Result: NGSPA Hungarian Partridge and NGSPA Region 8 Championships

Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming

Post Date: Dec 16, 2024

Submitted By: Keith Richardson

NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Open Shooting Dog Championship. Dan DiMambro, Terry Zygalinski, Petter Coppens, Bobbi Richardson, Rich Robertson Jr., Colin Kennedy, Keith Richardson, April DiMambro with Slaterock's Mountain Heart, Radley Haberkorn, Reston Haberkorn, and Ray Larrondo with P W That Was Then This Is Now.

The 23rd running of the "Hun" Championship, which ran from September 13-22, was a wonderful and fun event. Competitors appreciated the extra Handler of the Year points for a species trial.

The weather was near perfect for running dogs. It was a little warm some afternoons, but there was plenty of water on course. The Richardson Ranch is nearly 7,000 feet in elevation and very dry, and attendees are always advised to drink a lot of water and use ample sunscreen.
The "Hun" Championship and Region 8 are held back-to-back at the Richardson Ranch and are two of the premier NGSPA Championships. The challenging grounds and difficult birds provide an extreme test for dogs and handlers. The two courses are remarkably different, each with its challenges. The end of the day brings a relaxing time in the Bunkhouse, including a wonderful homemade meal, beverages of choice, friendship, and hospitality.

We enjoyed the best lunches and dinners of any trial in the country, expertly prepared by Marya Kerchner. Marya had the outstanding assistance of Diane Crabbs at all meals. Fine-aged wines from Keith's cellar were served by Gary Kercher. We hope our official "Field Trial Sommelier," David Quinn, will be able to join us next year. Other benefits of the facilities enjoyed by all were showers, laundry, electrical and water hookups, round pens and enclosures for horses, and ample areas for staking out dogs. Judges enjoyed first-class accommodations in either the Guest House or the Bunkhouse.

These two Championships provide unrivaled "on-the-job training." The large number of challenging multiple chukar and Hun finds, running coveys, large explosive covey flushes, and concentrations of "old" scent will teach the dogs things that cannot be learned in training setups.

The "Hun" is the only trial in the American Field (and the entire country as far as we know) that uses pen-raised Hungarian partridges. The birds were young, strong, great flyers, and remarkably like wild Huns. Large covey rises, with birds exploding in all directions, tested the steadiness of every dog. A dog making it clean through the Hun Habitat continues up Shooting Dog Draw along the rim of a steep plateau where mixed coveys of jumpy chukars and Huns lurk. The immense pressure of many difficult, multi-bird contacts places the Hun Championship at a level of difficulty arguably exceeding that of the wild bird trials. Dogs that survived the "bird cover" demonstrated their endurance during a mile of undulating prairie with a draw on one side and a drop to the Habitat on the other.

This year, we experimented with using Shooting Dog Draw instead of Derby Draw to reach the rim, and it worked so well that it has become our new course. It added more time to the "bird zone" and less to the open prairie at the end.

During our two weeks of Championships, we were pleased to have two pros in attendance: Dan DiMambro and Rich Robertson. We missed Josh Nieman, who has reorganized his trial schedule. We were happy to welcome a number of amateurs from outside of the region: Ray and Tami Larrondo (ID), Dr. Fred Ryan (OH), Hank and Dina Lewis (OH), Kirk Loftin (TX), Sherri Tangsrud (MO), Bill Padovano (IL), Peter Coppens (IL), Terry Zygalinski (CA), and our "local" amateurs from Colorado included Keith Bryant and Robin Lambourn. Ziggy and his able assistant, Adolfo, also provided horses for judges and guests.

We had a slate of excellent judges, and our thanks go out to each of them. Our Open Shooting Dog, Open Derby, and Amateur All-Age stakes were judged by Colin Kennedy (AB) and Peter Coppens (IL). Our Amateur Shooting Dog Championship was judged by Jadie Rayfield (SC) and Rich Robertson, who took over after Drew Bastian was injured. Jadie Rayfield (SC) and Drew Bastian (SC) judged our Open All-Age Championship.

