Result: Sharptail Field Trial Club

Location: Barber, Montana

Post Date: May 22, 2024

Submitted By: David Huffine

Open Shooting Dog (front, l-r): John McIltrot with Tower Hill's Deep Wonder, Michelle Sutton with Sweet Grass Skeeter, and unidentified with Sweet Grass Slim. (Behind): Tara Griffin, Taylor Todd, Alex Rickert, Phil Forrester, Larry Brutger, and John Holt.

The Sharptail Field Trial Club held its inaugural U. S Complete Shooting Dog Association trial at the Table Rock Ranch in Barber, Montana, on April 19. The trial drew 46 dogs for the two-day event, and more importantly, it drew many new handlers to the Montana walking trial experience.

Table Rock Ranch supports good native populations of sharptail grouse, Hungarian partridge, and pheasants. No birds were released, but wild birds were plentiful with all gamebird species seen during the trial. Seeing birds was easy, but getting them pointed in the dry and windy conditions was quite a challenge. The ranch contains approximately 1,000 acres and is sufficient for three courses. All courses produced sufficient bird opportunities for each brace.
Judging all stakes were John Todd of Willow Creek, Montana, and Alex Rickert of Bozeman, Montana. Both judges were knowledgeable, attentive, helpful, and pleasant. They have spent years watching the best bird dogs in the world. We were fortunate to have them and appreciate their service.

First place in the Open Shooting Dog stake went to Tower Hill's Deep Wonder, a snappy 3-year-old pointer female, owned and handled by Taylor Todd, a Montana pro out of Helena. She had a clean find and a good race. Taylor and his dogs have made the winners' circle in most recent Montana trials, and we anticipate that he will remain a consistent winner in the future.
Second place went to Sweet Grass Skipper, a 2-year-old setter male owned and handled by David Huffine. Skipper was runner-up in the U. S. Complete National Championship but appears to be stuck in runner-up status in the face of the Todd dogs. Skipper had no birdwork but had an exceptionally strong, forward race and a stop to flight on a bird flushed by the handler.
Third place went to Sweet Grass Slim, a setter male, also owned and handled by David Huffine. Slim had abundant bird contact, but most resulted in stop to flushes. He had a good race and a final find on a pheasant near time.

The Open Derby stake followed, with Madison Valley's Sexy Lexi taking first. Lexi is a pointer female owned and handled by Trevor Walz. She had a sparkling race to secure her position.
Second place went to Seranoa's Hoppin John, owned and handled by Taylor Todd. John is a young dog out of former Purina Points All-Age winner Touch's Malcolm Story and showed tremendous potential.
Third place went to Brad McCardle's young pointer, LBF Beast of Burden, who, at 9 months old, showed that he will have the motor and style to compete in walking and horseback competitions.

Lupine Forrester, a stylish 2-year-old setter female, took a well-deserved first place in the Restricted Open Shooting Dog stake. She is owned by first-time handler Phillip Forrester, who did an admirable job of showing and handling his classy young dog. She had a find/stop to flush on a pair of huns that secured her placement. We look forward to having Phillip as a regular at Montana field trial venues.
Second place went to Seranoa's Good Boy Leroy (ESM/Todd), who had a good, controlled race and a nice finish. Leroy is owned by John Hudgens of Bozeman.
Third place went to the stylish, black GSP, Little Hunters Midnight Ranger, owned and handled by Dick Martinsen of Brady, Montana. Ranger got to the front and stayed to the front, showing good range and handle for Dick. Dick was new to U. S. Complete stakes and did a great job with his dog. We look forward to his continued participation.

Salmon River Whiskey (ESM) put down a race that was competitive with any other at the trial to secure first place in the Restricted Open Derby. In a rare burst of pedestrian energy, handler John McIltrot trotted to the top of the hill on Course 1 to admire his dog. The owner, Doug Miller of Boise, Idaho, was present and was treated to a very nice performance by his dog.
Brad McCardle continued to eschew the puppy stake to place another young dog in the Restricted Derby. LBF Sound and Fury (PM) had a nice walking dog race to secure second place.
Third place went to Crazy Mountain Pearl (ESF/Huffine), owned by Tracy Clower of La Pryor, Texas. Pearl began her race with some nice moves to the front but then settled into a shorter pattern. She looked good on an unproductive near time.

The Open Puppy trial was so much fun! Winner Sweet Grass Slick (ESM/Huffine) was braced with John McIltrot's Darcy. Slick is 43 pounds and ran big for a puppy stake. Darcy is cute and diminutive and kept everyone's attention, especially on her unproductive, where she looked great!
Emmet Sasser handled Connor Erickson's pretty and promising setter female, Powder River Jane, to a second-place finish. Jane had wonderful range and looked great going. She handled exceptionally well for Emmett.
Third place went to Bodhi (ESM/McIltrot); he had a nice forward race and seemed to enjoy his time on the ground immensely.

The Amateur Shooting Dog stake possibly produced the most bird contact of any stake. Tara Griffin handled her veteran GSP to first with a steady performance and multiple finds. Tara is new to our walking stakes, and we hope her success entices her to return.
Phillip Forrester handled Lupine Forrester to her second placement of the trial with a nice race and solid birdwork.
Third place went to Melody Murter with her beautiful Gordon setter female, Tallgrass Big Horn Capri. Melody is new to our game and brought a lot of excitement and energy to the trial. She also brought a really fine bird dog.

