Result: All-America Derby and Quail Championships

Location: Pinckneyville, Illinois

Post Date: Apr 8, 2025

Submitted By: Jim Atchison

All-America Derby Championship (front, l-r): Ike Todd and Allen Vincent with Shagtime Bill and Jim Lawless with Beeler's Master Design. (Back, l-r): Jon Lam, Will Dunn (judge), Kenton Bryant (judge), Brian Sheehan, Mike Small, Sean Pat Derrig, and Nathan Phillips.

Ninety-nine is a remarkably impressive number of years and was one that was mentioned more than once as the Hoosier Field Trial Club hosted the 99th renewal of its All-America Championships March 7-10 on the Captain Unit of Pyramid State Park, near Cutler, Illinois. Derbies competed first, as they have historically, in the All-America Derby Championship, which drew 17 entries. The All-Age competition followed immediately, with 32 entries competing in the All-America Quail Championship.

Shagtime Bill, an outstanding English Setter owned by Chris Cagle and Chris Cagle Jr. from Woodlawn, Tennessee, won the Championship under the whistle of Ike Todd from Dancyville, Tennessee. The runner-up was Beeler's Master Design, owned by Gordon (Gordy) Jones from Salem, Utah, and was also handled by Ike Todd.

Lester's Storm Surge, owned by Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton from Springfield, Kentucky, and handled by Gary Lester from Gracey, Kentucky, was the Quail champion. Miss Arkansas, whose sire was champion Lester's Storm Surge, was the runner-up and was handled by her owner, Mike Lemons, from Conway, Arkansas.

Purina was the generous sponsor of the Championships, with Pro Plan and outerwear for the winning handlers, plus additional garments won by several other handlers in raffle-type drawings. The hosting club's friendship and relationship with Greg Blair were noted with gratitude.

Will Dunn from Perryville, Kentucky, and Kenton Bryant from Bowling Green, Kentucky, were judges for both stakes. Their four days of dedicated service were appreciated.

Frosty mornings, followed by sunny days with significant wind, prevailed. Afternoon temperatures reached the low 70s on some of the days of running.

Husband and wife duo Jim Lawless and Kay Morrison from nearby Sparta, Illinois, were the engines that powered the entire operation. Throughout the year, Jim worked on the courses and also worked closely with the Illinois Park Service employees as they improved the grounds. He reserved, picked up, and planted birds early each morning before breaking away. Jon Lam joined Jim in the bird planting effort and in putting up round pens for horses in the fall and taking them down in the spring. Jim helped everyone with their needs or questions throughout the championships. Kay served as secretary/treasurer and cooked great full-course breakfasts each morning, bountiful lunches and desserts at noon, and oversaw each evening meal, even preparing or overseeing the preparation of the entrees, side dishes, and desserts.

Each of the evening meals was provided by owners or handlers of last year's champions. Nathan Phillips and Orrin Ingram of Escape Ranch, owned by Ingram, funded a fish fry on Friday night, that was prepared by Kay and her brother, Tom. Gary Lester provided the Saturday evening meal of barbequed pork, and he, with Korry Rinehart, provided pork steaks on Sunday night, again, with the involvement of Kay and Tom.

Jon Lam, Jim Lawless, and Mike Small marshaled the courses. Doug Burgess brought an all-terrain vehicle from their farm in Indiana and served as the dog wagon driver. Mike Jackson, a club stalwart, could not attend due to health issues and was sorely missed.
The club members appreciated the handlers and owners who entered their dogs in the successful stakes and left committed to making the 100th-anniversary renewals of the stakes commemorative and special.

Derby Champion and Runner-up
Shagtime Bill and his handler, Ike Todd, set a high bar with their performance in the second Derby brace. That early performance was not surpassed, leading to Bill's being declared Derby Champion. As the fine young Setter aggressively hunted the course that had not been hunted earlier, he pointed, and Todd flushed birds three times. With speed, intelligence, style, and fluid motion, Shagtime Bill pointed, and Todd easily flushed at 17, 41, and 47. The enjoyable hour passed quickly.

Beeler's Master Design, also under the whistle of Ike Todd, won runner-up. Their winning performance was in the eighth brace, with birds flushed at 10 and 51. The excellent young Pointer ran strong, fast, and consistently to the front, requiring minimal scouting.

Other Derbies
Erin's Mighty Quinn, owned by Sean Derrig and handled by Sean Pat Derrig, opened the Championship braced with Shagtime Jay, owned by Chris Cagle and Chris Cagle Jr., and handled by Ike Todd. The early hour was action-filled, as Jay found birds at 4 and soon again at 11. Quinn nicely backed Jay at 11. Jay had birds again at 33 and 36. Quinn then had a nice find at 51, with Jay backing. The first hour was action-filled and nice to watch.
Phillips River Line, co-owned by Nathan Phillips and Orrin Ingram, was braced with the champion in the second brace. Nathan Phillips picked up their entry shortly before the half hour.

