Result: Region 4 Amateur All-Age Championship

Location: Ionia, Michigan

Post Date: Nov 23, 2020

Submitted By: David A Fletcher

IONIA, MICH. -- The 2020 running of the Region 4 Amateur All-Age Championship was hosted by the Grand Valley Bird Dog Club October 31-November 1 over spacious courses of the Ionia, Michigan Recreation Area.

The entry of 32 starters consisted of 19 pointers and 13 setters, the stake well attended by many out-of-state handlers.

An early season cold front visited the field trial area but was not severe enough to alter proceedings.

Winner was Touch's Smooth Rider, six-year-old pointer male owned and handled by Keith Wright of Covington, Ind. Runner-up was Phillips Offline, seven-year old pointer owned by Nathan Phillips of Oakland City, Ind., and handled by Mike Small of Evansville, Ind.

The performances and background of both of these winners will be given in detail further in this text.

The entry of 32 all-age contenders was a bit of a pleasant surprise for the grounds are highly lauded for their ability to host major horseback shooting dog events including championships as well as walking dog trials and many of those are of championship and classic status. Many of the amateur handlers openly voiced their approval of the courses for their all-age dogs to show their ability--hunting and handling widely.

Jim Pendergast, Region 4 trustee and trial chairman was unable to be present but his son Matt attended.

Jim is track manager at one of the finest thoroughbred racetracks in the nation, Keeneland at Lexington, Ky., and had a conflicting date which could not be missed.

Mary Sue Schalk, Region 4 secretary/treasurer also had an event at home which she could not be away from, so the event management fell on Region 4 Director Jim Cipponeri.

Jim assembled help from many Michiganders and the trial went on without a hitch.

Helping was bird planter Dick Lypski, who uses an ATV to liberate the quail. Dick's vehicle was down so Sandy McLean and Kelsey Hajek, as well as your scribe, Dave Fletcher, provided ATV vehicles for quail liberation.

Dog wagon driver was Ron Williams of Curtisville, Mich. Jim Cip's wife Connie helped with the paperwork of the running order and Bill Darr, Tom Vanecek, and Bill Branham helped where needed, especially the grounds and stable cleanup.

Chris Cagle Sr. and Jr. furnished coffee, donuts, and apples for the dog wagon.

Dave Fletcher provided and wrote the judges' books and served as reporter. Trial participant Dennis Lutynski shot YouTube videos during the running

Judges were Blake Rizzo of Ortonville, Mich., and Robert Tomczak of Elk Mound, Wis. Blake is a popular Michigan judge, serving many local clubs, and Tom is a pro trainer involved every day with pointing dogs. Both were attentive and have great backgrounds as arbiters.

Many thanks to Greg Blair and Nestle Purina for their wonderful support.

THE WINNERS

Touch's Smooth Rider, six-year-old pointer male, the new Region 4 All-Age Champion, was handled by his Indiana owner Keith Wright

Smooth Rider's performance topped this 32-dog stake in convincing fashion.

Rider has thirteen prior wins, which include the 2017 National Amateur All-Age Invitational. This win at Ionia was his second title.

He also has three runner-up Amateur All-Age titles, Region 4, 5, and 17. Another impressive first place win was in the 48-dog Ames Amateur.

Rider is from a family of winners and closely related to Touch's Whitewater, the 2020 Continental Derby Championship winner and other championship winners such as Touch's Malcolm Story, Touch's Red Rider, Worsham's Silver Streak and Touch's Gray Street.

Phillips Offline, the runner-up, is owned by Nathan Phillips and was handled by Mike Small. This dog is an outstanding hunter and bird finder attested to by six finds in his hour. He hunts more places than most contenders but this attention to finding birds cuts down slightly on his high-flying ground effort.

Offline has a record of 37 prior field trial placements. These wins are impressive: Runner-Up, National Derby Championship and National Amateur Derby, Championship titles at Region 4 Amateur All-Age runner-up at National Amateur Invitational Championship, winner of the All-America Quail Championship and runner-up, National Amateur Pheasant Championship.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RUNNING

Saturday was visited by a cold front bringing temperatures to the low 40s, and a few brief showers and light snow squalls appeared. Sunday was cold and very chilly with winds reaching 40 mph and gusting a little higher. Lake effect snow squalls were created by the great expanse of warm water of Lake Michigan about fifty miles west of the grounds but were light and did not persist.

Winning performances came from the final brace Saturday and from the initial brace Sunday.

In order of appearance, several performances stood out as challenges for championship status. Pendy's Good Grace, pointer female handled by Matt Pendergest, in the second brace hunted the course in great fashion logged a pair of mannerly finds, the second with a good relocation.

In the next brace, Touch's Grey Street, pointer male handled by Keith Wright, left his mark, good casts on the edges and a lone meritorious find.

The final brace of the day brought forth the new champion, Touch's Smooth Rider. The start was wide, gone a short interval but shown in front at Hires field and hit all the far edges in the big opening leading to the Boy Scout bridge. Farther along Rider scored two great finds, the final within sight of the big oak near time. It was a superlative all-age effort to top this stake.

In the initial brace on Sunday, amid blustery and chilly winds, almost gales at times, came Runner-Up Phillips Off Line which had a wide start up front, rounded to the course nicely after Hires field and logged six great quail finds as he rimmed a succession of good cover edges and finished well. Off Line is credited with hunting more likely cover on his course than any other dog in the stake.

The remaining portion of the stake brought forth one very enjoyable brace, No. 14. Chief's Rising Sun, setter male handled by John Mathys, paired with Small's White Stryker, pointer male handled by Mike Small. Both dogs applied themselves to bird hunting and it was enjoyable to watch them hunt the course.

Rising Sun had a find of a single at 20 followed by a back of bracemate and two divided finds during the hour. Stryker also had a creditable score which included three covey finds, a pair of divided finds, a back and a lone unproductive.

Ionia, Mich., October 31

Judges: Blake Rizzo and Robert Tomczak

REGION 4 AMATEUR ALL-AGE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] -- 19 Pointers and 13 Setters

Winner--TOUCH'S SMOTH RIDER, 1661245, pointer male by Touch's Knight Rider--Burrow's Sinbad Lady. Keith A. Wright, owner and handler.

Runner-Up--PHILLIPS OFF LINE, 1656000, pointer male by Phillips Warning Line--Phillips Bottom Line. Nathan Phillips, owner, Mike Small, handler.