2021 NGSPA Region 8 Championship
By Keith Richardson
The Region 8 Championship was a huge success, with a strong entry in all stakes with participants coming from all over. Most of the competitors also attended the NGSPA Hungarian Partridge Championship held previously.
The venue is not only scenic for participants, but also provides great objectives for dogs to hunt and display their ability to find and handle difficult game birds. The course is unlike any other in the country. The cast off is over several hundred yards of prairie to Suicide Hill, named for the large number of birds inhabiting it, and the fact that most infractions may be seen ¼ mile away. There are two large coveys on this hill, a low covey and a high covey. Then around the hill’s base there is a cove defined by a curving high-bench with steep faces, large rocks, and dense shrub cover. We pass Derby Draw and continue along the base of the high bench to Shooting Dog Draw. We climb to the top of the bench and spend 15 to 20 minutes hunting the upper brushy edge of this steep chukar habitat. The next leg offers a run through the prairie or a steep series of draws known as the Badlands. The high gate is entered and the dog finishes in the prairie where its stamina and range are visibly demonstrated.
The dogs will experience running coveys, large explosive covey flushes of 20 or more, and concentrations of “old” scent since we put out over 500 chukar. The birds are healthy, young and strong fliers. Any dog that completes this course is ready for Eureka!
We were pleased to have several pros in attendance: Dan DiMambro, Josh Nieman and Rich Robertson. We were also happy to welcome a large number of amateur handlers: Dean and Diane Crabbs (OR), Brian Hill and Karen Niffenegger (WA), Mike Patrick (CO) Keith Bryant (CO), Brandon Blum (CO), Keith Richardson (WY), Chase and Mark Verdoorn (MO), Tom Kosmack (UT), Ray and Tami Larrondo (UT), Kirk Loftin (TX), David Quijano (TX), Shari Tangsrud (TX), Matt Miller (WI).Terry Zygalinski (CA) brought a good bunch of horses for judges and guests.
We brought in some top-notch judges with years of experience in many Championship venues. Ray Larrondo (ID), Karen Niffenegger, Terry Erickson (CA), Tim Carwile (VA), Brandon Blum (CO), David Quijano (TX), and Rich Robertson (ID).
We are grateful for our sponsors. Purina provided financial support and the bags of Pro Plan for the winning dogs. We encouraged all contestants to feed Purina. We also welcome the sponsorship of Sport Dog with training collars. Cash purses, gift certificates, Purina food, and Sport Dog collars made up the offering of prizes.
A special thanks to the organizational abilities and hard work of Keith and Bobbi Richardson. A big thanks also to all of the other folks who helped, Joe Frauendienst (many tasks including planting birds), Josh Frauendienst, Gary and Chris Kercher (bird planter). Lynn Cooke provided wonderful meals with help from Marya Kerchner, and Diane Crabbs. Our ranch crew helped in many ways often unseen, but always with a smile: Justin Peppers, Brittiny Habercorn, Rick Huber, and Frank Rugh. Kaitlin Guakel and Penny Robertson ran the dog wagon and booted all of the dogs. We missed the smile, conversation and wit of David Quinn, our Field Trial Sommelier, who couldn’t make it. Dean Crabbs caught all of the birds early each morning.
This was a dual sanctioned trial, and all broke dog stakes were Grand Limited Stakes, and the Shooting Dog stakes were Retrieving Stakes. There are very few of these stakes offered in the country and are a nice advantage for the competitors who also pursue AKC points, and four placements are named. Our stakes are so large that all earn 5 point majors. Four dogs are placed and these are reported in this write-up due to space limitations.
Amateur Shooting Dog Championship
By Keith Richardson
Judges: Terry Erickson (CA) and Tim Carwile (VA). Starters: 26
Judges said their four placing dogs all handled kindly with no hacking, and very little or no scouting required. They went forward through the country with no back-casting or coming from behind, and they had solid shooting dog races with good finishes. During most of the stake the wind was a challenge and the jumpy birds and large coveys presented plenty of opportunities to distract dogs and take them out. The difficult bird work separated the dogs and handlers.
Pinnacle Dee’s Mighty Mouse (Dee), Kirk Loftin, was named Champion.
Pinnacle Dee’s Mighty Mouse (Dee), had her first find on Suicide Hill at 5 handling the chukar nicely with good style and excellent manners. She was sent on and hunted the rocky slopes nicely instead of running in the open. She was rewarded with a find at the turn up Shooting Dog Draw. Birds were produced after a nice relocation and her style was flashy. She hunted the upper rim to the front and had a strong finish through the upper gate. Her run was big and always forward, and she required no hacking and no scouting in true shooting dog form.
