Result: Region 9 Amateur & Idaho Open Championships

Location: American Falls, Idaho

Post Date: Dec 19, 2022

Submitted By: Chris Perkins

Region 9 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship. From left: Mike Mathews, Chris Perkins, Brian Gingrich (judge), Tom Griffin, Sophie Robbins, Ed Mayhew, Mike Robbins, Dave Noell, Bill Owen, Lance Schulz (judge), Alex Mauck, Shannon Nygard.

The Region 9 (AFTCA) Amateur Shooting Dog and the Idaho Open Shooting Dog Championships were held in conjunction with the Everton Derby Classic on September 16 through September 21, 2022.

This Field Trial has been held southeast of American Falls, Idaho for many years. The grounds
are privately owned and mostly part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The views are majestic ranging North across the American Falls Reservoir and the Craters of the Moon
National Reserve to the Smokey and White Mountains. To the South where the Bannock range
separates the Arbon Valley from the Rockland Valley further South to the Sublet range. On the
West is the Snake River and the East the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. It is truly Big Sky Country.

There are six courses that cover approximately thirty miles of CRP grass, sage brush, wooded
islands, high ridges and cultivated ground. Each course presents unique challenges for handlers, horses, and dogs. Each course presented all an opportunity for success. In addition to pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, and Hungarian partridge, big game including moose, elk and deer are often sighted.
The CRP grass is a blend of the original crested wheat grass, sage brush, and newer blends from the SAFE program. This year early spring rains jump started these grass's creating tall thick cover for the upland birds and lush grazing for big game.

The weather for these two events started with a nice rain on the evening of the 15th that settled the dust from a long dry summer. During the AFTCA Amateur the temperature ranged from mid-40's to low 70's. Winds ranged from 5 to 15mph. The weather was perfect. For the Idaho Shooting Dog Championship the temperature ranged from high 50's to high 80's. Wind ranged from 5 to 25mph with gusts that reached 35mph. In the afternoons it was hot and dry with gusting wind.

We thank our club members for stepping up and making this field trial a success. Our
sponsors Purina and Sport Dog and others from around Region Nine who contributed as well.
The judges that were selected did a fine job. Their professionalism and hard work is
appreciated. The placements in both championships were well received.
Finally, we want to thank our landowners for allowing us to meet every year to compete in our
sport, renew friendships, and prove the breeding for the future of the pointing bird dog.
Without these folks this great wild bird field trial would not exist.

Region 9 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship
THE RUNNING

Brace 1: R C's Bobtail (PM/Mathews) and Redeemed (PM/Nygard). Bobtail ran big to the front, had a find at 7, again at 15, unproductive at 20, was wide at the ridge, unproductive at 30, went with a flush at 40, and picked up. Redeemed, an STF at 20, and a limb find at 34. He self-relocated at 40 after his bracemate left and was picked up.

Brace 2: Searchin For A Rainbow (PF/Jones) and Perkins Trace of Snow (PF/Perkins). Rainbow was scratched. Snow was found standing at 25; the handler announced that birds had left, and he fired. She had a find at 55.

Brace 3: Skydancer Gold Rush (ESM/Griffin) and Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Ajay (ESF/Mauck). Skydancer ran a consistent race with a find at 25. Ajay had one find at 29.

Brace 4: Edelman (PM/Jones) and Meg (ESF/Noell). Edelman had an unproductive at 15 and ran a big race. The handler lost track of him, and the tracker was requested at 45. Meg ran a medium race, had a find at 54, and took a few steps when a bird flushed and was
picked up.

Brace 5: Jake (GSPM/Thompson) and S B Always Dreamin (PF/Owen). Jake shortened up at 45 due to the heat. Dreamin ran a consistent race throughout. No bird work was reported for either.

Brace 6: H B V's Lambeau Leap (GSPF/Favor) and Love Train (PF/Griffin). Leap was scratched. Love Train ran a nice forward race in the heat. No bird work was reported.

Brace 7: Mauck's Wyeast Owhyee Jack (ESM/Mauck) and Perkins Diamond Cutter (PM/Perkins). Jack had multiple STFs throughout the brace; the race was shortened due to an overwhelming number of birds. Cutter had a big race to the front, STF at 20, a find on
Sharptail at 25, STF at 27 and 30, a find at 33, STF at 36, bumped a bird at 40, and was picked up.