Table Rock Ranch is owned by the Rickert family, who not only allow us to use the ranch but also provide lunch accommodations, transportation of dogs and handlers, and good companionship. We extend our utmost thanks to the Rickerts for their contributions and commitment to the Montana field trial community.

U. S. Complete has been very helpful in accepting our application for a new club and facilitating our first trial. Chris Catanzarite and Jameson Crandall are both instrumental in the success of our trial.
We also thank Purina (Greg Blair) for graciously assisting with awards for our winners.

Barber Mont., April 19
Judges: Alex Rickert and John Todd
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 3 Pointers, 5 Setters, and 2 German Shorthairs
1st-TOWER HILL'S DEEP WONDER, 1696399, pointer female, by Touch's Diamante-Seranoa's Union Station. Taylor Todd, owner and handler.
2d-SWEET GRASS SKIPPER, 1698209, setter male, by Sweet Grass Slim-Tower Hill Zoey Zee. David Huffine, owner and handler.
3d-SWEET GRASS SLIM, 1685332, setter male, by Sterlingworth Jack-Sandland Miracle Maggie. David Huffine, owner and handler.

Open Derby (front, l-r): Trevor Walz with Madison River Sexy Lexi, Taylor Todd with Seranoa's Hoppin' John, and Brad McCardle with LBF Beast of Burden. (Behind): Dick Martinsen, Phil Forrester, Larry Brutger, Alex Rickert, John Todd, and unidentified.

OPEN DERBY - 8 Entries
1st-MADISON VALLEY'S SEXY LEXI, 1703749, pointer female, by Crosswind Jim-Dan's Bad River Tessi. Trevor Walz, owner and handler.
2d-SERANOA'S HOPPIN JOHN, 1705082, pointer male, by Touch's Malcolm Story-Seranoa's On Guard Annie. Taylor Todd, owner and handler.
3d-LBF BEAST OF BURDEN, 1708785, pointer male, by LBF Up In Smoke-West Mountain Speed Wave. Brad McCardle, owner and handler.

Restricted Open Shooting Dog (front, l-r): Phil Forrester with Forrester's Lupine, John McIltrot with Seranoa's Good Boy Leroy, Little Hunter's Midnight Ranger Dick Martinsen, Taylor Todd, and John Todd.

OPEN RESTRICTED SHOOTING DOG - 7 Entries
1st-LUPINE FORRESTER, 1700865, setter female, by Skedaddle's Kingpin-Skedaddle Smokin Skipper. Phillip Forrester, owner and handler.
2d-SERANOA'S GOOD BOY LEROY, 1704814, setter male, by Sweet Grass Slim-Tower Hill Zoey Zee. John Hudgens, owner; Taylor Todd, handler.
3d-LITTLE HUNTERS MIDNIGHT RANGER, R323-107, German Shorthair male, by Hunter Up's Kennels Elevated Standards-Wolf Plain Brooks Little Miss Duchess. Dick Martinsen, owner and handler.

Restricted Open Derby (front, l-r): Taylor Todd with Salmon River Whiskey, Brad McCardle with LBF Sound and Fury, and David Huffine with Crazy Mountain Pearl. (Behind): Doug Miller, Abby Todd, unidentified, John McIltrot, and Alex Rickert.

OPEN RESTRICTED DERBY - 2 Pointers and 6 Setters
1st-SALMON RIVER WHISKEY, 1702872, setter male, by Seranoa's Sweet Grass Chet-The Queen's Gambit. Doug Miller, owner; John McIltrot, handler.
2d-LBF SOUND AND FURY, 1708784, pointer male, by LBF Up In Smoke-West Mountain Speed Wave. Brad McCardle, owner and handler.
3d-CRAZY MOUNTAIN PEARL, 1706787, setter female, by Caladen's Andy Warhol-Caladen's O'Keeffe. Tracy Clower, owner; David Huffine, handler.

Open Puppy (front, l-r): David Huffine with Sweet Grass Slick???, Emmet Sasser with Powder River Jane ???, and John McIltrot with Bodhi. (Behind): Alex Rickert, Connor Erickson, Tara Griffin, and John Todd.

OPEN PUPPY - 6 Setters
1st-SWEET GRASS SLICK, 1706149, male, by Shagtime Max-Shagtime Zee. David Huffine, owner and handler.
2d-POWDER RIVER JANE, 1705249, female, by Skyview High Stakes-Skyview Hidden Gem. Connor Erickson, owner; Emmet Sasser, handler.
3d-BODHI, unreg., male, breeding not given. John McIltrot, owner and handler.

AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG - 4 Setters, 2 German Shorthairs, and 1 Gordon Setter
1st-NMK'S WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, 1704207, German Shorthair male, by Starfield's Army Strong V Bulk-NMK's Limited First Edition. Tara Griffin, owner; Emmet Sasser, handler.
2d-LUPINE FORRESTER, 1700865, setter female, by Skedaddle's Kingpin-Skedaddle Smokin Skipper. Phillip Forrester, owner and handler.
3d-TALLGRASS BIG HORN CAPRI, 1710325, Gordon setter female, by Whitehorns Tahosa Penn-Tallgrass Red Dot. Melody Murter, owner and handler.

Amateur Shooting Dog (front, l-r): Tara Griffin with NMK Wild Mountain Thyme, Phil Forrester with Forrester's Lupine, and Melody Murter with Tall Grass Bighorn Capri. (Behind): Emmet Sasser, Dick Martinsen, Brad McCardle, and Alex Rickert.