Event: Virginia Classics
Result: Greenfields Field Trial Club

Location: Scottsville, Virginia

Post Date: May 10, 2024

Submitted By: Tommy Stargell

Virginia Amateur Shooting Dog Classic (l-r): One Day Queen Bee (1st) with Lane Hodges, Montana Dream (2nd) with Kirk Regensburg, and Pete DelCollo with Sugarknoll White Lightning (3rd). (Behind): John Milton (host), Tommy Stargell (judge), and Steve Mills (judge).

This spring gala was on tap to start Thursday, April 4, and run for four days. The entries were excellent in quality and quantity. The birds were flighty, the food was prepared, the participants were arriving, and now, if only the weather would cooperate.

There wasn't a person associated with this trial who didn't check their phone a hundred times on Wednesday. It was always the same report: strong winds, large downpours, hail, and cold temperatures. Not an auspicious pretrial report. And it all happened all day. But the report said no rain after Wednesday. Therefore, we went to plan B, avoided the creek crossing, and devised a suitable 30-minute course with repeat starts--classic weekend trial fare.

True, it was cold, and the winds blew, but it essentially worked quite well. We ran the 30-minute Shooting Dog, ate lunch, and then ran the Derby after lunch, finishing the day. Judges for both stakes were Pat and Marilyn Lockhart, who divided their time between Virginia and Montana until recently when they settled into their Virginia home permanently. They had dogs with Fred Rayl for many years. We are delighted to have them join our fold.

Running in the last brace as a bye, Bruce Conover's Bad News Bob captured the blue with multiple birdwork and a nicely applied forward race. In second was Beechwood's She's All That for the Sharon and Phil Townley team. They always run nice dogs and are never out of the fray.
After a big ole Miss Julie lunch, we ran the Derby. Our buddy Larry King brought a pair of littermates and took the blue and red ribbons. Both had birdwork, and both looked good going through the country. Sweet Sorrow was placed first, and her male littermate, Umpteen Tries, was second. In third was our new friend coming from the wars at Hoffman. Kyle Whitfield brought his good Setter derby Pearl's Dynasty to these grounds and came away with a third-place win.

Friday, Darryl Miller (the most outstanding bird planter in recorded history) and I checked the creek at dawn, and we determined it was high but doable; game on. And so, we began the All-Age with dependable and worthy judges Sharon Townley and Phil Rutter in charge. When the dust settled, the mud was all splattered, the winds died down, and our buddy, Grayson Francis, had scored a hat trick. There were three entries and three placements, and all three were deserved. Most of us who know Grayson believe it was accomplished only because he enlisted a great scout, Steve Mills, to help him. His three dogs had five finds, five finds, and two finds, respectively, plus put out ground races of which anyone would be proud. There is no question that the relocation performed by Rocky Ridge's Second Chance in the final green field sealed the deal for first place. Few handlers would have risked it. Few dogs could have handled it, icing on the cake.

Rocky River Loaded and Rester's Bayou Bandit gave quality accounts and were suitably placed, but this was Hitch's day. This was a good stake with 16 entries.

The Shooting Dog began Saturday mid-morning and also had 16 entries. Steve Mills and Tommy Stargell judged the hour Shooting Dog.

The winner and second dog shared the first brace. One Day Queen Bee needs no introduction. She is known for giving the owner and handler great showings every time out. Saturday was no exception. She and youngster Montana Dream for Brad Macke (who will become a Daddy for the first time in July) complimented each other perfectly the entire hour. Multiple birdwork was accomplished, backs were done kindly and readily, and the entire 60 minutes were fun. Queen Bee is, no doubt, a first-tier dog. Brad Macke has a young dog with the sparkle, class, intensity, and umph to go on to great things. Watch both of these dogs! Absolutely no slouch was solid, beautiful performance by Sugarknoll White Lightning. Owned and handled by the only Philadelphia lawyer I know who lives in Virginia, this was an hour, both fun and intense. This dog, who resembled a young Silverwood, just clicked off bird after bird after bird, including a pair in a place where no dog has ever found birds before. The pressure came as this was all done after an unproductive in a known bird place. If there was a beauty contest for pointing style in this trial this dog wins, hands down.

Thanks go to Kirk and Mike on the dog wagon. Darell was a King once again. To our judges, many thanks. Till came from Georgia, and we love him for it. We met the glorious photographer Diane, and now you know the way here. Steve was an MVP, as always. Jeff Smith, your wife, melted our hearts. Tessa and Joe, please make the trip again. Matt, it was a pleasure. Kyle, please come again. Julie, nobody does it like you and always nice!
John and Vivian are the greatest hosts in the world, thank you!
This was a great trial, soup to nuts, and we couldn't have done it without every one of you!
We thank Purina for sponsorship and all they do for trials.

Scottsville, Va., April 4 - One Course
Judges: Marilyn Lockhart and Pat Lockhart
AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG - 4 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-BAD NEWS BOB, 1678771, pointer male, by Mohawk Mill Pirate-Mohawk Mill Southern Belle. Bruce & Karen Conover, owners; Bruce Conover, handler.
2d-BEECHWOOD'S SHE'S ALL THAT, 1686446, setter female, by Grouse Ridge Gambler-Beechwoods Madison. Sharon & Phil Townley, owners; Sharon Townley, handler.

AMATEUR DERBY - 6 Pointers, 1 Setter, and 1 Brittany
1st-SWEET SORROW, 1702479, pointer female, by Mohawk Mill Knight Hawk-Full Effect. L. J. & Casey King, owners; L. J. King, handler.
2d-UMPTEEN TRIES, 1702133, pointer male, by Mohawk Mill Knight Hawk-Full Effect. L. J. King & Casey King, owners; L. J. King, handler.
3d-PEARL'S DYNASTY, 1702010, setter female, by Merritt's Bear-A Tarheel Pretty Penny. Kyle Whitfield, owner and handler.

Virginia Amateur All-Age Classic (l-r): Rester's Bayou Bandit (3rd) with Kirk Regensburg, Rocky River Loaded (2nd) with Steve Mills (scout), and Rocky Ridge's Second Chance (1st) with Grayson Francis. (Behind): Sharon Townley (judge), Phil Rutter (judge), and Club President Til Hankley.

Judges: Phil Rutter and Sharon Townley
VIRGINIA AMATEUR ALL-AGE CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 14 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st-ROCKY RIDGE'S SECOND CHANCE, 1671423, pointer male, by Erin's Kentucky Gambler-Burning Edge Julie. Grayson Francis, owner and handler.
2d-ROCKY RIVER LOADED, 1696572, pointer male, by Broken Halo-Morgan's Mountain Maggie. Grayson Francis, owner and handler.
3d-RESTER'S BAYOU BANDIT, 1700102, pointer male, by Touch's Blue Knight-Rester's Katie Lee. Grayson Francis, owner and handler.

Judges: Steve Mills and Tommy Stargell
VIRGINIA AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 14 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st-ONE DAY QUEEN BEE, 1684579, pointer female, by Heard Hill's Memory Lane-DuBose's Snow White. Lane Hodges, owner and handler.
2d-MONTANA DREAM, 1702082, pointer female, by Dominator's Ghost Rider-Lindleys Free Bird. Brad Macke & Anthony Grimaldi, owners; Brad Macke, handler.
3d-SUGARKNOLL WHITE LIGHTNING, 1700086, pointer male, by Lester's Shockwave-BK White Rain. Peter & Christine DelCollo, owners; Peter DelCollo, handler.

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