The Hun course gives the judges an opportunity to evaluate a dog's "total package." The cast-off crosses a half mile of rolling short grass prairie before entering the "Hun Habitat," which is a three-mile flowing line of dense willow-lined creek bottom bordered by large mown fields, stands of wild plum thickets and an irrigation ditch with dense grass and shrubs. The new course then heads towards the steep Shooting Dog Draw, allowing the dogs to reach to the slope to the east of the draw and hunt it before rounding the corner at the base of the draw. A right turn at the top takes the dogs along the Upper Rim, where a dog can hunt the rim or search the many pockets below the rim until reaching Suicide Bench, often loaded with large coveys all around its steep edges. The course continues along the Badlands with steep draws, which tend to draw the dogs backward. This demanding course finishes (time permitting) through the High Gate and along the edge to the right until reaching the main road to the Habitat and then flowing through the Habitat and possibly the Ferguson Gate until time is called.

We are grateful for our sponsors. Purina provided financial support and a pallet of Pro Plan for the winning dogs. We also welcome the sponsorship of SportDOG with their generous gifts of excellent training collars and bark collars. Our good friend, Jim Morehouse, continues to generously support our events. Beautiful Hungarian partridge mounts, generous cash prizes, gift cards, Purina product, and SportDOG collars were among the gifts to champions and runners-up. Our good friends, Eldon and Terry Hongo, who own the local Bunkhouse Bar and Grill, kindly gave $50 gift certificates to all champions.

A special thanks to the organizational abilities and hard work of Bobbi Richardson, without whom these trials would not be successful. A big thanks to all the other folks who helped: Joe and Japheth Frauendienst and Ty (bird catching, planting, feeding, and water sled filling); Gary and Chris Kercher (bird planting and organizational details). All participants were grateful to the "dog wagon team": Kaitlin Gaukel, Japheth Frauendienst, and Ty, who booted all dogs with best-in-class boots from Ruff-Wear to protect them from cactus. They also picked up dogs and helped keep us on schedule. Other behind-the-scenes "heavy lifting" was done by Justin Peppers and Brittiny Haberkorn, assisted by Nancy Kutchara.

NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Open Shooting Dog Championship
Judges: Colin Kennedy and Peter Coppens.
Starters: 17 GSPs.
GENERAL COMMENTS BY THE JUDGES
Huns can often be at a premium during the first stake of the trial, but this year, they were plentiful and flew as strongly as wild birds. The cover was good, but birds were often found feeding in the shorter grass, to the surprise of the unsuspecting dogs.
Slate Rock's Mountain Heart (Rommel), handled by Dan DiMambro and owned by James and Andy Dynkiewicz, was named champion.
P W That Was Then This Is Now (Nova), handled by Rich Robertson, owned by Keith and Bobbi Richardson, was named runner-up.
The champion and runner-up came from Brace 7, the first brace of Day 2. The morning was sunny and cool, and both dogs put on a show. They cast off with speed and took direct courses to the front across the prairie and into the Habitat. Both dogs disappeared to the front as they headed into the Ferguson course. Both dogs were found standing at 14 with Nova backing Rommel. After passing through the double gate, Nova took the left willow line, and Rommel took the right side of the course. Both dogs had what looked like a divided find at 23 near the end of Habitat, but after working the dense willow stand, both handlers took an NP and moved on. Both dogs were sent up Derby Draw, with Rommel making a fast, powerful move to the steep bench on the right, flowing through the dense mountain mahogany stands and large rocks as he hunted to the top of the draw and rounded the corner to Suicide Rim where he was found pointing. In the meantime, Nova headed up the left side of the draw, taking a bit longer to get lined out before making a nice move to the top of Chukar Hill and around to Suicide Rim, where she backed Rommel. Both dogs were released. Rommel had a stop-to-flush at 31, and both dogs had stops-to-flush at 34, with Roma dropping down the hill and having a nice find at 37 with Rommel backing her. Nova had her final find on a covey below Cathy's Bench at 49, with Rommel coming in for a back. Both dogs had a strong finish. It was an exciting brace to watch as both dogs were very consistent, always hunting, always to the front, running with speed and power as strongly at the cast-off as at the finish. Their birdwork was flawless as they were presented with some difficult situations. The judges had to split hairs and, in the end, named Rommel champion because of his stronger move up Derby Draw.

Other Notable Performances
Canyon Creek High Tide ("Dylan"), handled by Ray Larrondo and owned by Ray and Tami Larrondo.
Dylan held first place all through Day 1 with nice finds at 22 and 42. She had an excellent shooting dog performance but slowed down during her finish.
Right Stuff's Rock N Roll ("Rock"), handled by Dan DiMambro and owned by Bill Padovano.
Rock had finds at 16 and 45, handling his game nicely and showing plenty of power and speed consistently throughout his race. He was hurt by an extended absence.

