Result: Big Sky Open Shooting Dog Championship

Location: Winnett, Montana

Post Date: Jun 3, 2026

Submitted By: Brad McCardle

Big Sky Open Shooting Dog Championship (front row): Dezasterous Silver Bandit with Gordy Jones and Lucky Man with Andrew Baisley, joined by participants.

The rolling country of the historic King Ranch near Winnett, Montana, once again played host to a memorable week of western field trialing. Beneath a vast and shifting Montana sky, a dedicated gallery of handlers, scouts, and judges gathered for six days of high-caliber competition. Nature seemed to smile upon the event this year; the mornings broke crisp and clear, warming steadily to provide both favorable scenting conditions for the dogs and pleasant hours in the saddle for the gallery.

The Grounds & Habitat
The venue itself was a standout participant in the week's success. The King Ranch stands as a premier example of well-cared-for sage prairie habitat, where the balance of grazing and conservation creates an ideal environment for upland birds. The diversity of the habitat was on full display as all four upland species--Sharptail Grouse, Sage Hen, Hungarian Partridge, and Pheasant--were moved during the week.

The trial utilized six distinct courses each day, meticulously laid out to test a dog's stamina and application. The running followed a consistent rhythm of four courses in the morning followed by two in the afternoon, ensuring every brace had fresh, challenging country to explore.

The expansive landscape occasionally provided some lighthearted moments for the gallery. In the heat of the all-age stakes, as dogs reached for the furthest ridges, more than one handler was heard calling out a "point" or a "Deep in there" on what turned out to be a Pronghorn Antelope. The speed and white rumps of the local speed-goats proved to be convincing decoys, leading to a few eye rolls and sheepish grins when a high-rolling "pointer" suddenly took off at 50 mph on spindly legs.

Big Sky Open Shooting Dog Championship
The week commenced with the Big Sky Open Shooting Dog Championship. Under the watchful eyes of judges John Todd and Austin Turley, the field was tested against the expansive, undulating terrain.

Emerging from the pack was Dezasterous Silver Bandit, owned by Robbie Thompson and handled by Brian Gingrich. Running on the final course of the day (Course 6), Bandit's performance was a clinic in shooting dog excellence; he hit the heavy cover with purpose, maintaining a polished, forward race that never lost its edge despite the late-day heat. The exclamation point on his performance came toward the end of his hour, where Bandit carded a masterful find on a small group of Sharptails. His intense composure and impeccable manners on this late-race game earned him the title of Champion.

Runner-up honors went to Lucky Man ("Tommy"), handled by Ryan Mulcahy. Appearing on the morning's opening course (Course 1), Tommy turned in a pleasing and consistent race that kept the judges' eyes fixed on him from start to finish. His performance was highlighted by a solid find on Sharptails at the 25-minute mark, followed later in the hour by a mannerly stop-to-flush, securing his place under strong consideration.

Winnett, Mont., April 8
Judges: John Todd and Austin Turley
BIG SKY OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 19 Entries
Winner-DEZASTEROUS SILVER BANDIT, F1709966, pointer male, by Haney's Silver Dollar-Bandit's Hill Lady. Robert Thompson, owner; Brian Gingrich, handler.
Runner-Up-LUCKY MAN, F1695973, pointer male, by Wild Billy's Circus Story-My Lucky Day. Ryan Mulcahy & Jessica Vandenbush, owners; Ryan Mulcahy, handler.

Region 14 Amateur All-Age Championship
As the stakes rose, the Region 14 Amateur All-Age Championship took center stage. Judges Ryan Jones and Ryan Mulcahy rode attentively, looking for a dog that could truly "crack the horizon" while remaining in tune with its handler.

The title was claimed by Costas ("Bob"), a powerful pointer male handled by Gordy Jones with Mike Robbins scouting. Bob impressed the judges with a forward and calculated race that utilized every inch of the King Ranch's coulees. His intelligent application and polished bird work left no doubt in the judges' minds. Notably, Bob was one of the few elite dogs to display the stamina and mental toughness required to compete in all three one-hour stakes during the week.

Standing as runner-up was Touch's Crush, handled by Chris Perkins with Keith Anderson scouting. Crush displayed a stylish, relentless drive and a consistency that made him a formidable contender until the final whistle.

Region 14 Amateur All-Age Championship (front row): Costas with Mike and Sophia Robbins, and Touch's Crush with Keith Anderson. (Behind): Courtney Bastion (Purina rep), Jerone Boggs, Ryan Jones, Andrew Baisley, Gordy Jones, Ryan Mulcahy (judge), Brian Gingrich (judge), Brad McCardle, Michelle Turley, Austin Turley, Chris Perkins, Jeanette Heise, Dave Noel, and Lou Qualtiere.

Judges: Ryan Jones and Ryan Mulcahy
REGION 14 AMATEUR ALL-AGE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 22 Pointers and 1 Setter
Winner-COSTAS, F1698042, pointer male, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Searchin For A Rainbow. Gordon Jones, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-TOUCH'S CRUSH, F1703552, pointer male, by Touch's Smooth Rider-Touch's Wildwood Flower. Keith A. Wright, owner; Chris Perkins, handler.

