Result: Cascade Field Trial Club

Location: Ontario, Oregon

Post Date: Jul 23, 2025

Submitted By: Alex Mauck, President

Cascade Open All-Age Championship (standing, l-r): Phil Bowden, Sergio Valez with BK Unforgiven, Jim Ledington, Bridget Ledington with John Wall, Jess Wall, Kris Wall, Bill Owen (judge), Rich Heaton (judge), Austin Turley, and Lori Steinshouer with Affinity.

The Cascade Field Trial Club, in cooperation with the Boise Valley Field Trial Club, hosted multiple field trial events beginning April 21st through May 1st. This was the first all-wild bird trial held on the West Coast in over 40 years. Birds were plentiful beyond belief throughout the entire trial. We want to thank everyone who pitched in, which pretty much included all participants. As anyone who puts on a field trial knows, getting help to make sure everything runs on schedule can be a monumental task.

Last summer's fires destroyed over 500,000 acres of BLM and private land locally. Grounds destroyed by the fires included the Prairie Wind Ranch in Payette, Idaho, owned by Keith and Bobbi Ricardson, where we traditionally host our trial.

We are fortunate to have Kris Wall as a member, whose family is one of six century ranches in Malheur County, spanning seven generations. (Malheur: French for misfortune, mishap or unhappiness). As an irreplaceable member of our club, she handles the drawings, drives the dog truck, serves hot breakfast burritos at the end of brace one each morning, makes and serves lunches, and handles all secretarial duties. Kris is by far our most valuable member.
Kris has suggested for 20 years that your scribe look at other grounds in the area. With the devastating fires, it became a necessity that we find suitable replacement grounds for training and field trials.

One of the areas she suggested was Moores Hollow near Ontario, Oregon, and within a stone's throw of The Oregon Trail. Initial exploring indicated an abundance of wild birds, often four to eight coveys per hour. With such good bird counts, it was decided to get all the necessary BLM permits and landowner permission to have a trial on wild birds. It was a roll of the dice that wild birds would be available in the spring; fortunately, the gamble paid off. Wild birds were found in abundance throughout the eleven days of running, primarily Hungarian partridge, a few chukar, California Valley quail, and one pheasant.

We were able to create five one-hour continuous courses, each very equal and reachable by the dog truck--three morning courses and two afternoon courses. Most in attendance expressed that the grounds were the best they had ever competed on. For those not familiar with our western topography, it is wide open with rolling hills, no trees, no place to hide a dog. Several major circuit all-age dogs have been developed here by HOF trainer Richard Robertson Jr., including HOF Tekoa Mountain Sunrise and HOF Hicks Rising Son. This is country where even some shooting dogs use up too much country.

We were blessed with excellent weather as these grounds are not usable if it gets wet. Spring was in the air; spring flowers, which were minimal at the beginning of the trial, were in full bloom by trial's end. If you have never been west or competed on wild birds, we suggest you add us to your bucket list.

The Cascade Open All-Age Championship drew 16 contenders, many of which are champions. Emerging as champion was BK Unforgiven, a pointer male owned by Sam Handous of Edmonton, Canada, and handled by Sergio Valez from Kamloops, Canada. Runner-up was Affinity, a pointer female owned and handled by Austin Turley of Molt, Montana.

Ontario, Oreg., April 22
Judges: Rich Heaton and Bill Owen
CASCADE OPEN ALL-AGE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 10 Pointers and 6 Setters
Winner-BK UNFORGIVEN, F1699366, pointer male, by Fastforward's B K Gunner-B K Northwest Express. Sam Handous, owner; Sergio Velez, handler.
Runner-Up-AFFINITY, F1693066, pointer female, by Touch's Grey Street-Intentional. Austin Turley, owner and handler.

The Region 10 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship drew 10 dogs. The champion emerged as Miller's Newest Version, a pointer female owned and handled by Bill Owen of Santa Barbara, California. Runner-up was German Shorthair female KC Moen's Freedom's Belle, owned and handled by Scott Kragerud of Meridian, Idaho.

Judges: Mike Eades and Lori Steinshouer
REGION 10 AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 5 Pointers, 3 Setters, and 2 German Shorthairs
Winner-MILLER'S NEWEST VERSION, F1696284, pointer female, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Miller's Special Edition. Bill Owen, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-KC MOEN'S FREEDOM'S BELLE, F1705721, German Shorthair female, by Hawk's Double A Baker-KC Moen's Freedom Isn't Free. Scott Kragerud, owner and handler.

The Region 10 Amateur All-Age champion placement was withheld. First place was awarded to pointer male Painted Hank, owned and handled by Jim Ledington of Homedale, Idaho. Second place went to pointer female Painted Owyhee Breeze, owned and handled by Bridget Ledington, also of Homedale, Idaho. Third place went to setter female Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Dallee, owned and handled by Alex Mauck of Ontario, Oregon.

Judges: Rich Robertson and Sergio Velez
REGION 10 AMATEUR ALL-AGE CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 3 Pointers, 4 Setters, and 3 German Shorthairs
[Title Withheld]
1st-PAINTED HANK, F1690839, pointer male, by Painted Owyhee Toad-Painted Owyhee Sagebrush. Jim Ledington, owner and handler.
2d-PAINTED OWYHEE BREEZE, F1669636, pointer female, by Utah's Red Rock Express-Little Willow Aaron. Bridget Ledington, owner and handler.
3d-MAUCK'S WYEAST OWYHEE DALLEE, F1687695, setter female, by T's Gunslinger-Hidden Jasmine. Alex Mauck, owner and handler.