Cheyenne, Wyo., September 13
Judges: Peter Coppens and Colin Kennedy
NGSPA HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 17 German Shorthairs
Winner-SLATEROCK'S MOUNTAIN HEART, F1675343, German Shorthair male, by Hi N's Bodacious-Slaterock Mattie Clark. James Dynkiewicz, owner; Dan DiMambro, handler.
Runner-Up-P W THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW, 1685385, German Shorthair female, by Rio's Rising Renegade-P W Extraordinaire. Keith Richardson, owner and handler.

NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Open Derby Classic
Judges: Colin Kennedy and Peter Coppens.
Starters: 11 GSPs.

GENERAL COMMENTS
The derby is run on an out-and-back course from one end of the Habitat to the other, and there are some wide-open vistas so the bigger-ranging dogs can be easily seen. There is no cactus, so the dogs do not need to be booted.
PW Tall Dark and Dashing ("Tallie"), handled by Rich Robertson and owned by Keith and Bobbi Richardson, earned first place.
Chicoree's Willie B Front ("Willie"), handled and owned by Dr. Fred Ryan, earned second place.
Tallie and Willie were braced together in the second brace. Both dogs took off fast and strongly to the front, hunting along the way. They were seen at 10 standing near each other but on separate birds, and both dogs stood through the shots as both handlers fired simultaneously. Tallie had a second nearly broke find and a stop-to-flush, and Willie had a second find. Both dogs looked great on their birds and were nearly broke. They were consistently forward with good ground races, and they hunted the cover. Tallie had a bit better application and range.
Dana Point's Deuces Are Wild ("Deuce"), handled by Dan DiMambro and owned by Arthur Grant, earned third place.
Deuce had a nice race throughout the 30 minutes with no birds. Her ground race was good but not as strong as the first two dogs.

NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Derby. Rich Robertson Jr., Colin Kennedy, Bobbi Richardson, Peter Coppens, Keith Richardson, Dan DiMambro, Ray Larrondo with PW Tall Dark and Dashing, Dr. Fred Ryan with Chicoree's Willie B Front, and April DiMambro with Deuces are Wild.

NGSPA HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE OPEN DERBY CLASSIC - 11 German Shorthairs
1st-PW TALL DARK AND DASHING, F1715698, German Shorthair female, by P W Been There Done That-P W That Was Then This Is Now. Keith & Bobbi Richardson, owners; Rich Robertson, handler.
2d-CHICOREE'S WILLIE B FRONT, 1716795, German Shorthair male, by High Standing Cuttin Edge-Chicoree's Glitter And Gold. Fred Ryan, owner; Dan DiMambro, handler.
3d-DEUCES ARE WILD, unreg., German Shorthair male, by Jagermeisters Rockin Rexinator-Dezasterous Times A Wastin. Arthur Grant, owner; Dan DiMambro, handler.

NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Amateur All-Age Championship
Judges: Colin Kennedy and Peter Coppens.
Starters: 14 GSPs.
Twin Creeks Running Rocky ("Rocky"), handled and owned by Kirk Loftin, was named champion.
In true all-age fashion, Rocky blasted across the prairie and disappeared over the ridge into the Habitat. He was not seen until 9, when he was spotted to the front, hunting the willow line before the double hills. After the handlers passed through the double gate, Rocky was not seen, but his bracemate was found standing at 18. Loftin continued riding to the front and was excited to finally see Rocky on point at the very end of the Habitat at 23. It was the culmination of what could only have been a huge all-age move. In the meantime, his bracemate caught the front and backed Rocky. All was in order, and both dogs were brought to the water troughs and sent up Shooting Dog Draw. Rocky took a direct line to the distant slope leading to Shooting Dog Draw, which he hunted nicely, going on point at 35 in the rocky cover high above the corner. His last find was at 48 along the top of the rim. He went on to work all available cover, including the draws of the Bad Lands, before passing through the High Gate and finishing deep into the Prairie, where he was spotted below Ziggy's trailer at time. During his entire run, Rocky did not use the roads; he was always to the front and he ran with power and all-age range from start to finish. His birdwork was immaculate with high tail and intensity.
Hi N's Curtain Call ("Charlie"), handled and owned by Hank Lewis, was named runner-up.
Charlie cast off across the prairie to the Habitat, where he was briefly seen and did not show up again until he was found on point at 13 above the depression before the double hills. The Huns were quickly put into the air, and manners were perfect. His next find was at 23 at the plum thicket one-quarter mile from the end of the Habitat. He was watered and sent towards Shooting Dog Draw, where he had a find at 33 at the corner of the draw. He coursed well to the front all the way around the upper rim until breaching the High Gate and continuing through the prairie for a strong finish. Charlie's birdwork was exquisite, with a high tail and exemplary intensity, and his run showed consistent power and range. His use of the roads detracted from his performance.

