2004 United States Open Brittany Championship
By Mary Karbiner
Spring came early to some parts of the Midwest. In Oklahoma the wild plums had blossomed, the red bud followed as our event continued. Lake Murray State Park, Ardmore, Okla., has been home to this prestigious event since the inaugural running in 1963.
The 42nd running commenced March 13. We saw many contenders in the 29 starters whose pedigrees hold former winners of this quality stake.
Make My Day Dude is an example. Dude, a white and orange male, emerged the winner from the eight callback dogs in the final series. He is owned by Ed and Judy Tillson of Albuquerque, N.M. Dude’s sire, also owned by Ed, is Tequilas Joker, which has been twice runner-up, top qualifier and runner-up in the Victoire Nationale Derby Classic. The dam is Jim De Bob’s Super Star. She also has been winner, runner-up and top qualifier in this impressive stake. Winning begets winning.
Runner-up was Suka’s Win Mini, handled by Scott Johnson. Mini is owned by Dave and Joyce Lincoln of Englewood, Colo. She is a white and liver female by Microdot, which was a top qualifier and runner-up, and out of Wee Dee. Mini has open and amateur field champion titles.
We wish to thank our judges. Their attention to the dogs’ performances did not allow much to go unnoticed. Ronnie Sale of Jonesboro, Tex., has trained German Shorthairs for a number of years. Tim Hidalgo of Hooker, Okla., has trained and campaigned pointing breeds for many years. His wife Mary joined us mid-week. It was a pleasure to ride with these gentlemen. Their decisions were well received.
Purina has graciously supported bird dog events for many years. This Championship is one of the original recipients of their donations. Since the 1920s when Purina developed dry dog foods they remain the world’s largest producer of quality and nutritious foods. Their research is continuing and extensive and they donate dog food for the winners and participants. We are grateful for their support.
Dr. Bob Rankin, president, marshalled the entire event along with reporting the Derby. Loyd Budd drove the dog wagon (ask him about the Buddpuddle).
Qualifying Series
Kolicko’s Cuervo Joker (Berneathy) and Shambo’s Dark Shadow (John). We had cloudy skies this Monday morning; the rain had left the area, the ground was drying out. Away from the barn both dogs took to the top of the ridge. Both were sighted crossing at the feeder near Rosco’s pond. Shadow took the right and “CJ” went down the chute. Handler sighted deer crossing to the left. Shadow had crossed Lem Roberts Road when point was called at 14. He stood staunchly through flush and shot. We left the youth camp. CJ had not been returned to judgment. Shadow ran the hour with mature and methodical application.
T J’s Bustin Loose (John) and Suka’s Win Mini (Johnson) left the bedsprings meadow, headed to the icky finger. Mini was slow to start, Buster getting wider as we crossed the rock ledge. At the low crossing behind the airport we waited as Mini was expected through the woods finger when the call came from the front that she was standing on point at 19. She was stylish throughout flush and shot. “Buster” made the heavy covered fingers and through Manck’s crossing where he was last seen headed north. He was not returned to judgment. Mini made some nice moves during the remainder of the hour.
Wichita (Wild) and Hi Point I Believe I Can Fly (Carrington). As we came down the big rock ledge Wichita was the wider of the pair. Can Fly was working the cover. We rode to the gun dog hill and headed toward Rosco’s pond watching Wichita running the bottom. He took the edge of the long brushy ditch, going forward. At--12 he pointed standing in tall grass. We had a long ride to him. The handler just stepped off when the birds flushed and Wichita left with them. Can Fly hunted the right places for game and at 41 was rewarded with a find atop the ridge in a heavy briar tangle. He finished the hour hunting.
Breton’s Castle Rocket (John) and Dakota Shake Down (Rohner) were away under cloudy skies with a threat of rain. Rocket couldn’t get untracked. “Rufus” was wide from the get-go. We waited as scout and handler rode to the bottom searching until Rufus returned to the front on his own. Rocket hunted to the end of an early hour. Rufus’ application was erratic with absences.
Make My Day Dude (Tillson) was the more forward of the pair. Tee Bone (Johnson) hunted the likely places. At 3 Dude pointed just in the cover at cedar point, head high and tail tight, turning head and shoulder to mark the flight. At 15 he had an unproductive. Tee continued to work the cover, making a few nice moves. At 33 Dude pointed at the edge of the large mott behind the airport. A small covey was put to flight as he stood nicely. He finished the hour strong on the ground. Tee had no bird contact during his hour.
