Result: United States Amateur All-Age Derby Invitational Championship

Location: Dancyville, Tennessee

Post Date: May 7, 2025

Submitted By: Jim Atchison

United States Amateur All-Age Derby Invitational Championship (l-r): Brian Peterson with Southern Shadows T-Bone, David Russell with Como Moonrider, Ann Forrester with Southern Margarita Lane, Lance Servais with Southern Shadows Copper, Mike Lemons with Arkansas Headliner, Holly Rester with Rester's Fair Play, John Mathys with Notorious Propane Jane, Jay Lewis with High Line Drive, Alex Rickert with Seranoa's Ramblin' Man, Chris Cagle with Haney's Double Down, Cecil Rester with Rester's Cash'n In, and Mike Small with Phillips River Line. (Rear, l-r): Judges Keith St. John and Mark Haynes.

The United States Amateur Derby Invitational Club and the West Tennessee Field Trial Club hosted the sixth renewal of their United States Amateur Derby Invitational stake on the grounds of the West Tennessee Club at Dancyville, Tennessee, March 28-30, with the drawing held on March 27. Four dogs were initially invited from each of the nation's Eastern, Central, and Western regions. There were fewer than four entries from the West, so the 12-dog quota was filled with the next highest point-earning dogs from the other regions.

Southern Margarita Lane, owned and handled by Brian Peterson from Cecil, Alabama, won the stake. The win was a repeat for Peterson, who handled Southern Shadows T-Bird, owned by Lance Servais, to win the 2024 stake. Servais scouted for Peterson during this 2025 win. Ann Forrester from South Fulton, Tennessee, attended the Invitational and was recognized as the breeder of the winner. Haney's Double Down, co-owned by Chris Cagle and Chris Cagle Jr., was runner-up. Cagle Sr. handled Double Down while Cagle Jr. scouted.

Mark Haynes from Brownsville, Tennessee, and Keith St. John from South Fulton, Tennessee, judged. On the first and second days, the judges watched each dog run 45-minute braces and then called back the four best performers to run a third time on the last morning. Many years of field trial experience made Haynes and St. John well-qualified to judge, and their services were appreciated.

Weather patterns have changed so much that the term "seasonally appropriate" seems to no longer apply. The last weekend in March proved to be exceptionally warm while this Invitational was being run.

Quintin Wiseman and Tasha Wiseman initiated the concept for this Invitational. They were joined by Todd Babbel, Rich Heaton, Jay Lewis, and Whitley Stephenson, who have served on the Board of the United States Amateur Derby Invitational Club since its inception. The Wisemans, Babbel, and Lewis attended this year. The Invitational Club has joined the West Tennessee Field Trial Club as co-sponsor for the last several years. Bill Currie, Allen Currie, Chris Mullin, Gary Brown, and Jim Atchison of the West Tennessee Club were on hand throughout the three days, putting out birds, cooking, marshaling on the courses, hauling horses, and doing all the things needed from the home course hosts.

Purina was again the primary sponsor of this Invitational. Many other donors joined Purina to make numerous nice prizes, awards, and gifts available to those who participated. A rather lengthy list of those generous donors and sponsors will appear later in this report.
The West Tennessee Club is blessed to be surrounded by a community of property owners who generously permit its three field trial courses to traverse their farms. Those landowners were invited to each evening meal, and those who could attend were recognized and thanked.

Winner and Runner-up
Southern Margarita Lane aggressively ran three strong and stylish races, found birds in every brace, and had no unproductives for her owner, Brian Peterson, as he returned to win this Invitational for a second consecutive year. Drawn as the top dog to run in the first brace on Friday morning, the stylish pointer found birds once, at 30, near the back of the horseshoe on the Taylor/McCloud land, which Peterson easily flushed. She was flawlessly stylish every time she stood pointed, with those additional stands occurring in the fifth brace on Saturday afternoon when she found birds at 24 along Dr. Spiotta's pines, and again on Sunday morning at 25, when going onto Gordy Jones' tract. She then cinched her win with a powerful cast around the south, then east, and finally the north edges of the huge bottom field owned by Ike and Marty Todd.