Other Notable Performances
Chicoree's Glitter and Gold ("Glitz"), handled and owned by Dr. Fred Ryan, was braced with the champion. She had a strong cast off across the prairie and disappeared into the Habitat, where she was not seen until spotted on point at 18. She possessed wonderful style and bird work. She had a back at 38 where she took a few steps during the flush and was picked up. Until that time, she was looking really good.

NGSPA HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE AMATEUR ALL-AGE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 14 German Shorthairs
Winner-TWIN CREEKS RUNNING ROCKY, F1685652, German Shorthair male, by Twin Creeks Running Ruger-P J Wildfire's Little Lexi. Kirk Loftin, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-HI N'S CURTAIN CALL, F1687995, German Shorthair male, by Hi N's Bodacious-Hi N's Hasty Matilda. Hank Lewis, owner and handler.

NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Amateur Shooting Dog Championship
Judges: Jadie Rayfield and Rich Robertson.
Starters: 16 GSPs.

GENERAL COMMENTS
Early in the running of this stake, our judge, Drew Bastian, had a horse wreck and was taken to the hospital in Cheyenne to make sure he was okay. In the meantime, Rich Robertson was selected to finish judging the stake for Drew. It turned out that Drew was OK, but the two days off were good therapy, and he returned to the judge's saddle for the Open All-Age. It was a tough stake because of the difficulty of the birds. The weather was good, and the Huns were often out in the open around a corner where the dogs couldn't see them until it was too late. The Huns were very explosive and didn't take much pressure to fly; it was too much pressure for many of the dogs to handle.
Hi N's Curtain Call ("Charlie"), handled and owned by Hank Lewis, was named champion.
Charlie ran in the second brace of the first day when Drew Bastian was still judging. Throughout his performance he showed himself to be a very intelligent dog, hunting every minute of the hour with birds on his mind. He was mindful of his handler and was beautiful on his birds. On the cast-off, he stayed front until dropping into the Habitat, where he hunted his way along the willow line the entire way through the Habitat. Near the end, at 25, he had a really showy find, and immediately after being released, he had a picture-perfect natural back. Charlie continued forward up Shooting Dog Draw and along the upper bench, where he was lost to the front for a while. Scout and handler worked their way forward searching all of the likely cover without finding him. He was eventually spotted deep in the cover at the bottom of a steep draw for what the judge described as a "dinger"--one of those best in-stake finds that sets a dog apart. Handler produced a covey of over 10 birds, and Charlie's manners were perfect. He had a strong finish through the High Gate. Overall, Charlie exhibited a consistent, powerful run with solid shooting range.

Uodibar's Robbi Jo ("Robbi"), handled by Kirk Loftin and owned by Sherri Tangsrud, was named runner-up.
Robbi had four finds at 33, 45, 51, and 57, all with good style and manners. She had a good forward race and handled nicely. She lost some time in the Habitat where she was gone for a while but showed near the spot where the judge saw her go in. She hunted the cover nicely and had a good forward race handling kindly throughout, with good shooting dog range. She didn't match the power and range of the Champion.

HONORABLE MENTION
Windjammers Gemma ("Gemma"), owned and handled by Terry Zygalinski,
had a really nice run. She was forward and hunted the cover intelligently with good shooting dog range, and the handler let her "do her thing" without any need to hack or scout. She stayed off the roads and was always seen searching for birds. She backed her bracemate but had to be "whoa'ed" into it, and she loosened up a bit while the handler was flushing out of sight. Judges weighed these against Robbi's absence. Gemma was a "hair's width" from winning the runner-up title.

NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Amateur Shooting Dog Championship. Rich Robertson Jr., Jadie Rayfield, Kirk Loftin, Keith Richardson, Drew Bastian, Ali Bastain, Dr. Fred Ryan Hi N's Curtain Call and Sherri Tangsrud with Uodibar's Robbi Jo.

Judges: Jadie Rayfield and Rich Robertson Jr.
NGSPA HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 16 German Shorthairs
Winner-HI N'S CURTAIN CALL, F1687995, German Shorthair male, by Hi N's Bodacious-Hi N's Hasty Matilda. Hank Lewis, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-UODIBAR'S ROBBI JO, F1662507, German Shorthair female, by Uodibar's Against All Odds-B D K's Sin City Casino. Sherri Tangsrud, owner; Kirk Loftin, handler.

NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Open All-Age Championship
Judges: Jadie Rayfield and Drew Bastian.
Starters: 16 GSPs.

GENERAL COMMENTS BY THE JUDGES
This was a high-quality all-age stake. There were four dogs that were worthy of being named champion, except for the dogs that ran before them. It was a difficult course, with the dogs having to "beat the prairie" to show a good finish. They all showed strong all-age races with plenty of endurance. They showed consistent power throughout the hour with strong finishes. However, the two placing dogs "owned the course" with two brilliant performances. They exhibited excellent rapport with their handlers, and they had "no quit" in them. The judges were also impressed with the quality of the trial and the people involved. Everything flowed smoothly and on time. Meals were outstanding and the booting of the dogs was fast and flawless. They observed that the dogs were unaffected by the boots.

P W Race to the Front ("Raycee"), handled by Rich Robertson and owned by Keith and Bobbi Richardson, was named champion.
Raycee immediately grabbed the eye of the judges with her ground speed and the direct line she took from cast-off, disappearing over the hill several minutes ahead of the handlers and judges. No other dog matched this start. She remained unseen due to her distance to the front until she was finally spotted after handlers passed through the double gate. She was briefly seen on the south side of the habitat willow line to the distant front. She crossed back to the inside (north) of the line and was seen on point at 25 at the far end of the Habitat. Handler produced the bird after taking only a few steps into the cover, and her manners were perfect and intense with no letdown. After watering, she again took a fast, direct line to the base of Shooting Dog Draw, where she disappeared into the cover and was found on point by the handler, with a covey of birds running all around her. She handled this difficult situation beautifully. After release, she was immediately out of sight until five minutes later; she was briefly seen working the cover on Chukar Hill, where she disappeared again. She was seen working the draws in the Badlands, and a glimpse of her was caught as she passed through the High Gate, where she finished at the end of the course. Every cast was a huge all-age move, and she was mindful of her handler who merely sang and road. She ran with birds on her mind from start to finish with no use of the roads. By all measures, Raycee put on a true all-age show.

Chicoree's Riden High Trixie ("Trixie"), handled by Dan DiMambro and owned by Rondal Alexander, was named runner-up.
Trixie ran in the third brace of the first day and made a huge opening cast, making a move that no other dog had made. She coursed to the right, working the hillside above the Habitat before she dropped into it, taking the willow line. She was spotted far to the front a few times while working the cover until she was seen on point near the end of the Habitat. The birds proved elusive, and the handler could not produce them despite a snappy relocation.
Her next move was a speedy line to Shooting Dog Draw, where she worked the cover before moving up the draw. She was seen periodically as she worked the edge of the steep plateau. A judge spotted her pointed on a steep edge, and she exhibited excellent manners and style. She rolled on through the Badlands and the High Gate and finished strong deep into the prairie. Throughout her run, Trixie possessed consistent all-age range, power, and endurance, handling exceptionally well for Dan, requiring no hacking and very little scouting. She was hunting throughout her brace, refusing to take the roads, and had a huge finish. The judges agreed that she had set the bar, but she was edged out by Raycee who ran in the next brace. Both dogs ran in the heat with a very strong wind.

NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Open All-Age Championship. Rich Robertson Jr., Bobbi Richardson, Keith Richardson, Jadie Rayfield, Dan DiMambro, Drew Bastian, Ali Bastian, Ray Larrondo with P W Race to the Front and April DiMambro with Chicoree's Riden High Trixie.