Day dog (braces 1-5): Make My Day Dude.
Leas Running Jay Hawk (Rohner) and Kahlua (Carrington) were strong from the beginning stretching the “string” to the max. We crossed Lem Roberts Road and waited for their return. Neither was sighted and the hour ended early.
Tequila Jack II (John) and Tejas Iron Mike (Carrington). We had a brief sprinkle at breakaway, cloudy skies and temperature in the mid-40s. Jack was wide from the start, took the left side of the chute at Rosco’s pond. Point was called for “Mike” at 7. He stood at the edge of a very large briar thicket; extensive flushing and relocation could not produce any game. Jack showed to the front at the oil well. Mike worked the cover into the old brushed out finger. He was found on our left at 41 pointing near the lake edge. A nice covey lifted from the leaf covered ground. He stood high and tight, maintaining his excellent posture. Mike finished the hour searching the cover. Jack was not returned to judgment. .
T & W’s Diamond Jim (Wild) had his running shoes on. At 12 Sparky’s Runaround Sue (Berneathy) stood across a ditch as we came over the ridge. At the edge of a thicket near the lake handler saw a bird leave over the water, fired and took her on. Point was called by scout as she stood in a very heavy greenbriar tangle. Handler elected to take her out of the area. She had a barren stand just out of Manck’s crossing. Jim ran a hard race, requiring some scouting during the rest of his hour.
Dakota Alley Cat (Rohner) covered some country during his hour. Sadie Fair Lady (Johnstrn) started slow and gained range as the hour continued. Point was called by scout for Fair Lady at 40. We rode a long distance back to the high grass just out of the woods on tent pad finger. She stood high and tight through the extensive flushing. Relocated, she worked the area. A single popped as she worked the tangled cover. “Tiger” was caught off a deer chase, still going strong when at 58 he had a find near a feeder just before the icky finger with all in order.
Away from the barn, skies still partly cloudy, in the 50s. T J's Apache (John) and Gunrunner’s Lady’s Man (Berneathy) were off with a flourish, T J’s Apache the wider of the pair. Lady’s Man made some nice moves, being a bit erratic in his application. His race slowed near the end of the hour. T J’s Apache was consistently strong, wide and forward on the ground to end the hour.
Day dog (braces 6-10): T J’s Apache.
Poki Dot (Johnson) and Jimmie’s Cocoa Dell (Wild) were away from the bear trap meadow, both slow to start. In the open area before the icky finger the dogs were checking ground scent. Poki spun off and went on. Dell checked again and a pair of quail was put to flight. Poki continued to hunt the cover at moderate range and her hour ended early.
Lobo’s Legend (Johnson) and Smarteyes Joker (John) made some nice moves covering the terrain. At 30 point was called for Lobo’s Legend. He stood to our right at the edge of the finger as we left the tent pad woods. Smarteye’s Joker was taken in for a back. A small covey was moved with all in order. Smarteyes Joker hit the cover in likely places. Lobo’s Legend went the hour continuing to make reaching moves in his search for game.
We left the barn under sunny skies, temperature in the mid-40s. Blueridge Major Adventure (Downing) was out of pocket at Rosco’s pond, returned through the woods. Breton's Blazen Tough Codee (John) worked the cover. At 31 Codee stood at the edge of the brushy strip just out of the tent pad woods. A small covey was flushed as he stood proudly. Ahead of us Major nailed a covey at 32. His posture was very staunch. Codee had an unproductive at 34. At 37 he pointed a single near a feeder before brushy point. At 45 Major had an unproductive at the feeder going into cedar point. Taken on he pointed a single at 49 about 150 feet toward the lake with all in order. Codee backed nicely on the last two pieces of work.
Shady’s Tia Maria (Berneathy) and MoKan Razzle Dazzle (Rohner) were fast on the ground. Razzie was out of pocket at Manck’s crossing and not returned to judgment. Tia continued to be forward and handle. Her find was in a draw before pond dam No. 4 with stylish manners. She finished the hour going away.
The Prairie Tornado (Tillson), as a bye. had a hard time maintaining the front and was leashed in the youth camp.
