Result: Region 4 Amateur All-Age Championship

Location: Berea, Kentucky

Post Date: Jul 15, 2022

Submitted By: Jim Pendergest

The 2022 Region 4 Amateur All-Age Championship concluded Sunday, March 27th with the announcement of Little More Shine as Champion. Shine is owned by Kristine and Tim Hammons and was handled to the title by Tim and scouted by Kristine. Casey Creek Crystal Ice was named runner-up Champion in a closely contested event. Crystal is owned by Buster and Pam Tucker and was handled by Buster.

Judges for this event were Burke Hendrix of Hernando, Miss., and David Russell of Como, Miss. Burke is an accomplished handler in both open and amateur competition with his bloodlines. Burke and his father Guy, have developed field trial grounds in Como, Mississippi and generously allow a variety of clubs to run trials on their grounds. David is rapidly making a name for himself on both the amateur and open circuits in arguably what is the toughest region in America. Their decision was well received.

Many thanks go out to all those who helped make this trial happen. Mary Sue Schalk is the Secretary of Region 4 and carries the bulk of the workload in seeing that the Amateur All-Age, Amateur Shooting Dog and Amateur Walking Championships come off successfully each year. Tim Hammons and Buster Tucker assisted with the marshalling responsibilities for the trial and also scouted for several of their fellow competitors as needed. Pam Tucker provided the treats and drinks for the dog wagon both days, including delicious French toast with sausage links and homemade fried apple pies. Charlie Turner handled the dog wagon duties in his usual efficient and timely manner. Amy Pendergest handled lunch duties each day. Thanks to all for their help.
Purina and Greg Blair sponsored the Championship, like they do many others and the Champion and Runner Up were awarded bags of Purina Sport Pro Plan as additional reward for their accomplishments. Purina's support is instrumental in being able to continue to put on first class trials for the competitors and we can't thank them enough.
The Winners
It is uncanny, how many times the winner of a trial comes from the last brace and it happened again with this trial. Little More Shine drew the last brace of the stake, coupled with Crouse's Tennessee Game Kate. This brace put on a show with 6 individual finds and one divided find. This pair broke away from the clubhouse Sunday afternoon, with Shine making short work of the opening field and showing to the extreme in the Dewey Bottom as we crossed the trap range. Kate was biddable through the first portion of the course and scored nicely at 18 near the old tobacco barn location. Her style was arresting. Shine made contact with Hammons at this juncture and made a good swing around the plowed field. Shine then took the left edge of the big bottom and showed well to the front past the tree line shortly thereafter. Point was called for both dogs at 24, with Kate on the first tree line and Shine about 100 yards further on the next line.
All was in order for both stylish females. Both dogs were shown by handlers through the tight back corner of the property. As we dropped over the hill back into the big bottom Shine was casting along the woodline to the right and then to the opposite side. The call of point came from scout Kristine Hammons shortly thereafter. No birds were produced initially and Shine was asked to relocate. An extended effort ensued and Shine went deep into the woods to pin a Woodcock. All was in order again and the entourage set out to catch the front. At the blacktop road crossing Kate was notching find number three for Crouse. Across the road, both dogs took the treeline to the left, with Kate on the left side and Shine on the right. About three quarters of the way down the line Shine winded birds and ventured into the treeline. She was standing when handler got to her and Kate was pointing as well from the other side. A well-handled divided find for both dogs. After being released, Shine was shown well to the front and over the hill toward the Agee House. Shortly the call of point came again from scout and Shine was styled up in the treeline intersecting the Agee Bottom. A relocation was required, which Shine performed admirably to conclude her hour with her forth find.

Casey Creek Crystal Ice was braced with Crouse's Quiet Man in the 9th brace of the stake. This pair broke away from the Old House location and both were ambitious from the start. Crystal was seen in the Orchard field at 6 and then not again until we reached the pine tree line just before the Agee house at 17 minutes where she reconnected with Tucker. Tim Hammons, scouting for Tucker called point at 22 with Crystal standing majestically. After a long flushing attempt, Tucker asked for a relocation. During the process, a bird got up with Crystal stopping immediately for the shot. The front was made just after crossing the blacktop road and Quiet Man was out of pocket. As Tucker sent Crystal across the small creek toward the Round Woods, she wheeled and pointed. Birds were flushed and shot fired with all in order. Crystal moved quickly forward and out of sight and was spied 5 minutes later on a picturesque stand near the gravel road. Again all was in order for her third contact. Crystal rimmed the plowed field and dropped into the bottom via the New Century Road and took the right edge of the big bottom. She was shown well the front here and was standing at a honeysuckle clump when handler got to where he had last seen her. Tucker chose to take her on without flushing as he deemed the odds too great of producing her quarry from the heavy cover. Quiet Man rejoined the group at this juncture and both dogs made big swings down the power line. Just before the creek crossing, Crystal was working scent, established a stand and Tucker called the flight of the birds. They were seen officially and Tucker shot to record his fourth find with Crystal. From here both dogs were ranging strongly through the final portion and the hour was completed in the Dewey Bottom.
The Running
Morgan's Yellow Ledbetter (Morgan) with Game Heir (Corder). Heir was shown on a nice swing into the Dewey Bottom and then seen again at 12. He was absent shorty after that and the tracker was requested at 40. Ledbetter scored at 17 along the gravel road intersection with good style and manners. His pattern was forward but moderate for the remainder of the hour.