Judges: Drew Bastian and Jadie Rayfield
NGSPA HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE OPEN ALL-AGE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 16 German Shorthairs
Winner-P W RACE TO THE FRONT, F1669441, German Shorthair female, by Slicks Cuttin Wild-P W Fast Forward. Keith & Bobbi Richardson, owners; Rich Robertson Jr., handler.
Runner-Up-CHICOREE'S RIDEN HIGH TRIXIE, F1685125, German Shorthair female, by Riden High Rudy-Chicoree's Sparkle In Her Eye. Rondal Alexander, owner; Dan DiMambro, handler.

NGSPA Region 8 Championships
Keith Richardson
The Region 8 Championship was a success, with a good entry in all stakes and participants from all over. Most of the competitors also attended the NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Championship that was held previously.
The venue is not only scenic but also provides great objectives for dogs to hunt and display their ability to find and handle difficult game birds. The course is unlike any other in the country. The cast-off is over several hundred yards of prairie to Suicide Hill, named for the large number of birds inhabiting it and the fact that most infractions may be seen one-quarter mile away. Then, around the hill's base, there is a cove defined by the steep escarpment of a curving high bench about a mile long with a steep escarpment holding large rocks and dense shrub cover. We pass Derby Draw, which cuts through the high bench, and continue along the bottom of the escarpment until heading up at Shooting Dog Draw. We climb to the top of the bench and spend 15 to 20 minutes hunting the upper brushy edges of this steep chukar habitat anchored by the extensive rim along Suicide Bench. The next leg offers a run through the prairie on the left or a steep series of draws on the right known as the Badlands. The High Gate is entered, and the dog finishes on the prairie, but time permitting, the dogs may be brought into the Habitat heading west towards the cast-off. The finish allows the judges to clearly observe the stamina and range of the dogs.
During their run, the dogs will experience running coveys, large explosive covey flushes of 20 or more chukar, with birds flying back over their heads, and concentrations of "old" scent left by recent coveys that have flown off. The birds are healthy, young, and strong fliers. Any dog that completes this course is ready for Eureka, a few weeks away!
We were pleased to have had several pros in attendance: Dan DiMambro and Rich Robertson. We missed Josh Nieman who has rearranged his Championship schedule. We were also happy to welcome a number of amateurs: Keith Bryant (CO), Brandon Blum (CO), Robin Lambourn (CO), Kirk Loftin (TX), Shari Tangsrud (MO), Hank and Dina Lewis (OH), and Ray and Tami Larrondo (ID). We were happy to see Diane Crabbs (WY), who was a big help in the kitchen. Terry Zygalinski (CA) and his prot g , Alfonzo, brought horses for the judges and gallery.
We had excellent judges, but due to last-minute cancellations, we really appreciate John Bonner offering to judge all of our broke dog stakes. He was very attentive and a pleasure to have around. Rich Robertson and Terry Zygalinski, very experienced judges, stepped up to help us.
We are grateful to our sponsors. Purina provided financial support and a pallet of Pro Plan for the winning dogs. Their support of the Purina Handler of the Year program is also very important, as contenders often travel to championships hoping to earn points. We encouraged all contestants to feed Purina. We also welcome the sponsorship of SportDOG with training collars and bark collars. Cash purses, gift certificates, Purina food, and SportDOG collars made up the offering of prizes.

A special thanks to the organizational abilities and hard work of Keith and Bobbi Richardson. A big thanks to the other folks who helped: Joe Frauendienst and Japheth Frauendienst (many tasks including catching and planting birds), Gary and Chris Kercher (bird planter and paperwork). Marya Kirchner prepared the best lunches and dinners at any field trial in the country. Diane Crabbs was a big help to Marya. Our ranch crew helped in many ways, often unseen but always with a smile: Justin Peppers, Brittiny Haberkorn, and Nancy Kutchara. Kaitlin Guakel was indispensable as the official dog booter and dog wagon operator.