Broomhill Open All-Age Classic
The week's finale, the Broomhill Open All-Age Classic, concluded the broke dog stakes. Judges Ryan Jones of Calgary, Alberta, and Nick Schade of Salmon, Idaho, selected a deserving slate of winners from a strong field of all-age dogs. Jones and Schade rode attentively across the Sage flats and buttes to evaluate the field over demanding all-age country. Costas returned to the winners' circle, proving his dominance. Handled again by Gordy Jones, Bob put on a masterclass of range and intelligence, navigating the prairie with a veteran's grace. His Broomhill performance was highlighted by a standout find on a single Sage Hen at the 20-minute mark, where he showed great character, capping off a truly remarkable week of work.
Second place was awarded to LBF Beast of Burden, a pointer male handled by Brad McCardle, with Keith Anderson scouting. Beast of Burden delivered a performance marked by quality bird work, carding two finds and a stop-to-flush on Sharptails. While his race was lateral at times, he finished strong and to the front, punctuated by a final find and an impressive finish going away at time.

Third went to Black Rocks Snow Goose, a pointer male handled by Chris Perkins with Brad McCardle scouting. Snow Goose made some impressive all-age moves throughout his hour. His bid was punctuated by a find at the 30-minute mark on a pair of Hungarian Partridge, where he displayed exceptional class and style while pointed.

Broomhill Open All-Age Classic (front row): Costas with Mike Robbins, LBF Beast of Burden with Brad McCardle, and Black Rocks Snow Goose with Chris Perkins. (Behind): Jeanette Heise, Lou Qualtiere, Brian Gingrich, Gordy Jones, Ryan Jones (judge), Sophia Robbins, Dave Noel, Austin Turley, Andrew Baisley, Nick Schade (judge), and Ryan Mulcahy.

Judges: Ryan Jones and Nick Schade
BROOMHILL OPEN ALL-AGE CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 14 Pointers, 1 Setter, and 1 German Shorthair
1st-COSTAS, F1698042, pointer male, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Searchin For A Rainbow. Gordon Jones, owner and handler.
2d-LBF BEAST OF BURDEN, F1708785, pointer male, by LBF Up In Smoke-West Mountain Speed Wave. Brad McCardle, owner and handler.
3d-BLACK ROCKS SNOW GOOSE, F1706706, pointer male, by Miller's Speed Dial-Yale's Sunny Hill Dot. Nick Cummins, owner; Chris Perkins, handler.

Open Shooting Dog Derby (front row): Lucky Copper Fiddle with Ryan Mulcahy, Em Rebel Eye with Ryan Jones, and Cash Silver Confidence with Andrew Baisley. (Standing): Lou Qualtiere, Jeanette Heise, and Austin Turley.

Judges: Jeanette Heise and Austin Turley
OPEN DERBY - 11 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-LUCKY COPPER FIDDLE, F1721052, pointer male, by Lucky Man-Nevadas Copper Fiddle. Ryan Mulcahy, owner and handler.
2d-EM REBEL EYE, TL078073, pointer male, by Nevada's Copper Jim-Fight's Barlane Doll. Ryan Jones, owner and handler.
3d-CASH SILVER CONFIDENCE, F1724701, pointer male, by Haney's Silver Dollar-Lil Miss Confidence. David Hernandez, owner; Ryan Mulcahy, handler.

Open All-Age Derby (front row): EM One Chance Fancy with Ryan Jones, Red Mesa's Family Tradition with Brian Gingrich, and Touch's A Cowboy's Work with Austin Turley. (Standing): Lou Qualtiere, Jeanette Heise, Keith Anderson, and Andrew Baisley.

Judges: Keith Anderson and Lou Qualtiere
OPEN DERBY - 7 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-EM ONE CHANCE FANCY, F1730244, pointer female, by The Alberta Clipper-EM One Hit Wonder. Ryan Jones, owner and handler.
2d-RED MESA'S FAMILY TRADITION, F1720184, pointer male, by Boumeester's Evangelist-Upfront's Blinding Light. Brian Gingrich, owner and handler.
3d-TOUCH'S COWBOY'S WORK, F1720957, pointer male, by Touch's Grey Street-Intentional. Austin Turley, owner and handler.

A Community of Stewardship
An event of this magnitude is a symphony of moving parts. The clubs extend their deepest gratitude to trial chairmen Keith Anderson and Austin Turley for their tireless coordination.
The heart of the trial remains the King Ranch. The King family deserves special recognition as exceptional stewards of these historic grounds. Their continued commitment to bird habitat and the preservation of the sage prairie ecosystem provides participants with one of the finest venues in the country.

Additional appreciation is extended to our tireless dog wagon drivers, Michelle Turley, Lou Qualtiere, and Jeanette Heise, along with the community of Winnett and the Punchy Paint Coffee Shop for their outstanding hospitality. Finally, heartfelt thanks are extended to our sponsors: Purina, SportDOG, Nutri-Source/Tuffy's, Dogtra, and Central Feed Grilling Company for their unwavering support of the sporting dog community. Thank you as well to those who came from throughout the West and North of the border to support what is likely the premier wild bird trial grounds the West currently offers.