Haney's Double Down, handled by Chris Cagle and scouted by co-owner Chris Cagle Jr., easily won the runner-up placement. He brought the end of his excellent Derby season with his excellent performance at Dancyville. Double Down was braced with the winner in the first brace on the first morning. During that 45-minute period, he backed his bracemate at 30 and looked strong and stylish throughout the brace. In his second appearance, on Saturday afternoon, he had an unproductive at 23 while hunting along Dr. Spiotta's pines and then had an excellent find at 42 at a narrow tree line that separated the wheat field and large barren corn field owned by the Todds. Double Down found no birds on Sunday morning but demonstrated his strength, speed, and style throughout the brace.

A Callback
Seranoa's Ramblin' Man, owned by Alex and Bryana Rickert, and Phillips River Line, handled by Mike Small for owners Orrin Ingram and Nathan Phillips, were the other two highest performers in the field of 12 entries. They were called back for a third run, the second brace of the final morning.

Seranoa's Ramblin' Man was handled by Alex Rickert and ran in the second brace on Friday morning and the sixth brace on Saturday afternoon. On Friday morning, at 22, he pointed, and Rickert easily flushed a big covey along the double row of pine trees on the Spiotta property. His bracemate had an unproductive at 45, and Ramblin' Man backed that effort perfectly. On Saturday afternoon, he ran well but did not find any birds. Neither did he find any birds during the callback on Sunday morning.

Phillips River Line, handled by Mike Small, found no birds during the fifth brace on Monday afternoon, but ran a strong and forward race. During the first brace on Saturday morning, River Line had a find at 19, and Small flushed a single from under dense cedar trees. During the callback on Sunday morning, River Line pointed and Small flushed at 5, along the north edge of the first long field on the third hour course.

The Other Eight
The information about the remaining eight dogs follows, reported in the order in which the dogs were drawn to run on Friday. The first three dogs drawn to run on Friday were among the four called and reported above. Thus, the following information starts with the bottom dog in the second brace.

Arkansas' Headliner, owned and handled by Mike Lemons, came to the Invitational as the High Point Dog from the Central Region. Headliner's record earned recognition for Lemons, as he was awarded the Henry Rifle for his region. The excellent pointer found no birds during his efforts on Friday or Saturday. He handled well for his owner and did have an unproductive at 45, on the first morning.

Southern Shadows T-Bone, owned and handled by Brian Peterson, found no birds in the third brace on Friday and was eliminated when he knocked a bird on Tuesday afternoon.

Rester's Cash'n In, owned and handled by Cecil Rester, competed in the third brace, paired with Southern Shadows T-Bone. The morning had turned extremely hot, and Cash'n In found no birds. He then became lost early during his effort on Saturday, when he failed to cross Tripp Road at its intersection with Blalock Road.

Rester's Fair Play, owned and handled by Cecil, was the top dog in the fourth brace. He had an unproductive stand and 5 and backed his bracemate at 45 but found no birds. He ran again, in the second brace Saturday morning, but found no birds.

Southern Shadows Copper, owned by Lance Servais and handled by Brian Peterson, competed on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Copper backed his bracemate at 5 and found birds at 42 Friday afternoon, but no birds Saturday morning. Some impressive casts along lengthy edges were enjoyed.

Como Moonrider, owned and handled by David Russell, ran nice races in the fifth brace Friday and the third brace Saturday, but found no birds.

High Line Drive, owned and handled by Jay Lewis, found no birds on either of his 45-minute efforts on Friday or Saturday.

Notorious Propane Jane, owned and handled by John Mathys, found no birds in her sixth brace appearance Friday or first brace appearance Saturday.

