Event: Carolina Celebration Open Shooting Dog Classic
Result: Lowcountry Bird Dog Association

Location: Allendale, South Carolina

Post Date: May 2, 2023

Submitted By: Ernie Saniga

Carolina Celebration Open Shooting Dog Winners: Faithful, Hauser's Rollin Thunder, and Backcountry Buddy, joined by participants.

The Carolina Celebration was held March 6-12 at Clarendon Farms, Yadkin Ridge, near Allendale, S. C. This Purina Points Classic attracted 62 entries handled by five professionals and four amateurs.

Yadkin Ridge comprises more than 8,500 acres completely fenced and, apart from a few dove fields, is farmed exclusively for quail. Another 2,500-acre tract of Clarendon Farms, also managed for quail, is near Beaufort, S. C.
Yadkin Ridge has 105 miles of quail feed trails hunted by the owners and their guests. It is a privilege to ride and run dogs on property of this quality, and our gratitude goes to the owners, Jim Kennedy and Alex Taylor.

The dog trainer and trial manager, Billy Kerr, has laid out six one-hour courses through the gently rolling terrain. The more open morning courses are on the north side of Miller Creek Road, while the afternoon courses, tighter but still plenty open, are on the south side.
It was warm throughout the trial, with highs above 82 and lows of 60.

Free lunches were available in the trial lodge on all days but one. Thanks go to Billy Kerr and his wife Lauren for the food service. The lodge doubles as judges' quarters and the site of the dinners each night. Chris Rahm of Stoney Creek at Bindon Plantation donated dinners and lunches. Jason Hewitt of Private Land Management provided a prime rib dinner for everyone on Friday night. Stanton Harrell and Murphy Renfro cooked chicken on the last night.
Billy Kerr did most of the marshaling, helped by Nate Bishop on occasion. John Ferguson drove the dog wagon, a specially modified Humvee with padded seats.

Whether it was time of the day, the concentration of birds, or the dozens of other variables affecting bird finding, the two later afternoon courses, five and six, were the most productive in terms of coveys pointed during this trial. All three winners came from these courses.
The judges were Chris Sellers of Tennessee and Roger Key of Alabama. Attentive, experienced, and willing to ride when needed, their decisions were applauded.

The trial winner was Faithful, owned by South Carolinians Roger and Susan Duerksen. Mike Tracy handled her.
Faithful ran on parts of courses five and six since the two previous braces were up early. The little female scored first at 19, then made a wide swing to the right on the part of the course where visibility is limited, Tracy singing to her confidently. After a six-minute absence, she was found about 60 yards to the right front in some bi-color with a covey in front of her, upright style, and finished manners as in all her work. This was at 29. After the pond, she had another covey at 39 directly to the front. Six minutes later, she scored again. Then Tracy asked her to go here in this showy country, and she did, being seen in spurts to the far front before the turn to Millers Creek Road. We last saw her at 55; at time, Tracy and his scout Casey Hollander went far and wide to find her. At 66, she entered the dog wagon on her own as we all waited to make the long ride to headquarters.

Second went to Hauser's Rollin Thunder, owned by Deb and Sean Hauser, also handled by Mike Tracy. Thunder ran in brace No. 14 on course five, breaking away at 3:06. He had a level, consistent performance, good in all dimensions. After the turn away from the railroad tracks, he was standing at 9, birds in front of him. Then at 25, after the creek crossing, he was seen on point to the front with Tracy riding to him, waving his hat up and down to indicate that the birds were leaving, the judges riding hard here to get a glimpse of them as they rocketed away.

After the pond, Tracy sent him 90 degrees to the right around a bowl and rode ahead. This was in an area of young pines. Four minutes later, at 52, we heard the call of point from George Tracy, scouting. Thunder was buried in some thick cover with a covey in front of him, high tail and steady at flush. Sent on, he stood again at 59, again all in order at flush and shot. Tracy shot him away to finish.

Mike Martino won third with Chris Catanzarite's Backcountry Buddy, who was here for some of the running and ran a dog himself but left early to run an amateur trial.
Buddy ran on course six on the last afternoon. He scored first at 6 on a limb, Anthony Martino finding him after we passed him. Buddy made a wide swing to the left, and after a six-minute absence, we heard the call of point again from Anthony, this time to the back left where we again rode by him, birds well located. He started on a rare edge at 36, pointed briefly, then pointed about 100 yards to the right with a covey in front of him, tail up, and finished manners, the same on all his work. There was some confusion after this as we had not got this far on course six yet, but Billy Kerr galloped to the front and instructed Martino on where to finish. Buddy was heeled across a pond dam, sent, and pointed immediately, birds in front of him. The dog then swung wide around the big curve on the right, and we rode up a knoll to find him standing at 57 with a nice covey. Martino sent him over the next knoll, rode up to see where he was, and stopped his horse. We cantered up to see the dog shrinking away.

