Result: National Vizsla Association National Quail Championships

Location: Cutler, Illinois

Post Date: Feb 12, 2025

Submitted By: Robert Tomczak

NVA National Open Quail Championship (back): Todd Peterson, Jim Lawless (judge), Robert Tomczak, Ron Chenoweth, Bill Elliott, Ryan Martin, Mike Northwood, Matt Rogers, Aaron McAfee (judge), and Patrick Clark. (Front): Chad Chadwell with C K Guy's Light My Fire and Justin Hess with Rockwoods Home Grown.

The Quail Championship capped off a busy fall season with a solid entry totaling 49 shooting dogs and nine derbies. The grounds at Pyramid State Park were in fine condition, with the exception of a few stray cattle in the Orchard Field that complicated the early braces. The weather was unseasonably warm and dry, with brief fog just one morning, so unlike past years, the weather did not slow us down.

We were blessed to have Judges Jim Lawless and Aaron McAfee step in at the last minute to judge the Open Shooting Dog stake. Forrest McPherson traveled from Utah to judge the Derby Classic along with Peter Coppens. Our Amateur stake was judged by Kirk Loftin and Dave Capstick, both from Missouri. We greatly appreciate the sacrifices of these men to support our event and the field trial community in general.

The continued support of Garmin and Purina helps keep clubs like ours able to put on events that attract a large number of participants. We draw entries from far and wide--Arizona, Washington, New Mexico, Utah, South Carolina, Canada, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio!

The Open Shooting Dog Running
Our champion, "Flame," was handled by Brian Gingrich and braced with "Jasper," who was handled by Mike Northwood, in the ninth brace. This was Flame's sixth championship placement in American Field events, including a placement at the 2023 NVA Nationals! She is proudly owned by Cody Engebretson. Flame delivered her characteristically snappy ground race and was impeccable on her two finds. She never moved a muscle and was always found with a high tail and head. Her intensity on point was unmatched. Flame was scouted by Rob Tomczak.

Our runner-up in the Open came from the 12th brace on the second day of the stake. "Lefty" was handled by Mike Northwood and scouted by Rob Tomczak. She was braced with "Remi," another hard-charging female, handled by Brian Gingrich. Lefty is a solid dog that moved well and handled her game well. She had a big breakaway, and as her brace went along, she got stronger and stronger. Lefty took one of the largest fields with ease at the end of her hour, making it look like child's play. Lefty is proudly owned by Lee Dosier and Mike Northwood.

Cutler, Ill., October 25
Judges: Aaron McAfee and Jim Lawless
NVA NATIONAL OPEN QUAIL CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 32 Vizslas
Winner-C K GUY'S LIGHT MY FIRE, F1686285, Vizsla female, by C K Touchdown Guy-C K Countryside Lizzy's On Fire. Cody Engebretson, owners; Brian Gingrich, handler.
Runner-Up-ROCKWOODS HOME GROWN, F1688565, Vizsla female, by C K Touchdown Guy-Rockwoods Miltown. Lee Dosier, owner; Mike Northwood, handler.

The Derby Running
The winner of this year's National Quail Derby Classic was Shiloh's Cinnamon Girl ("Cinnamon") for owner Kim Kitchen of Canada and professionally handled by Robert Tomczak of Wisconsin. Cinnamon was expertly scouted by Mike Northwood. This young 21-month-old has been on an impressive tear this last year. She has been placing and winning in both Derby and Shooting Dog stakes. Cinnamon ran in the first brace of the stake and broke away at the top of the hill, going west along the bean field edge and prairie grass field toward the creek. Her opening cast was to the end of the field.

She was gathered up at the creek crossing, and as the gallery approached, she was sent on by her handler. She then turned right into the next field and rimmed it all the way to the road, moving around the wood line to the far pasture gate. She then crossed the pasture to the woods and headed south, disappearing to the far front and the olive grove. Cinnamon was next spotted going east on the back of the grove, disappearing again. As Tomczak rode into the back corner of the olive grove before the turn, point was called in the center of the grove. Cinnamon was standing stylishly, high and tight on both ends. Her manners were perfect on a pair of quail that flushed.

The course then dog-legged left back north, but Cinnamon continued east and around the back side of the woods. Bracemate Alpine's Raised On Promises ("Desi"), professionally handled by Patrick Clark of Arizona, took the front. Desi had been consistently working the front for Patrick but at a more moderate range. This promising young dog has had a successful fall season and is destined for a bright future, but Cinnamon would not be denied as she showed to the far right on the turn coming out of the woods. She crossed the pasture forward and retook the front, then disappeared down the wood line to the left until she finally was gathered at the gate going forward into the chute through the woods. Both dogs were sent forward by their handlers through the chute. As the gallery came through the woods, Tomczak called point for Cinnamon as she stood high and tall down the right edge of the bean field adjacent to the pond. Cinnamon again had perfect manners on her birds as a pair of quail were flushed. She was collared after the shot and sent on around the edge, rimming the right side of the pond. As Tomczak rode forward, Cinnamon was pointed out, rimming the far side of the pond and disappearing forward. Both dogs were working forward, Desi to the left of the crevice in the bean field and Cinnamon to the far right as time was called. The bar was set high from this first brace, and the performances were carried throughout the stake.