Sponsors, Donors, Prizes, Gifts, and Recipients
Saying this Invitational is the most generously sponsored and the winners are the most generously rewarded of any amateur field trial, anywhere, is probably a safe and accurate statement. The ability to make that statement is made possible because of the dedication of Quintin and Tasha Wiseman and members of their sponsoring board, who have created a network of generous donors willing to support an event that has earned the reputation of being the best. The above is then complemented by the co-sponsorship and hospitality of the West Tennessee Field Trial Club and that community of landowners. Following is a list of those sponsors, donors, and recipients of the many prizes and awards.

Purina was again the primary sponsor of the Invitational. Significant parts of their sponsorship were providing the Saturday night awards dinner, the contents of swag bags given to each owner, and awarding eight bags of dog food to the owner of the winning dog, four bags to the owner of the runner-up, and one bag to each of the owners of all 12 competing dogs.
Phil and Melissa Town, owners of Rule One Investing, and Quintin's shoeing clients, again made a generous financial contribution. Garmin gave a 550 Plus tracking collar to the winner's owner. Chris and Mary Jo Cagle, Chris Cagle Jr., and John Mathys donated one of the saddles purchased from Haggis and awarded to one of the winners, the jackets and caps given to each owner, judge, and reporter, and the swag bag contents. Scott Griffin purchased a Haggis saddle, with the saddles awarded to the winner and runner-up owners. Brian and Brooke Sanchez commissioned a painting by Leah Brigham of the winning dog. Engraved Henry Rifles were given by Alex and Bryana Rickert to each of the High Point winners. Ike Todd and Chris Peak donated training camps for dogs. Those training camps were auctioned. Jay Lewis provided a saddle from B and B Tack to the West Super Qualifier winner. Patty's Custom Chaps gave a pair of custom-made briar chaps to the scout of the winner. Mike Kearney of Trophy Bone Artistry agreed to paint a picture of the runner-up on a turkey feather. Kevin White donated custom-made roading harnesses to the owners of both the winner and runner-up. The Jim Crouse Memorial Award winner for the National High Point Dog received a silver platter. A drawing was held for a $500.00 gift card given to an owner who attended at least two Super Qualifiers. Nathan Phillips again donated the Gary Phillips Memorial Breeders Trophy to the breeder of the winner. Whitley Stephenson helped provide lunches and the pork loin entr e for the Friday evening meal. Vera Courtney photographed much of the activity and provided each owner a complimentary copy of the group picture. The West Tennessee Club members received hoodies from the United States Club.

Finally, this writer wishes to apologize for any errors or omissions in the above information. The list is long and detailed, and the reporter is aged!

Dancyville, Tenn., March 28
Judges: Mark Haynes and Keith St. John
UNITED STATES AMATEUR ALL-AGE DERBY INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - 12 Pointers
Winner-SOUTHERN MARGARITA LANE, F1716939, pointer female, by Haney's Silver Dollar-Bandit's Hill Lady. Brian Peterson, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-HANEY'S DOUBLE DOWN, F1715340, pointer male, by Valiant-Haney's North Star. Chris Cagle & Chris Cagle Jr., owners; Chris Cagle, handler.

Winners (front, l-r): Lance Servais and Ann Forrester with Southern Margarita Lane and Chris Cagle Jr. with Haney's Double Down. (Rear, l-r): Jonah Clement, Dr. Gene Spiotta, Cammi St. John, Michaela Clement, Keith St. John (judge), Ike Todd, Marty Todd, Todd Babbel, Tasha Wiseman, Lynn Peterson, Harper Wiseman, Quintin Wiseman, Brian Peterson, Mark Haynes (judge), Isaiah Todd, Chris Cagle, Jay Lewis, Jayce Lewis, Dale Pool, Allen Currie, Julia Currie, Cindy Currie, Gene Spiotta III, Bill Currie, Josie Martin, Michelle Mullin, and Chris Mullin.