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Result: National Prairie Chicken Open Shooting Dog Championship

Location: Bancroft, Wisconsin

Post Date: Dec 9, 2024

Submitted By: Ed Liermann

Natl Prairie Chicken OSD ChF24

National Prairie Chicken Open Shooting Dog Championship: Erin Grossman, Mary Anne Womack, Jim Tande, Eddie Berendzen (judge), John Mathys, Scott Jordan with Pearl Jam Nation, Jay Lewis (judge), Jim Womack, Dave Moore with Nine To Five Nation, Allen Dunbar, Lewis Peterson, Mark Johnson, and Ed Liermann.

TGhe 2024 renewal of the National Prairie Chicken Shooting Dog Championship started on September 22, following the Amateur Championship. The setting was a little different this year as a wet spring produced an abundance of cover; the goldenrod especially had a robust growing season that presented some challenges for the dogs and handlers. Chickens were plentiful, and we moved them on all of the courses.
Our judges were Jay Lewis from Ashland, Missouri, and Eddie Berendzen from Higbee, Missouri. Both men are well-traveled and bring a wealth of experience in handling their own dogs and judging championships. It was a pleasure riding with them.

THE WINNERS
Breaking away at King's Ranch in the second brace, Nine To Five Nation, coming 4-year-old white and orange female Pointer, emerged as the new champion with a powerful, attractive race and four finds for owner and handler Dave Moore from Big Lake, Minnesota. She had a find at 15 after crossing the road, then again at 30, 46, and again at 57 after a huge cast down the left side of the course with a nice covey find to finish the hour and be named champion.

The runner-up was Pearl Jam Nation, a coming 3-year-old white and orange female Pointer owned and handled by Scott Jordan. Pearl Jam ran a far-reaching forward race with a nice find at 59 with all in order to end a strong hour on the ground and garner runner-up.
Every field trial has a cadre of people who work tirelessly to make the trial work seamlessly. We appreciate Doug and Judy Reisner for helping out at road crossings throughout the day, along with Terry Trzcinski and dog wagon driver Gary Wolf. This is essential, especially on the blacktop roads we have to cross. Gary Wolf has been our dog wagon driver for more than 20 years, and his contributions make this trial run smoothly. The dog wagon goodies are a favorite here, especially the hard-boiled eggs, "a trial tradition" after the first brace in the morning.

Thanks to Gary again for this year's endless supply.
We value our partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the rich history we have with them that goes back to Frances and Fred Hammerstrom. Site manager Lesa Kardash continues a long-standing tradition of cooperation to facilitate this event. We appreciate Lesa and the DNR staff, including Joey Biebel, John Sorgel, and Erin Grossman, for helping when and where needed. We always have a select number of guests who have a passion for the outdoor life, Prairie chickens, and sporting dogs. This year, our guests included Andy Lewandowski from the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Urban and Environmental Planner Erin Rieser, who spent a day with us.
As always we had a congenial group of trialers from around the country that included Jim and Mary Anne Womack, Georgia; Dave Moore, Minnesota; Scott Hadley, Oklahoma; Jim Tande, Minnesota; John Mathys, Wisconsin; Doug Ray, Georgia; Scott Jordan, Minnesota; Doug and Judy Reisner, Wisconsin; Lewis Peterson, Georgia; Mark Johnson, Illinois; Sean Patrick Derrig, Illinois; Jarret and Allison Belle, Missouri; Tom Hennes, Minnesota; and your scribe Ed Liermann, Wisconsin. Absent this year from this great group were stalwarts Frank and Jean LaNasa, Minnesota, and George and Anne Ihrke, Illinois. We missed their company and contributions and look forward to seeing them next fall.

A big thanks to Purina for sponsoring this event. Thanks to Greg Blair for supporting this event and Purina rep Terry Trzcinski for hanging out with us. We are grateful for their support. SportDOG is another big supporter of this trial, and we thank Jim Morehouse and SportDOG for their continued support.
After the completion of the Amateur Championship, it is a trial tradition to swap morning and afternoon courses for the Open Championship.

Smooth Talkin (Ray) and High Enchantress (Hadley). Both out quickly, with Smooth Talkin pointing at 5 and Enchantress backing. Smooth Talkin ran a nice race, had an unproductive at 25, and finished the hour strong. Enchantress, making some nice casts, had an unproductive at 45 and finished the hour running a nice race.

Cole Fusion (Hennes) and Nine To Five Nation (Moore). Cole hunted hard through the cover but was not pleasing handler and was picked up at 25. Nine To Five's performance was described earlier.

G F Parabellum (Dunbar) and I'm Spartacus (Ray). Both dogs out quickly off the breakaway. Parabellum had five nice finds at 12, 34, 37, 41, and 47, all in order, and finished the hour working through heavy cover to the front. Spartacus was running big, covering a lot of ground, and was lost at 30.

Erin's Southern Comfort (Derrig) and Absolute Tornado (Ray). Southern Comfort was running a nice race and was lost at 45. Tornado had a stop to flush at 15 with all in order and a bird at 30 and was up.

Hatteras High Tide (Hennes) and Erin's Wild Atlantic Way (Derrig). High Tide hunted hard through the cover and was picked up at 45. Wild Atlantic Way ran a nice forward race through the cover but had no bird contact.

Saginaw Luke Skywalker (Johnson) and Touch's Cocaine Blues (Hadley). Luke had a nice race and made some big casts but had no bird contact. Cocaine Blues had a stop to flush at 4 and released himself to end his hour.

