1983 United States Open Brittany Championship
By Dr. John A. Webb
First Place Jake, orange and white Brittany male, owned by Ron Curtis of Gretna, Neb., and handled by J. K. Fields, topped a field of 36 to win the 21st United States Open Brittany Champion-ship that began March 21 at the Lake Murray grounds, Ardmore, Okla. F & S Count Geoffery, owned by F. V. and Sue Hansen of Las Cruces, N.M., and handled by Marc Appleton, was named runner-up.
Created as a breeders' stake, the U.S. Open offers Brittanys their toughest test in field trialing. This premier Championship has a format of one-hour qualifying series and then, at the discretion of the judges, top contenders are called back to run another hour in championship finals. The standards of the stake are rigorous and are designed to glorify the true all-age dog, one that hunts with courage and despite fatigue can muster energy to finish strongly. The course must be run with intelligence, utilizing the objectives well. Birdwork is not a requirement during the first series. However, during the callbacks the dogs must handle birds with intense style and perfect manners.
Those present for both the Championship and the Victoire Nationale Derby came from near and far. John and M. E. Mercer of Miami, Fla., came to see two of their fine dogs run in the Championship and also helped out wherever needed. Sharon Van Wieren of Griffith, Ind., came to see her young Derby compete and brought Diana Kubitz of Battle Creek, Mich., to help cheer. Dave Lincoln and Dave, Jr. flew in from Denver, Colo., for the Derby to show support for their fine young dog. Colorado was well represented this year. Kaye and Sharon Ruske of Manitou Springs were present to see their dog in the Championship. The most enthusiastic handler was Jeff Ditter of Columbia, Md., who flew out with a young dog to see how trials are run in the West. Jim Askins of Albuquerque, N.M., had dogs in both the Championship and Derby and not only rode most of the braces but scouted a number of dogs.
It is wonderful to run a trial when you have so many great helpers. Rick Smith again furnished and drove the dog wagon and was never late for a pickup; even when he got stuck it was at a pickup point. Lloyd Manck was always there for morning and afternoon coffee and furnished the 4-wheel drive that pulled the dog wagon out. Doc Young, Ike Zamrzla and Joe Epperly were there to fill in when needed. Hats off to Barbara Wade, Evelyn York, Billie Manck and Judy Webb who again furnished a delicious barbecue meal for the entire group. The two that drew the most attention were Ann and John Doak, present for part on the Championship after an absence of several years. John Doak is the immediate past president and a strong supporter of the Victoire Nationale Derby.
The best news of all is the improvement of the Lake Murray grounds, thanks to the Oklahoma Field Trial Association. The cover is groomed and ample strong birds are present.
The judges were D. F. (Hoppy) Hopson of Alvord, Tex., and Harold Davis of Arlington, Tex. These men are nationally known for their judging and participation in the pointer world. In good and bad weather their concentration was always on the dogs. Both donated their expenses to the OFTCA for continued improvement of the grounds.
Championship Running
We began the U.S. Open on a crystal clear day with a light wind from the north, the temperature 35°, a gorgeous day.
Way Kan Duke—Dee’s Cee Jay Stalkmoor.—By 3 both dogs were to the top of the big hill, at least 400 yards, and both handled beautifully. At 11 both were still running very big, C J handling better. By 19 we were in the big field toward the end of the course with both dogs being heavily scouted and both out of view. C J ran extremely well while Duke was slightly less controlled but big. At 30 C J had a covey near the plum thicket at the east end point. He was fired over all in good order. At 33 Duke stopped, pointing directly into the wind with good style. Gorrow raised the covey at least 60 yards in front of his dog. At 40 both dogs were still hunting the edges and seeking out the objectives well. At 48 Fields signaled point with C J tightly locked up. While the covey was produced, the dog’s manners were good. Duke had an unproductive at 50. At the same time C J has a stop to flush. Both dogs finished strong and well to the front.
