Event: Lynn Taylor Memorial Open All-Age
Result: Carroll County Open Stakes

Location: Huntingdon, Tennessee

Post Date: Apr 20, 2023

Submitted By: Jim Atchison

All-Age Winners (front, left to right): Gary Lester with Lester's Shockwave, Gary McKibben with Coldwater War Cry, and Scott Mason with Mayfield Storm Charger. (Back, left to right): Rose Marie Daniels, Scott Beeler (judge), Ferrell Miller, Weldon Bennett, Dennis Sneed (judge), and Allison Daniels.

The Carroll County Field Trial Club hosted their annual open trials near Huntingdon, Tenn., beginning with their Lynn Taylor Open All-Age stake on February 23. Lester's Shockwave, owned by Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton and handled by Gary Lester, won first. Second place was won by Coldwater Odyssey, owned by Andrew and Debra Agnew and handled by Weldon Bennett. Third place was won by Mayfield Storm Charger, owned by Scott Mason and Jake Davis and handled by Gary Lester.

The Open Derby stake followed immediately, and first place was won by Coldwater War Cry, co-owned by Paul Melton and Weldon Bennett and handled by Gary McKibben. Rebel Gold, owned and handled by David Williams, won second place, and Miller's King Poast, owned by Jannie Chapman, and handled by Gary Lester, won third.

Purina again generously sponsored this annual renewal by assisting the club financially and providing dog food for the winners. Their sponsorship was acknowledged and greatly appreciated.

Dennis Sneed from Ewing, Ill., judged the All-Age and Derby stakes. Scott Beeler from Lancaster, Mo., judged the All-Age competition, while Jamie Daniels from Dawson, Ga., served as the second judge for the Derby contest.

The Carroll County effort, again, came together well, thanks primarily to the efforts of David Williams. He works almost year-round to do everything he can to ensure his three one-hour courses are in excellent condition. Others who helped in many ways included Angie Williams, Gary McKibben, Weldon Bennett, Jim and Charlotte Atchison, Michelle Clark, Phillip Barnett, Danny "Lebob" Stanfill, Richard Simmons, and Jamie Daniels. The Carroll County gatherings continue to come together in such comfortable and casual ways that they are much like happy homecomings when everyone is together.

All-Age Winners

Lester's Shockwave won first with his strong performance in brace No. 4. The dogs braced together were Shockwave, the retiring 2022 National Champion, and Miller's Blindsider, the 2023 National Champion, with the announcement having been made just two days earlier. Shockwave and his bracemate stood at 5, birds were flushed, and both handlers shot before leaving the area of native vegetation, which is hunted early on the first-hour course. He then continued strong across the Harold Miller property, crossed Ball Creek Road, and continued around the Miles Farm and across its most northern edge onto the property of an adjoining Buena Vista neighbor. He pointed at 34, and Lester flushed until birds flew while the 6-year-old pointer stood confidently. He then continued to hunt until 49, where he had another find, with his bracemate backing, on a hill between the Sandy River bottom and abandoned railroad right of way. From there, Shockwave finished the hour with a strong finish.

Coldwater Odyssey won second place on the third-hour course. He circled the Quiet Place Loop with no birds and then had birds for Weldon Bennett three times in pretty quick order. The first find was a 28 in mature bicolor along the gravel farm road that is used while leaving the Vickers property. Continuing out of the Vickers bottom, Odyssey, now eight years old, had a second find in bicolor, where the course makes a 90-degree turn near an abandoned hog farrowing house. He then pointed again, and Bennett flushed birds at 47 off to the right while moving back through the Vickers Farm rolling hills area and finished the hour well.

Mayfield Storm Charger won third for Gary Lester in the second hour of the competition with Scott Mason, who co-owns the dog with Jake Davis, watching from the gallery. He had two nice finds, the first at 39 near Willis Road and the second at 51 after going onto the Vickers Farm and to the right, down into a hollow near the Green Allen Springs Road. From there, he continued in the westerly direction of the course to finish the hour.

The Other All-Age Contenders
Dominator's Mae Belle, handled by Jamie Daniels and owned by Nick Berrong and Tierra Hadley, and Miller's King Poast, handled by Gary Lester for Jannie Chapman, were the first dogs released, the temperature already at 65 degrees at 8 a.m. Both Jannie Chapman and Nick Berrong were mounted and watched their dogs. Immediately after crossing Ball Creek Road at 16, King Poast pointed, but no birds were flushed. Continuing to the east side of the cotton field on the Miles Farm, both dogs stood at 27, with King Poast backing Mae Belle. Mae Belle moved while Daniels was flushing and was picked up. King Poast continued and pointed again at 44, where Lester flushed birds on the vegetated hill area lying along the east side of the abandoned railway right of way. He then finished the hour well.

Coldwater War Cry went next, braced with the third-place winner. He was handled by Weldon Bennett, who co-owns the derby with Paul Melton. War Cry had birds north of the clubhouse at 32 but got off course while in the Willis Road area and never returned to the front.

Quintin Wiseman had Bad Prairie's Valley Girl in the second brace, paired with the second-place winner, Coldwater Odyssey. Prairie Girl had no birds during her first 48 minutes and was picked up as the temperature continued to spiral toward a high in the upper 70s during the afternoon.