Brace 8: Edge's Hidden Canyon (PM/Robbins) and Idaho's Lucky Mike (PM/Heaton). Canyon had a classy find on Sharptail where the handler flushed birds at 18, an unproductive at 42, and a Sharptail find at 55. He made large casts with a solid forward race throughout the brace and cued off the handler well. Mike pointed at 37 and self-relocated while the handler was flushing.

Brace 9: Miller's Newest Version (PF/Owen) and Perkins Lakeside Wild Child (PF/Perkins). Version had a strong race. No bird work was reported. Child had unproductives at 20 and 45 and was picked up.

Brace 10: Lone Tree Splish Splash (PF/Owen) and Perkins Sawyer's Warrior (PM/Perkins). Splash had a consistent race. No bird work was reported. Warrior had a strong race with a find at 55 on a covey of Huns.

Brace 11: Name Like Mike (PM/Robbins) and Perkins Rebel Within (PM/Perkins). Mike had a stylish Sharptail find at 05, where birds were flushed by the handler, followed by another
beautiful find at 10 on a covey of Huns, and a final Sharptail find at 15, and unproductive at 40. He had a solid race throughout, with an outstanding finish where he made a final cast down the massive ridge. Rebel had an STF at 02 and 10.

Brace 12: Charlie's Zip Tie (ESM/Owen) and I Got This (PM/Favor). Zip had a strong race in the heat. No bird work was reported. His bracemate was scratched.

Brace 13: Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Dallee (ESF/Mauck) and Perkins Elhew River Rail (PF/Perkins). Dallee had an excellent race, unproductive at 24, and STFs at 34 and 39. Rail had a good forward race with unproductives at 12 and 25.

Brace 14: Sassy (PF/Mayhew) and Skydancer's Deal Maker (ESM/Griffin). Sassy ran a strong, pretty race. No bird work was reported. Maker had a strong start, a failed STF at 28, and was
picked up.

Brace 15: Bandit (PM/Mayhew) and Touch's Jimi Thing (PM/Perkins). Bandit's strong race got a little sideways at the halfway point. No bird work was reported. Jimi had a strong start,
unproductive at 28, and shortened up at the end.

American Falls, Ida., September 16
Judges: Brian Gingrach and Lance Schulz
REGION 9 AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 21 Pointers, 7 Setters and 2 German Shorthairs
Winner-NAME LIKE MIKE, 1687329, pointer male, by Dominator's American Rebel-Searchin For A Rainbow. Mike Robbins, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-EDGE'S HIDDEN CANYON, 1691532, pointer male, by Edelman-T's Inlieu of Rum. Mike Robbins, owner and handler.
Judges: Tim Fullerton and mike Mathews
EVERTON DERBY CLASSIC - 6 Pointers, 2 Setters, 1 German Shorthair and 3 Vizslas
1st-PERKINS DIAMOND CUTTER, 1698024, pointer male, by Touch's Diamante-Perkins Trace of Snow. Christopher Perkins, owner and handler.
2d-COSTAS, 1698042, pointer male, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Searchin for a Rainbow. Gordon Jones, owner and handler.
3d-RAMBLIN RIVERS UNPLUGGED, 1698585, pointer female, by Miller's Blindsider-Wells Southern Charm. Bill Stapleton & Mike Northwood, owners; Brian Gingrich, handler.

Idaho Open Shooting Dog Championship
THE RUNNING

Brace 1: Upfront's Southern Star (PF/Schulz) and Perkins Sawyer's Warrior (PM/Perkins). Star ran a nice big forward race with a STF at 33. Warrior ran a consistent race, with a find at 08 and STF at 12.

Brace 2: Redeemed (PM/Nygard) and M H Rockford Peach (PF/Sampson). Redeemed had a solid race to the front. Peach had a forward race. No bird work was reported for either dog.

