Result: West Tennessee Open All-Age And Derby Stakes

Location: Dancyville, Tennessee

Post Date: Apr 20, 2023

Submitted By: Jim Atchison

All-Age Winners (left to right): Scott Mason, Marshall Stoots, Gordy Jones (judge), Haynes Stoots, Ike Todd with Touch's Malcolm Story, Mark McLean, Hailey Moreland, Crutcher Stoots, Ferrell Miller (not visible), Korry Rinehart with Miller's King Poast, Gary Lester, Jerry Rainer, David Huffine (judge), Carl Owens with Woodville's Yukon Cornelius, J. P. Hathcock, Allen Currie, Bill Currie, and Chris Mullin.

Touch's Malcolm Story, owned by Alex and Bryana Rickert and handled by Mark McLean, won first place in the Open All-Age stake hosted by the West Tennessee Field Trial Club at Dancyville, Tenn., February 17-20. Second Place was won by Miller's King Poast, owned by Jannie Chapman and handled by Gary Lester, while third place was awarded to Woodville's Yukon Cornelius, owned by Carl Owens and handled by Mark McLean. Rickert, Chapman, and Owens were each in the galleries to enjoy the performances of their respective winners. The All-Age stake drew 28 pointers and eight setters.

The Open Derby stake was run February 20-21 with Haney's Hurricane Seeker, owned and handled by David Russell, winning first place. Haney's Silver Dollar, a littermate to the first-place winner, bred and owned by Chris Cagle, Sr., and handled by Ike Todd, won second place. Mayfield Storm Charger, owned by Scott Mason and Jake Davis, won third in the Derby stake and was handled by Gary Lester. Twenty-one derbies, 18 pointers, and three setters competed in the Derby stake.

The warm and inviting atmosphere at the West Tennessee Club was in full force and graciously shared with all who attended. Bill Currie, Allen Currie, J P Hathcock, Crutcher Stoots, Ike Todd, Chris Mullin, and Gary Brown led the effort and carried on the traditions that have been a hallmark of the West Tennessee group for almost seven decades. While carrying on their many responsibilities, they quickly acknowledged and thanked Purina for their generous corporate sponsorship and the landowners in the Dancyville community who permit the club to use their land for the three excellent one-hour courses upon which the trials are run. Those owners included the Currie brothers, the Honorable Skip Taylor and Mrs. Jan McCloud, Dr. and Mrs. Eugene Spiotta, Jr., Rich Boumeester, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Humber, Ike and Marty Todd, Alex and Bryana Rickert, Austin Turley, and Mr. and Mrs. Ed McClanahan.

Judges for the All-Age competition were Gordy Jones from Salem, Utah, and David Huffine from Wilmington, N. C. Jones, a home builder, drove over 3,000 miles roundtrip and trailered his horses for the Tennessee sojourn. Huffine, a retired attorney, drove over 1,500 miles during his roundtrip from the east coast and back. Both gentlemen were overwhelmingly generous relative to their travel expenses, and their services were greatly appreciated.

The Derby stake was judged by the husband-and-wife duo Bubba and Amy Spencer from nearby Hickory Valley, Tenn., in Hardeman County. Both are employed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and are avid amateur field trialers who have spent much time on the West Tennessee field trial grounds.

THE ALL-AGE WINNERS
Touch's Malcolm Story won first place with his outstanding performance in brace No. 13, wherein he found birds easily flushed at 6, 22, 32, and 36. Alex Rickert from Bozeman, Mont., rode in the gallery and enjoyed watching the 7-year-old pointer work beautifully for Mark McLean from Doerun, Ga. The winner won second place in this same stake in 2022 and returned to earn the top honor this year resulting from his strength, stamina, responsiveness, and intellectual search for game while looking outstandingly stylish while running and standing as four successful flushing efforts produced game.

Jannie Chapman, from Memphis, rode in the gallery and enjoyed watching her Miller's King Poast produce this winning 60-minute effort for Gary Lester. His outstanding performance produced birds five times, with the first find being at 1, in the middle of the fallow breakaway field. The other finds followed at 6, 16, 22, and 37. The 20-month-old derby performed in brace No. 1 of the contest, with the weather cool and breezy. Everything he did throughout the hour was pleasing, and his effort easily appealed to the judges and earned their decision.

