Event: Sunflower Open All-Age Classic
Result: Kansas Championship Association

Location: Blue Mountain, Mississippi

Post Date: Jan 2, 2025

Submitted By: Rachel Russell

Sunflower Open All-Age (l-r): Rachel and David Russell, Mike Lemons (scout) with Haney's Hurricane Seeker, Kirk Loftin (judge), Jarrett Bell with Allison Bell (wife and scout) with B G K's Luke, Sherri Tangsrud (judge), Gary Lester, Korry Rinehart (scout) with Lester's War Bird, Kyle Graves, Amber Swords, Mattie Jo Curtis with daughter Mary Lou, Anniston Russell, Luke Rinehart, and Joe Don House.

The Sunflower Classic Open All-Age and Derby field trial ran November 2-4. It is the middle trial in a series of three back-to-back open stakes at Hell Creek WMA in Blue Mountain, Mississippi, hosted by David and Rachel Russell and Billy K. Blackwell. The Hell Creek Open runs prior and the Kentucky Lake Open begins at the conclusion. We were blessed with 22 all-age entries and 23 derby entries to be judged by Kirk Loftin and Sherri Tangsrud of Mack's Creek, Missouri. We had a great gallery turnout, as this trial fell on the weekend, and we enjoyed seeing new faces, young and old! We would like to thank our judges for their commitment, the handlers and owners for supporting our trial, MDWFP for allowing us to use their beautiful grounds, and Greg Blair with Purina for his sponsorship; we were able to gift all of the winners with their choice of Purina dog food and provide engraved gifts!

We would like to congratulate the winners of the Sunflower Classic Open All-Age: Haney's Hurricane Seeker, owned and handled by David Russell of Como, Mississippi; B G K's Luke, owned and handled by Jarrett Bell of Troy, Missouri; and Lester's War Bird, owned and handled by Gary Lester of Gracey, Kentucky.

We would like to congratulate the winners of the Sunflower Classic Open Derby: Sunset Sam Houston, owned by Matthew and Stacy Brown of St. Louis, Missouri, and handled by Ike Todd of Dancyville, Tennessee; Beeler's Rex, owned by Gordy Jones of Draper, Utah, and handled by Ike Todd; and Southern Pioneer, owned by Chris Peek of Albany, Georgia, and handled by Gary Lester.

We started the Sunflower Open Classic All-Age under cloudy skies at 7:59 a.m. on November 2 at 50 degrees. The excitement started early with Miller's Speed Dial, handled by Randy Anderson, scoring a find at 08. He went on to have other finds at 31 right past lime pile alongside Hell Creek and 45 in the second field down from the old house on the right. His bracemate, Southern Thunder, handled by Tom Shenker, backed at 08 and then picked up after two unproductives. Haney's Hurricane Seeker, owned and handled by David Russell, went through the cut in the first field down from the old house and was found to the front when the horses came through the pines after the first road crossing. Soon after, he had his first find at 30 in the field before the pines by the church and was found standing at 55 at the end of mile-long bottom on the left. He finished nearly out of sight in the mile long bottom.

His bracemate, Touch's Fire Away, handled by Randy Anderson, had a find at :40 in the field past the silos before we went on to have a back at 55 and was picked up for a breach of manners. B G K's Luke, handled by Jarrett Bell, was turned loose for the third brace and seen rounding the second field before going out of sight. He was found pointed in the cut at the end of the pines before crossing Hell Creek and scored a find at 20. He went on to have a beautiful all-age race and finished to the front alongside his bracemate, Painted Owyhee Breeze, handled by Bridget Ledington.

The afternoon brace turned loose at 1:35 p.m. under sunny skies and 74 degrees with a slight breeze. Lester's Shockwave, handled by Gary Lester, had a find at 28 beside the rock pile alongside Hell Creek, 42 in the second field down from the old house after the first creek crossing and 57 just past the silos. He finished the hour unlike his bracemate, Late Hit, handed by Tom Shenker, who was picked up in the mile-long bottom at 35. Luke, handled by Jarrett Bell, and Quail Woods Pine, handled by Randy Anderson, scored a divided find in the field on the other side of the pines by the church at 24. Luke went on to have another find at 32 before dropping into the bottom before the second road crossing behind the old house. Both dogs finished the brace. Como Thunder, handled by David Russell, and Ascension, handled by Korry Rinehart, had the last brace of the day. Ascension had a find at 38 in the second field after crossing the creek, and both dogs finished the hour. On the second day of running, we turned loose at 7:45 a.m. under partly sunny skies at 70 degrees. Coldwater Crackerjack, handled by Gary McKibben, and Full Ride, handled by Randy Anderson, had the first course. Full Ride was picked up in the mile-long bottom and Crackerjack finished the hour birdless.

