Result: National Amateur Chukar All-Age Championship

Location: Maupin, Oregon

Post Date: May 6, 2024

Submitted By: Todd Schaaf

National Amateur Chukar All-Age Championship (l-r): Chris Perkins, Phil Bowden, Josh Miller, Sergio Veles, Mark McFarlin, Tom Griffin (owner/handler) with Love Train (champion), Jim Ledington, Dan Hoke, Todd Schaaf, Derrek Olson, and Chase Cochran.

The Pacific Coast Championship Field Trial Club, in conjunction with the AFTCA, hosted the 2024 National Amateur Chukar All-Age Championship. Piper Huffman did the drawing on Thursday, March 21; we had a sold entry of 21 dogs with a good mixture of Pointers, Setters, and German Shorthairs. We had some great sponsors for this event, and thank them for their support. Thank you, Purina, Garmin, and Bruce Fox. We could not put the quality we do without your support. This year's judges were Dan Hoke and Derrick Olsen; both did a great job, and we thank you for your time in the saddle. After looking at 21 dogs, the champion came from the second brace, top dog Love Train, owned and handled by Tom Griffin. The runner-up champion was Rocking J's Pearl, the top dog in the fifth brace, owned and handled by Jerry Walton.

Champion's Run
The breakaway for Course 2 can be difficult. The course goes right, and the lay of the land goes left. Everything left is more inviting than everything downrange on course. Surely, as a handler, you should identify where you can win or lose a trial. This is one of those places. Love Train and Warrior both went left; Love Train, figuring out the front sooner, headed towards the base of Mt. Krumpet. Warrior was not in sight but there was discussion as to which dog was forward. Cresting Mt. Krumpet, the view is incredible. The snow-covered Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson in the distance. The Berg of Kent is off to the east; thankfully, you can't see Portland. We did see a dog far off in the distance. Mt. Hood is some 11,000 feet high. It seemed the white dot out on the horizon might have been that far away from the gallery--plenty of rumination about the situation, Perkins asking for the retrieval unit at 30. As we approached the windmill, a chorus was heard. Something like, "Come, dog, join me." Like magic, Love Train came out of the bottom and rejoined the smiling Griffin. He headed her up Mad Hatter, and at 57, she was found on point. After the birdwork, she was released to the front and finished her remaining minutes heading south.

Runner-up's Run
Walton kept Pearl in check off the line. Once lined out towards Mt. Krumpet, she opened up like he knew she would. Pearl made smart moves up on Mt. Krumpet while Primrose was on the eastern ridge of her course. As we descended the backside of Mt. Krumpet, "Point" could be heard from the distant ridge. Pretty as she could be, Pearl stood for a chukar. Turning into the weird two-gate part of the course, Pearl didn't use either gate as she took the ridge down to the windmill. Walton gathered Pearl on the corner, sending her south to the finish.

The Running
Big gallery for the first brace of the National Amateur Chukar All-Age Championship. The early morning start from the parking lot featured Tekoa Mountain Six Gun (Chase Cochran) and Painted Hank (Jim Ledington), with Painted Hank making a big move up and across the gravel road. Hank came back across the gravel and continued up the draw past the windmill, Six Gun below the gravel, moving forward. He showed a brief interest at the windmill but moved up the draw through Dave's Gate, Hank careening about halfway up Mt. Krumpet. At 20, Hank standing, and Six Gun backing well. Six Gun stood the flush, but Hank was harnessed. As the gallery was descending into Eagle draw, Six Gun could be seen in the distance on point. Good work, and we continued up the ridge. There are many blind spots on the Ridge above Eagle. Six Gun realized that and made his way across the draw and onto the next big ridge. From our viewpoint, he just sailed forward and out of sight. Like many of the "ol Six Gun slingers," off to the ghost town of Shaniko he was heading. Somewhere in the cast, he decided he was heading in the wrong direction and turned to the front, making an incredible move to the Wasco National Forest. Six Gun finished on the right at time.

Brace 2: Love Train (Tom Griffin) and Perkins Sawyer's Warrior (Chris Perkins). See "Champion's Run."

Brace 3: Steens Mountain Outlaw, handled by Holly Higgins and Bill Bhame with Hy Tailyn Bend Blue. Breaking away from the new gate, Outlaw and Blue took to the side of Mt. Krumpet. Blue is cresting the top and going down the backside, while Outlaw turns down Eagle Draw. Blue made it back but suffered a breach of manners soon afterward. Outlaw headed up the ridge out of Eagle. He was found at 34 standing on a bird but also suffered a breach of manners. This ended the brace.