Day dog (braces 11-15) and top qualifier: Lobo's Legend.
The Final Series
Thursday morning the sky was clear, temperalure in the upper 50s. The judges called back eight dogs. The callback is designed to have the judges pair a dog with a different bracemate and draw for running order.
Shady's Tia Maria was wide on the left as both dogs started down the chute. Suka’s Win Mini worked the right. Tia was out of pocket at the oil well. Point was called by the scout for Mini at 15. She stood staunchly in the ditch just across Lem Roberts Road. Mini stood nicely through flush and shot. She methodically used the terrain in her application. Tia was not returned to judgment. Mini was spied in the draw to our right up from pond dam No. 1. We came out of the tent pad woods where we waited for her return from the airport area. She worked the edges in her application and finished heading to the bear trap.
Temperature had warmed under sunny skies. The breeze had picked up a little.
Tejas Iron Mike and T & W’s Diamond Jim did not have game. They covered some country, Jim the wider, settled to a more biddable race into the hour. Mike methodically worked the terrain looking in likely places for birds. Jim had a deer chase and still finished strong on the ground.
Lobo’s Legend and T J’s Apache hit the cover searching for game, T J’s Apache was the wider reaching. Lobo's Legend was more biddable making some nice casts. Neither dog was rewarded for their efforts.
Under sunny skies, temperatures had become the the warmest of the stake but the air was not as heavy as the morning.
Both Dakota Alley Cat and Make My Day Dude flew across the country. Dakota Alley Cat made reaching casts. Dude used the terrain well, gaining range as he went. At 31 Dude pointed on a feeding covey, located well in front of him. He stood like the proverbial million dollars. At 44 he pointed at the edge of the mott just before the alley. The birds were buried under cedars and briars. He maintained his composure through a tough flushing procedure. Dakota Alley Cat was using the country, wide on turns, requiring some scouting. Dude maintained his forward range, looking in likely places to find game. At 58 point was called just in the woodsedge. The birds were coveyed on the leaves under a cedar. A very high-styled find. He cast forward as the hour ended. Dakota Alley Cat did not move any birds in the hour.
Ardmore, Okla., March 13
Judges: Tim Hidalgo and Ronnie Sale
UNITED STATES OPEN BRITTANY CHAMPIONSHIP
[One-Hour Qualifying Heats; One-Hour Finals]—29 Brittanys
Winner— MAKE MY DAY DUDE, 1531839, male, by Tequilas Joker—Jim De Bob’s Super Star. Ed Tillson, owner and handler.
Runner-Up—SUKA’S WIN MINI, 1539529, female, by Microdot—Wee Dee. D. A. & Joyce Lincoln, owners; Scott Johnson, handler.
VICTOIRE NATIONALE DERBY CLASSIC
The Victoire Nationale Derby Classic has been the companion stake since 1974. It is the only onehour heats for Brittany Derbies. When you scan the stats you will find many of the winners have gone on to amass credentials in the Brittany world.
Our judges for this 31st running were Richard and Becky Brewington of Walcott, la. They have campaigned Brittanys for over 20 years and were very complimentary of the 26 starters in this stake.
The winner was Majestic’s Rebel’s Pride, handled by Al Gorrow for owners Jim and Adrienne Mills of Tipton, la. The runner-up was K B’s Shadow Dancer, owned by Kevin Alspaw of Wichita, Kan., and handled by Jim John.
Majestic’s Rebel’s Pride (Gorrow) was paired with Micro T (Johnson). “Rebbie” is a big front-running dog that completed his casts and stayed to the front. He had a nice find with handler flushing birds in front of him. He went on for a good finish. Micro had a good hour with one nice find.
KB’s Shadow Dancer ran hard and took objectives to the end. He had a pleasing, forward hour.
VICTOIRE NATIONALE DERBY CLASSIC
judges: Richard Brewington and Becky Brewington
[One-Hour Heats]—28 Brittanys
Winner—MAJESTIC'S REBEL'S PRIDE. 1553532. male, by Lobo's Blazing Bandit—Texas Dancer. Jim & Adrienne Mills, owners; Al Gorrow, handler.
Runner-Up—K B’S SHADOW DANCER. 1551738, male, by Shambo's Dark Shadow—The Prairie Tornado. Kevin Alspaw. owner: Jim John, handler.