Hatteras Rip Tide (Ray) and Due Respect (Tande). Riptide was going nicely through heavy cover; he was not pleasing handler at 20 and was picked up. Due Respect, running a forward race, hunted hard throughout the hour, and made some nice casts but no birds.

Cross Country Ryan (Hennes) and Cedar Creek Sixgun (Liermann). Ryan failed to back at 8 and was picked up. Sixgun had finds at 8 and 10. His race shortened on the backstretch, hunting through heavy cover. After crossing the road, he made a nice cast and had a find at 55 to finish the hour.

Notorious Immortal (Mathys) and Hatter's Storm Watch (Ray). Immortal had a nice race and a covey find with about six chickens to the front at 33 and finished the hour strong. Storm Watch hunted hard along the ditch and was not pleasing the handler and picked up at 35.

Sellers Pashca Skylos (Ray) and Pearl Jam Nation (Jordan). Skylos had a nice race with finds at 10 and 18 and was up at 59 for failing to back. Pearl Jam's performance was reported earlier.

B G K's Luke (Bell) and Absolute Dominator (Ray). Luke had a nice race with an unproductive at 20 and another at 40 and was up. Dominator was just getting started; birds were in the air at 3, and he was up.

Cottonwood Bud (Hennes) and Great River Stallion (Ray). Bud hunted the hour with an unproductive at 8 and a back at 10. Stallion had a nice race and made some nice casts with a find at 10 and finished the hour going away.

Confident Nation (Jordan) and Hard Truth (Ray). Both dogs were out fast and forward. Nation, off to a good start, was not pleasing the handler and was up at 20. Hard Truth, off to a good start, had a find at 19 and finished the hour hunting the heavy cover.

A Buccaneer (Ray) and Erin's Tin Lizzie (Johnson). Running a good race, A Buccaneer had a find at 15 and left with the birds. With a nice forward race, Lizzie had a find at 10 and finished the hour hunting through heavy cover.

Wiggins Pree Dawn Reward (Hennes) and Aim High Elhew Hadley (Hadley). Pree Dawn Reward had a find at 26 with all in order, an unproductive at 39, and finished hunting the cover.
Aim High had a consistent forward race with finds at 38 and 48 and finished the hour.

Two Spot Tommy (Ray) and Erin's Doc Holliday (Bell). Tommy ran a nice race with an unproductive at 17 and an unproductive at 28 and was up. Doc ran a good race with a find at 12, producing an eight-bird covey and a find at 35. He finished the hour with a nice forward race.

Luke's Gospel Truth (Hennes) and Hatter's Sandstorm (Ray). Both dogs moved out fast through the cover. After making some nice casts, Luke was lost at 10. Sandstorm had a nice race going with a find at 25 with an infraction and was up.

CS Four Seasons Gunner (Ray) and Grouse Feather Witcher (Dunbar). Four Seasons, out quickly with some big moves, had an unproductive at 13 and an unproductive at 38 and was up. Witcher made some nice casts off the breakaway but shortened as the cover took its toll. He finished the hour hunting likely places but didn't have a bird.

Bancroft, Wis., September 22
Judges: Eddie Berendzen and Jay Lewis
NATIONAL PRAIRIE CHICKEN OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 25 Pointers, 10 Setters, and 1 Irish Setter
Winner-NINE TO FIVE NATION, F1693962, pointer female, by Strut Nation-Frontline Dita. David Moore, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-PEARL JAM NATION, F1701309, pointer female, by Confident Nation-Notorious Rebel Woman. Scott & Julie Jordan, owners; Scott Jordan, handler.

OPEN DERBY
Heart Like A Truck, owned and handled by Dave Moore, placed first with a big, forward race. With a consistent far-reaching race, second place went to Notorious Speed Queen, owned and handled by Jim Tande. Notorious Sweet Ginger, owned and handled by John Mathys, claimed third place by making some big casts with a nice forward race.

OPEN DERBY - 11 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st-HEART LIKE A TRUCK, F1707010, pointer female, by Miller's Blindsider-Nine To Five Nation. David Moore, owner and handler.
2d-NOTORIOUS SPEED QUEEN, F1717931, pointer female, by Notorious Dominator's Heir-Notorious Rebel Woman. Jim Tande, owner and handler.
3d-NOTORIOUS SWEET GINGER, unreg., pointer female, breeding not given. John Mathys, owner and handler.

SIDELIGHTS
Once again, we had our "Chicken Championships" Auction at our Saturday night Purina banquet under the tent. From the proceeds, the Central States Field Trial Club awards $500 and a $250 scholarship sponsored by the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation. The scholarships are given to UW-Stevens Point students who are enrolled in the College of Natural Resources, are members of the Adopt-A-Wildlife Program, and volunteer their time to work on the Buena Vista grounds. This year's recipients were Evan Wichman and Sophia Sperduto. Students are considered for these scholarships based on the volunteer hours they devote each year to habitat improvement and helping DNR staff with various tasks. We also contribute to the Buena Vista gift account for grounds improvement and continuing education for DNR staff. Thanks to all who contributed. Special thanks to Purina, Greg Blair, Terry Trzcinski, SportDOG, and Jim Morehouse for their continued support.

Natl Prairie Chicken ODF24

Open Derby: John Mathys with Notorious Sweet Ginger, Eddie Berendzen (judge), Jim Tande with Notorious Speed Queen, Jay Lewis (judge), and Dave Moore with Heart Like a Truck.