Result: National Free-for-All Championship

Location: Greensboro, Alabama

Post Date: Jun 11, 2025

Submitted By: Ruthann Epp, Olivia Alison, and Fontaine

National Free-for-All Championship (l-r). Ruthann Epp, Paul Falkowsky, judge, Stacey Croy, Jerry Raynor with Champion Haney's All In, Lee Harkins, judge, Mark McLean, Gary Lester, John Ivester, Bill Mason.

The announcement of the 2025 National Free-For-All winner was made at the newly renovated barn at M. Barnett Lawley Forever Wild Field Trial Area. After recognizing the judges and thanking Purina and others, the name Haney's All In was called out as the champion for the second year in a row. Handler Mark McLean from Doerun, Georgia, and owners Steve and Stacey Croy from Richmond Hill, Georgia, stepped up to shake the judges' hands and were presented with a silver champagne bucket, donated by the Ivester family, and the winnings. In the qualifying series, Haney's All In made six big casts disappearing to the front with a find at the end of each one. His performance in the finals exceeded that.

We were most grateful for the watchful eyes of our two judges, Paul Falkowsky, who so kindly agreed to come from Calgary, Alberta, and Lee Harkins from Auburn, Alabama. Both have been involved with hunting or field trialing for years. Paul, an entrepreneur, was the host of several of the open prairie championships in Canada. He also competed and won as an amateur and campaigned dogs in open stakes with multiple trainers. Lee grew up under the tutelage of his father, Bill Harkins, a consummate field trialer, so he was regularly at field trials handling, scouting, and judging until he moved to South Carolina to manage a hunting plantation. Now that Lee is back in Alabama, he works with Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine in its Canine Performance Sciences Program.

The majority of dogs in the first series of the National Free-For-All had multiple finds and ran races that could win most anywhere. There were more great performances in the first series than I ever remember seeing, so the two judges had their work cut out to whittle the number down from 26 to 8 for the final series.

The qualifying series averaged 20 bird contacts a day. Here is a brief synopsis of those with outstanding performances: Touch's Shadow Rider had a big race with two finds; Erin's Code of Honor put on a show with seven finds, big casts, and lots of style. Rester's Johnny Ringo had four beautiful finds and took an edge in Show Bottom to prove he could run. Touch's Malcom Story was also in that brace with three finds, lots of run, and style as well. Miller's King Poast and Erin's High Note put on performances too, with four stylish finds in their brace with extreme races. Lester's Storm Surge had three finds and a big race. Haney's All In and Late Hit had 12 bird contacts between them. One of Late Hit's finds was a beautiful limb find. Woodville's Yukon Cornelius had six finds, one being a super limb find, and his bracemate, Haney's Silver Dollar, had four finds as well. Lester's Storm Chaser had three stylish finds, with a very strong race as well.

Being a Free-For-All, this trial welcomes any dog, whether it has a win or not, but as you can see from the drawing below, the top dogs in the country were here. The Free-For-All Championship was first held in 1916 in Alabama. There was an hour qualifying series and then a three-hour callback. John Proctor was the first winner, and many great dogs have followed. The winner of the Free-For-All, as Ben W. Pugsley wrote in the 1963 Christmas Edition of the American Field, " is called upon to deliver a race that ofttimes demands range, speed and drive that borders on the impractical, . . . and often displays only enough handling response to prove an adaptable temperament." That is what the Free-For-All judges still look for, albeit the callback is one and a half hours now.

And now the running of the final series.
First, Erin's Code of Honor (Eisenhart) and Miller's King Poast (Lester) started on a cool, sunny morning. As the gallery rounded the pond 3, Lester called point. Erin's Code of Honor had a breach of manners and ended his bid. King Poast ran a big wild race, that had everyone in the gallery cantering to far-reaching spots to see birds flushed in front of him. He had five finds and then disappeared. Scout Korry Rinehart did an outstanding job of scouting, and he came up with Poast, but Lester had asked for the tracking device and ended the brace.