The second brace started off with a bang with a divided find for Lester's War Bird, handled by Gary Lester, and Coldwater Odyssey, handled by Gary McKibben for Weldon Bennett. Odyssey was picked up at 17 and Lester's War Bird went on to have a find at 43 at the road crossing behind the old house before finishing the brace close to the clubhouse. I'm Gallant, handled by Randy Anderson, ran as a bye-dog because Coldwater War Cry, handled by Weldon Bennett, scratched. I'm Gallant glided around the third course, and Anderson showed feathers at 22 when he was unable to produce birds at a find. He finished the brace. We turned the afternoon brace loose at 1:00 p.m. at 81 degrees. It was windy, sunny, and warm as Lester's Storm Surge scored three finds before finishing the brace by the silos...in the pines across the first road crossing at 18, in the cut at the mile-long bottom at 38, and in the second field down from the house at 44. His bracemate, Whippoorwill Vette, handled by Larry Huffman, was picked up at 20. Bonner's Bulletproof, handled by Randy Anderson, and Miller's King Post, handled by Gary Lester, turned loose at the old house. Both dogs were picked up at :05 for a breach of manners.

The Derby stake began immediately following the conclusion of the all-age at the old house with Bud, handled by Gary Lester. Randy Anderson scratched Cour's Open Fire and Cour's Open Angel, so Bud ran as a bye-dog. Bud had a find in the second field down from the house at :05 and then went on to have an unproductive at the silos at 27 before finishing the brace. The last brace of the day consisted of a beautiful ground performance by Southern Pioneer, handled by Gary Lester. Both he and his bracemate, Arkansas Headliner, finished the brace.

We turned loose at 7:30 a.m. under windy conditions and overcast skies at 70 degrees for the final day of the trial. Erin's Katie Elder, handled by Korry Rinehart, had a find at 15 in the pines, and Southern Shadow's Sarge, handled by Ike Todd, backed. Both dogs finished the brace at the rock pile alongside Hell Creek. Haney's Slim, handled by Ike Todd, had a find at the gravel pit before both dogs finished the brace. Two out of three finds were scored by Dijohn's Buck in the third hour, handled by Ike Todd, who moved up because of a scratch and ran alongside "Sue," handled by Joe Don House. "Bob," handled by Gary Lester, and Dijohn's Rick, handled by Ike Todd, completed the fourth brace of the day birdless. Jack, handled by Gary Lester, and Brown's Sam, handled by Ike Todd, had a divided find at 12 before the Pines before Sam went on to glide around the edges of the third course and had another find in the first field on the left at the gap just across Hell Creek and another find at pick up just past the second Hell Creek crossing. Headed back towards the clubhouse for a lunch break, Ike Todd handled Beeler's Rex alongside Larry Huffman, who handled Intensive Aint She Purty. Rex scored a find at 25 to top off a beautiful, forward race in the field before the last Hell Creek crossing, and both dogs finished the brace. Korry Rinehart handled Haney's Live Wire alongside Ike Todd, who handled Desoto's Kane in the first brace after lunch. "Rue," handled by Joe Don House, had two finds before he and his bracemate, Haney's Bill, handled by Ike Todd, finished the eighth brace of the day. Brown's Cap, handled by Ike Todd, and Intensive Big N Fancy, handled by Larry Huffman, ran in the ninth and final brace of the trial.

Blue Mountain, Miss., November 2
Judges: Kirk Loftin and Sherri Tangsrud
SUNFLOWER OPEN ALL-AGE CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 22 Pointers
1st-HANEY'S HURRICANE SEEKER, F1698759, pointer male, by Ransom-Haney's North Star. David Russell, owner and handler.
2d-B G K'S LUKE, F1690405, pointer male, by Dunn's Tried'n True-The White Pearl. Jarrett D. Bell, owner and handler.
3d-LESTER'S WAR BIRD, F1705485, pointer male, by Lester's Storm Surge-R W Susie Q. Gary Lester, owner and handler.

OPEN DERBY - 22 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-SUNSET SAM HOUSTON, F1705535, pointer male, by Lester's Storm Surge-Purpleline Sally. Matthew & Stacey Brown, owners; Ike Todd, handler.
2d-BEELER'S MASTER DESIGN, 1717898, pointer male, by Haney's Silver Dollar-Bandit's Hill Lady. Gordy Jones, owner; Ike Todd, handler.
3d-SOUTHERN PIONEER, F1718759, pointer male, by Bonner's Hot Rize-Orton's High Cotton. Chris Peek, owner; Gary Lester, handler.

Open Derby (l-r): David Russell with daughter Olivia Russell, Matthew Brown, Isaiah Todd (scout) with Brown's Sam, Kirk Loftin (judge), Sherri Tangsrud (judge), Ike Todd with Beeler's Rex, Gary Lester, Kyle Graves (scout) with Southern Pioneer, Mr. Jack, Allison and Jarrett Bell, and Brian Peterson.