NGSPA Region 8 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship
Judges: John Bonner and Rich Robertson.
Starters: 16 GSPs.
B M B's Madison Avenue ("Madison"), owned and handled by Brandon Blum, was named champion.
Madison ran in the first brace of Day 2. She quickly reached Suicide Hill where she had a find at 3 and was solid with no movement and a high tail. She had a divided find at 10 in the depression before Derby Draw with all in order. She then hunted the cover in the hills and worked her way up to the rim, where she had a find at 16. Handler produced a big covey of chukar that ran all around Madison and then flushed like little rockets. Madison remained solid and intense with perfect manners. They dropped back down to the course, and she had another find at the top of Shooting Dog Draw. Her fourth find was at 32 further along the rim, and everything was good. After Madison was released, she worked the draws of the Badlands and entered the prairie through the High Gate. She had a big finish, but before time at 56, she was down in the Habitat working her way up the hill when Brandon rode up some birds that flushed over her head. She immediately froze for a perfect stop-to-flush. She had a strong finish past Cathy's Bench, hunting the rim. Brandon did a nice job handling Madison. He simply rode in front of the judges at a steady distance and pace with little vocalization. Madison ran a perfect shooting dog race. She was always to the front maintaining a consistent fast pace with appropriate range. Birds were her focus, and she hunted the cover intelligently without using the roads. All in all, Madison ran an attractive shooting dog race with outstanding birdwork, clearly earning her the championship.

Uodibar's Robbi Jo ("Robbi"), handled by Kirk Loftin and owned by Sherri Tangsrud, was named runner-up.
This was two years in a row that Robbi earned runner-up. Her first find was on Suicide Hill at 5, with excellent manners and style. Her second find was in the depression before Derby Draw at 10. She crossed the draw, went around Chukar Hill, and hunted the steep escarpment, climbing to the top for her third find at 20. After her excellent birdwork, she was taken back to the bottom, where she had a back at 27 at the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. Her fourth find was on the upper rim at 33. She was sent on and Robbi was out of sight for a while and was found standing deep in the draw at the end of Suicide Bench for her fifth find. After a nice piece of birdwork, she worked the Badlands and passed through the High Gate. She had a nice finish past Cathy's Bench along the rim. During her run, Robbi applied herself very nicely to the cover. The handler needed to handle her hard at times, especially to turn her, which detracted from her performance. Otherwise, her run was very close to that of the Champion.

OTHER WORTHY PERFORMANCES
Canyon Creek High Tide ("Dylan"), handled by Ray Larrondo and owned by Ray and Tami Larrondo, and BMB's Supernova ("Nova"), handled by Brandon Blum and owned by Tim Heydorff and Karen Bravender.
Dylan and Nova were braced together, and they both caught the attention of the judges as they continued to run "neck and neck" for the whole hour. Both handled kindly, with the handlers holding a good pace in front of the judges. Their range and power were of solid shooting dog quality, and they both had challenging birdwork and handled it well with nice style. All four dogs were pretty equal on the ground. The main difference was that the placing dogs had a bit more birdwork.

NGSPA Region 8 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship. John Bonner, Brandon Blum, Rich Robertson Jr., Keith Richardson, Kirk Loftin, Adolfo Gamboa with B M B's Madison Avenue, and Sherri Tangsrud with Uodibar's Robbi Jo.

Cheyenne, Wyo., September 23
Judges: John Bonner and Rich Robertson
NGSPA REGION 8 AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 16 German Shorthairs
Winner-B M B'S MADISON AVE, F1670283, German Shorthair female, by Trueblu's B D K Ace Inthe Hole-Time To Pay the Piper. Brandon Blum, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-UODIBAR'S ROBBI JO, F1662507, German Shorthair female, by Uodibar's Against All Odds-B D K's Sin City Casino. Sherri Tangsrud, owner; Kirk Loftin, handler.