Second brace with Erin's High Note (Carlton) and Lester's Storm Surge (Lester) started at the big black gates on the far side of the grounds that in years past was called the Silage pit. The owner of High Note, Mike Sweet, had driven most of the night to get back to watch his dog in the finals. High Note had five finds, handled smoothly, and stayed strong and to the front the entire time. Lester's Storm Surge had four finds and a back with a strong, reckless race and an extreme all-age finish.
The third brace, Haney's All In (McLean) and Late Hit (Shenker), started after lunch with cool air and sunshine again. The two had been braced together in the qualifying series. Late Hit had one find and a back before Shenker picked him up. He didn't have his normal drive to continue. Haney's All In was driven more than ever. Handler McLean and scout, Jerry Raynor, with their horses and Ray, the big, strong pointer, put on a performance. With the course to themselves and evidently good scenting conditions, Haney's All In was running with speed and range, and fortunately, birds stopped him. Several times, the handler and scout did not know where Ray was, and then, at the farthest hill, someone would see him go over. McLean reloaded his gun after the sixth find and caught his breath. Two more finds followed. Then the judges called out, "Pick him up," and they made their way to see his finish in the dove field but he was already out of sight, so they waited but one more cry of point was heard and they raced across the dove field through the crossing to the other side of Black bottom for find No. 9 where Haney's All In stood with just as much style as his first find, birds were flushed and the gun fired.

Fourth brace, Woodville's Yukon Cornelius (Mclean) and Lester's Storm Chaser (Henry), started at the road crossing. They both had some issues with the wind. Cornelus had two finds before it was determined that he couldn't overreach the brace before. Storm Chaser disappeared, and both handlers ended the brace.
The field trial directors would like to thank the owners and handlers for their support of this long-standing trial. Owners present for the running of their dogs were Mike Sweet, Reuben Richardson, Steve Croy, Stacey Croy, Ann Forrester, John Ivester, and Ray Carter. Others who were here during the week when the National Derby was running included Claudia McNamee and Chris Cagle.

Thanks to Purina for sponsoring this event. We are grateful to Greg Blair, Piper Huffman, and UKC for help with coordinating the sponsorship. Thanks are also in order for those who volunteered with their time or resources to put on this trial. We are indebted to Dr. Justin Howard for providing four horses for the judges. Others who helped were Anna Kitchens, Schley Rutherford, Kirsten Givhan, Chris Koutras, Bill Mason, Jennifer McKemie, Wayne Pope, Teresa Justice, Olivia Alison, Fontaine Alison, John Ivester, Tim Jones, Rick Olds, Winston Way, Laura Way, and the dog wagon driver. It takes people and their machinery for our bird program, people for the drawing, printing programs, marshaling, reporting, driving the dog wagon, hosting meals, food prep and cleanup, horse hauling, photography, stall cleaning, bookkeeping, and writing that winner's check.

We are most appreciative of the Alabama State Lands Division and Forever Wild for making this beautiful venue available for all of us to enjoy watching a world-class bird dog. Thanks to Jeremy Doss and his team for grooming the courses and for being available and helping with things as needed. Next year, there will be new buildings on the property, new fences, and more to look forward to.

Last but not least, the Winner's Dinner, traditionally given by the winners from the year before, was hosted and cooked by Steve and Stacey Croy, owners of Haley's All In-- so they will be putting on next year's spread, too! Steve and Stacey brought Virginia oysters for appetizers, which they served both raw and steamed. For the main course they fried up Mahi Mahi tenders and hushpuppies and offered sides of slaw and potato salad. Dessert included homemade pecan pie (Mrs. Freddie Epp's recipe), brownies, lemon squares and pound cake. The celebration took place at the Brick House, where folks gathered around a roaring fire on the patio and the custom-made table in the dining room. There were even roasted marshmallows to round out the menu. Thank you Steve and Stacy, and we look forward to next year!

Greensboro, Ala., January 11
Judges: Paul Falkowsky and Lee Harkins
NATIONAL FREE-FOR-ALL CHAMPIONSHIP -[Forty-Five-Minute Qualifying Heats; One and One Half Hour Finals] - 23 Pointers and 3 Setters
Winner-HANEY'S ALL IN, F1698756, pointer male, by Ransom-Haney's North Star. Steve & Stacey Croy, owners; Mark McLean, handler.