Result: Cahaba Bend Field Trial

Location: Greensboro, Alabama

Post Date: Jan 21, 2021

Submitted By: Ruthann Epp

The 2021 Cahaba Bend trial was held on the 3,000 plus acres with three courses at the M. Barnett Lawley Forever Wild Field Trial Area in Greensboro, Ala.

As we have come to expect each year, the courses were in excellent condition. Feed strips, hedgerows and wooded edges made a showcase for nice performances. Even being the last bird dog field trial of the season, the birds were plentiful.

Bill Mason and his family, Henrietta, Jennifer, Jamie, and Dosson McKemie along with Carson Hill and Dr. Justin Howard made the pre-release happen in the fall. Each club supplemented birds for their trial also.

Thanks are in order to the State of Alabama Lands Division, the Forever Wild Program and Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship for making these grounds possible and having an outstanding manager Bill Mason who understands what it takes for successful trials on both the bird dog and retriever circuits. Bill's assistant, Carson Hill, is also invaluable for things to run smoothly.

Also, thanks to the AFTCA 20th Century Fund for the grant money to the Cahaba Bend Club to assist with costs associated with the feed strips for quail. The 20th Century Fund provides grants for game bird habitat improvements.

The weather went from cold and rainy to sunny and pleasant.

There was nice family participation. Shelby and Claire Street, daughters of Bucky and Merideth Street of Notasulga were in the gallery along with Addison McDuffie, daughter of Hunter and Mindy McDuffie of Cecil, Ala., and Collier Kitchens, the youngest member of the gallery, son of Anna Kitchens and grandson of John Henry Kitchens. Dosson McKemie, Bill and Henrietta Mason's grandson and Jennifer and Jamie's son is a regular for many of the trials as well. Their enthusiasm for the sport is refreshing.

There was a panel of judges for the event. Chip Pendergrass, businessman from Dayton, Tenn., judged all three stakes. Chip has been an avid quail hunter all of his life and has judged trials all over the United States. -- championships and club trials. Hunter McDuffie joined Chip to judge the Charles Farquhar Amateur All-Age. He too is a seasoned judge and director on multiple field trial boards. Schley Rutherford, businessman from Mobile, Ala., joined in the judging duties for the Open Derby. Schley has immersed himself in the field trial sport. He hosts a field trial earlier in the season each year at the Forever Wild Area and supports and assists with several other trials as well. Brian Ethridge of Vestavia Hills, Ala., a banker and businessman accepted the judicial duties with Chip Pendergrass for the Amateur Shooting Dog. Brian grew up hunting and field trialing in South Georgia.

All three stakes saw good performances for quality placements. Thanks to all who entered their dogs in the stakes to support the club. It was exciting to see first time winners and seasoned winners side by side. The camaraderie is as much of why people come as it is to see if they have the best dog on a certain day.

The Cahaba Bend Club has been fortunate to have the support of Purina as a sponsor for many years. We are most appreciative to Greg Blair for his proactive approach to sponsorship. It makes it possible for our club trial to continue and to participate in the Purina points program. The winners each received certificates for bags of Pro Plan dog food.

The field trial club has two new sponsors this year. Anna Kitchens from headquarters of Honey Baked Ham Company in Atlanta, arranged for boxed lunches to be donated for the entire crowd on Saturday. Anna has strong ties to the Blackbelt area and to field trials. She and her son rode in the gallery on Saturday. Bubba Lindley, owner of Edlinco, donated all kinds of snacks for the dog wagon. Buds Best Cookies were a hit. Bubba has ties to this area as well. A big thanks to both of them for their support.

Like most clubs, a successful trial depends on the assistance of many. John Henry Kitchens once again manned the dog wagon, which really means that he managed the daily logistics, seeing that dogs were on the wagon and in the right spot for pickups and breakaways. In addition, he carried the all-important refreshments: hot coffee, cold drinks, and assorted snacks! His four-year-old grandson Collier assisted him again this year when he wasn't riding on a horse.

Marshals were Bill Mason, Jennifer and Jamie McKemie, Justin Howard and Schley Rutherford. John Ivester provided horses for the judges and pulled a trailer around as a horse taxi.

The field trial volunteers in the lunch area donned masks with a bird dog on them that Lynn Carpenter of Birmingham had made. Fontaine and Olivia Alison also of Birmingham were the hosts for lunches on Saturday and Sunday and night meals. In addition, Fontaine manages the Facebook page for the club and Olivia is the official photographer.

Patty Sexton, of Selma, was in charge of food on Thursday and Friday--lasagna and her hearty field trial soup with corn muffins. Hunter McDuffie was the grill master for the Saturday night socially distanced steak supper. The crowd enjoyed visiting around the fire pit and roasting marshmallows. Claire Street and Addison McDuffie made cookies to share. Olivia Alison made her family recipe poundcake and brownies, and Mary Minifield made Mary Epp's famous pecan pies. There was no shortage of good food.

Field trialers are a privileged group -- they get to share a special friendship while enjoying such a variety of venues throughout the country. Here at the M. Barnett Lawley Forever Wild Field Trial Area they can watch dogs make great casts and have great bird work, they can enjoy riding horses, and they can take in the beauty of the land and the water with ducks, geese and even a swan being present while eagles and osprey soar overhead. It is worth passing on to the next generation. So bring a young person to your next field trial.

Greensboro, Ala., January 21

Judges: Hunter McDuffie and Chip Pendergrass

CHARLES FARQUHAR AMATEUR ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] -- 9 Pointers

1st--SOUTHERN SHADOWS T REX, 1682853, male, by Skyfall--Miller's White Wall. Lance Servais, owner; Brian Peterson, handler.

2d--RESTER'S CAJUN CHARLIE, 1683364, male, by Dunn's Tried'n True--Rester's Redial. Cecil Rester, owner and handler.

3d--MARQUES ARMED ROBBER, 1659975, male, by Reloaded--Dialed In. John & Susan Ivester, owners; John Ivester, handler.

Judges: Chip Pendergrass and Schley Rutherford

OPEN DERBY -- 8 Pointers

1st--RESTER'S CAJUN QUEEN, 1689164, female, by Wiggins River Wild--Erin's Blackhawk Barbie. Cecil Rester, owner and handler.

2d--SANDSPUR BELLE, 1694342, female, by Pride's Smoking Gambler--J Maple Sis. Todd Montgomery, owner and handler.

3d--TWIN WILLOW ICE, 1692748, female, by Walden's Keen Ice--Walden's Ridge Country Girl. Addison McDuffie, owner; Hunter McDuffie, handler.

Judges: Brian Ethridge and Chip Pendergrass

AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG [One-Hour Heats] -- 22 Pointers

1st--PRIME PASSION LANE, 1675712, male, by Lester's Prime Poison Lane--Sedgefields Silvertone. Addison McDuffie, owner; Hunter McDuffie, handler.

2d--SOUTHERN SHADOWS T REX, 1682853, male, by Skyfall--Miller's White Wall. Lance Servais, owner; Brian Peterson, handler.

3d--ELECTRONIC WARFARE, 1673142, male, by Funseeker's Rebel Tex--Nacho Myakka Miley. Bill Goodwin, owner and handler.