Result: Coalfield Bird Dog Club

Location: Kevil, Kentucky

Post Date: Dec 15, 2023

Submitted By: Mary Sue Schalk

Amateur All-Age Winners (standing): Ben Weddington (judge). (L-r): Mike Crouse with Crouse's Quiet Man, Mary Sue Schalk with Crouse's Woodrow F Call, and Alan Benson with Crouse's Tennessee Game Kate.

The Coalfield Bird Dog Club hosted the first Ohio Valley Field Trial Circuit event of the 2023-24 season the weekend of October 28, 2023. The trial ran in favorable conditions, a cool, overcast day, and the rain stayed away until the last hour of competition. Filling the judges' saddles were Travis Patterson of Sparta, Illinois, Ben Weddington of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Alan Benson of Cutler, Illinois. All three men brought experience, enthusiasm, and attentiveness to the task at hand. We appreciate their time in the saddle.

The Amateur All-Age stake drew six entries, all pointers. Travis Patterson and Ben Weddington served as the judges for the first event of the day. Besting the field was Crouse's Quiet Man. The black and white pointer male held the audience captive with his snappy tail and strong forward race. He is owned and handled by Mike Crouse. Running the third hour, Crouse's Woodrow F Call, a first-year pointer male, took second place for owner/handler Mary Sue Schalk. "Call" worked honestly for his handler to earn his spot on the winners' podium. To round out the field, Crouse's Tennessee Game Kate, also owned and handled by Mike Crouse, took third. Drawing the first hour, Kate set a standard for dogs to follow, handling her hour with style and grace. A small field but mighty, the Amateur All-Age stake set the tone for an enjoyable day.

Alan Benson took his turn in the judge's saddle for the Amateur Shooting Dog stake with Travis Patterson. Also drawing six dogs, two setters and four pointers made the field. Cloverdale's TN Winston earned the first-place spot in the last brace of the day. He handled his course well, hunting earnestly forward. Winston is owned by Ben and Emily Weddington and was handled by Ben to the blue. Cloverdale's American Louis, father of TN Winston, earned the second-place spot. The English setter male has a powerful stride and was easy on the eyes as he made forward casts during his hour. He is also owned and handled by Team Weddington. The third-place spot was earned by Crouse's Ka Boom, a snappy liver-headed pointer male owned and handled by Mary Sue Schalk. Braced with American Louis, Ka Boom was biddable and hunted well throughout the hour--another nice stake of dogs to enjoy on a cool fall Saturday.
We certainly could not have these events without the support of our volunteers and sponsors.

Big shout out to Greg Blair and Purina. Each club in the Ohio Valley Field Trial Circuit receives Purina dog food for prizes. Also, this year, we have received support from SportDOG, as they are providing some collars for prizes and collars for the top dogs on the circuit at the end of the season. Many thanks to our judges and our dog wagon driver, James Kleve. A big thank you to the West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area team. We are very fortunate in Western Kentucky to be able to utilize public grounds for horseback field trials, and we appreciate the work that the WMA employees do to keep the grounds ready. To all those out there 'bird doggin', keep at it, and best of luck this season!

Kevil, Ky., October 27
Judges: Travis Patterson and Ben Weddington
AMATEUR ALL-AGE [One-Hour Heats] - 6 Pointers
1st-CROUSE'S QUIET MAN, 1685396, male, by Crouse's Ebony Masterpiece-Crouse's Gerri Wind. M. D. Crouse, owner and handler.
2d-CROUSE'S WOODROW F CALL, 1700673, male, by Haynes Justified Warrior-Hero's Country Doll. M. D. Crouse & M. Sue Schalk, owners; Mary S. Schalk, handler.
3d-CROUSE'S TENNESSEE GAME KATE, 1685162, female, by Game Wardon-Tennessee Coldwater Pearl. M. D. Crouse, owner and handler.

Judges: Alan Benson and Travis Patterson
AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG [One-Hour Heats] - 4 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st-CLOVERDALE'S TN WINSTON, 1702953, setter male, by Cloverdale's American Louis-Smoky Mountain Kate. Ben & Emily Weddington, owners; Ben Weddington, handler.
2d-CLOVERDALE'S AMERICAN LOUIS, 1679461, setter male, by Skydancer Dancing Spur-Skydancer Celtic Fitz. Ben Weddington, owner and handler.
3d-CROUSE'S KA BOOM, 1697434, pointer male, by Crouse's White Dragon-Crouse's Gretzky Gal. M. D. Crouse & Mary S. Schalk, owners; Mary S. Schalk, handler.

Amateur Shooting Dog Winners (standing): Travis Patterson (judge). (L-r): Ben Weddington with Cloverdale's TN Winston, Mike Crouse with Cloverdale's American Louis, and Mary Sue Schalk with Crouse's Ka Boom.