Rebel Dreams (Williams) with Crouse's Equalizer (Crouse). Equalizer was spotted pointed at 4, but no game was produced. He recorded a back at 35 and consistently showed to the front for the remainder of his hour. Dreams scored at 9 near the clubhouse woods with all in order. Dreams was missing as we passed the Old House location, returning to the front at 22. The call of point came at 35, with both dogs present. Crouse elected to take a back and Williams was able to produce birds in a difficult flushing situation with Dreams well behaved. Dreams had another absence for 8 minutes and then made the front. She was shown to the front at 48 and then found pointing to the front after pickup time for her third successful contact.

Coldwater Paradise (McKibben) with Game Warden (Corder). Paradise was shown well to the front after breakaway from the Old House starting point. Point was called at 10 by her brace mate's scout, but as we made the ride Paradise met us coming to the front. She was pointed in the Agee Bottom at 22 and a single was produced with Paradise taking the liberty of a step. Her good pattern continued and she scored her second find at 42. Additional movement at flush caused McKibben to put her in the harness. Warden showed well through the hour, but was not able to make game contact.

Imagine (Pendergest) with Crouse's White Dragon (Schalk). Dragon was shown on a good move in the Dewey Bottom and then not seen again. Imagine made a nice move in the Dewey Bottom and then was kept close until the concrete crossing, where he showed nicely up the right edge and along the Round Woods. Point was called at 16 with a good piece of work resulting at the gravel road. Imagine made a good show in the Big Bottom and then was gone for 12 minutes as we toured the back corner of the property. He came from the front at the Sow Pond and made a good cast into the bottom and another toward the concrete crossing as we passed by it again. He scored his second at the treeline at the Round Woods with everything in order at 42. Across the blacktop, he was to the left and around the Goose Pond woods, before crossing over to the treeline interesting the Agee Bottom. Point was called for the derby aged pointer for the third time, with a picturesque stand producing game at 55. Imagine was in hunting mode thereafter and failed to finish with the range necessary to challenge the winners.

Dialed In (Pendergest) with Rebel Grace (Williams). Dialed In was on point at 9 with an unproductive recorded. As she was being heeled to the front, a single got up and her reaction time was not satisfactory and she was harnessed. Grace recorded a back to Dialed In's stand and was taken on during the relocation. She was out of pocket shortly thereafter and the tracker was requested at 35.

Game Rebel (Corder) with Rebel Survivor (Williams). Both dogs were shown consistently through the first part of the course and the initial contact came at 25 with Survivor pointing and Rebel backing. The roles were reversed at 38 with Rebel scoring his first. As we crossed the creek to be back on course, Survivor scored again on a single. Rebel was on point at 44 with Survivor coming in for another back. The action was coming fast now as Rebel was pointing again at 52 near the Old Barn location. A divided find concluded the action at pickup time.

Silver Creek Wild Again (Hammons) with Pendy's Good Grace (Pendergest). Wild Again had a strong race throughout, but without the benefit of game. Grace was shown impressively off of breakaway and then not seen again until 16 at the gravel road crossing. She scored at 17 across the gravel road with all in order. Grace swung left around the plowed field and then took the right edge of the Big bottom and was on point well to the front to score her second at 24. She made some impressive moves on the ground through the back corner of the property and back into the Big Bottom. After crossing the blacktop road, Grace was to the left in the Drive In field and had to be ridden for and brought back to the front where she finished on a nice swing toward the Mailbox breakaway.

Storm's End (Pendergest) with Wicked Hippie (Maclean). Hippie was consistent and forward in her pattern, but failed to score on game. Her only stand produced just feathers. End scored quickly at 4 minutes with high head and tail. She was on point again at 10 with another picturesque find. She recorded her third at 42 in the tree line intersecting the Agee field. End was out of pocket after this find and ultimately brought back in the harness.

Berea, Ky., March 26
Judges: Burke Hendrix and David Russell
REGION 4 AMATEUR ALL-AGE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 18 Pointers and 2 Setters
Winner-LITTLE MORE SHINE, 1672392, Irish setter female, by Red Rock-Covered In Red. Kristine & Tim Hammons, owners; Tim Hammons, handler.
Runner-Up-CASEY CREEK CRYSTAL ICE, 1676908, pointer female, by Casey Creek Icy Hot-Chalie's Dream Girl. Buster & Pam Tucker, owners; Buster Tucker, handler.

Region 4 Amateur All-Age Winners. From left: Tim Hammons with Little More Shine, Buster Tucker with Casey Creek Crystal Ice. Back row: Burke Hendrix (judge), Kristine Hammons, Mary Sue Schalk, David Russell (Judge) Jim Pendergest.