Result: Peninsula Bird Hunters Club

Location: Ahoskie, North Carolina

Post Date: Feb 6, 2025

Submitted By: Ashby Morgan

Amateur Puppy (front): Back Creek Roxy with Steve Graham and Kirk's Ray of Joy with Kirk Regensburg. (Standing): Cliff Monroe (judge), Tony Bingham (judge), Barbel Fetkoter, Gary Winall, Ashby Morgan, Ellen Winall, Sharon Townley, and Phil Townley.

The Peninsula Bird Hunters Club held its field trial at Dr. Aubrey Morgan's Cutawhiskie Farm in Ahoskie, North Carolina, on Saturday, December 7, 2024. The grounds were covered with frost, indicative of the cold morning temperature of 19 F at the start of the bird dog competition. With an anticipated full day of braces for Amateur Puppy, Open Derby, and Amateur Shooting Dogs, an early decision was made to run the course forward and backward to optimize the best use of time for the handlers and judges.

Many familiar competitors presented with great dogs to showcase the sport. The field trial schedule included two Amateur Puppy braces, two Open Derby braces, and 10 Amateur Shooting Dog braces. It was an even Setter/Pointer field for the Amateur Puppy, three Setters and one Pointer in the Open Derby, and 10 Setters and nine Pointers in the Amateur Shooting Dog competition.

We want to thank the following people for their participation in making this another successful field trial:
Purina -- for their sponsorship and for providing valuable coupons for their quality dog food.
Grounds -- Virginia Amateur Field Trial Association, the late Aubrey Morgan, Barbel Fetkoter, Gary Winall, Ellen Clements, and everyone who helps to keep this place in such great shape for the bird program and field trials.
Bird Planters -- Matthew Flanders and Barbel Fetkoter.
Dog Wagon Drivers -- Steve Moore and Steve Graham.
Judges -- Mr. Cliff Monroe and Mr. Tony Bingham of North Carolina for their experience in judging and spending hours mounted on their horses in the frigid temperature while taking a good look at all the four-legged contestants.
Thanks to Lee Flanders, Matthey Flanders, Barbel, Sharon Townley, and all who contributed to the wonderful fish fry, soft crabs, hushpuppies, and oyster stew lunch.

Amateur Puppy
Handler Steve Graham entered the puppy brace with English Setter female "Roxy" (Karen Graham, owner) and paired against Kirk Regensburg's Pointer male "Kelly" for a quick first work of the course to start the day. The young dogs demonstrated future potential with a strong launch at the start and taking direction from their handlers as they ran consistently ahead. Roxy would capture the first-place prize for the Amateur Puppy competition for the day.

Ahoskie, N. C., December 7 - One Course
Judges: Tony Bingham and Cliff Monroe
AMATEUR PUPPY - 2 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st-BACK CREEK ROXY, F1712014, setter female, by Grouse Hill Bullet Proof-Shady Hills Panda Bear. Karen Graham, owner; Steve Graham, handler.
2d-KIRK'S RAY OF JOY, F1714961, pointer male, by Rocky River Loaded-Sadie Ridge Sally. Kirk Regensburg, owner and handler.

Open Derby
The first of two braces for the Open Derby began with a definite emphasis on leading the start of the forward course with a desire to find birds. Steve Moore's English Setter female "Jade" was the first to find a small covey of birds in the back right corner of the course. The covey launched when the handler approached the dog on point. Lee Flanders' Pointer female "Kate" proceeded to show a find and strong point later in the course.
The second brace displayed a first run of the reverse course with David Huffine's English Setter male "Slick" demonstrating a strong launch at the beginning of the course with a quick find at now the start of the run. Slick held strong with a confident point and steady to flush and shot. This find was followed by a second point later in the course, leading to a first-place prize for the Open Derby contestant. The derby dogs were fun to watch, with anticipation of more to come from these dogs as they transition to amateur shooting dogs in the future.

OPEN DERBY - 2 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-SWEET GRASS SLICK, F1706149, setter male, by Shagtime Max-Shagtime Zee. David Huffine, owner and handler.
2d-WALNUT TREE ALLIE [Placement Voided].

