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Result: National Amateur Quail and Derby Championships

Location: Greenville, Florida

Post Date: Jul 31, 2023

Submitted By: Maria Bassham

natl ama quail chs23

National Amateur Quail Championship. From left: Matt Pendergest, Megan Henry, Larron Laura, Copeland Sean, Derrig Randy, Floyd Sean, Patrick Derrig, Shannon Maria Bassham, Daley Dalton, Chris Mathan, John McCormick, Patty Sanderson.

Dixie Plantation February 27-March 5th, 2023 The running of the 102nd annual National Amateur Quail Championship was held at the prestigious Dixie Plantation in Greenville, Fla., starting on February 27, 2023. The championship all-age and derby trial ran for 7 days in some unseasonably hot and humid temperatures. The mornings, which normally should have started out crisp and cool, were warm and humid building to higher temperatures in the afternoons. This made for extremely tough conditions for dogs, horses, and handlers alike. The 8 dogs that finished the 90-minute braces pushed through and ran impressive races.

We would like to thank Randy Floyd for all his hard work in making sure this trial ran smoothly. Thank you to Shannon Braden, John-Michael McCormick and Ben Melvin for all their time spent as marshals making sure we all stayed on course. Ronnie Kunkle stepped up and drove our dog wagon and biscuit bus this year as our usual driver, Til Hankley, was unable to join us. We were very thankful for him spending his time and days with us. A huge thank you to Piper Huffman for her dedication to the AFTCA and her time spent on the grounds keeping everything in working order. We couldn't do it without her! We had a wonderful evening of appetizers and fellowship on Tuesday evening and a fantastic catfish dinner provided by Purina on Thursday. Lunch was served daily with the help from Gloria Hagan who always greeted us with a smile and a hug. Thank you to Purina and Greg Blair for providing the dog food for the winners and to Garmin for the tracking collars. Beautiful plaques were also presented to the winners of both the all-age and the derby handlers.

A great big thank you to Jeff Gibbons of Deatsville, Ala., and Jarrett Bell of Troy, Mo., for their time in the all-age judicial saddles. For the derby competition, we had the husband-wife duo of Joe and Tricia Rentz watching our young competitors. We couldn't have these trials without the support and expertise that these field trialers selflessly offer.

The Winners
Erin's Code of Honor, the male pointer handled by the father/son duo of Sean and Sean P. Derrig was awarded 1st place. Code of Honor ran in the 3rd brace of the all-age dogs. 2nd place winner was Touch's Blue Knight, handled by Woody Watson, and owned by Watson and Mike Moses. This pointer male ran in the 2nd brace of the all-age runnings.

The Running
The 1st brace of the All-Age started on the overcast, 65- degree Monday morning. First dogs and handlers braced together were Rester's Powered Up, PM (Cecil Rester) and Sim's Game Changer, PM (Jr. Sims). Powered Up started the competition with a nice, sizeable covey at 1 minute 50 seconds. He then had a relocation with an unproductive at 3. After he had not been seen for some time, handler requested the tracker. Sim's Game Changer elected to pick up after an unproductive at breakaway.

*2nd Brace Notorious Dominator's Heir, PM (John Mathys) Touch's Blue Knight, PM (Woody Watson, Mike Moses). Dominator's Heir had a find at 10 with a relocation resulting in an unproductive. Handler elected to pick up tracker at 43. Last year's winner, Touch's Blue Knight, ran his impressive runner-up brace with his first stylish find at 12. At 35 he was cast big out front along the tree line showing his fine hunting skills to the judges. He stopped for a nice covey up at 47 and held steady to wing and shot. Knight was with his handler at 58 listening to every call with intense response. His last find was at 1 hour 12 minutes with another exciting flight of birds. Knight returned with his handler when time was called completing his captivating brace.

*3rd Brace Redeemed, PM (Shannon Nygard) Erin's Code of Honor, PM (Sean Derrig, Sean P. Derrig). The Monday afternoon braces had temperatures reaching 79 degrees with a slight breeze. Redeemed ran for an hour of his brace with no birdwork. His handler then requested tracker and picked him up. Code of Honor, the stylish male pointer, started his winning brace strong with a substantial find at 9 in. Derrig called point again at 24and shot was quickly fired upon flight of birds. His next find was at 45 with another covey up. He continued his big, forward race and at 1 hour 5 minutes Code of Honor held steady to wing and shot for his 4th impressive find. He was still hard at work and his last classy find came when time was called at the 1 hour 30-minute mark. A nice sized covey flushed and shot was fired to conclude his thrilling, winning brace.

*4th Brace Call Me Clyde, PM (Clyde Padgett) Rester's Cajun Justice, PM (Cecil Rester). Both dogs stopped for a divided find at 1 minute with Justice honoring Clyde. Clyde relocated with an unproductive. At 18, Clyde had a find with a covey up, but did not hold steady to wing and shot. He was then picked up. Justice honored Clyde's first find at 1 minute. His continued his race to his next find at 27 on top of the hill behind the office with a nice covey up. At 1 hour 22 he had a classy find with birds up. Justice finished his brace and was with his handler when time was called.

Braces 5-8 had no dogs finish due to the unexpected hot conditions.
5th Brace Coldwater Paradise, PF (Gary McKibben) Dialed In, PF (IS) (Jim Pendergest).

6th Brace Erin's Southern Comfort, PM (Sean Derrig, Sean P. Derrig).
Southern Bear Necessity, PM (Kent Cantrell, Larron Copeland) 7th brace.

