2012 North Central Regional Championship
Champion (l): Remlap’s Doc Feel Good; RU Champion (r): Skydancer Swift Current
The NBHA North Central Regional Championship began Sat. Nov. 24 at the Miller Welch Central Ky. Wildlife area located near Richmond Ky. This season’s running was hosted by the Long Run Bird Dog Club and the Russell Co. Bird Dog Club. This marked the second time it has been held at these grounds in succession. The grounds are in superb shape with several courses that could be used thanks to the crew headed by Larry Williamson. We elected to use the first course due to the proximity to the clubhouse and kennels, which are second to none. We truly are blessed to have these grounds for our use and it is a privilege to be able to run our trials here.
Thirty dogs representing several different states were drawn for the championship while ten youngsters answered the whistle in pursuit of the derby placements. There were plenty of birds released and along with the coveys already here there was plenty of opportunity for the dogs to point birds. The rain held off for the weekend but arrived Monday at the completion of the derby stake.
We offer our thanks to our sponsors, Purina, Tri-Tronics, Gun Dog Central and Christie Enterprises for their support and prizes. Also thanks to all who volunteered their time to make this trial a success, Mike Branscum who kept the course stocked with birds as well as scouting almost every brace, Jim Fisher, who kept the gallery wagon rolling and dogs on the line. Milton Miller, Greg Slone and Brett Francis did a little of everything and all this help is greatly appreciated. Judy Hurd prepared great breakfast and lunch at the clubhouse each day. And thanks to Larry Williamson for having the grounds in such great shape. Buster and Pam Tucker for the use of their tractor and wagon as well as the chili dinner they provided on Saturday for all the contestants. Thank you all.
It is the duty of the trial host to provide the most knowledgeable judges that we can and we were fortunate to secure the services of Tim and Kristine Hammons of Berea Ky for the championsip. This couple gave each entrant their undivided attention and their decisions were accepted well by all. When Kris had to leave prior to the derby, our friend Ken Taff, Georgetown Ky., answered the call and judged the derby along with Tim. These judges all have a ton of experience and knowledge and are very much appreciated. Their decisions were accepted well by all.
The Championship:
The first brace consisted of the Champion, Remlap’s Doc Feel Good, handled by Oscar Whitt, and Fireside High Noon, handled by Bruce Minard. Doc was away from the start, disappearing off the breakaway. He was next seen at 10 by the gallery, at tree line at the end of the first bottoms, on point, having been passed up by the handler and judges. High Noon, meanwhile, had already pointed at 7 to the left of the course path, handling the single nicely. Released from his find, Doc caught the front at the concrete crossing. Both dogs started down the feed strip to the right. Birds were seen from afar, but neither dog was in sight at the time. When judges and handlers approached, Doc was found standing, with High Noon working back from the front.
Continuing past the round woods, Doc pointed and High Noon backed in the tree line to the right of the course. Birds were flushed and both dogs pressed on towards the gravel road. Doc had his fourth find on the right edge of the next field, and High Noon scored again at 18.
Both dogs proceeded down the alley into the big bottoms. Doc was spotted at the end of the first field, and drove on around the rim of the next field. High Noon, up to that point having a respectable ground effort, bumped a bird from the right side of the course. Doc arrived on the scene shortly after, and pointed where High Noon's bird had landed. Unfortunately, Whitt was unable to flush the bird and Doc was taken on with 4 minutes left. He was seen crossing the double culverts headed towards the newly graveled hill. Four minutes after time was called he appeared far to the right front near the concrete crossing, adding a strong finish to a dramatic race.
The runner-up, Skydancer Swift Current, was in the second brace, handled by Brett Francis. He was paired with First Up, who was piloted by Bob Gass. Swift Current’s first find came at 6 to right side of course near where High noon had his first find. His next find was at 15 just past the concrete crossing. At 24, in the tree line just past the round woods, the dogs demonstrated a classic divided find. The handlers flushed and shot and both dogs stood steady. At the tree line before the gravel road Skydancer pointed at the lower end, but First Up failed to back and was put on the leash. Skydancer swirled to a stop at the upper end of the same tree line, and a covey was flushed from the feed strip there. We proceeded into the bottoms, and Skydancer had 2 more finds at 55 and 58. His ground effort did not equal the winner's, not having the range and consistency, but he impressed the judges with his snappy running style, his lovely appearance on point, and his perfect manners on every find.
The third brace featured Attitudes River Kate with Whitt, and Vitali Sam-I-Am with Gary Vitali. Kate had an unproductive at 10, and was picked up at 32. Sam was eventually picked up as well.
Quail Trap Max with Dave Hawk handling, and Hifive’s Passin Time, with Minard, were up for the 4th brace. Max had a find at 26, with a medium race. Passin Time, though putting down a big race, did not have the bird work to go with it, scoring only one unproductive (with Max backing nicely) at 46.
Mike Branscum put Branscum's Nickel Plated on the line for the fifth brace, next to Whitt and Going For Broke. Nickel Plated disappeared off the breakaway, and was next seen at about 16. He pointed after the black barns, but continued to be hard to handle, and was picked up before dropping over the hill. Going For Broke was picked up at the same time, not having had any birds.
