1970 United States Open Brittany Championship
Pacolet Cheyenne Sam Wins Title; Gideon of Richmont, Runner-Up
By Truman F. Cowles
Pacolet Cheyenne Sam, 3 1/2 year old Brittany dog, owned by Kenneth and Erin Jacobson of Mercer Island, Wash., and handled by Rick Smith, was named Champion at the conclusion of the eighth running of the United States Open Brittany Championship, held at Lake Murray, Ardmore, Okla. Gideon of Richmont, two-year-old Brittany dog, owned by C. R. Nester Jr., of Dallas, Tex., and handled by Ed Wild, was named runner-up in the starting field of seventeen of the breed’s top flight competitors.
This year’s titular event did much to cement the contention of its sponsor, the United States Brittany Championship Association, that this is the premier event of the breed. Certainly no trial could enjoy a finer setting, and the officers and supporting cast leave nothing to be desired in staging this class event. The list of previous winners of the title since 1963 surely reads like the Who’s Who of Brits. Way Kan Jill garnered the title in both 1963 and 1965, Bill's Buddy Boy separated these wins in 1964, Britt’s Bazooka came on to win in 1966, with Way Kan Mandy taking the crown in 1967. Bazooka’s Brandy was the Champion in 1968, while Gringo de Britt was last year’s titleholder.
Much ink has already been spread about these famed Lake Murray grounds. The fine setting of Lake Murray Lodge with its hospitable staff, plus beautiful open, rolling country of almost unlimited expanse, hour after hour of even bird country with plenty of water at every turn and a constant population of bob-white quail that seems to defy the constant use made of the grounds, all provide an unparalleled field trial setting. New management has been installed at the Lodge since our last visit and active measures to improve the facilities and the food are already in progress and are to be applauded.
The Championship Association is most capably headed by Dr. Claude T. Young, with C. A. (Cy) Springfield as vice-president and chief sidekick, and Walter W. Hume Jr. carrying out the multiple duties of secretary-treasurer. “Doc” Young doubled in brass as marshal, together with B. Joe McCrary, maintaining a constant vigil and helping out in many other ways. Others who took part in supporting roles were Marc Appleton, Ike Zamarzla, the Bill Novils, Dan Huddleston, John Doak, and professionals Delmar Smith, Rick Smith and Ed Wild.
Weather for the two days plus of the running offered the usual gamut from good to less than desirable. Saturday was a cold, overcast day with intermittent breaks of sun. During the night we were visited by rain, combined with freezing temperatures,' and we found the cover heavily laden with ice incrustation the next morning. Sunday’s temperatures rapidly moved to the upper 40s, however, and the ice soon dissipated in the sunshine. Monday morning provided bright sunshine and temperatures in the 50s—the best day for some time in “balmy” Oklahoma.
In the judicial saddles the club had a variety of experienced personnel. E. B. (Bud) Epperson, veteran professional from Stillwater, Okla., with his world of experience tempered by an occasional visit to the officiating scene and a great sense of humor and timing, was accompanied by his charming wife Pearl Lee, who has, over the years, reported some of the major mid- and southwestern trials. Dr. Adolph L. Utzinger of Golden, Colo., has been the president of the American Brittany Club for the past two years and is about to embark on his second two-year term. He has owned and campaigned several of the shorttailed in noteworthy events and brought the seasoning of this experience into play. Your correspondent, Truman F. Cowles of Manchester, Conn., joined with this eminent pair to add what limited help he could in the judicial process.
The Winners And Others
Under club rules, no dog may be called back to run in the finals on the day of his original effort. Also, a second-series contender must be braced with a new dog and run on a new course. Three pairs of finalists ran on Sunday afternoon. However, we, the judiciary, were not exposed to a championship performance on that day and had some reservations as to the ultimate outcome to the extent that we named Bazooka’s Brandy to be in reserve for possible final competition in the event that the last brace, scheduled for Monday morning, would not produce the Champion.
Pacolet Cheyenne Sam had offered a superb ground race in his first hour on Sunday morning but had not registered contact on birds. He managed to remove all reservations regarding the matter of a deserving champion, however, on Monday morning, by performing in highly notable form. Sam’s early ground coverage was a bold repetition of his hour on Sunday, sweeping widely to the front, gathering up large amounts of forward country and coming around to the front almost without handling. At sixteen, he breezed along the ridgetop timberline and put on the brakes just inside the edge of light oaks. Rick Smith flushed a big covey of birds from a very accurate location and Sam’s manners were perfect as the gun spoke. Brandy’s Bullet, his bracemate, had pointed some distance down the slope near a marshy inlet and was essaying a relocation when handler sent Sam on. Sam moved briskly along the edge, out into the open area, and pointed just off the ridgeline, some 100 yards from his first covey locale. Bracemate moved down towards next woods edge and when Rick Smith couldn’t get up any birds, Sam was sent on. The dog turned downgrade and crossed a dirt road, just as we turned to get a glimpse of the action, as we had been covering the bracemate. Sam wheeled as he crossed this dirt lane and circled back, moving directly downgrade into a quartering wind, and pointed again about forty yards up the slope from where bracemate had been standing. He had them pinned dead to rights on this stand and it was an admirable relocation effort, carried out with finesse. His style and manners were again perfection.
