Event: Hendrix's Touch Up Named Champion; Coldwater Odyssey, Runner-Up
Result: Southern Championship

Location: Holly Springs, Mississippi

Post Date: Apr 5, 2023

Submitted By: William Smith

Southern Championship Winners (front row, from left): Burke Hendrix, Jonathan Burch with Hendrix's Touch Up, and Gary McKibben with Coldwater Odyssey. (Back row, from left): Guy Hendrix, Judge Dennis Sneed, Mrs. Sneed, Judge Brad Kennedy, Daniel Bolden, Weldon Bennett, and Mike Hester.

The prestigious and time-honored Southern Championship began on Monday morning, January 23. The trial was held on the Hendrix farm near Holly Springs, Miss. Father and son, Guy and Burke, were congenial and welcoming hosts. They went out of their way to ensure that every person who attended was treated as royalty. Guy moved out of his house into an RV and allowed two handlers, one handler's wife, and a judge to stay in his home to prevent them from driving the 20 miles to the nearest motel. In my years of field trialing, I have never seen such hospitality!

Ms. Pam Tucker provided free lunches served daily. A different hot soup was served with sandwiches and a dessert. She was the hit of the trial. Gathering around the wood-burning heater with a hot bowl of soup on those cold days was nice.

Hendrix Farm offers three one-hour courses. The terrain is rolling hills with agricultural fields that allow a handler to show his dog, and wooded areas are easily negotiated when the dog is subservient to the handler. Each course has its particular challenges, but each course also offers multiple opportunities to locate the released quail. There have been many improvements to the venue in the past several years, and there are plans to make many more improvements this summer. A logging crew began work on the farm last fall but had to curtail their work when the frequent rains came almost without ceasing.

Brad Kennedy came from Red Bay, Ala., to officiate. Dennis Sneed and his wife, Delenise, traveled from Ewing, Ill., for Dennis to team up with Brad to look at the 45 entries. Each has extensive experience in the judicial saddle. The days were cold, and some days the temperature stayed below the 32-degree mark.

Purina once again sponsored this trial. They paid for the advertisement and hosted a dinner. Our thanks to Purina.

The Southern's format is a qualifying series of one hour. The judges call back at their discretion, and the dogs compete in the championship series of one-and-a-half-hour heats. The dogs do not have to be seen at the end of the hour braces but must be seen at the end of the championship braces.

The Qualifying Series

Brace No. 1--Westfall's Power Trip (Daugherty) had a find at 7 and a divided find at 48. Lester's Stem Winder (Anderson) had finds at 8 and 22 and a divided find at 49.

Brace No. 2--Haney's Hurricane Seeker (Hurdle) had a find at 23 and an unproductive at 44. Texas Wild Rex (Vincent) had an unproductive at 10 and was picked up.

Brace No. 3--Miller's Speed Dial (Anderson) had a find at 24. Superstition's Final Touch (Byrd) was lost at 40.

Brace No. 4--Como Rain had a find at 24. Touch's Cocaine Blues (Anderson) had no bird work.

Brace No. 5--Westfall's Wheels Up (Daugherty) had finds at 32 and 58. Game Wardon (Corder) had finds at 27, 29, and a back at 32.

Brace No. 6--Sadie Firefly (Vincent) had a back at 4 and a find at 52. Hendrix's Touch Up (Burke Hendrix) had a find at 4, back at 52, and a find at 58.

Brace No. 7--Coldwater Thunder (Hurdle) was scratched. Barshoe Forget Me Not (Vincent) was lost at 26. The bye-dog, Quickmarksman's Excalibur (Hester), moved up and was picked up at 7.

Brace No. 8--Painted Owyhee Toad (Ledington) had finds at 35 and 58 and a divided find at 48. Como Thunder (Hurdle) had finds at 7 and 27, and a divided find at 48.

Brace No. 9--Misty Morn's Masked Man (McAlexander) and Bonner's Hot Rize (Rinehart) finished without bird work.

Brace No. 10--Game Heir (Corder) was picked up at 35, while Nosam's Sweet Water (Huffman) was scratched.

