Result: Illinois Open Shooting Dog Championship & Max Eldred Memorial Open Derby

Location: Chandlerville, Illinois

Post Date: Mar 20, 2024

Submitted By: Jeff Wagoner

Illinois Open Shooting Dog Winner (front): Mark Johnson (scout) with Lawless Georgie Girl. (Behind, l-r): Jim Corpening (judge), Steve Auxier (judge), Jim Lawless (owner), and Terry Trzcinski (Purina).

The Illinois Open Shooting Dog Championship finished on Wednesday, February 28. Thank you, judges Jim Corpening and Steve Auxier, for looking at dogs in Florida temperatures one day and Alaska the next. I want to thank Purina for all their support and working with AFTCA to provide a program that supplies judges with gifts and awards for the owners. Plus, as always, dog food.

SportDOG is a big supporter, providing gifts to handlers. Thank you, Greg Blair and Terry Trzcinski (Terry drove the dog wagon), for helping me work out details with Purina. Thank you, Pat Sheehan, for bird planting, and Mark Johnson, for filling in for my absent chairman and offering help with other tasks; Steve Fuess drove the dog wagon on Monday.

This year's champion was Jim Lawless with Lawless Georgie Girl, a pointer female. Runner-up was Adam DeLude with Alliwood's Never Say Never, a pointer female. Mark Johnson scouted both of these dogs.
Lawless Georgie Girl ran in the ninth brace and was braced with Dominator's Mae Belle and handler Hadley.

The temperatures were warm, with 78 degrees at breakaway. Both dogs punched strong forward. Mae Belle had an early breach of manners and left the brace all to Georgie.
Georgie had five finds, all to the front. Her style was high and tight on all five finds. She was reaching and running stronger as the hour went on, and the heat did not seem to affect her performance. On her last find, the judges called time, and the scout found her on point to end the hour perfectly.

The runner-up ran in the second brace against Touch's Ledecky (Stretz). Alliwood's Never Say Never had four high and tight finds. She was pleasing on the ground, and points all had no letdown through the whole flushing attempt and shot. She made nice moves forward and might have been a bit short at times. She had a slight absence, with the handler riding off to get her.
First place in the Open Derby brace was Creative Lady (PF/Stretz); second was High Enchantress (PF/Hadley); and third was Nemaha Lima Bean (PM/McInteer).

Chandlerville, Ill., February 26
Judges: Steve Auxier and Jim Corpening
ILLINOIS OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 25 Pointers
Winner-LAWLESS GEORGIE GIRL, 1676697, female, by Oak Grove Pacemaker-Homestead Georgia. Jim Lawless, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-ALLIWOOD'S NEVER SAY NEVER, 1695564, female, by Touch's Grey Street-Alliwood's Shady Shay. Adam DeLude, owner and handler.

Illinois Open Shooting Dog Runner-up: Mark Johnson (scout) with Alliwood's Never Say Never and Adam DeLude (owner).

MAX ELDRED MEMORIAL OPEN DERBY - 6 Pointers
1st-CREATIVE LADY, 1701680, female, by Chelsea's Thunder Bolt-Buche's Elhew Rebel. Bob & Catherine Reynolds, owners; Chuck Stretz, handler.
2d-HIGH ENCHANTRESS, 1700180, female, by Lester's Storm Surge-Lester's Snow White. Matt Griffith, Ron Stearns & Newley Hutchison, owners; Scott Hadley, handler.
3d-NEMAHA LIMA BEAN, 1700804, male, by Touch's Grey Street-Jackson's Teardrop. Dr. Pat McInteer, owner and handler.

Max Eldred Open Derby Winners (front): Creative Lady with Harold Gearhart (scout), High Enchantress with Scott Hadley (handler), and Nemaha Lima Bean with Dr. Pat McInteer (owner/handler). (Back row): Steve Auxier (judge), Chuck Stretz, Mark Johnson, Jeff Wagoner, and Jim Corpening (judge).