Result: All-America Derby and Quail Championships

Location: Cutler, Illinois

Post Date: Apr 10, 2024

Submitted By: Jim Atchison

All-America Derby Champion and Runner-up (front, l-r): Bridget Ledington with Full Ride and Korry Rinehart with Bandit's Hill Avenger. (Back, l-r): Nathan Phillips, Mike Jackson, Mike Small, Doug Burgess, Randy Anderson, Dave Capstick (judge), Greg Blair (judge), Ike Todd, and Kay Morrison.

Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States (1923-1929), had begun his second year of presidency when the All-America Derby first became a championship in 1924. Bert Wimmer (1930-2012) told this reporter in 2008 that the contest had begun in 1909 but, prior to championship designation, was originally called the Indy $5,000 as his father, Walter Wimmer, and others funded the earliest stakes. In 1924, President Coolidge was said to be demonstrating determination to preserve the old moral and economic precepts of the frugality of the Great Depression amid the material prosperity that many Americans were beginning to enjoy. Without clarification as to whether bird dog field trials are a sign of material prosperity, the All-America Derby Championship has been run since 1924, and the All-America Quail Championship was added later to include all-age competition.

So, as the Hoosier Field Trial Club hosted the 98th renewal of their championships on the Captain Unit of the Pyramid State Park near Cutler, Illinois, March 8-11, 16 derbies and 24 all-age dogs competed. The 2024 champion of the All-America Derby Championship was Full Ride, a male Pointer owned by Kevin Dixon from Sulphur Springs, Texas, and handled by Randy Anderson from Vinita, Oklahoma. The runner-up was Bandit's Hill Avenger, owned by Ann Forrester from South Fulton, Tennessee, and handled by Ike Todd from Dancyville, Tennessee. The champion of the Quail Championship was Lester's Storm Surge, and the runner-up was Lester's Shockwave. The 7-year-old littermates were handled by Korry Rinehart from Rienzi, Mississippi, for Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton from Springfield, Kentucky, who own both the champion and runner-up.

Purina again sponsored the championships, and the club was fortunate to have Greg Blair from Menomonee, Wisconsin, the popular and respected representative of Purina for this and other areas of field trialing, serve as one of the judges for both championships. The club was equally fortunate to have Dave Capstick from Jonesburg, Missouri, a very long-time and respected field trialer of Brittanys, serve as the other judge.

Thanks to Purina's continuing generosity and the ingenuity of a new program of Purina and the AFTCA, the Hoosier Club was able to use Purina Pro Plan dog food and coupons redeemable at the AFTCA Store (both awarded by Purina) to auction the Pro Plan and raffle high-quality shirts, vests, hoodies, and jackets bought with coupons at the AFTCA Store, raising a significant amount of money to help offset some of the expenses of the championships. The understanding of the Purina/AFTCA partnership was first grasped by the Hoosier Club's astute secretary/treasurer, Kay Morrison, who explained and recommended the concept to the other officers and directors of the club. Then Greg Blair further explained the rationale of the concept during the club's annual meeting, increasing even more, the appreciation the club's officers and directors hold for Purina and their commitment to support our sport.

Jim Lawless and Kay Morrison worked daily from well before daylight each day until well into the evening, fulfilling most of the tasks associated with the successful field trial. Each day, Jim Lawless caught the birds early and, helped by Jon Lam, started planting the birds by 5:30, while Kay Morrison was cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner for everyone at the championships. They, too, marshaled, ponied horses for judges and the reporter, and helped everyone in every way needed. Doug Burgess furnished and expertly managed the dog wagon each day, and Jon Lam and Mike Jackson helped with marshaling as needed.

Rain delayed the anticipated start by half a day, but after that first morning, the weather was agreeable, only marred at times by strong gusting winds.

Derby Champion and Runner-up
Full Ride won the championship with his performance in the first brace of the contest, which started at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 8. He had two finds at 4 and 34 and backed a find of his bracemate at 22. The first find was in trees not far from the clubhouse, while the find at 34 was a true limb find deep in trees north of a large cornfield. Full Ride was always to the front, making large casts and wisely using the direction of the wind to his advantage where possible. He was stylish both running and while standing during each flushing effort and shot. In addition to pleasing his handler, the promising derby, most importantly, impressed the judges early in the contest, as they fulfilled their responsibility of selecting a champion.