Timber’s Little Wish—Oakenshields Flashback.—Away at 8:33 and at 1 minute Wish stopped in brambles, pointing into the heavy cover. Tressler relocated Wish and a rabbit was produced. By 8 we had worked our way through the heavy plum thicket. At 20 both dogs were making beautiful casts far to the right after coming out of the timber. By 27 the wind had come up from the north to at least 20 m.p.h. At 35 Wish had an unproductive at the point of the bear trap in an area of heavy armadillo infestation. At 45 both dogs had shortened considerably. At 46 Tom pointed with good style; birds were raised by Gorrow and Tom chased. At 54 Tressler called point in heavy plum thicket and brambles near one of the lake points. A nice covey was produced, everything in order. At 59 another point was called, this time a rabbit.
Minnehaha Bruiser—Ringo McYork.—Down at 9:30, and by 5 we are getting good but not spectacular run from both dogs. By 15 Bruiser continued a good forward course to objectives; Ringo decided it was not his and was picked up at 20. Bruiser continued to hunt the hour but could not produce birds.
Jones Bonine Zachariah—Bandee Bowman’s Wood Baretta.—Away at 10:55.—At 8 Gorrow called point for Jack near the lake in heavy cover. A large covey was produced, the dog’s manners excellent. Both dogs negotiated the heavy cover well. At 36 we had gone through the big fields near the headquarters and back to the No. 1 course. Both dogs had had nice long casts and are showing no signs of tiring. At 45 both were shortening. At 50 Baretta pointed and Johnson produced a rabbit. At 57 Baretta indicated a point by the lake. No birds were produced; however, as we rode away, farther up the hill and directly upwind, a single quail flew.
Bullet’s Iron Mike—Moore’s Country Sunshine.—At 4 we split the high ridge, the dogs off to the right, running well. By 28 both had appreciably shortened. At 52 Mike came on point; on a relocation he was unable to produce. Both dogs continued to the end of the brace, steady but unspectacular.
First Place Jake—R Lucky Brandy Bazooka.—Off at 2:00, Jake had several long, well-run and completed casts. Brandy had made several nice casts but dropped behind after hunting several lake points. Jake continued to run hard and intelligently while Brandy hunted the edges carefully. Brandy’s casts shortened and he was picked up at 49. Jake finished strong but birdless.
Overland High Card Ace—Sir Teak of Excalibur.—We are on the way by 3:20 and by 10 both dogs were running well, Chip making some exceptionally long casts. At 15 point was called for Ace by the scout near the top of a hill in sage brush. No game was produced. At 16 Chip was found on point by Appleton, approximately 200 yards into some brambles. He, too, was given an unproductive. At 23 Ace has another and was picked up. At 41 Chip came on point in heavy cover near the edge of the lake; a single was produced, manners satisfactory. At 44 Chip pointed in heavy covery near the lake. Unproductive. At 49 Chip stopped again, Appleton dismounted and no birds were produced. Chip dismissed himself from point. At 58 Chip stopped; a single flew and then the entire covey. He was fired over and credited with a stop to flush.
Green Pastures Rocket—Dan O’Dee Brett.—Off at 4:00. Rocket ranged close and Dan ran only moderately. At 39 Dan came on point about 300 yards from handler in heavy sage brush. He took an unproductive. At 48 Dan pointed near the lake. A nice covey was worked, manners good. This brace continued essentially the same.
Brought Mars Jazz de Campo—Chip Britt O’Digger.—At 21 Jazz came on point in unbelieveable heavy
cover. No birds were produced. He was relocated and took an unproductive. At 29 Digger pointed with good style and Jazz honored. Digger was fired over. At 31 Jazz pointed with Digger honoring. However, Digger took the birds out and Jazz followed.