Brace 3: Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Jack (ESM/Mauck) and Edge's Hidden Canyon (PM/Robbins). Jack had finds at 15 and 20 and unproductive at 32. He pointed, the handler relocated, and then went on point again and had a find on Huns at 53. Canyon was found standing on the hillside at 04 on Sharptail flushed by the handler, had an unproductive at 14, a find at 18 on Sharptail flushed by the handler, a find at 25 on a covey of Huns flushed by the handler, and
a final find at 45 on Sharptail. A solid and consistent race with a strong finish to end the exciting brace.

Brace 4: Meg (ESF/Noell) and Ramblin Rivers Natural (PM/Gingrich). Meg ran a forward race and had STFs at 20 and 36. Natural ran a large race, with unproductives at 33 and 48.

Brace 5: Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Dallee (ESF/Mauck) and S T's Locked N Loaded (VF/Gingrich). Both dogs ran a large race. No bird work was reported for either dog.

Brace 6: S B Always Dreamin (PF/Owen) and Perkins Elhew River Rail (PF/Perkins). Dreamin had a large race, out of sight at times, and had a find on a covey of Huns at 43. Rail produced a stylish find at 07 off the hillside, a covey of Huns was flushed in front of her, and a find at 15 where the handler flushed a group of Sharptail. She showed stylishly to the front, making big casts consistently without fatigue.

Brace 7: R C's Bobtail (PM/Mathews) and Touch's Katrina (PF/Turley). Bobtail had a medium race, a find at 20, and finished. Katrina had a strong race in the heat of the day, a find on Sharptail at 07, STF at 13, divided unproductive at 25, and STFs at 29 and 33, where she moved on her own and was picked up.

Brace 8: Emmalita (PF/Turley) and Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Ajay (ESM/Mauck). Emmalita ran a large consistent race throughout the entire brace in the heat. She had a pheasant find at 25. Ajay had a consistent race with an STF at 18.

Brace 9: Name Like Mike (PM/Robbins) and Miller's Newest Version (PF/Owen). Mike had a find at 15, unproductives at 33 and 44, and picked up. Version had unproductives at 13 and 33 and was picked up.

Brace 10: Touch's Jimi Thing (PM/Perkins) and Carbonado's Silver Sage (PF/Turley). Jimi had an STF at 25, unproductive at 35, and was picked up by the handler at 40. Sage had a find on Sharptail at 12, backed bracemate at 35, and STF at 39, with a strong finish.

Brace 11: C K Post Route Scout (VIZM/Gingrich) and Touch's Diamante (PM/Turley). Scout ran a consistent race with an STF at 22. The handler lost track of Diamante toward the beginning and asked for the tracker at 12.

Brace 12: Burr Oak's Born Again (VIZM/Gingrich) and Edelman (PM/Jones). Born Again started strong, but heat fatigue sat in, and he was picked up at 35. His bracemate was scratched.

Brace 13: Lone Tree Splish Splash (PF/Owen) and O T F's Good Time (GSPM/Gingrich). Splash ran a big race throughout, with an STF at 07. Good Time ran a consistent race. No bird work reported.

Brace 14: C K Guy's Light My Fire (VIZF/Gingrich) and Touch's Amazing Greyce (PF/Turley). No bird work was reported for Fire, and she was picked up at 55. Greyce ran a nice consistent race, with no bird work reported.

Brace 15: Charlie's Zip Tie (ESM/Owen) and Carbonado's Rodeo (PM/Turley). Multiple STFs were going up the ridge from 20-35. At 45, Zip failed to stop after he put up a covey of Huns. Rodeo suffered an unproductive at 11, had numerous S-2-Flights going up
the ridge from 20-35, and had a Sharptail find at 50.

Judges: Richard Burgi and Tom Griffin
IDAHO STATE OPEN SHOOTING DOG [One-Hour Heats] - 20 Pointers, 7 Setters, 1 German Shorthair and 4 Vizslas
Winner-EDGE'S HIDDEN CANYON, 1691532, pointer male, by Edelman-T's Inlieu of Rum. Mike Robbins, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-PERKINS ELHEW RIVER RAIL, 1687352, pointer female, by Elhew Riverman-T Rail. Christopher Perkins, owner and handler.

Idaho Open Shooting Dog Championship. From left: Mike Mathews, Austin Turley, Chris Perkins, Rich Burgi (judge), Tom Griffin (judge), Mike Robbins, Alex Mauck, Sophie Robbins.