The second and third-placed dogs were braced together and came out of the third brace. Landfall's Storm Ryder ("Ryder") for Matt Rodgers of Ohio and Shiloh's Standing Timber ("Timber") for owner Brian Fell of Illinois and handled by Robert Tomczak were cast off at the top of the hill. Both dogs hit the front, with Timber casting far forward, disappearing in the prairie grass field to the right, then exiting into the woods along the creek. Ryder moved off the edge of the picked bean field into the prairie grass and out. Both dogs were gathered at the creek crossing and sent through the chute into the field. Timber made a far cast across the field around the far right and swung toward the front and across the south edge crevice between the bean field and pasture. Ryder had cast out into the bean field, crossed, and then came back and through the gate up the left side of the pasture. As Ryder worked the wood line edge on the left side of the pasture, Timber made a big cast up the left wood line and disappeared to the front. As we rode forward, nearing the wood line edge, Tomczak pointed out Timber in front, swinging along the back side of the pasture and going east into the olive grove. Ryder worked up the field into the lower edge of the olive orchard and disappeared in the orchard. Timber made the swing at the turn, crossing the pasture and down the left side along the wood line.

Rogers called point back in the orchard and flushed for Ryder. Then, point was called for Timber by Tomczak, with Timber standing tall and stylishly toward the woods. As Tomczak went to dismount, birds flushed, and after the shot, Timber was easily gathered up and sent down the north wood line. Rogers also gathered his charge and headed to get back to the front. Timber was sent through the chute into the bean field, where he rimmed the far edge around the pond. At the same time, Ryder was entering the field and coming up forward on the lower side of the pond but at a more moderate pace. Point was then called for Timber in the far corner when, upon Tomczak's approach, the birds lifted, and he fired his gun.
Timber was then quickly gathered up and moved forward. Timber then disappeared off the right edge of the bean field into the woods. Ryder continued forward, and time was called as both dogs finished going away with Timber, the stronger of the two.

NVA Quail Derby Classic (back, l-r): Dan Maher, Robert Tomczak, Todd Peterson, Forrest McPherson (judge), Jarrett Bell, Brian Fell, Chad Chadwell, Matt Rogers, Peter Coppens (judge), and Patrick Clark. (Front): Mike Northwood (scout) with Shiloh's Cinnamon Girl, Todd Meyer (scout) with Shiloh's Standing Timber, and Justin Hess (scout) with Landfall's Storm Ryder.

Judges: Peter Coppens and Forrest McPherson
NVA NATIONAL QUAIL DERBY CLASSIC - 9 Vizslas
1st-SHILOH'S CINNAMON GIRL, F1704672, Vizsla female, by Shiloh's Roscoe-Shiloh's Vesta. Kim Kitchen, owner; Robert Tomczak, handler.
2d-SHILOH'S STANDING TIMBER, F1717468, Vizsla male, by Wiley of Hawthorne Ridge-Shiloh's Feeling Good. Brian Fell, owner; Robert Tomczak, handler.
3d-LANDFALL'S STORM RYDER, F1716463, Vizsla male, by Hess Farms Pyromaniac-Vanguard's Nightshade. Hylan Furniss & Matt Rogers, owners; Matt Rogers, handler.

The Amateur Shooting Dog Running
Our champion, "Bolt," executed a strong forward run on Course 1, leaving no doubt that he had bested the strong field of competitors with his superior application and ground speed. Bolt was braced with "Louie," a flashy competitor with a huge motor, in Brace 7. Louie had some impressive moments, though out of pocket at times. After the creek crossing on Course 1, Bolt took the right edge all the way around to the top gate. He punched his way to the Orchard, where he was found standing with high style. With all in order, he crossed the road and maintained a consistent forward race that flowed effortlessly. Towards the end of Course 1, Bolt ran down the right edge of the final field to end strong, while Louie chose the left side but was held up by a find in the last few minutes of the brace. This win caps off quite the year for Bolt, who also won the 2024 NVA National Amateur Championship and the 2024 Sharptail Classic.
Our runner-up, "Rudi," is a young dog that made a big splash at Nationals during his derby career, and he has since built on that foundation to put the pieces together as a shooting dog. Rudi was braced with "Clyde," another strong young competitor, in the third brace. Rudi ran a forward and consistent race with his first find at the Orchard and a limb find in the South Field, where we make the turn to the west. He capped off his hour with another find and a strong finish that differentiated him from his nearest competitors. Time was called towards the pond in the back corner.

NVA National Amateur Quail Championship: Justin Hess, Todd Meyer with C K Rudi Toot Toot, Todd Peterson, Dave Capstick (judge), Chad Chadwell, Allison Bell with B G K's Bolt Action, Kirk Loftin (judge), and Jarrett Bell.

Judges: Dave Capstick and Kirk Loftin
NVA NATIONAL AMATEUR QUAIL CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 17 Vizslas
Winner-B G K'S BOLT ACTION, F1687408, Vizsla male, by Briar In My Boot-Huntin With A Lil Swagger. Jarrett Bell, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-CK RUDI TOOT TOOT, F1701662, Vizsla male, by Rogue's Irish Boy-Ck Guy's Hot N Spicey. Todd Peterson, owner; Justin Hess, handler.