Event: "The Virginia Classics"
Result: Greenfields Field Trial Club

Location: Scottsville, Virginia

Post Date: May 31, 2023

Submitted By: Tommy Stargell

Amateur Derby Winners (from left): Sadie Ridge Sally with Grayson Francis, Sugarknoll White Lightning with Pete Del Collo, and Sadie Ridge Hammer with George Ramkey.

We began the Greenfields Virginia Classics on Friday, March 31, 2023. The venue was, as always, the beautiful Greenfields farm located in the heart of historic central Virginia. We are indebted to our host, John Milton, for his generosity. John is a club member and an active participant in the trials. The event is sponsored by Greg Blair and Purina, as always. We thank them for all they do. The meals were provided by the efforts of Julie Richards, both in the planning and preparation stages, plus she loans us her truck to use as a dog wagon. The dog wagon was manned by Mike Winchester, a valued supporter of all our trials. The other mobile operator is Darrell Miller, who has the lonely and essential job of bird planter, and in this, there is no finer. Steve Mills gets out quail from Williamson's Game Farm of Robbins, N. C. They and Steve are both as good as it gets. Grayson Francis provided horses for our judges and successfully ran his dogs. Lance Servais provided our Friday supper in honor of last year's all-age winner, Southern Shadows T Rex. The Saturday night supper honored Calico's Guns N Roses and owners, Calico Kennels and Alex and Tiffany Smith and Frank and April Henderson.
We began the trial in cold, clear conditions at 8 a.m. Friday. Our judges were Zach Fisher and Kirk Regensburg.

The winner came from brace No. 1 in the form of Rocky Ridge's Second Chance, a pointer male piloted by owner Grayson Francis. His performance card noted a back at 5, a back at 11, a find at 32, an unproductive, a find at 45, and 50. His ground race was forward and biddable. Second was Rester's Bayou Bandit, a pointer male owned and handled by Grayson Francis. His hour included a divided find, a find, and two backs. Third was given to Pagan Creek Atticus, owned and handled by Gene Hogge. He scored two finds, one being a woodcock.

We immediately began the Derby with Tommy Stargell taking over for Zach Fisher as a judge with Kirk. Our winner came in brace No. 1 with Sadie Ridge Sally, owned and handled by Grayson Francis. Sally handled her birds in derby form. Her groundwork was animated. She found quail at 3, 11, and 26. Our good buddy, Pete Del Collo, brought a good prospect in Sugarknoll White Lightning. His young white male had a contact, a back, and a find at 28. He ran and handled well. Sadie Ridge Hammer ran a forward race for the third placement.
Saturday dawned cold with rain in the morning forecast. It came hard, and we began at 10:30.
Our third-place dog came in at brace No. 3. Calico's Over The Top largely had the course to herself and had finds at 14, 19, 28, 32, and 38. Guns N Roses and One Day Queen Bee started us out Sunday morning. Roses had her running shoes on and was absent after the creek. Queen Bee had a back at 6. She had bird work at 14, 22, 24, 31, and 40. She ran a pretty, biddable shooting pattern, always in sync with her fond handler, eventually giving us a good second-place dog. Our stake winner came in Miller's Heat Wave in brace No. 7. Her bracemate was picked up early. Heat Wave showed she liked to move out after an initial find at the very start. She scored a second time at the ditch at 12, then at 18, 43, and 52. Her finish sealed the deal.

Again, we appreciate John Milton, Greg Blair, and Purina. It takes many people to put on a quality event. Soup to nuts, this was a quality event. Thank you to everyone!

Scottsville, Va., March 31
Judges: Kirk Regensburg and Tommy Stargell
AMATEUR DERBY - 6 Pointers
1st--SADIE RIDGE SALLY, 1702733, female, by Mohawk Mill Trail Warrior-Hirollins Fantasy Girl. Grayson Francis, owner and handler.
2d--SUGARKNOLL WHITE LIGHTNING, 1700086, male, by Lester's Shockwave-Coldcreek White Rain. Pete & Christine Del Collo, owners; Peter Del Collo, handler.
3d--SADIE RIDGE HAMMER, 1701215, male, by Broken Halo-Rocky River First Choice. Grayson Francis, owner and handler.

Judges: Zach Fisher and Kirk Reggensberg
AMATEUR ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] - 7 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st--ROCKY RIDGE'S SECOND CHANCE, 1671423, pointer male, by Erin's Kentucky Gambler-Burning Edge Julie. Grayson Francis, owner and handler.
2d--RESTER'S BAYOU BANDIT, 1700102, pointer male, by Touch's Blue Knight-Rester's Katie Lee. Cecil Rester, owner; Grayson Francis, handler.
3d--PAGAN CREEK ATTICUS, 1692037, pointer male, by Goldberg-Mohawk. Gene Hogge, owner and handler.

Amateur All-Age Winners (from left): Rocky Ridge's Second Chance with Kirk Regensburg, Rester's Bayou Bandit with Grayson Francis, and Pagan Creek Atticus with Darrell Miller.

Judges: Zach Fisher and Steve Mills
AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG [One-Hour Heats] - 18 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st--MILLER'S HEAT WAVE, 1675842, pointer female, by Just Irresistible-Miller's Bring The Heat. Fran & Jack Miller, owners; Fran Miller, handler.
2d--ONE DAY QUEEN BEE, 1684579, pointer female, by Heard Hill's Memory Lane-Dubose's Snow White. Lane Hodges, owner and handler.
3d--CALICO'S OVER THE TOP, 1692315, pointer male, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Calico's Country Strong. Calico Kennels & Alex & Tiffani Smith, owners; Alex Smith, handler.

Amateur Shooting Dog Winners (from left): Miller's Heat Wave with Jack Miller, One Day Queen Bee with Lane Hodges, Calico's Over The Top with Alex Smith, Braden Smith, and Tiffany Smith. (Behind): Darrell Miller, Fran Miller, Zach Fisher (judge), John Milton, Darcie Hodges, Steve Mills, Pat Lockhart, Marilyn Lockhart, Frank Henderson, and April Henderson.