Result: Kentucky Quail Classic

Location: Kevil, Kentucky

Post Date: Feb 15, 2023

Submitted By: Laney Berendzen

Kentucky Quail Classic All-Age Winners (first row, from left): Scout Stegan Smith with Touch's Fire Away, Judge Eddie Berendzen, Handler Randy Anderson with Bonner's Bulletproof, Handler Allen Vincent, Scout M. D. Crouse with Wynona's Nickelback Sugar, and Judge Nathan Berendzen. (Second row, from left): Matt Smith, Reporter Laney Berendzen, and Alan Benson.

The 2022 Kentucky Quail Classic All-Age and Derby stakes were held on November 29, concluding on December 2. The trial was chaired by Mr. Mike Crouse and organized by Mary Sue Schalk. Eddie and Nathan Berendzen of Higbee, Mo., judged it.

The all-age winner was Touch's Fire Away, handled by Randy Anderson. He had a point on the side of the road near the sunflower field and stood steady after a long and big performance. He was relocated a few times, and birds finally flew. He had another find after being gone for a while close to the end of the brace, but unfortunately, the birds were not home once he was found. Second place was Bonner's Bulletproof, also run by Randy Anderson. Bonner's Bulletproof had a find in the old sunflower patch, and quail bustled out of the brush; he had a good all-age race. Third place was Allen Vincent's Wynona's Nickleback Sugar, who hunted the edges well and ran a big race. She had a find of a nice little covey of quail by the blacktop. She had another find just after the railroad tracks, and birds were found toward the end of her hour.

The Running
The first day of the trial began warmer than it had been and eventually turned into on-and-off rain showers. Every dog in each brace will be recognized along with their handler, all in honor of their hardiness for the sport. The first dog on the first day of the first brace was Barshoe Forget Me Not, handled by Allen Vincent, who made big, wide-forward casts, but unfortunately, the handler chose to grab the tracker when the dog took advantage of his forward casts. His bracemate, Touch's Cocaine Blues, handled by Randy Anderson, hunted his edges well. Scotty Beeler's Beeler's White Knight ran a big race and had long forward casts. The dog was found in the old apple orchard field. Valiant Sunrise, handled by Randy Anderson, picked up early, just before the old iron gates but ran a large race, and we hardly saw the dog. Lester's Storm Chaser had a find, and birds were present. He had a big all-age race, hunted the edges, and focused on his job. Allen Vincent ran Justifier, had a big all-age race, had a find in the sunflower field, and birds flew. Both dogs blew out the front end of the power line field with all of the cuts to the left and right going back to camp. Both dogs handled well down that line and would hunt the edges of that field.

The first brace after lunch of the first day had the most rain showers. Starting, Wilson's Red Barn Slick, handled by Randy Anderson, stayed forward. Slick and Anderson were braced with the third-place team of Allen Vincent and Wynona's Nickleback Sugar. Gary Lester handled Knight Hill Little John in the fifth brace with Mike Crouse and Crouse's Quiet Man. Quiet Man hit the front hard off the breakaway, and the handler found him on point after being gone for approximately six minutes in the woods alley across from the wheat field. Birds were found in the brush pile just below the dog's nose. All was in order as the dog continued strong throughout the hour. Lester and Knight Hill Little John bonded well and finished his hour. Randy Anderson ran I'm Gallant with Allen Vincent and Sadie Firefly in the last brace of the first day. I'm Gallant was gone awhile, found on point, the covey of quail exploded from the brush pile with Sadie Firefly backing with style. She had a nice forward race, showing at the appropriate times.

The second day began when Randy Anderson ran Lester's Stem Winder. The handler called point after the dog had been unseen for a while. Birds were flushed and finished with a solid performance over the hour. Stem Winder was braced with Wynona Rona and Allen Vincent. She had a big race and flowed down the edges hunting down the line with purpose. Mike Crouse ran Crouse's Tennessee Game Kate, who handled well and had a find in the apple orchard field after time and birds were home. Gary Lester handled Bonner's Hot Rize, who had a strong all-age cast shortly after the breakaway; he also finished his hour. Lester's Shockwave, also handled by Lester, had a find in the field before the sunflower field; birds flushed. Another find past the sunflower field, birds were holed up in a brush pile but did fly. Braced with Shockwave, Allen Vincent handled Texas Wild Rex, who had a find in the sunflower field and a nice little covey of quail. Both dogs had nice forward races.

After lunch, Chris Cagle ran Haney's Storm Warning, and he had good casts toward the front. Allen Vincent handled Firefly's Invictus; he had an all-age performance of a race. Scott Beeler ran Beeler's Texas Jig, who showed well on edges and had a nice all-age run. Beeler was braced with Mary Sue Schalk and Crouse's White Dragon, who rolled on an edge and faded out the front. The last brace of day two ended with Randy Anderson's Touch's Fire Away braced with Bennett's Coldwater Odyssey, who hit his edges very nicely, had a good all-age performance, and went birdless. To begin day three, Allen Vincent handled Miss Stylin Sue, a bye dog due to the scratch of Game Wardon. Sue lived up to her name and ran with style. She had a find with birds. Gary Lester ran Lester's Boss Man, who was consistent throughout the hour, although he went without birds. Paired with Boss Man was Weldon Bennett and Coldwater Spectre. Spectre had a fine all-age race and was seen about three times. In the brace before lunch, Crouse's Equalizer, run by Mike Crouse, first stopped after crossing the gravel culvert in a milo field. After being asked to relocate, no birds were found in this likely spot, and Crouse opted to go on. Equalizer stopped again in the old sunflower patch, and birds were raised this time. Equalizer's bracemate was second-place dog Bonner's Bulletproof, handled by Randy Anderson.

