Result: American Brittany Club National Amateur Championship

Location: Booneville, Arkansas

Post Date: Dec 22, 2021

Submitted By: Rita Ornsby

The Winners. From left to right: Margaret Horstmeyer, Judge Johnny Ornsby, Kent Patterson with Piney Run Hilltop Blew, Rita Ornsby, Steve Ralph, Ed Janulis, Amanda Beaver, Richard Beaver with Tequila Scorcher, Judge Harold Woodward, Tom Milam, and Claude Kilpatrick.

The ABC National Amateur Championship commenced November 22 at the J. Perry Mikles WDA, Boonville, Ark. Forty-two dogs were drawn to compete in this prestigious event.

The ABC Championship was established in 1951 and has been held at the J. Perry Mikles WDA grounds for the past 35 years. This superb venue is equipped with a spacious clubhouse and is a great place for lunches, dinners and meetings. A nice horse barn with approximately forty stalls along with outside horse pens and a horse washing station adds to comfort of one's equine. Sixty or so dog kennels are in place as well. Limited camp grounds fill up quickly as attendees from all across the nation come to enter this event.

Thanks to the Arkansas Game And Fish Commission, Manager Brad Wells and crew, the grounds were groomed to perfection.

It takes a village to put on a trial and keep it running smoothly. Making this happen was President Ed Janulis, 1st V-P Field Trial Chairman Kent Patterson, Field Trial Secretary Steve Ralph, Stake Manager Claude Kilpatrick, Course Marshalls Paul Doiron and Ed Tillson. Gallery Marshal Brett Lindback, Dog Wagon Coordinator Tom White, Wrangler Scott Johnson and caterer, Judy Tipton.

Sunday evening Trial Chairman Kent Patterson made announcements and introduced the reporter Rita Ornsby, Judges Johnny Ornsby of Greenbrier, Ark., and Harold Woodward of Vilonia, Ark. Following the announcements and introduction of the judges, a dinner and Calcutta were held kicking off the trial.

Tuesday evening Norm Ahl hosted a great prime rib dinner for his 2020 National Amateur Champion, Blew Me Away (Bud), handled by Joe Gower. The clubhouse was decorated in Southwest flair with all in attendance enjoying the dinner and dance floor afterward.

Judges Johnny Ornsby and Harold Woodward are seasoned and supremely qualified adjudicators. Both have a rich history in the sport and successfully trained and campaigned their own dogs. They set a wonderful pace throughout the running, giving each contender their undivided attention. Their decisions were well received by all.

THE WINNERS

Piney Run Hilltop Blew, four-year-old white and orange Brittany male owned and handled by Kent Patterson, Franklin, Tenn., ran in the 10th brace, No. 1 course. Blew started strong and up front, taking in the country going down the feed strips while checking the available cover in search of the elusive bobwhite. His efforts paid off as point being called at 6 with Blew standing staunch along a line of cover on the left margin of the course. Handler put birds to air as Blew demonstrated perfect manners through flush and shot.

Sent on, Blew continued to roll through the country holding a far-flung pattern. He was seen in flashes as he hit the cover. Hat was in the air for Blew at 15, but this proved to be a pile of feathers. More than likely an avian predator enjoyed a partridge for lunch. Sent on, Blew continued to eat up the country requiring very little scouting. He made a big swing in the old corral and was found standing at 37. Handler didn't have any luck putting birds to flight in an area known to hold an elusive covey. Released, Blew hunted the area nicely to no avail. As the gallery neared the double gates, Blew was seen deep on the river bottom where he faded out of sight. As the party neared the bridge, he was coming back from course No. 3 where he was gathered up and sent up the river bottom to complete an exciting hour. He finished the hour as strong as he started in near 80 temperatures.

Tequila Scorcher, eleven-year-old white and orange Brittany male, owned by Charles Crain and handled by Richard Beaver was named runner-up champion. Lincoln (callname) ran in the twelfth brace course No. 3.

Lincoln broke away strong to the front taking in the country carding a find at 10, with everything in order at flush and shot. Released, Lincoln headed for the front, slamming on point at 12. Handler again put birds in air and all was good at flush and shot. Lincoln hung on the edges making nice casts hitting the cover in pursuit of old bob white. Handler had hat in the air 42. Lincoln was standing stanch for the flush and shot.

Sent on, Lincoln settled into a moderate race going to the right places hunting the edges. Point called at 52, but nothing could be produced. Released to relocate, Lincoln hunted the area but his effort was fruitless. Old man bobwhite wasn't home.

THE RUNNING

Glade Run Booker's Shadow (Rush) and Maxwell's Heavy Hitter (Rogers). Booker had a find at 10. After an extended flush, birds were put to flight, all in order. Booker's race was not up to par this day. "Gabe" disappeared from judgment early and failed to return.

Jagoub's Spell Caster (Alexander) and Tequila Chica Bonita (Beaver). "Tabu" had a wreck on birds at 35 and was harnessed. Chica had finds at 20, 30, and a stop to flush at 46. She ran a moderate race finishing the hour.