Gideon of Richmont ran in the last brace put down on Sunday afternoon, and though he outshone all the other pretenders, the judiciary would not have been satisfied to award him the title. He started like a veritable whirlwind and was a hard charging, bold ranging dog in the first half of the hour, needing more than normal handling and some occasional scouting, with a long delay in the “Bear Trap” area. At 32, he pinned a small covey of birds almost on tne lake rront. This find was exemplary, with good location and fine manners under trying circumstances, as the birds got up while the handler was en route to him, still some distance away. From this point on, however, he seemed to lose his heart and desire and his ranging was modest and application desultory at times. On a ridge near the forty-minute mark, he was brought in to back his bracemate, but this was unimpressive as handler stood in front of him in a blocking stance and continually cautioned the dog as bracemate’s pilot sought to flush. With a minute to go, Gideon drifted along an open edge off timberline and almost coasted to a stand. After point was called, he moved up a couple of paces but then stood as a nervous covey got out when handler approached. Even this did not seem to inspire him and his finish was rather ordinary.
Brandy’s Bullet, owned by Bill Norvil and handled by Delmar Smith, was the Champion’s adversary in the final brace and probably came the closest to being a real challenger for the title, but it was not destined to be his day. Bullet rambled free and easy and covered a wealth of ground both in his initial outing and in the final hour. He was outlucked in not being able to relocate his first covey, which bracemate showed amazing alacrity in doing, but with any luck at all, the plucky Bullet could well have turned upgrade into the quartering wind and found this covey. Near the half-hour mark, he probed some distance down one of the points of land jutting into the lake and pointed around a brushy copse. As Delmar Smith started to him, a rabbit ran out of the brush. The dog started to road on, and as handler spoke to him he quickened a couple of steps and was real close as two or three birds from a big covey got up. He stopped and the balance of the covey was put up from out in front of him—another of those cruel quirks of fate that sometimes befall us all when Dame Fortune chooses to look the other way.
Li’l Joe, owned by W. J. Cartmell of Apalachia, N. Y., and handled by Rick Smith, was a solid contender on the basis of his first series hour in the very first brace of the stake. Joe had put down a solid hour of hunting at substantial if not sensational range, handled a covey in excellent form in the early going and a pair of singles from a scattered covey find on which he had backed his bracemate, and then had an unproductive at time. He was not overly impressive, however, in his second hour.
Barney Bazooka was a powerhouse of a runner in both of his hours with great range at times, but not overly impressive in the consistency of his application, which was good at times but not very mature at others.
The Running
Boy’s Agate—Lil’s Joe.—Joe was impressive in pattern and the consistent effort he put into his hunting. Agate was on the short side. Joe pointed in brushy draw and handled a large covey of birds in immaculate form. With seven minutes to go, we found both dogs pointing on knoll, Agate in front and Joe in backing position. The covey was spread out and Agate wheeled with its flight, taking about three jumps. Both were steady under the guns. Joe cast toward lake and swapped ends to point with sharp style. Rick Smith dismounted and announced he was going to send the dog on, but after he took a couple of steps a single got up, the dog standing nicely. Some fifty yards over a small ridge, much of the detail of this was repeated as the dog pointed with good posture, handler a bit unsure at times but finally calling it, and as he started to the dog another single took to the air, manners again fine. As time ran out, both dogs pointed with considerable gap between them but neither handler could raise any game.
Orleans Rock Brandy—Dusty’s Shining Chevalier.—Brandy rambled in bold fashion, good response and most impressive in ground work. He pointed along rough edge, abruptly routed a single and stopped to harsh command after several jumps. Chevalier very slow in the early going, warmed up some but never really got into contending form. Brandy pointed in ditch at 35 and a rabbit scurried out, the dog showing some anxiety about taking up pursuit. At 48 he suffered an unproductive. This dog showed great potential in his hunting effort. Chevalier pointed on edge of lake at 48 with good style but only a lark took wing.
Boy’s Little Rex—Tigre Bazooka.—Rex offered a serious hunting race. Tigre ran fast and wide with lots of zip but his pattern was on the immature side. Both dogs slowed some, Rex less noticeable but Tigre was quite tired and restricted.
Barney Bazooka—Gideon of Richmont.—An exceptionally strong ranging pair. Barney made game around big thicket at fifteen and routed a rabbit from its lair, giving short lusty chase. Shortly thereafter his handler rode up a single, and got on the dog which came into biddable range, made game over an extended area and wound up crowding another single, stopping at flush and standing for shot. We rode up two big coveys, one from where both dogs had been working. At 29, Gideon pointed with good style and assurance near the lake. Wild tried over quite a piece of real estate but without; results. Near the end, Delmar Smith realized that a find would do much to help Barney’s stock and he got on the dog, making him course with more intensive purpose. Though it was a worthy thought, the dog did not seem to relish the idea and his last several minutes were rather uninspired.