Quijano’s WD 40 (Rusty), David Quijano, was named Runner-Up.
Quijano’s WD 40 (Rusty) had six finds at 8, 22, 30, 32, 39 and 40. They were spaced nicely along the hilly chukar habitat and the upper rim. All were in order with good style. Rusty got rolling after his bracemate got picked up at 33. He had a good overall performance and was always forward and covered the right spots to find game with no commands from handler. He was a very good bird dog with excellent ground application. He had a good race and finish, but not as strong as the Champion’s.
Hi N’s Allison Miranda (Allie), Kirk Loftin, earned Third Place.
Hi N’s Allison Miranda (Allie), had two hun finds at 5 on Suicide Hill and 21 at the turn up Shooting Dog Draw, which she handled nicely with good style. She had a stop-to-flush at the end of the habitat on some jumpy huns. She had a back at 45 on Derby Rim and stood solidly while her bracemate had a “train wreck” and was picked up. She had a good finish.
Canyon Creek High Tide (Dylan), Ray Larrondo, earned Fourth Place.
Dylan had finds at 4 on Suicide Hill, 11, 15 and a large covey of chukar at 37, with backs at 20, 25, and 27. Dylan had a slow start but her last half was strong. She demonstrated a good nose as she pointed game a long ways off. She showed maturity locating game. Dylan was a nice dog, but her overall ground race was not as smooth and consistent as the top 3 dogs.
Open All-Age Championship
Judges: Ray Larrondo and Karen Niffenegger. Starters: 25.
Judges preferred a dog that after Suicide Hill would hunt the rocky sidehills rather than taking the fence-line to the end of the habitat. They knew the sidehill cover provided good chukar habitat.
BMB’s Samsquanch (Sam), Brandon Blum, was named Champion.
BMB’s Samsquanch (Sam), ran in Brace 11. He had a strong break away and had a nice find 3 on Suicide Hill. He quickly moved on and hunted around the corner and hunted the rocky hillside fast and smart. He crossed Derby Draw and climbed Chukar Hill where he had his second find at 10. He then hunted just below the rim in the rocky cover all the way until dropping down to the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. Handler sent him on the west side of the draw where he made a showy and powerful move gaining the top of the west rim and running the edge to the front. 90% of the dogs take the trail up to the head of the draw. He was lost to sight to the front. Once the handler gained the top of the draw, Sam was seen standing at 28 on his third find. Afterwards handler elected to send Sam into the prairie to the north, where he made a big move and then cut up onto Derby Rim and was found standing at 38. Handler could not produce a bird and sent him on. He had a phenomenal finish. Sam wasn’t the flashiest dog of the group of placing dogs, but he ran a solid All-Age race and impressed the judges with his hunting prowess and application to the course. Sam required no hacking and the handler was able to ride gently along for most of the run.
Keg Creek Tripps to Win (Tripp), Josh Nieman, was named Runner Up.
Keg Creek Tripps to Win (Tripp), ran in brace 3 ad headed in a straight line to Suicide Hill, where he was seen standing at 5. After release he rounded the corner and was next seen on the rim past Derby Draw where he had a stop to flush at 18. It took handler and judge about 5 minutes to reach him while he remained frozen in place with staunch style. He was sent back to the bottom of the hill and had his next find at 25 on the lower corner of Shooting Dog Draw. He had his next find at 35 on Derby Rim. Just after his release he dropped over the edge and pointed at 41 but handler was unable to produce a bird. He was released and ran the prairie to the High Gate, grabbed some water and hit the prairie for a huge finish to the front by the Guest House. All in all he had a strong All-Age run but his run was not as smooth and required more hacking when compared with the Champion.
Pinnacle Dee’s Mighty Mouse (Dee), Kirk Loftin, earned Third Place.
Pinnacle Dee’s Mighty Mouse (Dee), ran in brace 9. Instead of hunting up Suicide Hill Dee ran the fence line to the end of the habitat, and then was called back where she ran up Chukar Hill and had her first find at 16. She was sent back down the hill and had her second find at 22 at the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. She took the left-west side of the draw and met the handler as he crested the draw. She ran the rim without finding any birds and this took her to the High Gate with 17 minutes to spend in the prairie. She had a really big finish. Dee was snappy and quick on the ground. She had a bit less power than the top two dogs overall, but had a very strong finish.