The Pacific Northwest Open Shooting Dog champion is English setter male Circle B Wanted Ryder, owned by Phil Bowden of Payette, Idaho, and handled by Sergio Valez. Runner-up was awarded to pointer male Ramblin Rivers Natural, owned by Bill Stapleton of Franksville, Wisconsin, and handled by Brian Gingrich of Prewitt, New Mexico.

Pacific Northwest Open Shooting Dog Championship (standing, l-r): Bill Owen, Phil Bowden, Sergio Velez with Circle B Wanted Ryder, Bridget Ledington (judge), John Wall, Jess Wall (sitting), Jim Ledington (judge), Brian Gingrich with Ramblin Rivers Natural, and Alex Mauck.

Ontario, Ore., May 1
Judges: Bridget Ledington and Jim Ledington
PACIFIC NORTHWEST OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 14 Entries
Winner-CIRCLE B WANTED RYDER, F1702409, setter male, by T's American Gunfighter-Circle B Burning Stardust. Phil Bowden, owner; Sergio Velez, handler.
Runner-Up-RAMBLIN RIVERS NATURAL, F1688693, pointer male, by Chelsea's Thunder Bolt-Upfront's Southern Star. William Stapleton, owner; Brian Gingrich, handler.

Cascade Field Trial Club

Ontario Ore., May 1
Judges: Bridget Ledington and Bill Owen
OPEN DERBY - 2 Pointers, 5 Setters, and 2 German Shorthairs
1st-DEZASTEROUS SILVER BANDIT, F1709966, pointer male, by Haney's Silver Dollar-Bandit's Hill Lady. Robert Thompson, owner; Scott Kragerud, handler.
2d-CUTTIN COVEYS RIDEN HIGH RUSTY, F1722574, German Shorthair male, by Riden High Rudy-Beaver Valleys Bombay Sapphire. Drew Rodman, owner and handler.
3d-SUNSET RIDGES JAMES GANG JESSIE, F1711214, setter male, by Erin's Wild Atlantic Way-Erin's Princess Rene. Lynn Stinson, owner; Lori Steinshouer, handler.

OPEN DERBY - 2 Pointers, 5 Setters, and 2 German Shorthairs
1st-BK DREAM CATCHER, F1718828, pointer female, by BK Bulletproof-B K Hirollins Wild. Sergio Velez, owner and handler.
2d-SUNSET RIDGES JAMES GANG FRANK, F1711215, setter male, by Erin's Wild Atlantic Way-Erin's Princess Rene. Lynn Stinson, owner; Lori Steinshouer, handler.
3d-CIRCLE B ELKHORN GOT YOUR BACK, F1711850, setter female, by Yakima Canyon Rusty-Circle B Reigning Cleopatra. Ned Ratterman, owner and handler.

OPEN DERBY - 2 Pointers, 5 Setters, and 2 German Shorthairs
1st-CUTTIN COVEYS GUSTAVO, F1722345, setter male, by Tioga-High Prairie Gypsy. Drew Rodman, owner and handler.

Judges: Bridget Ledington and Jim Ledington
OPEN ALL-AGE - 1 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-TOUCH'S CRUSH, F1703552, pointer male, by Touch's Smooth Rider-Touch's Wildwood Flower. Keith Wright, owner; Chris Perkins, handler.
2d-IRONSTONE'S METALLICA, F1699455, setter male, by P W Sunrise-High Prairie Gypsy. Elias Richardson, owner; Alex Mauck, handler.

Nevada Bird Dog Club

The Kelly Rebel Maggie Open Shooting Dog Classic drew 16 entries. The winner, pointer male BK Bulletproof, is owned and handled by Sergio Velez. Second place went to pointer female BK Locked N' Loaded, owned and handled by Sergio Velez. Third place went to pointer female Miller's Newest Version, owned and handled by Bill Owen.

Ontario, Ore., April 26
Judges: Jim Ledington and Ryan Mulcahy
KELLY'S REBEL MAGGIE OPEN SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats]- 16 Entries
1st-BK BULLETPROOF, F1696564, pointer male, by Fastforward's B K Gunner-Wiggins Miss Stella. Sergio Velez, owner and handler.
2d-BK LOCKED N' LOADED, F1699229, pointer female, by B K Bonafide Stallion-B K Hirollins Wild. Sergio Velez, owner and handler.
3d-MILLER'S NEWEST VERSION, F1696284, pointer female, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Miller's Special Edition. Bill Owen, owner and handler.

In conclusion, we want to thank our landowners, Bean Maki, Oregon Adventures LLC & BLM, for allowing us the use of their grounds for camping and courses; our judges and sponsors--SportDOG, Purina, and Greg Blair--for providing Pro Plan 30/20 and funds for our catered barbecue; and the AFTCA for providing $11,000 in "In Kind Tax Contributions" for the landowners.

John Wall on Bandit with Kris Wall.