The runner-up, Bandit's Hill Avenger, also pleased the judges and his handler, Ike Todd, early in the contest, earning his placement in the second brace. The runner-up had three finds close together, at 26, 31, and 35. He also had one unproductive stand. In addition to scoring three finds, Bandit's Hill Avenger ran a wonderfully strong forward race with outstanding style throughout the hour.

Other Derbies
Rocky Hill Halo, owned by Carl Lefler and handled by Phil Stevenson, competed in the first brace, running with the champion. He achieved two finds, which he handled well, and finished the hour.

Quail Woods Pine was paired with the runner-up in the second brace. He was handled by Randy Anderon for Dr. Greg Adams, owner, but he did not finish the hour.

Game Star, owned by Dr. Fred Corder and handled by Ike Todd, and Morgan's Cash Bail, owned by Phil Morgan and handled by Phil Stevenson, were loosed for the final brace of the afternoon. Game Star had three finds and one unproductive during the hour, while Morgan's Cash Bail was lost, causing his handler to request his tracker before the hour ended.

Game Nation (Ike Todd for Dr. Corder) and Morgan's Storm Shelter (Stevenson for Phil Morgan) were the first to go in brace 4 on Saturday morning. Storm Shelter had birds once, at 8, but both dogs were picked up at 38.

Haney's Last Call, handled by Todd for owner Chris Cagle Sr., and Lester's War Bird, handled by Korry Rinehart for Gary Lester, were together in brace 5. The pair had a divided find at 5 but were both involved in a situation where wild birds were bumped during a relocation effort at 29, and both dogs were picked up.

Small's White Rambler, owned and handled by Mike Small, and Lester's Front Porch, handled by Korry Rinehart for Gary Lester, were loosed together for brace 6. Rinehart's dog pointed at 13, but Small's dog failed to back and was put into his harness. After Rinehart flushed, Front Porch finished the hour hunting and running impressively while pointing feathers at 38 and having an unproductive at 50.

Jim Dandy, owned by Jeff Phelps and handled by Phil Stevenson, was the final derby to compete. He pointed once, at 15, and Stevenson easily flushed, with the Derby Championship ending at noon on Saturday, March 9.

Cutler, Ill., March 8
Judges: Greg Blair and Dave Capstick
ALL-AMERICA DERBY CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 15 Pointers and 1 Setter
Winner-FULL RIDE, 1702143, pointer male, by Dixon's Rolling Stone-Dixon's Girl's Got Rhythm. Kevin Dixon, owner; Randy Anderson, handler.
Runner-Up-BANDIT'S HILL AVENGER, 1702642, pointer male, by Touch's Smooth Rider-Bandit's Hill Daisy. Ann Forrester, owner; Ike Todd, handler.

All-Age Champion and Runner-up
Lester's Storm Surge earned declaration as champion for the huge casts he made during the hour, each time returning to the front, while Kory Rinehart rode in front of the judges, leaving only to gallop, flush and shot each of the three times Storm Surge found birds. Those finds were at 5 for a divided find shared with his bracemate on relocation and independent finds at 16 and 34. He also stood at 46 for an unproductive. While his production of game and style was impressive, the champion's strong, forward, and, most importantly, independent race earned the win.

Lester's Shockwave stood behind his littermate as runner-up champion on the winner's platform, marking a sweep for the Hamiltons and Korry Rinehart. Shockwave ran a strong race, demonstrating a lot of purpose and savvy as he seemed to know where to go. In his second brace performance, he found birds at 10, 35, and 43, plus one stand at feathers before ending the hour with a strong finish.

Other All-Age
When the Quail Championship started after lunch on Saturday, the first dogs to compete were Erin's Rebel Attraction, owned by Brian Sheehan and handled by Sean Pat Derrig, and Touch's Cocaine Blues, owned by Matt Griffith and handled by Randy Anderson. Rebel Attraction had two unproductives at 37 and 42 and was picked up after the second. Cocaine Blues failed to back one of the brace mates unproductive and was picked up.

I'm Gallant, handled by Randy Anderson for Jay McKenzie, who was in the gallery, was braced with the runner-up in the second brace. He ran well and finished the hour, locating birds at 24 and 48.

