John Bonner, Brandon Blum, Rich Robertson Jr., Keith Richardson, Kirk Loftin, Adolfo Gamboa (Holding BMB’s Madison Avenue (Madison), and Sherri Tangsrud (Holding Uodibar’s Robbi Jo (Robbi).
2024 NGSPA Region 8 Championship
By Keith Richardson
The Region 8 Championship was a success, with a good entry in all stakes and 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 but 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. Then around the hill’s base there is a cove defined by the steep escarpment of , a curving high-bench about a mile long with a steep escarpment holding, large rocks, and dense shrub cover. We pass Derby Draw which cuts through the high bench and we continue along the bottom of the escarpment until heading up at Shooting Dog Draw. We climb to the top of the bench and spend 15 to 20 minutes hunting the upper brushy edges of this steep chukar habitat anchored by the extensive rim along Suicide Bench. The next leg offers a run through the prairie on the left or a steep series of draws on the right known as the Badlands. The High Gate is entered and the dog finishes on the prairie, but time permitting the dogs may be brought into the Habitat heading west towards the cast off. The finish allows the judges to clearly observe the stamina and range of the dogs.
During their run the dogs will experience running coveys, large explosive covey flushes of 20 or more chukar, with birds flying back over their heads, and concentrations of “old” scent left by recent coveys which have flown off. The birds are healthy, young, and strong fliers. Any dog that completes this course is ready for Eureka, a few weeks away!
We were pleased to have had several pros in attendance: Dan DiMambro and Rich Robertson. We missed Josh Nieman who has rearranged his Championship schedule. We were also happy to welcome a number of amateurs: Keith Bryant (CO), Brandon Blum (CO), Robin Lambourn (CO), Kirk Loftin (TX), Shari Tangsrud (MO), Hank and Dina Lewis (OH), and Ray and Tami Larrondo (ID). We were happy to see Diane Crabbs (WY) who was a big help in the kitchen. Terry Zygalinski (CA) and his protégé’ Alfonzo, brought horses for the judges and gallery.
We had excellent judges, but due to last minute cancellations we really appreciate John Bonner offering to judge all of our broke dog stakes. He was very attentive and a pleasure to have around. Rich Robertson and Terry Zygalinski, both very experienced judges stepped up to help us out as well.
We are grateful to our sponsors. Purina provided financial support and a pallet of Pro Plan for the winning dogs. Their support of the Purina Handler of the Year program is also very important as contenders often travel to Championships hoping to earn points. We encouraged all contestants to feed Purina. We also welcome the sponsorship of Sport Dog with training collars and bark 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 the other folks who helped: Joe Frauendienst, and Japheth Frauendienst (many tasks including catching and planting birds), Gary and Chris Kercher (bird planter and paperwork). Marya Kirchner prepared the best lunches and dinners at any field trial in the country. Diane Crabbs was a big help to Marya. Our ranch crew helped in many ways often unseen, but always with a smile: Justin Peppers, Brittiny Haberkorn, and Nancy Kutchara. Kaitlin Guakel was indispensable as the official dog booter and dog wagon operator.
Amateur Shooting Dog Championship
By Keith Richardson
Judges: John Bonner and Rich Robertson. Starters: 16 GSPs.
BMB’s Madison Avenue (Madison), owned and handled by Brandon Blum was named Champion.
Madison ran in the first brace of day 2. She quickly reached Suicide Hill where she had a find at 3 and was solid with no movement and a high tail. She had a divided find at 10 in the depression before Derby Draw with all in order. She then hunted the cover in the hills and worked her way up to the rim where she had a find at 16. Handler produced a big covey of chukar that ran all around Madison then flushed like little rockets. Madison remained solid and intense with perfect manners. They dropped back down to the course and she had another find at the top of Shooting Dog Draw. Her fourth find was at 32 further along the rim and everything was good. After Madison was released she worked the draws of the Badlands and entered the prairie through the High Gate. She had a big finish but before time at 56 she was down in the Habitat working her way up the hill when Brandon rode up some birds that flushed over her head. She immediately froze for a perfect stop-to-flush. She had a strong finish past Cathy’s Bench hunting the rim. Brandon did a nice job handling Madison. He simply rode in front of the judges at a steady distance and pace with little vocalization. Madison ran a perfect shooting dog race. She was always to the front maintaining a consistent fast pace with appropriate range. Birds were her focus and she hunted the cover intelligently without using the roads. All in all Madison ran an attractive shooting dog race with outstanding bird work clearly earning her Championship.
Uodibar’s Robbi Jo (Robbi), handled by Kirk Loftin and owned by Sherri Tangsrud, was named Runner-Up.
