Result: NGSPA Region 4 Championships

Location: Ionia, Michigan

Post Date: Oct 12, 2022

Submitted By: Tom Davis

NGSPA Region 4 Open Shooting Dog Championship. Chicoree's Riden High Trixie with April Raber, Fred Ryan (breeder), Frank Vicari (judge) and Chris Young.

It is with bittersweet feelings that this write up is being brought to you. The sweet because another successful NGSPA Region 4 is in the books. The bitter because of the passing of long-time field trailer Jim Yates, one of my absolute best friends, for the last twenty years.

The first full week in May has been the date for this Championship for than 50 years. Region 4 is the oldest and longest continuously running trial in the NGSPA lineup of Championships. Your scribe has been the chairperson of this trial since 1983. That mantel is now being passed to young professional trainer Dan DiMambro, Dan has really stepped up and carried most of the heavy load of administrating this trial the last couple of years. Also, on hand to help with the daily chores were Marc McKinley, Lee Wagoner, April Raber, Jen Goodall. Dick Lipski was on hand and did an excellent job planting birds this was a huge help for a skeleton crew. A big thank you to them and all the other unnamed people who stepped in to help. Also, a big thank you to our Sponsor PURINA!!! They contribute Monetary support along with product distributed to the winners.

The weather for the first time in memory was clear and sunny for the entire week of the trial. It was hot and we had to cancel the running of the Derby due to the humidity and heat. However, the grounds were the wettest they have ever been due to earlier spring rains, soon drying up from the sunshine and heat.

This Championship is bracketed on both start and finish by the Lansing and Michigan AKC weekend trials. There is a lot of trial activity over the 10days on the same venue contributes to large entries and many in attendance. The pro trainers who participated were Jim West, Chris Goegan, and Dan DiMambro. The usual suspects of amateur's were also in attendance also: Fred Ryan DVM, Kirk Loftin, Sheri Tansgrud, Hank Lewis, Chris Young.

The highlight of the week was the memorial held for Jim Yates. The Region 4 committee sponsored a dinner featuring pork loins and all the fixings. Jim Moorehouse of SportDog and Terry Tryzinski of Purina, Peter and Diane Coppens hosted the dinner. April Raber and Joy Clay worked hard to make sure everyone enjoyed themselves.

There were approximately sixty of Jim Yate's friends and relatives in attendance. Tom Davis handled the presentation of a patrons' plaque presented to Jim's wife of 46 years Kathleen, there will also be one hanging on the wall at the Bird Dog Museum in Grand Junction, Tenn., and the Ionia Recreation Area Field trial Headquarters. Thank you to all that contributed to purchase the plaques in Jim's Memory. After the presentation many got up to speak about the positive impact Jim had on their lives. It was a somber buy enjoyable evening.
A big thank you also goes out to the various judges who gave their time and experience to make this trial memorable event. They include Frank Vicari, Chris Young, Marc McKinley, Rhonda Houkoos, and Tom Davis.

THE RUNNING
The Open Shooting Dog stake drew 20 dogs this year's winner was Uodibar's Robbi Jo owned by Sherri Tansgrud and handled by Kirk Loftin. Robbi had a strong shooting dog race with four forward finds. She flowed on the lines like a true veteran shooting dog. The runner up was Chicoree's Riden High Trixie owned by Jeff Alexander and Handled by Dan DiMambro. This 3 yr. old dog did a fantastic job for the hour having three finds and a forward race.

The Amateur Shooting dog drew twelve dogs. This year's winner came from Brace three All N's Green with Envy Jade, owned by Robert Reynolds, DVM and handled by Chris Young. Jade had an excellent forward race which turned his trip into a wild bird trial with a mannerly stand on a woodcock at 20. She then had a quail find at 48. Her efforts earned her the winner in this trial. Hi N's Curtain Call handled by Hank Lewis. Robbi cast of well and had a find at 34 and 53 with good manners all in order. We carried this dog for a while. Charlie started off well and set an early standard for the stake. He had a divided find at 34, his own find with excellent style at 42 and a back at 53. He was rewarded with a runner-up trophy for his efforts.

We had a large Open All-Age stake running eighteen dogs. Chicoree's Riden High Trixie, owned by Jeff Alexander and Handled by Dan Dimambro, literally blew the front out of the course for 60 minutes. She was dug up three times on great limb finds by scout April Raber. It has hot humid and were not the best conditions. She thrilled the Handler and Judges her efforts were rewarded the winner of this stake. Evergreen's Jed Clampet owned by Lance Olsen and handled by Dan Dimambro ran a great race as well he carded 2 finds and also pushed the outer limits of the course.
Ionia, Mich., May 9
Judges: Frank Vicari and Marc McKinley
NGSPA REGION 4 OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 20 German Shorthairs
Winner-UODIBAR'S ROBBI JO, 1662507, female, by Uodibar's Against All Odds-B D K's Sin City Casino. Sherri Tangsrud, owner; Kirk Loftin, handler.
Runner-Up-CHICOREE'S RIDEN HIGH TRIXIE, 1685125, female, by Riden High Rudy-Chicoree's Sparkle In Her Eye. Jeff Alexander, owner; Dan DiMambro, handler.

NGSPA Region 4 Open All-Age Championship. Chicoree's Riden High Trixie with Fred Ryan, (breeder), Evergreen's Jeff with April Raber, Frank Vicari (judge), Chris Young, and Dan DiMambro.

Judges: Frank Vicari and Chris Young
NGSPA REGION 4 OPEN ALL-AGE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 18 German Shorthairs
Winner- CHICOREE'S RIDEN HIGH TRIXIE, 1685125, female, by Riden High Rudy-Chicoree's Sparkle In Her Eye. Jeff Alexander, owner; Dan DiMambro, handler.
Runner-Up-EVERGREEN'S JED, 1676169, male, by Trublu's B D K Ace Inthe Hole-Chicoree's What A Hoodlum. Lance Olsen, owner; Dan DiMambro, handler.
Judges: Tom Davis and Rhonda Houkoos
NGSPA REGION 4 AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 12 German Shorthairs
Winner-ALL N'S GREEN WITH ENVY, 1658875, female, by Hi Point's Lightening Bolt-Jagermeister Dollop A Daisy. Robert Reynolds, owner; Chris Young, handler.
Runner-Up-HI N'S CURTAIN CALL, 1687995, male, by Hi N's Bodacious-Hi N's Hasty Matilda. Hank Lewis, owner and handler.

NGSPA Region 4 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship. All N's Green With Envy with Chris Young, Rhonda Houkoos (judge) and Tom Davis (judge).