Event: Everglades Trial
Result: Associated Field Trial Clubs of Florida

Location: Punta Gorda, Florida

Post Date: Feb 20, 2023

Submitted By: Petie Brown

Everglades All-Age Winners (from left): Kent Cantrell with Touch's Dancing Nancies, Petie Brown with Myakka Lucy Diamond, and Justin Muzynski with Holopaw's Rear Axel. (Second row, from left): Becky Cantrell with B. J. Memorial All-Age trophy, Paul Daniel, Carol Muzynski, Beth Brown, Judge Vince Feltner, Mike Tiberii, and Kayleigh Muzynski.

PUNTA GORDA, FLA. -- After several judges had to rescind their commitment, we were delighted to have Kent Cantrell and Vince Feltner judge for us, with the agreement that they could run their dogs in other stakes. Fortunately, we were able to round out the judging with Mike Tiberii and the Brown sisters on the Derby.

Due to the holiday weekend, we scheduled a three-day trial with the extra day to run an hour shooting dog, a 20-minute puppy stake, an hour all-age, and a 30-minute derby. We usually take out three braces in the morning, followed by three hours of running in the afternoon, but this year was a bit different due to fog delays a couple of mornings and a break to celebrate the life of one of our club members, Don Wood.

We have two rotating trophies awarded to the winners of the shooting dog and the all-age stakes. The Robert Brown plaque is awarded to the winner of the shooting dog stake. Rob was one of the founders of the AFTCF, and his daughters are the mainstays of the club today. Jim and Barbara Goza donated the B. J. Memorial in memory of Jim's champion, Bullet's Tradition.

Being New Year's, the social side of the trial gets much attention. On Friday night, we enjoyed a delicious dinner sponsored by Purina. It is a treat to ride in with horses to wash, feed, dogs to unload, etc., and not have to lift a finger to get dinner on the table. Salmon, pork tenderloin, many side dishes, and some decadent desserts left us mellow enough to sit around the campfire and welcome in the New Year. Saturday evening was our traditional feast, with Sam Arthur and Justin Muzynski attending as grill masters. In addition to the annual catered dinner Purina sponsors, Purina also supplies dog food for the winners. Thank you, Purina.

The weather started cool and turned warm, but not miserably hot, giving the dogs a chance to show their best. On the first day, 19 coveys were found. The grounds still hold much moisture, and controlled burning has begun in select areas and on the big area adjacent. We ran into foggy mornings and had a very late start on New Year's Day, allowing for a "mimosa morning."

The Winners
Game and birds were plentiful during the Open Shooting Dog stake. Judith Hamilton got off her horse twice to flush hogs for Jasper before he proved himself on a nice covey of Bobwhite at the thirty-minute turn. The shooting dog stake saw a lot of bird action to the undoing of several dogs. Doubledown Trumpster, a pointer male in the string of Dave Vernasco, had so much bird action that he could not open up and show his run. That didn't slow Dave down, as he took first place with Cruise and third place with Doubledown On Dado. Don Wood's Preacher took second place, handled by Beth Brown. All delivered on the birds and the run as expected.

Always fun, the Puppy stake showed much promise for the future, with three of the contenders being littermates. First and second place went to Abby and Prudence, owned and handled by Petie Brown, and third place went to Cookie, owned and handled by Kary Jorgensen.

The All-Age kicked off in the heat of the day on the three-hour continuous course, and it didn't take long for Kent Cantrell's Touch's Dancing Nancies ("Cher") to set the bar high with a stop to flush as her running mate, Myakka Maxed Out, was picked up. Cher kept pace with a clean find and was seen on point as time was called, earning the top spot. Sunday afternoon Myakka Lucy Diamond stayed in the game with a nice find near the dairy, earning second. Holopaw's Rear Axel ("Alex") laid down a strong all-age run for third place.

The Derby stake started later on Sunday due to the earlier fog delay and ran right into a setting sun to the delight of Judith Hamilton, who had a nice covey with Cade just outside of Mole's Hole, placing him third. Holopaw's Big Bad John laid down a strong all-age run for second place. Vince Feltner's "Taw'na" laid down an all-age run and proved herself a bird finder taking the top spot.
Punta Gorda, Fla., December 30
Judges: Kent Kentrell and Vince Feltner
AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG [One-Hour Heats] -- 9 Pointers, 4 Setters and 1 Brittany
1st--DOUBLE DOWN CRUISE, 1670311, pointer male, by Funseeker's Rebel Tex--Nacho Myakka Miley. Dave & Diane Vernasco, owners; Dave Vernasco, handler.
2d--FUNSEEKER'S TEXAS PREACHER, 1667330, pointer male, by Funseeker's Rebel Tex--Nacho Myakka Miley. Don Wood, owner; Beth Brown, handler.
3d--DOUBLEDOWN ON DADO, 1685979, pointer male, by Erin's Tin Soldier--Erin's Margarita. Dave & Diane Vernasco, owners; Dave Vernasco, handler.
OPEN PUPPY - 4 Pointers, 1 Setter and 1 German Shorthair
1st--MYAKKA ABBY ROAD, 1702966, pointer female by Myakka Freddie Freeloader and Myakka Rebel. Petie Brown owner and handler.
2d--MYAKKA DEAR PRUDENCE, 1702967, pointer female by Myakka Freddie Freeloader and Myakka Rebel. Petie Brown owner and handler.
3d--DK'S SO. BUTTERPECAN COOKIE, 1699748, pointer female by Panola Bacon-Higby Bon Hiver. Kary Jorgensen, owner and handler.
Judges: Vince Feltner and Mike Tiberii
OPEN ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] -- 9 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st--TOUCH'S DANCING NANCIES, 1680402, pointer female, by Touch's Big Whiskey and Blackhawk's Sunflower. Kent Cantrell, owner and handler.
2d--MYAKKA LUCY DIAMOND, 1665013, pointer female by Elhew G-Force and Myakka Hey Jude. Petie Brown owner and handler.
3d--HOLOPAW'S REAR AXEL, 1690238, pointer male, by Holopaw's Axel-Hot Digity Dot. Justin Muzynski owner and handler.
Judges: Petie and Beth Brown
OPEN DERBY -- 5 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st--CHECKMATES COUNTRY SUNSHINE, 1702591, pointer female by Nacho's Texas Rebel and Nacho's Drama Ma Ma. Vince Feltner, owner and handler.
2d--HOLOPAW'S BIG BAD JOHN, unreg., pointer male, by Myakka Freddie Freeloader-Myakka Rebel. Justin Muzynski, handler.
3d--HIGBY ARCADE FIRE, 1700551, pointer male, by Panola Bacon-Higby Bon Hiver. Judith Hamilton owner and handler.

Everglades Derby Winners (from left): Vince Feltner with Checkmates Country Sunshine, Kayleigh Muzynski with Holopaw's Big Bad John, and Judith Hamilton with Higby Bon Hiver. (Second row, from left): Justin and Carol Muzynski.

Judge Dr. Kent Cantrell, DVM