Rester's Johnny Ringo, PM (Cecil Rester) Boumeesters Duramax, PM (John Mathys) 8th brace.
Pendy's Good Grace, PF (Matt Pendergest) Sandhill Little Juney, PF (Robert Thomas, Jr. Sims).

*9th Brace Misty Morn Masked Man, PM (Joey McAlexander) Marque's Arrmed Robber, PM (John Ivestor, Ruthann Epp). Masked Man had a nice run with lots of birdwork. He had a find at 8 and another at 22 with a sizeable covey up. Two more finds were called at 53 and 59 with flight of birds both times. His last point was at 1 hour 12 min, but handler moved him on. Masked Man completed the brace and was with his handler when time was called. Armed Robber had an unproductive at 11. He was not seen for 50 minutes and when returned, came up from behind. He stopped for a find at 58, however he was unable to hold steady and handler elected to pick up.

*10th Brace Game Warden, PM (Fred Corder) Myakka Time Shifter, PM (Beth Brown). Game Warden was picked up at 33. Myakka started her race with a nice covey up at 19 along the edge of an oak lined pond. Handler then called point a few moments later, but the female pointer relocated herself due to smelling a rabbit in the covering. She was not seen for quite some time and upon returning, came back to the gallery from behind. She was able to finish her hour and a half brace and handler exclaimed there would be "Champagne for everyone!". Braces 11-15 also had no finishers. All handlers elected to pick up their dogs.

11th Brace Storms End, PF (Matt Pendergest) Touch's Dancing Nancies, PF (IS) (Kent Cantrell).

12th Brace James Pond Night Ranger, PM (Woody Watson) Notoroius Front Range, PM (John Mathys).

13th Brace Rebel Dreams, PF (David Williams) Touch's Lone Dominator, PF (IS) (Kent Cantrell, Larron Copeland).

14th Brace Erin's Perfect Storm, PM (Sean Derrig, Sean P. Derrig) Game Heir, PM (Fred Corder).

15th Brace Showtime Game Changer, PM (Larron Copeland, Kent Cantrell) Rebel Cause, PM (David Williams).

*16th Brace Notorious Slap Shot, PM (John Mathys) Rester's Cowboy Bill, PM (Cecil Rester). Both dogs stopped for a divided find at 23 with Slap Shot honoring Cowboy Bill. Birds took flight and shot was fired. It was noted that Cowboy marked the birds. Slap Shot stopped at 25 with a find and birds up. Handler elected to pick up at 36. Cowboy Bill had 2 more finds at 26 and 1 hour, 2 minutes with flight of birds both times. His last find at 1 hour, 9 minutes resulted in a relocation and the male pointer moved on. He finished the brace with his handler when time was called behind the plantation office.

17th Brace Spencer's Rambling Justice, PM (Jr. Sims) Erin's Wild Atlantic Way, ESM (Sean Derrig, Sean P. Derrig). Neither dog finished the brace. *18th Brace Rebel Survivor, PM (David Willliams) Haney's Storm Warning, PM (Chris Cagle) Rebel was standing steady at his first find at 5. Storm came up from behind and stopped to honor Rebel. Handler relocated Rebel but when gallery moved on, Rebel did as well. Both dogs were successful making the hard-right-hand turn at the top of Acorn Hill. Storm had an impressive find at 21 and held steady to wing and shot. Rebel stopped at 1 hour, 10 minutes with flight of birds. Storm then had another impressive find at 1 hour, 18 minutes. Rebel had the last find of the brace at 1 hour, 25 minutes. Both dogs were with their handlers at the end of their exciting brace.
It was a great conclusion to the All-Age Championship.

Greenville, Fla., February 27
Judges: Jarrett Bell and Jeff Gibbons
NATIONAL AMATEUR QUAIL CHAMPIONSHIP [Ninety-Minute Heats] - 37 Pointers
Winner-ERIN'S CODE OF HONOR, 1696057, pointer male, by Erin's Redrum-Erin's Miss Maggie. Sean Derrig, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-TOUCH'S BLUE KNIGHT, 1680548, pointer male, by Touch's Knight Rider-Touch's Maswood Anne. Woody Watson, owner and handler.

National Amateur Derby Championship
The Derby dogs started Friday afternoon, March 3rd. Temperatures reached 78-degrees and was windy for the afternoon running. Pointer female, Haney's All In, handled by Chris Cagle, won 1st place running in the 2nd brace of the derbies. She was paired with male pointer, Game Mode, and his handler, Fred Corder. Haney's All In ran a very clean, forward race her entire hour on the ground. She stayed out front and handled perfectly. Her handler called point right at the 1-hour mark. She held steady to wing and shot and ended her winning brace with a beautiful find.
Runner-up was awarded to Cecil Rester's pointer male, Rester's Johnny Ringo. Ringo was braced with another of Fred Corder's male pointers, Game Surge, in the 5th brace which ran on the 66-degree Saturday morning. Ringo started his brace with a back at 11 honoring Game Surge's find. He continued on with 2 more finds at 30 and 34 with flights of birds both times. He finished his runner-up winning brace with his handler, who has also won the National Amateur Derby Championship 2 times and was awarded runner-up 4 times, when time was called bringing a close to the Championship week.
Greenville, Fla., March 5
Judges: Joe and Trish Rentz
NATIONAL AMATEUR DERBY CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 29 Pointers
Winner-HANEY'S ALL IN, 1698756, pointer male, by Ransom-Haney's North Star. Chris Cagle, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-RESTER'S JOHNNY RINGO, 1695797, pointer male, by Miller's Blindsider-Rester's Amazing Grace. Cecil Rester, owner and handler.