Tip Top’s Alfie—Freck O Dee.—Freck was the more ambitious in ground coverage and verve of hunting, while Alfie was on the short side but busy. At five, Alfie pointed with fair style, broke as the birds flushed but halted to command after several jumps and relaxed to a sitting position at shot. At sixteen, he pointed in wooded area and nothing could be flushed. Dee made some impressive casts, though she looped upon occasion. At forty, Alfie pointed but did not seem sure of his location, and this turned out to be the case as some birds flushed from behind and out to the side of him. He was restricted the balance of the route.
Fisty Miss Kaer—Hi Dolly Haven.—Miss showed a great inclination to run in straight lines in the early stages, while Dolly, more devoted in her application, moved with fine gait and purpose. There appeared to be evidence of sociable tendencies for short periods and each took a turn leaning on the other for initiative. Fisty suffered an unproductive at forty, very cautious in her efforts to relocate. Dolly seemed to improve the longer she was down, and had a strong finish.
Paul of Leeway’s Red—Pacolet Cheyenne Sam.— This was Sunday morning’s first brace and the
cover had a liberal coating of ice, which had almost disappeared by the end of the hour. Sam treated us to perhaps the best front-running exhibition of the first series. Red pointed along edge of lake at twenty, lost some of his rigidness as handler tried to flush and then spent some time in trying to relocate without results. He moved on some distance and was going at swift pace when he encountered a big feeding covey, pointed it for several seconds, but then moved in to cause the flush and continued it its wake. He later had an unproductive.
Brandy’s Bullet—Bazooka’s Brandy.—This was the best paired brace of the initial go-round, and both did an outstanding job of ground covering. Bullet had one short period of immaturity but it may have just been the contrast to the exemplary pattern his daddy was cutting out. At 22, Bullet reached up long draw and pointed at the end. Delmar Smith started to ride toward him when a pair of birds left quickly and then several more got up and came down the tree line. Bullet stood his ground admirably and the find had real class written all over it. At 55, Bullet pointed in light oak woods; nothing was raised. Brandy pointed at thicket just after woods opened out. Judge Epperson later reported that handler cautioned dog repeatedly until it seemed to affect his character and rigidity. Suddenly a rabbit flushed from close range and Brandy relaxed to a prone position. They both finished with adequate range and power.
Mike Bazooka of Tejas, a bye.—This game little fellow hunted busily but was on the short and restricted side. He pointed at plum thicket at fifteen, but relaxed quickly and no birds were raised. At 32, he pointed and had a covey scattered all around him, remaining mannerly and alertly interested in marking the singles. At forty, we skirted a woodsline and a nervous covey came out from his vicinity. There seemed to be no evidence that Mike was involved, but it was obvious he was not contending and when he emerged from the far end he was taken up.
Second Series
Boy’s Little Rex—Freck O Dee.—Sunday afternoon found sunshine and warm temperatures and we turned this pair loose at 1:50. Both did a workmanlike job but neither was in championship form. Rex had an unproductive at 21. Dee pointed in low area and no action resulted here either. We rode up several straggling singles from a scattered covey which was evidently out feeding. Dee fell behind for a spell and when Judge Epperson came up with her at forty, he reported she had suffered another unproductive and had also been involved in a bump and stop to command. They finished out the hour industriously.
Barney Bazooka—Hi Dolly Haven.—Barney had the edge in bold ranging throughout but he did not outhunt the courageous Dolly, which tried hard from start to finish. Barney pointed just off ridgeline at eighteen and an armadillo fled the scene. Dolly pointed in a likely looking spot at 52, but handler was unable to raise game. When we were going into real birdy country, Delmar Smith took Barney in close for a spell and had him seineing the country, but it did not pay off, and then the big fellow reeled off a far-flung effort across the prairie to the inside to finish strongly.
Gideon of Richmont—Li’l Joe.—Details of the former’s stint have been covered. Joe was less impressive in his second appearance. His range was fair to good, application of high order, but it just did not bear the results. At nineteen, he was near the scene as a covey lifted and he stopped to flush. Thereafter he had to be content with a back to bracemate’s stand at 32, near the lake, and then he pointed in light brush on ridge and was backed on a fruitless stand at 35.
Brandy’s Bullet—Pacolet Cheyenne Sam.—The action of this fully gratifying hour has been detailed. Needless to say, the judiciary were completely satisfied that further running was unnecessary.
Ardmore, Okla., February 14
Judges: E. B. Epperson, Dr. Adolph L. Utzinger and Truman F. Cowles
UNITED STATES OPEN BRITTANY CHAMPIONSHIP
[One-Hour Qualifying Heats; One-Hour Finals]—17 Brittany Spaniels
Winner— PACOLET CHEYENNE SAM, 814923, dog, by Pacolet’s Sam—La Petite Blanche. Kenneth and Erin Jacobson, owners; Rick Smith, handler.
Runner-Up— GIDEON OF RICHMONT, 844069, dog, by Petie of Richmont—Cheeta of Richmont. C. R. Nester Jr., owner; Ed Wild, handler.
Pacolet Cheyenne Sam