Brace 4: Tom Griffin with Battle Born Bette down with Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Dallee; Bette making the most of the draw going forward. Dallee didn't like that ground, so she went up and over the gravel road, rolling up to the skyline and coming forward on her own. She had to do it on her own because the fences don't allow scouts to access that part of the Imperial Ranch easily. The wind is picking up now and pushing Bette back towards the gallery. Dallee now cruising high in the rock outcropping--that dot on the horizon. Navigating the first 25 minutes of the course is plenty hard. Dropping into Eagle draw without a dog makes it a lonely place. Time ran out before the dog came back.

Brace 5: Rocking J's Pearl (Jarry Walton) with Elhew Charming Primrose (Mel Lueck). Primrose had a find at 45 but didn't obey a simple command and was picked up.

Brace 6: Dunfur's Big Rig (Chase Cochran) and Lindley's Maverick (Tom Griffin). Breaking away from the new gate, both took to the side of Mt. Krumpet, Rigs above. This pair made a lot of showy casts to the front. Out of Eagle draw, Maverick took the far east ridge. Not long after, Rig was noticed way over there as well. It requires some gumption to get that far east. It was a nice show to watch. At different times, they returned to ridge top and went forward; Maverick found on point at 35, Rig backing. Next was a series of weird NPs and backs in succession. Like a running bird, but we never could find it. Weird, nonetheless. Rig with a find at 50. Both finished forward toward the Hot Dog stand.

Brace 7: Breaking away from camp this morning was Rocking J's Amy (Jerry Walton), paired with Quail Hill Slam Dunk (Anne Tyson). It was early, but this pair woke the crowd with their big casts to the front. Slam Dunk went above the road and off to the East, eventually coming across the side hill with a memorable move to the cliffs above. Amy was now over the top and not in sight. Filling the country, the great scribes say, gone as well, but both were right in front going into Eagle. Slam, not making the front, finally getting there, birdless. Amy has gone East and not making a show for the remainder.

Brace 8: Mauck's Wyeast Molly (Alex Mauck) and Liberty's Lady Rising Sun (Mark McFarland). Molly forward down the ridge, Lady off to the east. Molly showing nice across Mt. Krumpet. Lady making good moves as well. On the backside of Mt. Krumpet, Molly took to the east and hunted the cliffs on the horizon. Lady making a similar move. Molly took the draw to the windmill out of Dave's gate and made the turn pretty well. It was a nice try, but she ended up birdless. Lady had a breach of manners below the Madhatter gate.

Brace 9: Tian Gotta Lotta Hope (Mel Lueck) and Dunfurs Former Athlete (Anthony Buckman). Hope was big from the start and gone a lot. Athlete moved forward into Eagle, took the draw to the east, and was eventually spotted in the scree pile near the top--a pretty nice effort. Athlete is making his way up to the grass flats. Athlete was hunted through the humps and bumps near the Hot Dog stand. Turning toward Mt. Krumpet, he made several big moves. Hope was not seen for the remainder.

Brace 10: Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Ajay (Alex Mauck) and Touch's Jimi Thing (Chris Perkins). Ajay is doing the right thing off the breakaway, growing as the country allows. Jimi went forward to the windmill, then up into the cliffs. Moving nicely into Eagle, Jimi suffered a couple of NPs, one at 35 and the last at 40. Ajay is trying hard. An unproductive at 45 ended his day as the handler slipped a harness on her.

Brace 11: Twer's Heartbreak Ridge (Todd Schaaf) ran as a bye. Heartbreak made a good move off the start line, rolling nice up through the grass flat. At 20, he was found standing in the humps and bumps section of the course. Up the rock ridge, he showed in several good spots over the top of Mt. Krumpet. The wind hit us hard, and it was hard on the dog as well. Heartbreak finished with a find at time.

It takes a group of people to put on a quality championship. I want to thank Piper Huffman for all she does, the AFTCA for offering such great National Amateur Championships, and all my helpers for putting this event on. Thank you, Dan Hoke, for the running writeup.

Maupin, Oreg., March 23
Judges: Dan Hoke and Derrick Olsen
NATIONAL AMATEUR CHUKAR ALL-AGE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 11 Pointers, 6 Setters, and 4 German Shorthairs
Winner-LOVE TRAIN, 1686322, pointer female, by Miller's Blindsider-Lyons Platinum. Tom Griffin, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-ROCKING J'S PEARL, 1702191, pointer female, by Kelly's Rebel Louie-Saddle Up Reba. Jarry Walton, owner and handler.