C V K's Spartan King (Alexander) and Magnum High Velocity (Anderson). "Leo" was lost at 25. "Gauge" had an unproductive at 4, a stop to flush at 14, unproductive at 26 and was up at 30.

Firestarter Born Among the Stars (Macleod) and Lambachs Blew By You (Rogers) Handler picked Glory up at 45. Blue carded two unproductive and was up at 52.

S K F Jr's Straight Shooter (Foster) and WW's Miss Wendy (Wice). "Colt"was picked up at 42. Wendy had unproductives at 29 and 57.

B NT's Sonndance Kid Rock (Fowler) and Sundance Kid's Rule Breaker (Campbell). Rocky had a skunk encounter at 4, point called at 26 but this was a fist full of feathers only. Sent on, Trasa had her hat in air at 55 but after an extended relocation no birds were produced. Rocky ran a nice front race with very little scouting. "Bud" knocked birds at 42 and ended his bid.

S K F Miss Cheap Bourbon Whiskey (Foster) and ANJ's Ohio Hellion (Poehler). K D ran a nice race but finished the hour with no birds. "Hank" had the outer limits in sight, was gone at ten returned at 30, wasn't seen much throughout the hour.

S A Rig's Colorado Gun Runner (Milam) ran a nice up-front race but had unproductives at 35 and 50, up at 55. Wild Wild Willie (Cosgriff) ran a wide race early but was done in at 20 by a covey near the Parish Field.

WW's Gin And Tonic (Wice) had a wreck and was up at 55. Piney Run Jake (Patterson) ran the edges making consistently nice casts. His first find was at 10 as a single bird was flushed with everything in order. Taken on, Jake hung on the edges hunting all the likely places. Point called at 57, Jake standing staunchly as handler flushed birds and shot, everything in order to end his hour.

Piney Run Hill Top Blew's hour was summarized previously. TJ's Black Diamond (Perry) had a stop to flush at 25 and ran a moderate race.

Roustabout All In (Ralph) and Marjo's Fille De La Bretagne (Perry). Al had a wreck at 4 and got the roading harness. Brie had finds at 24 and 32. She was had a front running race but an erratic pattern. At pickup Brie went on point but handler did not attempt to flush.

Tequila Scorcher (Beaver) and J WB Arctic Cat (Alexander). Lincoln has been previously reported. Kimber was gone at breakaway with an absence of 16 minutes, the retrieval device out at 57.

Spanish Corral's Big Iron (Gower) was up at 42; he wasn't pleasing his handler. J J's Levi the Lionheart (Williams) ran a wide forward race hitting an edge and taking it to the end, then showing to the front, he maintained this throughout most of his hour with a find at 53 everything in order at flush and shot.

High Velocity Copper Magnum (Anderson) was up at 46. Carpe Diem (Lincoln) was last seen at 7, the retrieval unit employed at 27.

Sniksoh Hank's Hatch (Freemen) and Sigbrit's Not In Kansas Anymore (Blasi). Hatch knocked birds at 44 to end his hour. "Dottie" required quite a bit of scouting and stayed on the horse path a little too much. She finished with no birds.

Magnum's High Velocity Top Gun (Anderson) and Georgia's White Lightening (Tangen). "Gauge" just wasn't up to par this day picked up at 28. George was picked up at 15.

Arrow's Tequila Rustler (Beaver) had an unproductive at 13, a find at 53 and ran a nice up-front race. S R's Blew By Typhoon (Gower) had an absence of 15, a find at 30 and was missing at pickup time.

Rusty Ridge Where U Been (Kilpatrick) knocked and chased birds at 12 to end his hour. M T B Let's Have A Fee-Esta (White) had an encounter with deer and was hot on their heels not to be returned in time.

M T B Louree's V-0-2 Max (White) was up at 40 just couldn't put it together today. M K's My Lil Ammo (Blasi) had a find at 48, was gone from judgment 20 minutes, then settled in the last 12 minutes.

Gun Creek Gangster (Janulis) and Blew Me Away (Ahl). "Doc" finished the hour but no birds. "Bud" had a wreck at 46 to end his hour.

High Hopes Jac's Original Spice (Gulembo) was gone at 41, and came from behind at pickup. Just Call Me Lucky Ned Pepper (Campbell) had a find at 29 and was aggressive early but shortened late, ran out of course and had to finish in some pretty high cover to his disadvantage.

T N T's Raise'N A Leprechaun (Thomas). This wasn't to be Dexter's day. He was under birds at 10 with handler reaching for his harness.

Booneville, Ark., November 22

Judges: Johnny Ornsby and Harold Woodward

AMERICAN BRITTANY CLUB NATIONAL AMATEUR

CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] -- 42 Brittanys

Winner--PINEY RUN HILLTOP BLEW, 1697075, Brittany male, by Piney Run Chalk--Piney Run Chicklet. Kent Patterson, owner and handler.

Runner-Up--TEQUILA SCORCHER, 1642501, Brittany male, by Almaden's River of Shadows--Tequila With A Twist. Charles B. Crain, owner; Richard Beaver, handler.