After lunch, Miller's Blindsider was braced with Lester's Shockwave, the first-place winner. Nick Berrong was on horseback while Jamie Daniels handled. The dogs shared a divided find, with both handlers firing. Blindsider stood again during the hour, backing at 49, while birds were flushed near the railroad right of way mentioned above in brace No. 1.

Dominator's Rebel Queen, owned by Nick Berrong and handled by Jamie Daniels, and Coldwater Paradise, owned and handled by Gary McKibben, were braced together. Rebel Queen had birds near the clubhouse before crossing Smyrna Road and then continued onto the Vickers Farm and found a covey near Green Allen Springs Road. Coldwater Paradise had birds once during the hour, at 50, and McKibben flushed with ease.

David Williams had Rebel Dreams, with Jamie Daniels and Dominator's Queen Bee, in brace No. 6. Rebel Dreams had birds in extremely dense bicolor at 35 and then had another find off to the right at 45 while leaving the rolling hills on Vickers. Daniels then called point, almost immediately, and flushed birds at 47, off to the left near Green Allen Springs Road. Both dogs then finished the hour.

The temperature dropped from about 40 degrees during the night to 38 degrees, with light rain on Friday morning. Haney's Hurricane Seeker, owned and handled by David Russell, and Rebel Survivor, owned and handled by David Williams, were the first to go at 8 a.m. Survivor had birds at 5. The pair hunted until 49 when Hurricane Seeker pointed, and Rebel Survivor backed. Yet, while waiting for Williams to arrive, Survivor moved and was picked up. Russell successfully flushed the birds and continued, finding no more birds until time was out.

Rebel Cause, owned by David Williams and handled by Jamie Daniels, went next, with David Russell handling Como Rain, owned by the Arthur, Blackwell, and Russell partnership. Neither dog found any birds and stopped only once when Rebel Cause had an unproductive at 40, which Como Rain backed.

Como Thunder and Dominator's Wild Bill competed in brace No. 9. David Russell handled Como Thunder for the abovementioned partnership, and Jamie Daniels handled Dominator's Wild Bill for owners Jack and Sarah Schwarz and Nick Berrong. Wild Bill's owners attended these stakes. The three were great company and much enjoyed by their hosts and Carroll County friends. Como Thunder found birds once, at 31, in bicolor below the farrowing house on the third-hour course. Wild Bill found no birds during his effort.

Lester's Storm Surge, owned by Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton and handled by Gary Lester, was the bye-dog in the last brace. He had an unproductive at 20 and was then picked up.

Huntingdon, Tenn., February 23
Judges: Scott Beeler and Dennis Sneed
LYNN TAYLOR MEMORIAL OPEN ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] -19 Pointers
1st-LESTER'S SHOCKWAVE, 1681623, male, by Ransom-Beane's Line Dancer. Tommy & Bonnie Hamilton, owners; Gary Lester, handler.
2d-COLDWATER ODYSSEY, 1669589, male, by Coldwater Warrior-Tibbs Avatar. Andrew & Debra Agnew, owners; Weldon Bennett, handler.
3d-MAYFIELD STORM CHARGER, 1701588, male, by Lester's Storm Surge-R W Susie Q. Scott Mason & Jake Davis, owners; Gary Lester, handler.

Derby Winners
Coldwater War Cry won first place. He is owned by Weldon Bennett and Paul Melton and was handled by Gary McKibben, standing in for Bennett, who had lost his voice due to bronchitis. War Cry ran a strong race and had one find on the back side of Quiet Place Loop in bicolor. His strength and style, both running and on game, were impressive and earned the judge's favor.

Second place was awarded to Rebel Gold, owned and handled by David Williams. He, too, had a great 30-minute performance with one find, with birds pointed north of the barn in bicolor.

Miller's King Poast won third, handled by Gary Lester for his owner, Jannie Chapman. He ran an excellent race and demonstrated his bright future as an all-age contender. Only a few days before this placement, he placed second in the All-Age competition of the West Tennessee stakes at Dancyville.

The Derby Judges

Dennis Sneed and Scott Little were scheduled to judge the Derby stake, but a horse accident changed that plan, and Jamie Daniels graciously agreed at the last minute to serve as the second judge. An all-age bye-dog would be run after lunch, and the Derby competition would start immediately. But within the first minute after the All-Age breakaway, Scott Little's horse went into a bucking frenzy, and Scott was unloaded. He stayed on for more than eight seconds but was bucked off and unable to judge. A trip to the doctor the next day established that there were no broken bones, collapsed lungs, or anything serious but that Scott was very sore and bruised. Lisa reported a few days later that he was feeling better and had returned to work after taking it easy for a couple of days.

Judges: Jamie Daniels and Dennis Sneed
OPEN DERBY - 9 Pointers
1st-COLDWATER WAR CRY, 1699004, male, by Valiant-Coldwater Belle. Weldon Bennett & Paul Melton, owners; Weldon Bennett, handler.
2d-REBEL GOLD, 1701829, male, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Rebel Maiden. David Williams, owner and handler.
3d-MILLER'S KING POAST, 1702090, male, by Lester's Storm Surge-R W Susie Q. Jannie Chapman, owner; Gary Lester, handler.

Derby Winners (front, left to right): Weldon Bennett with Coldwater War Cry, David Williams with Rebel Gold, and Gary Lester with Miller's King Poast. (Back, left to right): Ferrell Miller, Rose Marie Daniels, Jamie Daniels (judge), Gary McKibben, Dennis Sneed (judge), Michelle Clark, and Allison Daniels.