Prairie Wind Bert’s Joke on Us (Bart), Rich Robertson, earned Fourth Place.
Prairie Wind Bert’s Joke on Us (Bart), ran in Brace 4. He made a bee-line up Suicide Hill where he pointed and had an extended and difficult relocation. Birds were produced at 10, and he handled them nicely. After release he immediately disappeared and apparently ran the habitat cover until being seen at the far end of the habitat. He spotted his handler and without command came straight to him up Chukar hill. He was returned to the bottom and hunted the hillside until climbing to the top and going on point. He was returned to the bottom and had his third find at 32 at the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. Handler had a bit of trouble collecting him off the top of Chukar Hill and hacked him to get back on course. His fourth find was on Derby Rim at 49. He was heeled to catch the front at the High Gate and had a great finish. Bart had a strong and powerful all-age run but required more hacking than the top three dogs.
Open Shooting Dog Championship
By Ray Larrondo
Judges: Brandon Blum and David Quijano. Starters: 28
Chicoree’s Glitter and Gold (Glitz), Dan DiMambro, was named Champion.
Chicoree’s Glitter and Gold (Glitz), ran in Brace 3. After a good break-away she was found pointed at 10 above the water trough. Style and manners all good. Then she flowed through the rocks well and climbed Chukar Hill where she was found pointed at 20. She then hunted the rocky hillside well flowing to the front and pointed a covey at 28 at the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. She was next seen hunting the brushy edge along the rim with good power until disappearing along Derby Rim where she was found standing at 40. She had an NP on the east side of the ridge at 45, and then showed a phenomenal finish with both dogs cresting the ridge at Cathy’s Bench. Glitz was stylish on point and had a consistently strong Shooting Dog run with excellent application to the course.
Osage Cuttin Em Down (Bo), Josh Nieman, was named Runner Up.
Osage Cuttin Em Down (Bo), ran in brace 3 with the Champion. Bo had a strong cast-off and was found pointed at the very end of the habitat at 12. Several Chukar were produced and he handled them with nice style. He broke away and headed toward Chukar Hill where he was found on point at 18. Upon release he powered along the rocky hills and was found pointed with his third find at the base of Shooting Dog Draw at 22. From there Bo powered to the front and had his fourth find at 42 on Derby Rim. The two dogs joined forces and showed a strong finish over Cathy’s Bench. Bo had an excellent performance but showed some immaturity compared with the Champion.
Autry’s Natural Chromoly Steel (Molly), Josh Nieman, earned Third Place.
Autry’s Natural Chromoly Steel (Molly), ran in Brace 12, and got off to a slower start than the first two dogs. Her first find at 12 was above the water trough and was very stylish. The bird work got her going and she went on to hunt the hills with power. She had a stop to flush on the top of Chukar Hill at 18. Her second find was at the corner of Shooting Dog Draw at 23. Just after she crested the top of the draw she had a divided find on the brushy rim at 27. She went on to hunt the rim edge well but without the power of the two top dogs. Her fourth find was on Derby Rim at 40. She had a good finish.
Foxglove Money Maker (G), Brian Hill, earned Fourth Place.
Foxglove Money Maker (G), ran in brace 4 and got off to a good start with a find at 5 on Suicide Hill. He then hunted the edge around the hill and had a stylish find at 12 above the water trough. G exhibited great bird dog sense in his application to the course and was found pointed on top of Chukar Hill at 18. After being released he hunted the hillside like a chukar dog should and had his third find at 24 at the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. He hunted the upper rim very nicely and had four more finds. G handled very kindly and did a really nice job, but overall his run exhibited less power and range than the top three dogs.
Open Derby Classic
Judges: Ray Larrondo and David Quijano. Starters: 8.
NOTE: Due to several issues which arose we were unable to get a write-up for this stake.
The Course
We used the Hun course in the Habitat. It was a three mile section of creek lined with willows and dense cover, with open cut grass and plenty of objectives between the willow line and the fence-line. This course does not have cactus so dogs are not booted. It is an out and back course with opportunities to find chukar or huns. There is good visibility of the dogs, so that a dog with all-age potential can be seen making huge moves.
NK’s Uncontrolled Free For All (Daryl), Josh Nieman, earned First Place
Ream’s Spinner (Toby), Josh Nieman, earned Second Place.
PW Queen of the Mountain (Lynn), Rich Robertson, earned Third Place.