Brace No. 11--Lester's Storm Chaser (Henry) had two backs and finished without bird work. Touch's Fire Away (Anderson) had two unproductive stands.

Brace No. 12-- Bonner's Bulletproof (Anderson) had a find at 30, an unproductive at 32, and picked up at 35. Whippoorwill Vette (Huffman) was scratched.

Brace No. 13--Lowrider Frank (Vincent) finished with no bird work. Bozeann's Rex (Hester) had finds at 11, 16, 38, and 58.

Brace No. 14--Wynona's Nickleback Sugar (Vincent) was picked up at 40. Papa Joe (Hester) was lost at 25.

Brace No. 15--Westfall's River Ice (Daugherty) and Coldwater War Cry (Bennett) were lost early in the stake.

Brace No. 16--Superstition's Jake (Byrd) had a find at 20 and was lost at 52. Westfall's Mandalay (Daugherty) had finds at 10 and 48. Birds were not officially seen at 21.

Brace No. 17--Heisman (Hester) had a back at 17 and finished with no bird work. Coldwater Odyssey (Bennett) had finds at 17 and 58 and was up at 45.

Brace No. 18--C S Code Blue (Hurdle) suffered a fatal error while relocating at 58. Dream Chaser (Daugherty) was lost early in the stake.

Brace No. 19--Westfall's True Grit (Daugherty) had finds at 9, 41, 43, and 50, and an unproductive at 18. Quickmarksman's Dan (Hester) was picked up.

Brace No. 20--Justifier (Vincent) was picked up. I'm Gallant (Anderson) had two unproductive stands.

Brace No. 21--Haney's Storm Warning (Cagle) pushed a covey out. Firefly Invictus (Vincent) was picked up.

Brace No. 22--Miss Stylin Sue (Vincent) had one find at 30. Raw Law Sugar Trouble (Hester) was picked up.

The Championship Series
Six dogs were called back to compete:

Hendrix's Touch Up (Hendrix), Haney's Hurricane Seeker (Hurdle), Como Rain (Hurdle), Westfall's True Grit (Daugherty), Coldwater Odyssey (Bennett), and Miss Stylin Sue (Vincent). Westfall's Mandalay (Daugherty) and Bozeann's Rex (Hester) were the standby dogs.

Brace No. 1--Hendrix's Touch Up ("Hank") was full of run, and he kept Burke riding high in the saddle. Hank penned five coveys, and he was credited with a barren stand. He ran big, and he ran strong for the entire 90 minutes. He set the bar, and it would not be approached. When the champion was named, it was no surprise to anyone who witnessed his performance. Haney's Hurricane Seeker was a victim of bad luck with his two barren stands, and he was picked up.

Brace No. 2--Como Rain got too close to a woodcock and was harnessed. Westfall's True Grit made a valiant effort. He ran the full 90 minutes but could not locate the unmoving quail.

Brace No. 3--Coldwater Odyssey challenged with three finds. His finds were evenly spaced, and his style was to be commended. His race was controlled as he toured the farm. He gave it his best shot but came up short of the brass ring. Miss Stylin Sue hunted hard and went to the likely places, but the quail were not home today. Named champion was Hendrix's Touch Up, handled by his amateur owner, Burke Hendrix. Runner-up honors were awarded to Coldwater Odyssey, handled by Weldon Bennett. The standby dogs were not called on to compete.

Holly Springs, Miss., December 19
Judges: Brad Kennedy and Dennis Sneed
SOUTHERN CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Qualifying Series and One-and-a-Half-Hour Callbacks]
- 43 Pointers and 2 Setters
Winner--HENDRIX'S TOUCH UP, 1681400, pointer male, by Pleasant Run Bob-House's Wild Bess Again. Burke & Guy Hendrix, owners; Burke Hendrix, handler.
Runner-Up--COLDWATER ODYSSEY, 1669589, pointer male, by Coldwater Warrior-Tibbs Avatar. Debbie & Andy Agnew, owners; Weldon Bennett, handler.