Result: Region 4 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship

Location: Berea, Kentucky

Post Date: May 5, 2025

Submitted By: Mary Sue Schalk

Region 4 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship (l-r): Aaron Bryant, Tim Hammons, Matt Pendergest (judge), Kenton Bryant (owner/handler), Jim Pendergest (judge), Champion Bryant's Silver Lining with Will Dunn (scout), Brett Eikenberry, Kris Hammons, Mary Sue Schalk, and Terry Boatright. [Not pictured: Runner-up Champion Calico's Country Strong.]

The second of the three Region 4 Amateur Championships took place at the Miller Welch Wildlife Management Area in Berea, Kentucky, the third weekend of March. Jim and Matt Pendergest of Lexington, Kentucky, filled the judicial saddles after the advertised judges had a scheduling conflict. The father-son team is well known throughout the field trial world, owning and handling multiple Purina Dogs of the Year. Region 4 is fortunate to have them both as an asset, both as competitors and contributors to events throughout the season.

The Region 4 (AFTCA) Amateur Shooting Dog Championship drew 16 dogs for the championship and six dogs for the companion Amateur Derby stake. Outside of Kentucky, there were also entries from Pennsylvania and Tennessee. The weather was pleasant, and the grounds were in good shape for the event. Chairman Kenton Bryant managed bird planting, Donna Boatright took care of feeding everyone during the event, and Charlie Turner drove the dog wagon over the weekend. As is true with all field trials, those participating and those volunteering their time were greatly appreciated.

The Champion and Runner-up Champion
Rising to the top of the field was Bryant's Silver Lining, owned and handled by Kenton Bryant of Bowling Green, Kentucky. He ran the third hour of the championship and was paired with Boatright's Maverick and owner/handler Terry Boatright of Richmond, Kentucky. Maverick was picked up early due to a failure to back. The young pointer male is a son of Haney's Silver Dollar and out of Haney's High Price Penny. He applied himself well throughout the hour and showed to the front. His composure over the course of his hour, with four finds and one find, was solid for a dog of any age. His first find, at 8, set the tone for the hour. Silver Lining was standing after the creek crossing into the Orchard Field. As the judges and gallery approached, his bracemate came through and did not attempt to back. Silver Lining did not blink, Bryant flushed for him with incident, and the young dog took to the course as if nothing had happened. He proceeded to have birds at 20, 26, and 35. He did have an unproductive at 45, but a loop to the front with a smooth forward finish capped off his hour, earning him the title of champion.

Earning the title of runner-up champion was Calico's Country Strong, a black and white pointer female owned by Calico Kennels and handled by Alex Smith of Jetersville, Virginia. Country Strong was braced with Ronnie Rogers and Shepherd's Blackbull of New Market, Tennessee. The tracker was called for around the half-hour mark for Bull. Calico's Country Strong is the daughter of Waybetter Rocky, out of Calico's Touch of Class. She ran well, sweeping through the country in classic shooting dog form. A biddable bird dog, she required little help from her handler. She was found forward standing at 12 and 57. She completed the hour with a strong, showy finish, thus earning her the runner-up spot.

The Running
The trial provided plenty of birdwork and other notable performances. Calico's Over The Top ran in the last brace on Saturday. An orange and white pointer male, he was also handled by Alex Smith. He was braced with Shepherd's Blackfoot Jane, owned and handled by Ronnie Rogers. Jane was quick off the breakaway, and the tracker was called for at 20. Over The Top had a smooth forward race, two finds, but the heat of the day did seem to have an impact on him at the end of the hour, as his finish was not as strong as others.
Crouse's Comeback Kid also had a notable hour, running the first brace of the championship. Braced with Silver Creek Wild Again, an Irish setter male, owned and handled by Tim Hammons of Berea, Kentucky, Comeback Kid is a rawboned, liver and white pointer male owned by the father-daughter team, Mike Crouse and Mary Sue Schalk, of Dixon, Kentucky. Schalk handled Comeback Kid, who had a solid race, one find in the bottoms at 47, and a solid finish. Wild Again also carded a find, an unproductive, but had a somewhat erratic race over the course of his hour.