Woodville's Yukon Cornelius, one of several setters competing in the stake, won third place, with his owner, Carl Owens from Awendaw, S. C., scouting while Mark McLean was handling. The 6-year-old entry had birds at 32, 38, and 42. At 42, both dogs in brace No. 3 were standing, but the bracemate moved during the flushing effort, yet Yukon Cornelius stood steadfast until the covey was flushed. He then finished the hour well near the Coffee Gap Road finish.

The Other All-Age Dogs

Miller's Heat Advisory, owned by Terry Graunke and handled by Judd Carlton, competed in brace No. 1. He backed his bracemate at 16 and finished the hour but had no independent finds during the hour.

Alex Mauck had Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Jack, owned by Steve Croy, in brace No. 2. The setter was gone during the effort and did not finish under judgment.

The bottom dog in brace No. 2 was Touch's Breakaway Fred, handled by Mark McLean for owners Bruce and Karen Norton and Gary and Becky Futch. He had unproductive stands at 30 on the Humber tract and again at 38 on the Todd tract and was picked up.

Mayfield Storm Charger, owned by Scott Mason and Jake Davis, was loosed by Gary Lester in brace No. 3. He had an unproductive near the former Russell Grove Church at 16 and then stood again at 42 but moved during the flushing effort and was put into his road harness.

With the early morning temperature at 26 and abundant frost, brace No. 4 started at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Haney's Silver Dollar, owned and handled by Chris Cagle, Jr., was braced with Cochise B, owned and handled by Dr. Marion Brown. Silver Dollar found birds once, at 35, and then both dogs finished the hour, but no other birds were found.

Weldon Bennett lost Coldwater Odyssey, owned by Andrew and Debra Agnew, while Luke Eisenhart loosed Erin's Silver Lining, owned by Audie Brown. Odyssey pointed, and Bennett flushed birds at 32 on the terraced hill approaching Coffee Gap Road, and then the pair shared a divided find at 42 before finishing the second hour course.

Erin's High Note and Lester's Storm Surge went next in brace No. 6. High Note, handled by Judd Carlton for Mike Moses, had an unproductive at 30. Then he and Storm Surge, owned by Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton and handled by Gary Lester, stood again at 41, with Storm Surge backing High Note's superior position while birds were raised. Both dogs then finished the hour, but no more birds were found.

Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Ajay, owned and handled by Alex Mauck, and Touch's Gallatin Fire, owned by Alex and Bryana Rickert and handled by Mark McLean, went together at 1 p.m. in brace No. 7. Gallatin Fire had a good hour and finished with three finds--at 24, 27, and 37. Ajay had an unproductive at 19 and was picked up at about 40.

Next, Weldon Bennett had Coldwater War Cry, which he co-owns with Paul Melton, and Larry Huffman had Whippoorwill Vette, owned by Dale Bush. The pair was released in the bottom near the double bridges. War Cry had an unproductive at 9 and then moved at 26 while pointed at Boumeester's. Whippoorwill Vette had birds at 37 along the edge of a bean field on the Todds' land and then finished the hour.

Como Rain and Touch's Midnight Rider were in the last brace on Saturday afternoon. Steve Hurdle had Como Rain for the partnership of Doug Arthur, Billy Blackwell, and David and Rachel Russell, while Mark McLean had Night Rider for his owner, John Milton. Como Rain had birds at 5 and 46 but was lost at time for pickup, and Hurdle asked for his tracker. Midnight Rider backed his bracemate at 46, but McLean picked him up there.

Larry Huffman was back on the course Sunday morning in brace No. 10 with Nosam's Sweet Water, owned by Jeff Busby. Jamie Daniels was there, too, with Dominator's Wild Bill, owned by Jack and Sarah Schwarz and Nick Berrong. At 6, Sweet Water pointed, and Bill backed, but the effort proved unproductive. Bill had the first birds at 24. Then Sweet Water had birds at 34 and 40, with Bill backing both times. Both finished the hour well.