Erin's Southern Comfort and No Strings Attached went next; Southern Comfort, owned and handled by Sean Pat Derrig, and No Strings Attached, owned by Dennis Buford and handled by Randy Anderson. Southern Comfort handled well and found birds at 30, 52, and 56 while demonstrating lots of style. No Strings Attached did not finish the hour.

The ground was covered with frost on Sunday morning, but the day proved to be a beautiful sunny day. Bridget Ledington had Painted Owyhee Breeze, which she co-owns with Jim Ledington, while Nathan Phillips had Phillips Linebacker, which he co-owns with Orrin Ingram, in the first brace of the day, No. 4 of the championship. Owyhee Breeze advanced a couple of steps while Ledington was attempting to flush during an unproductive at 17 and later flushed a single, but the judges gave her tracker to her at about the middle of the hour as Phillips had asked for his tracker at 29.

Bonner's Bulletproof, owned by Dr. Chris Cornman and handled by Randy Anderson, was braced with the champion in the fifth brace. He shared a divided find with his bracemate at 5 with relocation, but Anderson asked for his tracker at 28.

Broken Halo, owned and handled by Phil Stevenson, and Touch's Fire Away, owned by Dr. Greg and Carmen Adams, were in the sixth brace. Fire Away pointed, and Anderson flushed at 4, but then Fire Away became lost. Broken Halo pointed at 15, and Stevenson reported the birds flew. He then had additional finds at 26 and 56 to successfully end the hour and the Sunday morning braces.

Miller's Speed Dial, owned by Mick Marietta and handled by Randy Anderson, was braced with Miller's King Poast, owned by Jannie Chapman and handled by Korry Rinehart. The brace ended early at 28 when birds flew, and both dogs followed.

The eighth brace ended early when Haney's Storm Warning and Painted Owyhee Toad competed. Storm Warning found birds for Chris Cagle at 10, and Owyhee Toad backed for Bridget Ledington. Later, Ledington picked up her dog, and Cagle lost Storm Warning but persisted to search and finally, every minute of the 20-minute allowance for an absence was exhausted, and the judges gave him a tracker.

Miller's Wide Out, owned by Don Stroble and handled by Randy Anderson, and Game Surge, owned and handled by Dr. Corder, were the last to run on Sunday afternoon. Wide Out was picked up early. Game Surge was strong and beautifully composed each time he stood with birds, at 25 and 37, and throughout the hour.

Only one of the six dogs drawn to run on Sunday morning finished their hour. Haney's Silver Dollar finished the hour, having a divided unproductive with his bracemate at 5, a find at 14 with multiple relocations, and stood again when Cagle dismounted, took him by the collar, and did not attempt to flush. Dr. Corder's Game Heir shared the unproductive with his bracemate at 5 and later had another unproductive, and the judge gave the owner his tracker.

Ramblin Rivers Unplugged, owned by Bill Stapleton and handled by Brian Gingrich, was drawn with Slick Water Frac, owned by Raymond Marrow and handled by Randy Anderson. Neither dog finished the hour.
Rocky River Halo, owned by Carl Lefler and handled by Phil Stevenson, and Valiant Sunrise, owned by Adam Sprunger and handled by Randy Anderson, were the last two dogs drawn to run. Rocky River Halo pointed three times but was not completely attentive and moved slightly during a couple of the flushes, so the judges gave the handler his tracker at 40. Valiant Sunrise had no birds for Anderson.

Thus, the 98th renewal of the All-America Championships was concluded, and the Rend Lake Open was to start after lunch.

ALL-AMERICA QUAIL CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 24 Pointers
Winner-LESTER'S STORM SURGE, 1681624, pointer male, by Ransom-Beane's Line Dancer. Tommy & Bonnie Hamilton, owners; Korry Rinehart, handler.
Runner-Up-LESTER'S SHOCKWAVE, 1681623, pointer male, by Ransom-Beane's Line Dancer. Tommy & Bonnie Hamilton, owners; Korry Rinehart, handler.

All-America Quail All-Age Champion and Runner-up (front, l-r): Mike Jackson with Lester's Storm Surge and Korry Rinehart with Lester's Shockwave. (Back, l-r): Jim Lawless, Bridget Ledington, Nathan Phillips, Doug Burgess, Randy Anderson, Dave Capstick (judge), Jon Lam, and Greg Blair (judge).