Radar’s Buckshot de Ranbo—Green Pastures Hi Ace.—Weather for the second day was overcast, temperature about 36° and very little wind. By 24 these dogs had run only moderate races. At the east point of the lake, the gallery rode up a large covey. At 24 Ace pointed near the lake in fairly heavy sage. Style was quite good, birds were produced, the dog steady. The dogs picked up the pace and at 33 Ace stopped again. A large covey was found in the middle of the field in relatively low cover. Ace’s manners were good. At 37 Ace pointed and Epperly flushed a rabbit. At 54 Buckshot pointed in moderate cover near the large plum thicket. Gorrow produced a nice covey, Buckshot’s manners good. At 60 Ace pointed, but no birds produced.
Bayou’s Lonesome Sue—Senator La Belle.—The second brace was away at 8:05. At 37 both had maintained a steady, moderate race to fairly good objectives. By 43 Sue had made some really nice casts, carried them to the full length of her objectives. Senator also ran well, but somewhat shorter. Both dogs hunted extremely well the remainder of the hour.
Pepper’s Prince—F & S Count Geoffery.—Down at 9:28, temperatures starting to warm slightly, the sky was partly cloudy. At 17 it looked like Prince had a stop to flush. At about 27, in a different location, Geoffery had another covey, all in good order. At 47 both were laying down good races. Geoffery had another find very near the lake in heavy cover with no problem. By 49 Geoffery had shortened some.
Gunrunner’s Texas Express—Prince’s Whitetail.—Down at 10:55, the temperature has warmed and the wind has also increased. At 19 Whitetail came on point in the middle of a sage field. A nice covey was produced; there was an exaggerated mark of the birds. At 21 Whitey again pointed in sage. Johnson produced two quail and Whitey again showed exaggerated marking. At 24 Tex stopped at the extreme east end of the course. Staton could not produce. At 30 we had completed the sweep of the east part of the lake and returned on the southeast across from the old dry pond. At 45 Tex pointed; a nice covey produced in good order. The judge commented on the great style with a high head and a high tail. At 50 when we got into the large field both dogs showed tremendous, long, well run casts. However, by the end of the hour both dogs showed signs of tiring.
Reed’s Bonine Max—Squire Wheels.— Both broke away with keen desire and hunted the hour well, Max showing more stamina. They finished but did not produce game.
Jacks or Better—Redfoot’s Raggedy Andy.—Loosed at 1:18. The weather was deteriorating with a heavy overcast, and getting colder. By 8 both dogs were busy, running and active. Neither made any real long casts. Jack just did not feel like running today and was retired at 13. By 17 Andy had made some quite good casts. By 32 Andy continued to have similar moderate casts. At 46 on one of the points in heavy cover, Andy came on point and a fine covey was raised, the dog showing good manners. However, he found himself on a checkcord because other dogs had run substantially better.
Gringo’s Touch of Class—Mini Bob.—Loosed in the timber on the No. 4 course at 2:20. Much scouting was needed to get them through the tight course but they were collected in the field in front of headquarters. Both were again lost after we passed the oil well. Mini Bob was found at 43 but continued the hour without game.
Tu Tu II—Ike’s Mike.—These two were released at 3:30 and at 7 Tutu had an unproductive on the far east tip of the course. At 8 Mike ended his try when he ran through a covey. Meanwhile TuTu had put on her running shoes and made several large casts. At 34 she was collected and made several more unbelievably large casts. At 43 on top of the hill at the fault above the dam the dog came on point in heavy brambles, birds were produced, all in good order.
El Bandito—Hi Ace.— Breakaway was at 4:30. We were on the course just before the bear trap. At 10 cleared the bear trap and out in the large fields on the west end of the course. Neither dog had run as big as some of the others. At 20 Ace pointed. Staton was unable to produce game. Neither dog was running well and handlers elected to pick up.
At the conclusion of the qualifying series the judges named F & S Count Geoffery top qualifier.
The Finals
The Championship series began in a moderate rain and about 40° Wednesday March 23. The wind was blowing about 20 m.p.h. from the southeast. We ran counter clockwise from the headquarters and we immediately went into the heavy cover and then the trees.