Another bird finder with a good race and mannerly bird work was Miller's Extreme Heat, with five finds on course five. The little female had a snappy effort on the ground and was sharp on everything. There were also a handful of good running dogs with two and three finds.

THE RUNNING
Brace No. 1 was Miller's Automatic Upgrade (G. Tracy) and Deception's Wild Justice (M. Martino). The start was at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 6, on course four, 82 degrees, according to the weather channel. Justice pointed at 8, but the birds left, Upgrade backing. Both ran well, with Justice missing at the end and Upgrade finishing with two unproductives.

Brace No. 2 saw Miller's Extreme Heat (M. Tracy) and Hightailing Penny (K. Joyce). Heat was covered above while Penny's handler asked for the tracker, only to find her pointing to the front a moment later.

Brace No. 3 saw Backcountry Pure Gold (M. Martino) and Miller's Southern Gossip (G. Tracy). Gold ran a pretty forward race with easy handling but did not score. Gossip scored nicely at 2, but the tracker was asked for later.

Brace No. 4 saw Answered Prayers (M. Tracy) and Sunbelt's Repete (M. Martino). Course one at 8 a.m. with a 60-degree temperature showing. Very dry and dusty. With both searching well, Prayers did not score, while Repete was up after a mistake.

Brace No. 5 saw R Q's Saddle (J. Tracy) and Miller's Upgrading The Ante (G. Tracy). Saddle and Ante shared a find at 34. Ante then pointed a snake at 37 and finished with a field trial find at 56. Saddle was shown to the far front at 56 and then found pointing over a hill after time, but nothing was home.

Brace No. 6 saw Hightailing Maggie (K. Joyce) and Reedy Creek Dial Tone (M. Tracy). The two running dogs showed early on the wide-open start to the third course but disappeared midway.

Brace No. 7 saw Calico's Sky's The Limit (G. Tracy) and Steel City Raven (J. Tracy). The start was on course four, with temperatures near 80. This pair ran but looked for on the tracker at 25 and 40, respectively.

Brace No. 8 saw Miller's Special Cinderella (G. Tracy) and Electronic Warfare (B. Goodwin). The two dogs tried, but birds were not moving until Cinderella had a covey early but made a mistake. Warfare missed the creek crossing but found his handler on his own and went well forward but was up at 51.

Brace No. 9 saw Backcountry Bruiser (C. Catanzarite) and Bittersweet War Cry (M. Tracy). Bruiser had a good covey find to the right at 12, but unproductives at 15 and 31 had him up. War Cry stopped at 25, but nothing was flushed. He finished with a flourish with good finds at 42, 45, and 52.

Brace No. 10 saw Hauser's Hard Line (M. Tracy) and Pine Straw Hot Chocolate (J. Tracy)--course one, 57 degrees. Line erred at 8. This was Chocolate's second start in a field trial, and the setter impressed with her class and hunting ability scoring first at 21 and then with a field trial find at 45, where scout Mike Martino held his hat up far to the right. A good finish ensued.

Brace No. 11 saw Dunn's True Reign (M. Tracy) and Face To Face (M. Martino). Rein had a big forward race, George Tracy finding him way out on a limb at 16 with birds in front and scoring again at 30. He finished well to the front. Face To Face ran well but had a mistake at the half.

Brace No. 12 saw Steel City Avenger (J. Tracy) and G J F Sparq (M. Tracy). Both were off quickly, but Sparq erred at 13 while Avenger backed. A pair of unproductives had him up at 31.

Brace No. 13 saw J C L's Hap (M. Tracy) and Towncreek Hardaway Red (M. Martino). Course four, 80 degrees. Two good running dogs with separate mistakes midway.

Brace No. 14 saw Hauser's Rollin Thunder (M. Tracy) and Pine Straw Fatbottom Girl (J. Tracy). Thunder was covered above. Girl had a good effort but was up near the end with no birds.

Brace No. 15 saw J C L's Dal (Bill Adams) and Trumped (M. Tracy). Trumped had a find at 5, unproductives at 12 and 45, sandwiching another find at 42 with a good ground effort. Dal backed the find at 12, but two unproductives had him up.

