-own meat cookout, but there was more than enough to share with Justin grilling up a variety of sausages for starters and Petie's "bean dip," a recipe she devised from Deb McEwen. Saturday night's meal, sponsored by Purina, was catered by Laura (who kindly mucks stalls for us, too), with the main courses being pork tenderloin and salmon, along with many side dishes and desserts. As tradition would have it, tales of tails were told as we gathered around the Browns campfire. When the trial ended Sunday afternoon, it was just in time to take pictures before dark thirty, dine, and resume our celebratory festivities around the campfire, including Jenga, with only the hardiest staying the course until midnight.
In addition to the annual meal Purina generously provides, they also supply dog food for the winners. Thank you, Purina, for your much-appreciated support.

As stated, the grounds went from dry to wet in a day, but that didn't seem to bother the birds, who were found in the slew grass, in the water, among the palmetto roots, and at the base of pine trees. In early December, we were concerned with our ability to carry enough water for the dogs and overheating with the scouts racing back to the trucks to exchange an empty jug for a full one. Now, the concern was not to stick the dog truck. Fortunately, the courses were marked sufficiently from the feed plots, and there was an abundance of water to keep the dogs cool.

The Winners
Birds were plentiful enough for the Open Shooting Dog stake; however, some of the best performers from the past were either AWOL, crashed or ran too big. Thankfully, we had the entries needed for the Purina points stake, which turned out to be another first for Beth Brown, owner and handler of all top three placements. First place was awarded to Myakka Freddie Freeloader; second was Funseeker's Texas Preacher, bequeathed to Beth by the late club secretary and reporter, Don Wood; and third was Myakka Maxed Out.

Two braces of puppies finished off Saturday morning on a fun note with the promise of more fun in the future. Deb McEwen raised the spring litter with a lot of freedom, and it showed. Third place went to the Muzynskis heavily marked male, Rail's Lucky 7. Second place went to Beth Brown's Myakka Annie, who also had a nice snappy run. First place went to Myakka Debutante, aka Little Debbie (named for McEwen), who snapped on point before sticking her nose into the covey. The look on her face when the covey blew out of the palmettos was ecstatic!
The All-Age stake saw some bird action, but as per usual with wild birds, they can be spooky, as was the case where the dog is winding, or on the wrong side of the wind and the birds leave. Fortunately, this did not happen to Alex Mauck's setter, Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Dallee, who showed her ability to hunt the country and point with style, earning her first place. Second place was Katie Lyon's Wiggins Pree Dawn Reward, handled by Tom Hennes, and third place went to Silverline Destroyer Gold, owned by the late Jim Goza and handled by Paul Daniel.

The Derby finished off the Everglades trial with some strong performances. First place went to Checkmates Country Sunshine, another McEwen pointer, owned and handled by Vince Feltner. Myakka Revolution ("Dani"), owned and handled by Beth Brown, took second, and her littermate, owned by Ken and Justin Muzynski, took third. Holopaw's Leroy Brown, aka "Noodle," handled beautifully for Justin and managed to outshine his brother, Big Bad John.

Punta Gorda, Fla., December 29 - 31
Judges: Jim Michaletz and Alex Mauck
AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG [One-Hour Heats] -- 15 Pointers and 1 Brittany
1st-MYAKKA FREDDIE FREELOADER, 1654682, pointer male, Funseeker's Rebel Tex-Nacho Myakka Miley. Beth Brown, owner and handler.
2d-FUNSEEKER'S TEXAS PREACHER, 1667330, pointer male, Funseeker's Rebel Tex-Nacho Myakka Miley. Beth Brown & The late Don Wood, owner; Beth Brown handler.
3d-MYAKKA MAXED OUT, 1670323, pointer male, Elhew G Force-Myakka Hey Jude. Beth Brown, owner and handler.

Open Puppy Winners (l-r): Alex Mauck, Petie Brown with Myakka Debutante, Beth Brown with Myakka Annie, and Guppy with Rail's Lucky 7.

Judges: Chris Wheat and Daniel Linehan
OPEN PUPPY - 4 Pointers
1st-MYAKKA DEBUTANTE, 1706240, pointer female, Myakka Time Shifter-Nacho's Drama Ma Ma. Petie Brown, owner and handler.
2d-MYAKKA ANNIE, unreg., pointer female, Myakka Time Shifter-Nacho's Drama Ma Ma. Beth Brown, owner and handler.
3d-RAIL'S LUCKY 7, 1705825, pointer male, Myakka Time Shifter-Nacho's Drama Mama. Kenneth & Justin Muzynski, owners; Justin Muzynski, handler.

Open All-Age Winners (front, l-r): Alex Mauck with Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Dallee, Tom Hennes with Wiggins Pree Dawn Reward, and Paul Daniel with Silverline Destroyer Gold. (Back row, l-r): Christina and Chris Wheat (judge), Katrin Roosens, Laura Dykstra, Katie McEwen, Guppy, and Jim Michaletz (judge).

Judges: Jim Michaletz and Chris Wheat
OPEN ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] - 7 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st-MAUCK'S WYEAST OWYHEE DALLEE, 1687695, setter female, T's Gunslinger-Hidden Jasmine. Alex Mauck, owner and handler.
2d-WIGGINS PREE DAWN REWARD, 1690453, pointer female, Wiggins War Trace-Wiggins Elhew C. Katie Lyons, owner; Tom Hennes, handler.
3d-SILVERLINE DESTROYER GOLD, 1690963, pointer female, Holopaw's Axel-Hot Digity Dot. The late Jim Goza, owner; Paul Daniel, handler.

Judges: Jim Michaletz and Chris Wheat
OPEN DERBY - 5 Pointers, 1 German Shorthair, and 5 Setters
1st-CHECKMATES COUNTRY SUNSHINE, 1702591, pointer female, Nacho's Texas Rebel-Nacho's Drama Ma Ma. Vince Feltner, owner and handler.
2d-MYAKKA REVOLUTION, 1702677, pointer female, Myakka Freddie Freeloader-Myakka Rebel. Beth Brown, owner and handler.
3d-HOLOPAW'S LEROY BROWN, 1703929, pointer male, Myakka Freddie Freeloader-Myakka Rebel. Kenneth & Justin Muzynski, owners; Justin Muzynski, handler.

Open Derby Winners (front, l-r): Chris Wheat (judge), Daniel Linehan, Vince Feltner with Checkmates Country Sunshine, Beth Brown with Myakka Revolution, Justin Muzynski with Holopaw's Leroy Brown, and Jim Michaletz (judge). (Back row, l-r): Christina Wheat, Katrin Roosens, Laura Dykstra, and Guppy.