Dee’s Cee Jay Stalkmoor—Minni Haha Bruiser.—At 20 Bruiser started making game and had a stop to flush with a nice covey being raised. Johnson fired. At 25 C J went far far out and was found after considerable scouting on a point; however, the birds could not be raised. The dogs continued to run a big course, each requiring extensive scouting and at time both dogs were far to the front.
First Place Jake—Bayou’s Lonesome Sue.—It was still raining very hard with some sleet. At 12 Jake was found on point showing good style in moderately heavy cover. No game was produced. At 16 Jake pointed where Pacolet Cheyenne Sam had his find to win the Nationals. A single bird was produced, all in good order. At 9 Sue pointed down near the lake in fairly heavy bluestem cover. A nice covey was produced with an exaggerated mark. At 41 Jake had a point in the woods and on relocation Fields produced the birds, all in order. At 44 Sue came on point in the middle of the bluestem field on the east side. Birds were produced by Appleton; her manners were good and at the same time Jake honored from some distance away. At 48 near the far east point, the old reliable covey was pointed by Jake. Sue failed to honor and was ordered up.
Pepper’s Prince— Radar's Buckshot de Ranbo.— Both dogs ran well and hunted. At 60 Pepper came on point, birds flew wild and he was credited with a stop to flush. Buckshot honored.
Gunrunner’s Texas Express—F & S Count Geoffrey.—At 26 Tex was found pointing where he had birds the day before. However, this time he took an unproductive. At about the same time Geoffrey had birds in the edge of the woods coming out of the bear trap, manners satisfactory. At 38 Staton called point for Tex. The dog was stylish with head and tail high. Game was not produced. At 44 Geoffrey was on point in heavy cover by the lake. Rabbit was noted to run; no birds were produced. At 51 Appleton again called point for Geoffrey; this time in blue sage, no birds were produced at first, after a relocation he could produce nothing.
Tu Tu II—Reed’s Bonine Max.—This pair went down in the fig field near headquarters then soon went into heavy cover. They were lost for a considerable time. By the time they were fathered up they were in the hole. No game was found by either.
Ardmore, Okla., March 21
Judges: Harold Davis and D. F. Hopson
UNITED STATES OPEN BRITTANY CHAMPIONSHIP
[One-Hour Qualifying Heats; One-Hour Finals]—36 Brittanys
Winner— FIRST PLACE JAKE, unreg., male, by Little Boy Britt—Mokan Grandview Cindy. Ron Curtis, owner; J. K.
Fields, handler.
Runner-Up— F & S COUNT GEOFFREY, unreg., male, by Ban Dee—Gringo’s Tumbleweed Sal. F. V. & P. S. Hansen, owners; Marc Appleton, handler.
F & S Count Geoffrey
VICTOIRE NATIONALE DERBY CLASSIC
This stake had a rewarding year—-we saw so much interest and fine young dogs, a number of contenders could have been named the winner.
Because of the size of the Championship and Derby it has been necessary to have separate judges for each. This year judicial duties were ably handled by Bill Trabue of Newalla, Okla., and Leon York of Edmond, Okla.
Our winner, Balkaneau Horizon Topper, owned by Thayne Cozart of Parsons, Kan., and handled by A1 Gorrow, thrilled all with his mature ground race and fine nose. Bayarbor’s Barba Lou, owned by Barbara Wade and handled by Marc Appleton, on any other year could have been named the winner.
The Running
We were away at 7:06 Thursday, March 24. The rain of the last two days had stopped but it was overcast and very muddy. The temperature was about 44°; there was little or no wind.
Trademark— Peaches and Cream.— Immediately Mark came on point, showing good style and steady. Staton flushed the birds and fired. At 16 Peaches had passed the oil-well, and continued to run very well into the edge of the covery on the left side with several long casts. At 26 we were at the extreme eastern point of the course both dogs still very active and moving well. Both dogs ran their objectives nicely. Both were extensively scouted. At 57 Mark stopped, pointed, showed great style, birds were produced and he was fired over.