NGSPA Region 8 Open All-Age Championship
Judges: John Bonner and Terry Zygalinski.
Starters: 19 GSPs.
P W Race to the Front ("Raycee"), handled by Rich Robertson and owned by Keith and Bobbi Richardson, was named champion.
Raycee ran in the first brace and quickly set the bar for the stake. On the cast-off she went around the bottom of Suicide Hill and had her first find at the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. In between, she was seen periodically at a great distance, working quickly through the cover. Her second find was along the rim at 24, and after release, she sped around the rim and was seen briefly on Chukar Hill, where she dropped down and climbed back up the base of Derby Draw and was spotted pointing her third covey around the corner of Suicide Bench at 33. All three pieces of birdwork were flawless, with intense high head and tail and no letdown. She took the difficult path through the Badlands and was pointed out briefly as she passed through the High Gate into the prairie. When the handler got to that spot, he was able to point her way out on the right of the prairie, where she dropped into the Habitat, worked her way forward, and was seen at time along the far fence. It was a huge, powerful finish with no reduction in speed, range, or power throughout her race. Her run was all-age in its entirety, and all the handler needed to do was ride and sing. He never blew the whistle nor in any way had to push her along.
B M B's Free Ride ("Lewey"), handled and owned by Brandon Blum, was named runner-up.
Lewey took a direct line to Suicide Hill when he was cast off and was rewarded with a find at 4. His manners were perfect with great style, and after being sent on he was seen pointed in the Hun Habitat. The handler could not produce the birds after a long time trying and sent him on a relocation. Lewey finally found the birds, and all was in order. His third find was on the rim above Shooting Dog Draw at 33, and his fourth find was at the far end of Suicide Bench. Lewey had a big finish and ended the hour with his fifth find in the draw below Cathy's Bench at 58. All Lewey's birdwork was flawless and he ran the course from start to finish with consistent speed and power despite a very strong wind. His range was all-age but less than that of the champion. Brandon and Lewey were well connected, with Brandon riding and remaining quiet while Lewey put on a show.

Judges: John Bonner and Terry Zygalinski
NGSPA REGION 8 OPEN ALL-AGE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 19 German Shorthairs
Winner- P W RACE TO THE FRONT, F1669441, German Shorthair female, by Slick's Cuttin Wild-P W Fast Forward. Keith & Bobbi Richardson, owners; Rich Robertson Jr., handler.
Runner-Up-B M B'S FREE RIDE, F1660979, German Shorthair male, by Kimber Tactical-Time To Pay The Piper. Brandon Blum, owner and handler.

NGSPA Region 8 Open Shooting Dog Championship
Judges: John Bonner and Terry Zygalinski.
Starters: 15 GSPs
Chicoree's Four Leaf Clover ("Chloe"), handled by Dan DiMambro and owned by Dr. Fred Ryan, was named champion.
Chloe ran as a bye-dog in the second brace of the second day. She headed to Suicide Hill and worked the lower area before moving on. She continued to work the steep hillside cover of dense mountain mahogany and large rocks as she hunted, staying to the front. Her first find was at 18 on Chukar Hill on the other side of Derby Draw. She looked beautiful with a high head and tail and was rock steady throughout. She went on to have her second find at 26 on the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. It was a nice covey of running birds, and her style was perfect. Her third find was on the corner of Suicide Bench above Derby Draw at 32, and her fourth find was on the far side of the Bench at 36. All of her finds demonstrated beautiful style and intensity. She passed through the High Gate with 11 minutes left to run in the prairie, where she finished strong. During her run, Chloe kept in touch with her handler and flowed around the course with eye-catching grace, never using the roads. She required very little handling or scouting and ran a classic shooting dog race.
Heaven Scent's Red Raider ("Raider"), handled by Dan DiMambro and owned by Cary and Linda Waterhouse, was named runner-up.
Raider ran in the last brace of the first day. Raider's first find was at the point before Shooting Dog Draw at 16. Manners and style were impressive. He then worked the rim, hunting the cover nicely, and had a UP at 32 at the corner, beginning Suicide Bench. Raider hunted the rest of Suicide Bench and dropped into the Badlands, which he rolled through before breaching the High Gate, where he finished with a strong run through the prairie, cresting the ridge by Cathy's Bench and dropping into the Habitat where time was called. Raider handled kindly with very little scouting and had a consistent shooting dog race with excellent application to the course. His stamina was impressive, with no letdown at the end.

NGSPA REGION 8 OPEN SHOOTING DOG [One-Hour Heats] - 15 German Shorthairs
Winner-CHICOREE'S FOUR LEAF CLOVER, F1706674, German Shorthair female, by Twin Creeks Running Rocky-Hi N's Allison Miranda. Fred Ryan, owner; Dan DiMambro, handler.
Runner-Up-HEAVEN SCENT'S RED RAIDER, R335-530, German Shorthair male, by Jauch's Ace In The Hole-Heaven cent's Ocho Mojo. Cary & Linda Waterhouse, owners; Dan DiMambro, handler.

NGSPA Region 8 Open Shooting Dog Championship: Dan DiMambro, John Bonner, Linda Waterhouse, Terry Zygalinski, Keith Richardson, April DiMambro with Chicoree's Four Leaf Clover, and Cary Waterhouse with Heaven Scent's Red Raider.