The sixth brace, with Duncan's War Chief, handled by Jim Duncan, and Hifive’s Rock Solid with Minard, was just as short. Chief was picked up early, his race not up to those already seen. Rock solid went missing after the concrete crossing, and Minard called for the tracker at 25.
Next down were Foshee Tuff, with Roger Foshee, and Dave Hawk with Quail Trap Sadie. Both dogs made good efforts from the start, with Tuff tending to be more lateral in his casts, and Sadie more to the front but lacking range. At 23, Tuff pointed before the black barns, backed by Sadie. Going down into the bottoms, he made a satisfying cast down the power lines that ended in at find at 45. Just before the concrete crossing, he jumped into the woods and pointed, with Sadie doing the same on the edge. The bird proved to be right under their noses, with Tuff a little light-footed at the flush. Both dogs finished on the other side of the concrete crossing.
Next on the line were Setter Lane Shadow with Matt Hadley, and Backwoods Bankruptcy, handled by Minard. Shadow stopped at the end of the first bottoms, with Backwoods backing. Unfortunately, Shadow decided to take the birds out, and the temptation proved to be too much for Backwoods, who took a few big jumps as the birds flew over him.
The ninth brace saw Branscum’s Bad Company, with Branscum, and Lone Pine Stick with Ken Tolbert. Bad Company was gone for the first 10 minutes, with Lone Pine a little closer than desired. Bad Company showed up past the concrete crossing, then was next seen on point far down the tree line past the round woods. While awaiting the handler, he lost his composure and bumped the bird. Lone Pine caught up just before, but did not back, ending the brace.
Brace 10 featured Rocky Hollow Firecracker, handled by Brian Casey, with Mattie Morgan, guided by Whitt. Both dogs started out with promise, hitting the edges and putting some distance behind them. Firecracker disappeared to the left before the concrete crossing. When she failed to appear to the front, a scout was sent looking, and she was found on point far to the left of the course, near where she had last been seen. A bird was still sitting in front of her, and, after the flush and shot, she was sent on to catch up. She had her second find in the tree line past the round woods, also handling that nicely, though with a bit of a shuffle during her long wait for the handler. At the beginning of the next field she bumped a bird, much to the disappointment of the judges as well as the handler. Whitt picked up a few minutes later.
Appearing in the 11th brace were Bob's Elhew Chase with Foshee at the helm, and Silverwhip with Minard. Silverwhip had a steady forward race that might have put her on the board, but her only find was at 18, with Chase backing. Chase had a somewhat shorter ground effort but went on to have 2 more finds:, at 23 and after the black barns at 26. At this find he had to relocate, and while he did point again, was flagging, which dropped him in the standings. He finished at 55 with an unproductive, with Silverwhip backing this time.
Ace of Sinbad, with Jim Duncan, and Pinnacle’s Elhew Dream, with Whitt, made up the 12th brace. Sinbad started out with a promising effort, showing at the end of the first bottoms, then again at the concrete crossing, with a find in the feed plot to the right. At his next find at 20, sadly, he bumped and chased, ending his run. Whitt put the leash on Elhew Dream at 26.
Down next were Eboga Lil Star, with Tolbert, along with Nelson's Van Max and Minard. Max was seen in the first bottoms, then again at the concrete crossing, but then vanished. Star was putting down a far-reaching race, and was starting to look very promising with a find at 20 before the black barn. Minutes later all hopes were dashed when he bumped and chased.
The next-to-last brace consisted of Sand Mountain Spirit, guided by Whitt, and Vitali Grouseringer Stogey, with Vitali handling. Stogey pointed at the top of the first hill on the right, but Vitali was unable to produce birds. Upon catching up, he backed Spirit in the tree line past the clubhouse woods, but became impatient while awaiting his handler, and was ordered up by the judge. Spirit resisted temptation, and was sent on after the flush. She proceeded to have a second find in the next perpendicular tree line, off to the right, again looking perfect. We passed into the big bottoms and down the power lines, with Spirit showing a forward, quartering ground pattern. After crossing the double culverts, she worked the wind about 50 feet into the woods to the right of the gravel hill, then locked up on her third find. She finished the hour to the front, altogether a performance that came very close to earning her the runner-up honors.
The 15th brace was exciting, but, alas, short. Minard's Fireside Drama Queen started out with a find near where Stogey had had an unproductive in the previous brace. She blew around the bottoms, then, after crossing the concrete, broke all of our hearts when she popped out from a clump of trees right under a bird. Her bracemate, Branscum's Miss Holly, disappeared out the front door at this point, and the tracker was called for when she failed to return.
Derby
In first place was Fireside Nicky, handled by Bruce Minard. He had the best race of the three. Cracker Jack A was in second, handled by Tolbert. After a long absence after the breakaway, Jack settled in and had a stop to flush at 29. Earning third was Hifive’s Mac D, also handled by Minard. Mac displayed a consistent forward race with a bird contact at time.
Introduction by Jim Duncan; Running by Tim and Kris Hammons