Royal Britt Starbuck of Auten—Larry’s Ranging Rocket.—At 3 Star pointed and Johnson produced birds and fired. We worked on the edge of the lake in heavy cover going to the bear trap. At 7 birds were flushed near one of the lake points; birds flew across the edge of the lake and Rocket went for a swim. Rocket returned to shore and Fields fired over him. At 10 Rocket was picked up. By 16 Star shortened appreciably and by 19 was on a checkcord.
Pattycake—Redfood’s Iron Mike.—The third brace was on the ground just 200 yards short of the beginning of the bear trap. The temperature was about the same, the wind had picked up slightly. At 15 Patty pointed in heavy bluestem cover.Staton produced her birds and fired. Patty continued a steady fairly active pace at moderate distance. Mike was faring about the same and at 20 both handlers elected to pick up.
Bay Arbor’s Barba Lou—Lincoln’s Bandee Ernie.—By 5 we were in the big fields on the wet side of the course. Both dogs ran nicely with long casts and required minimal but not extensive scouting. At 21 Barba Lou made a wonderful cast back to the first course, but seemingly under control. At 28 Barba Lou came on point in the dge of the bluestem. A bird was produced and she was fired over. At 38 Johnson picked up Ernie. Barba Lou kept hitting it right on to the end and finished strong.
Chubbs—Bullet’s Polly.— By 10 Chubbs was running to the front with only moderate casts. Polly was bigger but to the lateral side but finally got lined out to the front. Neither dog reached enough and they were leashed at 25.
Kim’s Dandy to the Rescue—Sulaine’s Man.—Man was doing an extremely fine job early, running on the next hill in a well carried out manner. At 11 Man had bird contact and was fired over. Dandy was sluggish today and picked up at 20. At 23 Man was 400-500 yards out and doing a fine job. At 40 Man was still way out, running well to the front, handling well. At 53 Man got on a rabbit; despite repeated efforts, handler seemed unable to get him away. The dog found himself in the box.
Seabuck— Balkaneau Horizon Topper.— Buck ran fairly well having some difficulty keeping it to the front. By 10 Buck was lined out and is making a long, fine cast straight ahead. They crossed the old rock fault, Topper showing heels. He was consistently to the front with mature pattern. At 49 Topper pointed and was fired over. The brace continued to the end with both dogs hitting the cover and hunting.
Ducey Clipper—Milligan Devine Fig.—This was the first brace after lunch. The dogs were busy but close. They simply were not doing the job others had done in the morning and were picked up at 16.
Skipper—Brandy Girl.—Both ran an excellent course. Skipper had several sensational casts. At 40 Skipper pointed; three quail were seen to rise. Station fired. At 46 Skiller had another find on the cedar point. Skipper showed signs of fatigue and slowed to a trot at 54. He’d had a great 50 minutes. Brandy ran slightly stronger at the end, but was birdless.
Green Pastures Little Bo—Damion O’Cal.—This pair never really got lined out and they found themselves in the wagon at 15.
J K’s Flash Boomer—Buggar.—Both were busy hunting, but their casts did not have the desired distance. They were up early.
Kaymore’s Prince MacBeth, a bye.—This dog never got lined out and was confused by the different terrain. He was leashed early.
Princess, a bye.—This bitch was in season and had difficulty keeping her mind on her business. After 15 she was up.
VICTOIRE NATIONALE DERBY CLASSIC
judges: Bill Trabue and Leon York
[One-Hour Heats]—24 Brittanys
Winner— BALKANEAU HORIZON TOPPER, unreg., male, by Reed’s Bonine Max—Hi Carriage Balkanite. Thayne Cozart, owner; Al Gorrow, handler.
Runner-Up-BAYARBOR’S BARBA LOU, 196828, female, by Jack Flash O’Dolly—Twin Oaks Foolish Pleasure. Barbara J. Wade, owner and handler