Stride was handled by Steve Hurdle in the brace No. 11, with owner Larry Esterline in the gallery. Luke Eisenhart had Erin's Wild Atlantic Way, owned by Sean Derrig, as the second dog in the brace. Eisenhart got his tracker at 24 before crossing the Fayette Corners Road at Boumeester's. Stride had an unproductive at 30 and was picked up at 45, thus ending the brace early.

C S Code Blue, owned by Tony and Becky Gibson and handled by Steve Hurdle, was then paired with Erin's Perfect Storm, owned by Brad Woodie and handled by Luke Eisenhart. Both dogs were picked up before the end of the hour after they had one unproductive each.

Mauck's Wyeast Owyhee Dallee, owned and handled by Alex Mauck, was braced with the first-place winner in brace No. 13. He found birds at 39 but was picked up soon after that.

Lester's Shockwave, owned by Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton and handled by Gary Lester, was then off the line with Miller's Blindsider, owned by Nick Berrong and handled by Jamie Daniels. (Blindsider's successful run to win the National Championship was over, but no announcements had been made yet.) After being released to run the second hour course, both dogs continued north through both bottoms before circling McClanahan and finally back to the front on Dr. Spiotta's land. Blindsider's scout found him pointed at 18 and flushed before continuing to the front. Shockwave had an unproductive at 33 on Humber, and then the pair had a divided find at 58.

Woodville's Saddle Tramp ran alone in the last brace Sunday afternoon. Mark McLean had the whistle while Carl Owens, the owner, scouted. Saddle Tramp had an unproductive at 28, and McLean asked for his tracker at that time.

The final brace was run Monday morning. Gary Lester had Bonner's Hot Rize, owned by Jannie Chapman, and Steve Hurdle had C S Smoke Roll, a setter owned by Tony Gibson. Neither dog was finding any birds, and both handlers got their trackers by about 40. The All-Age competition was ended, and the Derby judges were expected to arrive at noon to start that competition.

Dancyville, Tenn., February 17 - One Course
Judges: David Huffine and Gordy Jones
OPEN ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] - 28 Pointers and 8 Setters
1st-TOUCH'S MALCOLM STORY, 1675103, pointer male, by Touch's Knight Rider-Blackhawk's Sunflower. Alex Rickert, owner; Mark McLean, handler.
2d-MILLER'S KING POAST, 1702090, pointer male, by Lester's Storm Surge-R W Susie Q. Jannie Chapman, owner; Gary Lester, handler.
3d-WOODVILLE'S YUKON CORNELIUS, 1673091, setter male, by Caladen's Davinci-A Tarheel Miss Bo. Carl Owens, owner; Mark McLean, handler.

DERBY WINNERS

The quality of the entries in the Derby stake was excellent. The winners, as well as several other competitors, all had birds. The Derby contest provided evidence that many all-age competitors will come from it.

Haney's Hurricane Seeker, owned and handled by David Russell, won first. He was gone for about the first seven minutes of the half-hour but then came into view to the front and pointed. He looked great while pointing and then finished the hour with a powerful demonstration of power and style that earned his placement.

Haney's Silver Dollar won second and was handled by Ike Todd for Chris Cagle, Jr., as he, Cagle, had run another dog at the National Championship that morning. Silver Dollar ran a smooth and forward race with birds pointed and flushed at pickup.

Mayfield Storm Charger won third for Gary Lester and his owners, Scott Mason and Jake Davis, as he produced a big run and found birds once during the 30-minute effort.

Judges: Amy Spencer and Bubba Spencer
OPEN DERBY - 18 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-HANEY'S HURRICANE SEEKER, 1698759, pointer male, by Ransom-Haney's North Star. David Russell, owner and handler.
2d-HANEY'S SILVER DOLLAR, 1698758, pointer male, by Ransom-Haney's North Star. Chris Cagle, Sr., owner and handler.

Derby Winners (front, left to right): David Russell with Haney's Hurricane Seeker and Ike Todd with Haney's Silver Dollar. (Back, left to right): Bubba Spencer (judge), Dale Poole, Bill Currie, Amy Spencer (judge), and Colt Spencer.