After lunch, Allen Vincent's Lowrider Frank ran as a bye. Rimmed his edges nicely, ran to the front, and disappeared at about 1:20. The handler opted to take his tracker and found Frank pointing behind us. This concluded the 2022 Kentucky Quail Classic All-Age stake.

Kevil, Ky., November 29
Judges: Eddie Berendzen and Nathan Berendzen
KENTUCKY QUAIL CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 31 Pointers
1st--TOUCH'S FIRE AWAY, 1679602, male, by House's Ring of Fire-Touch's Maswood Anne. Greg & Carmen Adams, owners; Randy Anderson, handler.
2d--BONNER'S BULLETPROOF, 1683585, male, by Miller's Speed Dial-Miller's Martha White. Chris Cornman, owner; Randy Anderson, handler.
3d--WYNONA'S NICKLEBACK SUGAR, 1690017, setter female, by T's Nickleback-Carpenter's Don't Ya. Bruce Sooter & Brad Tolson, owners; Allen Vincent, handler.
Derby Stake
There were 26 derbies drawn, and 13 braces concluded. The first-place dog was Beeler's White Knight, owned and handled by Scott Beeler. He had a strong all-age race and was consistently found to the front. Second place was Crouse's Illinois Maverick, owned and handled by Mike Crouse, who also ran a good all-age race, stayed gone hunting, and came back at the appropriate times to "check in." Third place was Haney's Hurricane Seeker, owned and handled by David Russell. He ran a big race. From one field, we could see the dog in the next field overhunting the edges. The dog hunted to the front consistently.

To begin the Derby, Randy Anderson ran Tek One Eyed Willy. He made a big cast-off breakaway, and the handler decided to grab the tracker at 20. Also in the first brace, Gary Lester handled Mayfield Storm Charger and had a good finish to the front.

In the second brace, Gary Lester ran Miller's King Poast, who disappeared to the front at the end, and was not back in time. King Poast was braced with White Out and Randy Anderson.

Ike Todd handled Haney's Joy with Derby stake winner Scott Beeler and Beeler's White Knight. Haney's Joy was biddable and responded to the handler in a mannerly fashion.

Randy Anderson ran Miller's Wide Out in the fourth brace and stayed forward the entire brace, showing good handling skills. Mary Sue Schalk and Crouse's Woodrow F Call were paired with Anderson. At 25, Call decided to take the morning course and disappeared to return moments later and showed to the front. This exemplified a great relationship with the dog.

In the fifth brace, Ike Todd handled Game Cake, who ran well and to the front. They were paired with Allen Vincent, who handled Wynona Cookie, a natural at hunting the edges.

Friday morning, Haney's All In, run by Ike Todd, had a point in the power line field just before we turned right. Birds were found, and the dog stood as he shot. Randy Anderson's Valiant Fight had a successful back. Randy Anderson ran No Strings Attached; he seemed a natural hunter.

Due to a scratch, No Strings Attached was braced with second place dog Crouse's Illinois Maverick, owned and handled by Mike Crouse.

Allen Vincent's Wynona's Nickleback Hank stayed on the edge and hunted well in the next brace. The team was paired with Ike Todd and Haney's Silver Wings. He was a nice young prospect and rolled through the country.

The next brace, Ike Todd ran Touch's Edge Patch, who was always forward moving to the front. Sandridge Big Iron, handled by Allen Vincent, made a valiant effort during his time on the ground with Ike Todd and Game Surge. Game Surge stood for an unproductive and recovered well to the front for Todd.

In the 11th brace of the stake, Mike Crouse handled Crouse's Wind Roper, who ran a big race, but unfortunately resulted in being gone for too long.

In the 12th brace, Weldon Bennett ran Coldwater War Cry. War Cry stayed to the front; he knew his job by continuously hunting for quail to point. His bracemate, Ike Todd's Shagtime Sunny, made attractive casts to the front and completed with a forward finish.

To wrap up the stake, Mike Crouse handled Crouse's Karate, who had a true all-age race; you sometimes wondered if he might show again. He did and pleased his handler. He was braced with third-place dog Haney's Hurricane Seeker and David Russell.
OPEN DERBY - 26 Pointers
1st--BEELER'S WHITE KNIGHT, 1700938, male, by Touch's Smooth Rider-Touch's Wildwood Flower. Scott R. & Charles Beeler, owners; Scott R. Beeler, handler.
2d--CROUSE'S ILLINOIS MAVERICK, 1700672, male, by Crouse's Heart of Dixon-Crouse's Skip M. D. Crouse & M. S. Schalk, owners; M. D. Crouse, handler.
3d--HANEY'S HURRICANE SEEKER, 1698759, male, by Ransom-Haney's North Star. David Russell, owner and handler.

Kentucky Quail Classic Derby Winners (from left): Scott Beeler with Beeler's White Design, Judge Eddie Berendzen, Scout Mary Sue Schalk, Crouse's Illinois Maverick, Reporter Laney Berendzen, Handler M. D. Crouse, David Russell with Haney's Hurricane Seeker, and Judge Nathan Berendzen.

[Note: Many thanks to the Berendzen family and their continued dedication to the events held in Western Kentucky. I applaud Laney Berendzen for completing her first reporting assignment with due attention and diligence. I also want to thank the West Kentucky Field Trial Club members for their dedication to our annual events. Thank you to sponsors Purina and SportDOG and participants and owners. Best of luck as the season continues for all! -- Mary Sue Schalk, West Kentucky Field Trial Club President]

Berendzen Family--Eddie, Laney, and Nathan; a fine team!