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2021-2022 Awards Season Winners

Congratulations to these deserving winners

May 19, 2022

We have reached the conclusion of a rousing competition year, with the points season ending on April 30, 2022. Below are the 2021-2022 season award winners for each category.

(Photo submission for winning dogs mentioned but not pictured is welcomed. Owners may email ahammond@ukcdogs.com with photos of winning dogs not pictured. This article will be updated with additional photos if received.)

Dog of the Year

Earning top honors in the Purina Dog of The Year competition was Touch's Fire Away, Pointer male, owned by Greg and Carmen Adams of Norfolk, Va., and handled by Randy Anderson. Touch's Fire Away tallied 1,485 points to claim the season's award, with the following placements: runner-up in the Mid-America Open Championship, winner of the Quail Championship Invitational, runner-up in the Kentucky Quail Classic, winner of the Alabama Open Championship, winner of the Missouri Open All-Age championship, second in the Oklahoma Cecil Proctor Open All-Age, and winner of the Missouri Open Championship.

View complete DOY listing

Handler of the Year

Handler of the Year honors were won by Luke Eisenhart with a total of 2,112 points, handling nine dogs of dogs to points-earning placements.

Luke Eisenhart

Luke Eisenhart

The dogs handled (all Pointer males unless otherwise noted): Bonner's Excalibur, Confident Nation, Dunn's True Reign, Erin's Wild Atlantic Way (Setter male), Erin's Perfect Storm, Knight Moon, Rentz's Hijacked, Shadow's Lord Magic, Touch's Red Rider.

View complete Handler of Year listing

Top Shooting Dog

Before honoring the 2022 winner, we must first acknowledge that this competition year saw the retirement of four-time Purina Top Shooting Dog 23x Chelsea's Thunder Bolt, going out on top after a win at National Invitational Shooting Dog Championship. After a short season, Bolt still ended up in seventh place for the year for owners Tom Jackson and George Hickox. A great way to end a historic career.

Purina Top Shooting Dog for 2022 is Wind Ridge Sugar Plum for owner Eugene Sprotta, handler Eddy Taylor. This 3-year-old Pointer female is out of Westfall's Ice Breaker and Gin Creek Garnet. Sugar Plum had a challenging birth and special care starting out from Kathy and Eddy Taylor. Through that all, Sugar Plum has earned frontseat status in the truck. Sugar Plum looks out for Eddy and his truck. A special truck and trial dog.

Sugar Plum's season: Southwest Missouri OSD Championship, runner-up with 55 dogs entered. Ozark OSD Championship, winner with 61 dogs entered. Tennessee OSD Championship, runner-up with 47 dogs entered. Egyptian OSD Championship, runner-up with 66 dogs entered. Sugar Plum ended the season with 1,450 Purina points earned.

Sugar Plum got it done against major competition at entered trials. What an outstanding accomplishment for a first- year shooting dog! Congratulations to owner Eugene Sprotta, and handler Eddy Taylor, on Wind Ridge Sugar Plum's Purina Top Shooting Dog season.

View complete Open Shooting Dog listing

Top Handler

The 2022 Purina Top Handler is Shawn Kinkelaar. No stranger to the award this is Shawn's seventh Purina Handler award.

Shawn Kinkelaar

Shawn's year lists 18 placements, with eight shooting dogs and one derby earning handler points. Five of these shooting dogs were in the top 10. Total of 2,562 points earned. Congratulations to Shawn and owners for another successful season.

  • Up Fronts Southern Star, owner Lance Schulz
  • True Choice, owner Greg Fried
  • Silver W Jill Z, owner Debbie Ozner
  • Chelsea's Thunder Bolt, owners Dr. Tom Jackson, George Hickox
  • Chelsea's Mae West, owners Ron Prewitt & Brad Sadler
  • Tug Of War, owners Adam Hart & Bjorn Peterson
  • Oak Ridge Thor, owner Ron Prewitt
  • Thunder Bolts Storm, owner Tom Jackson
  • (Derby) Erin's Thunder Backus, owners Tom Jackson & J Moisson

View complete Handler of the Year - Shooting Dog listing

Top Amateur Shooting Dog

Purina Top Amateur Shooting Dog for 2022 is Dragonfly, for owner handler Jim Hughes. This 6-year-old Pointer male is out of The Crowd Pleaser and Millers Calamity Jane Lady.

Dragonfly won the largest entered trial in 2022 season, the National Free for All, with 71 entered dogs plus bonus points. In addition, Dragonfly was: first at the Dixie Classics with 22 dogs entered, and Region 6 runner-up with 34 dogs. This made for a total of 1,300 Purina points earned in 2022.

Dragonfly, a 2022 winner

Dragonfly

Dragonfly's career is truly consistent and competitive. From a first-year shooting dog, Jim has always had this dog contending for this title. He has come close in the past few years: 2021 Top shooting dog season 6th place; 2020 Top shooting dog season 2nd place; 2019 Top shooting dog season 4th place.

Congratulations to Jim Hughes and Dragonfly for another great season!

View complete Amateur Shooting Dog listing

Top Shooting Dog Derby

Purina Top Shooting Dog Derby for 2022 is Waybetter Rebel out of Dominator's Rebel Heir and Calico's Country Strong.

Rebel started the year being handled by Pat Casey for owner Carl Bishop. Pat handled Rebel to two wins - Swamp Fox Derby Classic with 20 dogs, and the big win at the US Quail Futurity with 52 dogs plus bonus points.

Ownership changed hands and Muriel and Bill Primm became new owners. Mike Tracy took over handler responsibilities and won first at the Indiana Derby with 19 dog, and second at the Michigan Derby Classic with 11 dogs. Total for the year, Rebel collected 690 Purina points.

We look Forward to watching Waybetter Rebel'l future career as a shooting dog. Congratulations to Muriel and Bill Primm, Mike Tracy, Carl Bishop and Pat Casey on Waybetter Rebels great Purina Top Derby season.

View Top Shooting Dog Derby listing

Amateur All-Age

For the Amateur All-Age, the winner is Mohawk Mill Gangster, Pointer male owned by Gary Winall was the winner with 904 points.

Mohawk Mill Gangster

Mohawk Mill Gangster

View complete Amateur All-Age listing

All-Age Open Derby

Winner of the Open Derby was Haney's Storm Warning, Pointer male owned by Chris Cagle with 1,332 points.

View complete All-Age Open Derby listing

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