Sunset Sam Houston, whose owners Matt and Stacy Brown were in the gallery while Ike Todd handled, was paired with Mayfield Storm Messenger, handled by Patrick Siebels for owners Scott Mason and Jake Davis. Sam Houston had an unproductive at 30, made some nice casts, and was picked up at the clubhouse near the end of the hour. Storm Messenger found no birds during his effort and was also picked up when the clubhouse was reached.

Mayfield Storm Front, also owned by Scott Mason and Jake Davis and handled by Patrick Siebels, and Raymonds Patsy, owned by Bill Raymond and handled by Allen Vincent, were together in the fourth brace. Wind conditions were terrible, actually worse than terrible, if that is possible. After 35 minutes, Vincent picked up his dog. Siebels continued, and Storm Front found birds at 48, but the judges elected to end the running at that time.

RW Sweet Crude, owned by Roger Watson and handled by Gary Lester, and Bonner's Lynn Grove, handled by Ike Todd for Scott Griffin and Derek Banner, went next. Sweet Crude and Lynn Grove shared a divided find at 28, and Lynn Grove had birds again at 45 and finished the hour. Sweet Crude pointed again but relocated himself during the flushing effort and was picked up.

Haney's Double Down, owned by the father/son Cagle duo and handled by Ike Todd, was braced with Miller's Triple Crown, owned by Al Bryson and handled by Gary Lester in the sixth and final brace of the first day of competition. Double Down was lost, and Todd got his tracker, while Triple Crown finished the hour but found no birds during the hour.

A frosty morning was the setting as the seventh brace was loosed on Saturday morning. Beeler's Final Solution, owned and handled by Scott Beeler, and Wynona's Rebel, owned by Bruce Sooter and Dennis Beauford and handled by Allen Vincent, were together. Neither dog found any birds by 32, and both handlers asked for their trackers.

Small's White Drifter, owned and handled by Mike Small, competed in brace eight, running with the runner-up, Beeler's Master Design. Small elected to pick White Drifter up at 43.
Miller's Family Tradition, owned by Jannie Chapman and handled by Korry Rinehart, was the bye-dog in the ninth brace. He was lost at breakaway, and Rinehart soon asked for his tracker.

Pinckneyville, Ill., March 7
Judges: Kenton Bryant and Will Dunn
ALL-AMERICA DERBY CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 15 Pointers and 2 Setters
Winner-SHAGTIME BILL, F1716536, setter male, by Shag Time Bobo-Shagtime May. Chris Cagle Sr. & Chris Cagle Jr., owners; Ike Todd, handler.
Runner-Up-BEELER'S MASTER DESIGN, F1717898, pointer male, by Haney's Silver Dollar-Bandit's Hill Lady. Gordy Jones, owner; Ike Todd, handler.

Quail Champion and Runner-up
Lester's Storm Surge, whelped in September of 2017, owned by Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton, and handled by Gary Lester, continued his long history of wins as he was declared champion. Storm Surge had three finds, with those being at 14, 26, and again, near the end of the hour. He demonstrated impressive caution and skill when asked to relocate after Lester had not been able to flush on his first stop. The champion literally took about three steps and pointed immediately again, enabling Lester to move a bird that refused to fly. Storm Surge demonstrated the strength, intelligence, and style that have been hallmarks of his long career as he earned the judges' determination that he would stand at the front of the line on the champion's table.

Miss Arkansas won runner-up champion for her owner, Mike Lemons, in the final hour of the all-age contest. She used the third hour course intelligently, stayed on her edges well, and ran a strong race throughout the hour. The 3-year-old Pointer had three finds spaced nicely throughout the hour, with one of those being on a pheasant. She also backed her bracemate once and had one unproductive near the end of the hour.

Other All-Age Entries
Wynona's All Business, owned by Dr. Robert Rankin and handled by Allen Vincent, and World Class Migraine, owned by John Kampeter and handled by Patrick Siebels, were the first brace drawn for the all-age competition. All Business was lost in the first quarter hour, and Vincent got his tracker at 24. Migraine finished the hour with three finds, which were scored at 11, 32, and 44.

Allen Vincent had Sandridge Iron Man, owned by Dr. James Mill, Dr. Natalie McDonald, and Steve Lighter, in the second brace, while Gary Lester had Lester's War Bird, owned by Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton. At 35, both dogs stopped about 50 yards apart. Both handlers flushed singles in front of their dogs as each earned an independent find. Iron Man then had another find at 41, far to the left in a swampy area, as the course went right. Both dogs then finished the hour.