Brace No. 16 saw Oahe Buck (T. Rice) and Raag's Rich And Rare (M. Tracy)--course one, 8 a.m. The two good dogs shared a find at 4. Then Rare pointed at 29 with Buck backing, and Tracy flushed the covey. Rare had another at 54, and both finished well.

Brace No. 17 saw Nella Belgian Brew (T. Rice) and Miller's Flowers And Lace (G. Tracy). These pointed together at 12 way out with birds flushed by both handlers. Then it was barren for both until Brew pointed at 55 with Lace backing. A mistake had Brew up.

Brace No. 18 saw Waybetter Jay (B. Kerr) and Miller's Lock And Loaded (M. Tracy). Early, all saw Jay pointing about 250 yards to the right front while Loaded stood 200 yards ahead. Kerr flushed his covey, but Loaded had an unproductive. Jay found a coyote to his liking and took him away at 40. Loaded had a nice find at 29, Tracy firing his shotgun which fell out of the scabbard later. Loaded then had a long absence, and Tracy picked up and went looking for his shotgun which he found.

Brace No. 19 saw Waybetter Rocky (M. Tracy) and Cheap Thrill (T. Rice) on course four, 79 degrees. Rice got the tracker after the sweeping 180-degree turn toward the creek. Rocky tried but was up at 50 after an unproductive.

Brace No. 20 saw Pine Straw Sweet Tea (J. Tracy) and Miller's Heat Seeker (G. Tracy). Seeker vanished early while Tea scored at 16 nicely, but nothing seemed to move, so she was up before the end.

Brace No. 21 saw Hillhavyn's Good Time Rail (Martino) and Faithful (M. Tracy). Rail scored first at 16 and added another at 32 in a good effort. Faithful's effort has been described.

Brace No. 22 saw Miller's Stroll For Gold (G. Tracy) and Check It Out (M. Martino). The start was on course four since the morning running was delayed due to rain and thunder. Gold had a find at 2 but was lost early; Out was also out.

Brace No. 23 saw Miller's Blazing Hot Chick (G. Tracy) and Hillhavyn's Wild Child (J. Tracy). Child was up early with a mistake, while Chick had finds at 9 and 25 but was up before the finish.

Brace No. 24 saw Erin's Big Casino (M. Tracy) and Ironstone's Dark Horse (M. Martino). Casino left early while Dark Horse tried but was up before the end without birds.

Brace No. 25 saw Miller's Million Dollar Penny (G. Tracy) and Hillhavyn's Major Tom (M. Martino)--course one, 58 degrees. Two scratches had Tom moved here. He had two quick finds at 9 and 11, but Martino removed him since he appeared ill. Penny swung the front and scored at 23 but moved at flush.

Brace No. 26 saw Miller's War Bonnet (M. Tracy) and Town Creek Hardaway Jill (M. Martino). A good pair, Bonnet with finds at 31 and 54 and Jill with one at 44.

Brace No. 27 saw Waybetter Thor (M. Tracy) and McFay's Dire Straits (M. Martino). These two went together early, Martino riding off with the harness in hand. Thor then had an unproductive at 29 and was up early.

Brace No. 28 saw Bully Rock (M. Tracy) and The Secret (J. Tracy). Course four, 74 degrees. Rock had finds at 9 and 29 and an unproductive at 33; The Secret scored at 36.

Brace No. 29 saw Waybetter Rebel (M. Tracy) and Rock N Rebel Reb (M. Martino). Rebel scored at 31 and 47 and pointed feathers at 43 with a good effort; Reb also had a find at 43, far away from Rebel's stand, and an extreme finish.

Brace No. 30 saw Miller's Record Heat (M. Tracy) and Backcountry Buddy (M. Martino). Buddy was covered above. Heat wasn't listening and was removed.

The club wishes to thank the Purina company for supporting the trial.

Allendale, S. C., March 6
Judges: Roger Key and Chris Sellers
CAROLINA CELEBRATION OPEN SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 56 Pointers and 6 Setters
1st--FAITHFUL, 1684597, pointer female, by Waybetter Rocky-Steel City Karen. Susan & Roger Duerksen, owners; Mike Tracy, handler.
2d--HAUSER'S ROLLIN THUNDER, 1690733, pointer male, by Rocky Ridge's White Smoke-Gambler's All In. Sean & Debra Hauser, owners; Mike Tracy, handler.
3d--BACKCOUNTRY BUDDY, 1682654, pointer male, by Waybetter Rocky-Backcountry Polly. Chris Catanzarite, owner; Mike Martino, handler.

Carolina Celebration Open Shooting Dog Classic Judges.