This was two years in a row that Robbi earned R-U. Her first find was on Suicide Hill at 5 with excellent manners and style. Her second find was in the depression before Derby Draw at 10. She crossed the draw, went around Chukar Hill and hunted the steep escarpment climbing to the top for her third find at 20. After her excellent bird work she was taken back to the bottom where she had a back at 27 at the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. Her fourth find was on the upper rim at 33. She was sent on and Robbi was out of sight for a while and was found standing deep in the draw at the end of Suicide Bench for her fifth find. After a nice piece of bird work, she worked the Badlands and passed through the High Gate. She had a nice finish past Cathy’s Bench along the rim. During her run Robbi applied herself very nicely to the cover. The handler needed to handle her hard at times especially to turn her which detracted from her performance. Otherwise, her run was very close to that of the Champion.
OTHER WORTHY PERFORMANCES
Canyon Creek High Tide (Dylan), handled by Ray Larrondo and owned by Ray and Tami Larrondo.
BMB’s Supernova (Nova), handled by Brandon Blum and owned by Tim Heydorff and Karen Bravender
Dylan and Nova were braced together and they both caught the attention of the judges as they continued to run “neck and neck” for the whole hour. Both handled kindly with the handlers holding a good pace in front of the judges. Their range and power was of solid shooting dog quality, and they both had challenging bird work, and handled it well with nice style, All four dogs were pretty equal on the ground. The main difference was that the placing dogs had a bit more bird work.
Open All-Age Championship
By Keith Richardson
Judges: John Bonner and Terry Zygalinski. Starters: 19 GSPs.
PW Race to the Front (Raycee), handled by Rich Robertson and owned by Keith and Bobbi Richardson was named Champion.
Raycee ran in the first brace and quickly set the bar for the stake. On the cast off she went around the bottom of Suicide Hill and had her first find at the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. In between she was seen periodically at a great distance working quickly through the cover. Her second find was along the rim at 24 and after release she sped around the rim and was seen briefly on Chukar Hill where she dropped down and climbed back up the base of Derby Draw and was spotted pointing her third covey around the corner of Suicide Bench at 33. All three pieces of bird work were flawless with intense high head and tail and no let down. She took the difficult path through the Badlands and was pointed out briefly as she passed through the High Gate into the prairie. When the handler got to that spot he was able to point her way out on the right of the prairie where she dropped into the Habitat and worked her way forward and was seen at time along the far fence. It was a huge, powerful finish with no reduction in speed, range or power throughout her race. Her run was All-Age in its entirety and all the handler needed to do was ride and sing. He never blew the whistle nor in any way had to push her along.
BMB’s Free Ride (Lewey) handled and owned by Brandon Blum, was named Runner-Up.
Lewey took a direct line to Suicide Hill when he was cast off and was rewarded with a find at 4. His manners were perfect with great style and after being sent on he was seen pointed in the Hun Habitat. Handler could not produce the birds after a long time trying and sent him on a relocation. Lewey finally found the birds and all was in order. His third find was on the rim above Shooting Dog Draw at 33, and his fourth find was at the far end of Suicide Bench. Lewey had a big finish and ended the hour with his fifth find in the draw below Cathy’s Bench at 58. All Lewey’s bird work was flawless and he ran the course from start to finish with consistent speed and power despite a very strong wind. His range was All-Age, but less than that of the Champion. Brandon and Lewey were well connected with Brandon riding and remaining quiet while Lewey put on a show.
Open Shooting Dog Championship
By Keith Richardson
Judges: John Bonner and Terry Zygalinski. Starters: 15 GSPs
Chicoree’s Four Leaf Clover (Chloe). Handled by Dan DiMambro, owned by Dr. Fred Ryan, was named Champion.
Chloe ran as a Bye dog in the second brace of the second day. She headed to Suicide Hill and worked the lower area before moving on. She continued to work the steep hillside cover of dense mountain mahogany and large rocks as she hunted, staying to the front. Her first find was at 18 on Chukar Hill on the other side of Derby Draw. She looked beautiful with high head and tail and was rock steady throughout. She went on to have her second find at 26 on the corner of Shooting Dog Draw. It was a nice covey of running birds and her style was perfect. Her third find was on the corner of Suicide Bench above Derby Draw at 32 and her fourth find was on the far side of the Bench at 36. All of her finds demonstrated beautiful style and intensity. She passed through the High Gate with 11 minutes left to run in the prairie where she finished strong. During her run Chloe kept in touch with her handler and flowed around the course with eye catching grace, never using the roads. She required very little handling or scouting, and ran a classic shooting dog race.
Heaven Scent’s Red Raider (Raider), handled by Dan DiMambro, owned by Cary and Linda Waterhouse, was named Runner-Up.
Raider ran in the last brace of the first day. Raider’s first find was at the point before Shooting Dog Draw at 16. Manners and style were impressive. He then worked the rim, hunting the cover nicely and had a UP at 32 at the corner beginning Suicide Bench. Raider hunted the rest of Suicide Bench and dropped into the Badlands which he rolled through before breaching the High Gate where he finished with a strong run through the prairie, cresting the ridge by Cathy’s Bench and dropping into the Habitat where time was called. Raider handled kindly with very little scouting, and had a consistent shooting dog race with excellent application to the course. His stamina was impressive with no let down at the end.