Result: Region 13 Amateur Walking Shooting Dog Championship

Location: Ionia, Michigan

Post Date: Feb 27, 2023

Submitted By: Mark Beniak

The Highland Field Trial Club hosted the Region 13 Amateur Walking Championship at the famed Ionia Field Trial Grounds in Ionia, Mich., Saturday, December 3. This was the first Region 13 Amateur Walking Championship to be run in the United States; the trial was previously hosted in Canada at the Hullett Field Trial grounds.

Members Ronald Sposita, Mark Beniak, Thomas Vanecek, Robert Wheelock, and David Fletcher contributed to the trial in many ways, from planting birds, driving the tractor, and marshaling. Ron Sposita prepared a fine lunch.
Also, a big thank you goes to the dedicated work of Jimmy Cipponeri for marshaling, mentoring, and guidance (stalwart of words and wisdom)

Thank you to Purina for the support and dog food, and also to David Fletcher for ribbon service and delivery; the young sage still has it going!

The Amateur Championship was a continuous one-hour course loop showcasing the Ionia grounds. The championship was supported with a dog wagon, pulled by the Ionia field trial grounds tractor; this helped the trial with efficiency, keeping upcoming dog braces in the wagon as needed for the continuous course. The weather for the single-day event was blustery cold weather which was in the 20s with very windy conditions. The grounds were muddy from the previous week's snow. Walking and pulling the dog wagon by the tractor was challenging.

Two veterans of both walking and horseback stakes, Rich Hollister of Roscommon, Mich., and David Heavlin of Graying, Mich. We were grateful for their acceptance and attention to every brace, with the weather that was dealt.

The championship had 14 dogs, nine pointers and five setters. All dogs had multi bird-work. The winning dog, Wildland Warrior ("Lola"), had seven straight-up finds and was always to the front, which was a joy to watch. The handling stood out to the judges, who commented, "they worked as a team, both Lola and Eric." The runner-up winner, Cal Peak Hundredth Meridian ("Rye"), had nine finds and was beautiful on point.

Sandy McClain's dog, Wicked Quick, a pointer female, was closest to the winners, which the judges carried till the last brace, where the winner came from.
Ionia, Mich., December 3
Judges: Dave Heavlin and Rich Hollister
REGION 13 AMATEUR WALKING SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 9 Pointers and 5 Setters
Winner--WILDLAND WARRIOR, 1676947, pointer female, by Erin's War Creek-Suemac's Coventry. Eric Munden, owner and handler.
Runner-Up--CAL PEAK HUNDREDTH MERIDIAN, 1671286, pointer male, by Cover Charge Search Engine-Sandland Dolly P. Sarah Deline Gomes, owner and handler.

Region 13 Amateur Walking Shooting Dog Championship Winners (from left): Krysta Munden, Eric Munden with Wildland Warrior, Judge David Heavlin, Sarah Deline Gomes with Cal Peak Hundredth Meridian, Ronald Sposita, Jimmy Cipponeri, and Judge Rich Hollister.