Amateur Shooting Dog
The first of the Amateur Shooting Dog braces began with another one of David Huffine's Sweet Grass competitors, English Setter male "Skipper," against Verlene Stephenson's Pointer male "Heart."

The second Amateur Shooting Dog brace would later prove to be the one to have witnessed with Jameson Crandall's English Setter male "Hawk" against Sharon Townley's English Setter's female "Ness." Hawk demonstrated big forward movement with two solid finds along the course. Hawk finished well with a big forward move toward the pond to end the brace with confidence.

The third brace included familiar owner/handler Ashby Morgan with his English Setter female "Charmer." His competitor was Pointer male "Bo," handled by Tyler Wolf (Dennis Kivikko, owner). Certainly, the need for horseback scouts was apparent on the course, with wide-running dogs and a lot of land to cover. Fortunately, there were many scouts available to track the dogs and allow the handlers to reel them back in and proceed to follow the course.
Up next was another Huffine's English Setter male, "Skeeter," and Crandall's second competitor, Pointer male, "Jake." The search for birds continued to be challenging for the dogs as the field of competitors and spectators continued to bear the cold temperatures and wind chill. Skeeter proved to demonstrate a strong performance on the course with a productive find and confident lead to the end.

Three more braces proceeded to complete ahead of the break for lunch.
Stephenson's second competitor, Pointer male "Ace," faced the course against Hastey's Pointer female "Dolly." This brace was followed by Morgan's Pointer male Big Stuff and Huffine's Setter female "Scout." Bird finds continued to be evident with quick work proving to complete the course with time to spare in some instances. The seventh brace included both Regensburg and Townley's second competitors for the day -- Pointer female Bess versus English Setter male Blake, respectively. Another small covey find was part of this run with Blake's point to highlight a flush of several birds.

The lunch break allowed for great food, conversation, and warmth among the competitors and observers of the event.

The eighth brace was Huffine's final competitor for the day -- English Setter male "Slim" against Flanders' English Setter male "Jack." Slim performed well for his handler/owner, completing the course as a strong second-place finisher for the day's Amateur Shooting Dog competition. Slim pushed forward with strength and drive from start to finish.

Brace nine included two mature competitors in Steve Graham's English Setter female "Lucy" against Pointer male "Louie" handled by Wolf (Dennis Kivikko, owner).

The final brace was a solo run with Flanders' final competitor, Pointer female "Molly."
Cutawhiskie Farm always provides an environment that fosters competition with a healthy presentation of the ongoing natural preservation of birds for the love of this sport. Despite the cold temperatures, we all endured and enjoyed a fun day full of competitive ambiance and camaraderie.

Open Derby (front): Sweet Grass Slick with David Huffine, Walnut Tree Allie with Lee Flanders, and Wayside Jade with Steve Moore. (Standing): Cliff Monroe (judge), Tony Bingham (judge), Barbel Fetkoter, Gary Winall, Ashby Morgan, Sharon Townley, Phil Townley, and Julie Moore (reporter).

AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG - 9 Pointers and 10 Setters
1st-PINEKONE RAPPATOMAC HAWK, F1699732, setter male, by Erin's Big Casino-Mohawk Mill Charmer. Jameson Crandall, owner and handler.
2d-SWEET GRASS SLIM, F1685332, setter male, by Sterlingworth Jack-Sandland Miracle Maggie. David Huffine, owner and handler.
3d-SWEET GRASS SKEETER, F1693872, setter male, by Sweet Grass Slim-Seranoa's Glimpse of Glory. David Huffine, owner and handler.

Amateur Shooting Dog (front): Jameson Crandall with Pinekone Rappatomac Hawk, John Outlaw with Sweet Grass Slim, and Sweet Grass Skeeter with David Huffine. (Standing, l-r): Steve Moore (judge), Tony Bingham (judge), Cliff Monroe, Lee Flanders, Barbel Fetkoter, Gary Winall Ashby Morgan, Ellen Winall Sharon Townley, and Phil Townley.