The second brace of the championship pitted a tri-color English setter female, Outcast Duststorm, owned by Jim Kleve of Lakeland, Minnesota, and handled by Schalk, with a female Irish setter, Little More Shine, owned and handled by Tim Hammons. Both bird dogs made it through the first third of the hour, with little visibility. The trackers were called for before time by their handlers.
Hytime Dixie, an English setter female, owned by Ben Weddington of Brentwood, Tennessee, and handled by Schalk, had a decent performance with two finds and an unproductive. The heat was obviously getting to Dixie throughout her hour, and her race was shortened. She did finish her hour. Her bracemate, pointer male Bryant's Cold Rain, was picked up by his owner and handler, Kenton Bryant.
Bryant and Schalk were back at the line in the first brace Sunday morning with two seasoned field trial bird dogs. Bryant handled his champion, Bryant's Give It A Rip, son of the 2024 Quail Championship Invitational Champion Erin's Wild Atlantic Way, with pointer female, Crouse's Tennessee Game Kate, who is no stranger to the winners' circle. Both dogs had strong ground races, with Kate striking first on game with a single located in broom sage after the concrete culvert. She continued to get bigger on the ground and was last seen swinging the front, in the bottoms below the winter wheat field. Schalk requested the tracker at 40. Rip carded his first find on the edge of the winter wheat field after a lengthy absence. All in order, he continued and finished his hour with one more find to his credit.

Berea, Ky., March 22
Judges: Jim Pendergest and Matt Pendergest
REGION 4 AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 7 Pointers, 5 Setters, and 3 Irish Setters
Winner-BRYANT'S SILVER LINING, F1710183, pointer male, by Haney's Silver Dollar-Haney's High Price Penny. Kenton Bryant, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-CALICO'S COUNTRY STRONG, F1679850, pointer female, by Waybetter Rocky-Calico's Touch of Class. Calico Kennels, owner; Alex Smith, handler.

The Derby Stake
Kenton Bryant and Will Dunn judged the six-dog Amateur Derby stake. The judging duo named Dialed Again, Pendy's Next Chapter, and Crouse's Grouse Feather as the top three competitors. Dialed Again is an orange and white pointer male, owned and handled by Matt Pendergest. He is the son of Haney's All In and the grandson of Dialed In. His style and strength on the ground were impressive, making him an easy choice for the judging panel. Pendergest also owns and handles second-place Pendy's Next Chapter, an orange and white female by Imagine and out of Cocklebur Dragon Tattoo. Another classy bird dog, she handled well for Pendergest, and although she did not have the range of the first-place dog, she still had plenty of range on the ground. Crouse's Grouse Feather rounded out the field, taking third place. Grouse Feather was bred by Allen Dunbar of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and is a great-grandson of Shadow Oak Bo and a grandson of Erin's Hidden Shamrock. The English setter male had his nose turned on for 30 minutes. His handler unloaded her pistol during his bird contacts while he was on the ground. The setter covered some ground, primarily navigating birds during his time on the ground. Mary Sue Schalk owns and handles Crouse's Grouse Feather.

Although the field was small, there were several quality performances for the judges to discuss when naming the champion and runner-up. Many thanks to trial chairman Kenton Bryant for hosting a quality trial. Special thanks to Greg Blair and Purina for their continued support of field trials across the country. Another good weekend was had at the Miller Welch Wildlife Area in Berea, Kentucky. Best of luck to all as the field trial season continues!

Judges: Kenton Bryant and Will Dunn
AMATEUR DERBY - 4 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st-DIALED AGAIN, unreg., pointer male, by Haney's All In-Dialed Up. Matt Pendergest, owner and handler.
2d-PENDY'S NEXT CHAPTER, F1712004, pointer female, by Imagine-Cocklebur Dragon Tattoo. Matt Pendergest, owner and handler.
3d-CROUSE'S GROUES FEATHER, F1713380, setter male, by Shagtime Max-GF Southern Belle. M. D. Crouse & Mary Sue Schalk, owners; Mary Sue Schalk, handler.

Region 4 Amateur Derby (l-r): Kris Hammons, Tim Hammons, Dialed Again with Matt Pendergest (owner/handler), Kenton Bryant (judge), Pendy's Next Chapter with Jim Pendergest (scout), Brett Eikenberry, Crouse's Grouse Feather with Terry Boatright (scout), Will Dunn (judge) and Mary Sue Schalk (owner/handler).