Erin's Southern Comfort and Lester's Shockwave were paired together in the third brace. Southern Comfort, owned by Sean Derrig and handled by Sean Pat Derrig, found birds six times during the hour. Shockwave, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton and handled by Gary Lester, became lost, and his tracker was called for.

Erin's Rebel Attraction, owned and handled by Brian Sheehan, and Phillips Linebacker, owned by Nathan Phillips and Orrin Ingram, competed in the fourth brace. Sheehan's dog had birds at 10 and 31, while Phillips' dog had a find at 22 before becoming lost.

Brace five had Erin's Mighty Quinn, handled by Sean Pat, paired with Dunn's True Reign, owned by Norris Sims and handled by Allen Vincent. Quinn had birds at 5, and True Reign had an unproductive at 22 in a location where birds had been found previously. Neither of the dogs finished the hour.

Game Surge, owned and handled by Dr. Fred Corder, and Bonner's Hot Rize, recently owned by John Kampeter and handled by Patrick Siebels, went next. Hot Rize found birds at 25 and 30, with Game Surge backing both stands. Game Surge then had one independent find and finished the hour while Hot Rize became lost and did not finish.

Valor's Lace and Grace, handled by Korry Rinehart for Ray Carter, and I'm Gallant, handled by Allen Vincent for owner Jay McKenzie, were in the seventh brace. Lace and Grace found no birds during her effort. I'm Gallant had an excellent race and produced birds three times for Vincent. He ran some great casts on large fields, which offered him the opportunity.

Game Star, owned and handled by Dr. Fred Corder, went next but was picked up at 9. He was braced with the champion.

World Class High Def, owned by John Kampeter and handled by Patrick Siebels, was loosed in brace nine with Game Heir, owned and handled by Dr. Fred Corder. Game Heir had an unproductive and was picked up. High Def moved forward while backing Game Heir and was also picked up.

Both dogs were lost, and the judges called time and gave the handlers their trackers early during brace 10; the first ran on Monday morning. Coldwater War Cry, owned by Paul Melton and handled by Allen Vincent, had a find at 7. Miller's King Poast, owned by Al Bryson and handled by Gary Lester, found no birds before time was called.

Wynona's Nickleback Sugar, a Setter owned by Bruce Sooter and Brad Tolson and handled by Allen Vincent, was in brace 11, paired with Lester's Front Porch, owned by John Kampeter and handled by Patrick Siebels. The pair shared a divided find at 4 and stood together again at 18, with Sugar in the superior position while Vincent flushed with Front Porch backing. Front Porch then finished the hour, but Vincent picked up Sugar at 52.

Mayfield Storm Front, owned by Scott Mason and Jake Davis and handled by Patrick Siebels, was in brace 12 with Haney's Hurricane Seeker, owned by David and Rachel Russell and handled by David. Neither dog located any birds, and both were picked up before the end of the hour.

Four braces remained, and all were run after lunch on Monday. Allen Vincent had Blackhawk Lucky Charm, owned by Dr. James Mills, Dr. Natalie McDonald, and Steve Lighter, while Korry Rinehart had Bandit's Hill Avenger owned by Ann Forrester. Lucky Charm had one find at 5 during the hour, and Avenger found no birds.

Brace 14 had Como Thunder, owned by Billy Blackwell, Doug Arthur, and David and Rachel Russell, with David handling, and Wynona's Rebel, owned by Bruce Sooter and Dennis Beauford, with Allen Vincent handling. Rebel produced an excellent performance and had game for Vincent at 5, 30, and 42. Como Thunder had one find near the midpoint of the hour.
Mr. Arkansas, owned and handled by Mike Lemons, was paired in brace 15 with Barshoe Forget Me Not, handled by Allen Vincent and owned by Robert Gum and Lee West. Both dogs stood in an uncertain configuration at 31 near a dense island of young trees. Lemons shot, and Vincent elected to put Forget Me Not in his road harness.

The final brace had Mayfield Storm Messenger braced with the runner-up. Patrick Siebels handled Storm Messenger for owners Scott Mason and Jake Davis. He finished the hour with one find, which was backed by his bracemate.

ALL-AMERICA QUAIL CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 30 Pointers and 2 Setters
Winner-LESTER'S STORM SURGE, F1681624, pointer male, by Ransom-Beane's Line Dancer. Tommy & Bonnie Hamilton, owners; Gary Lesters, handler.
Runner-Up-MISS ARKANSAS, F1705667, pointer female, by Lester's Storm Surge-Game Snow. Mike Lemons, owner and handler.

All-America Quail Championship (front, l-r): Korry Rinehart with Lester's Storm Surge, and David Russell and Mike Lemons with Miss Arkansas. (Back, l-r): Jim Lawless, Gary Lester, Will Dunn (judge), Kenton Bryant (judge), Doug Burgess, and Jon Lam.