Region 14 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship
Coronation, Alberta
August 18 & 19, 2004

Champion: Lady in Red - Dr. Hjerpe
Runner-Up: Hemaruka Phoebe - Sean Kelly

The Region 14 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship held its 42nd renewal on the ideal shooting dog courses found at Kirkpatrick Lake near Coronation, Alberta August 18th & 19th, 2004. Hosting the Championship was the Prairie Pointer and Setter Club with our camp being located at the Len Peacock ranch. The Championship was followed by club stakes hosted by the Big Country Club, which also shares these grounds.

Lady in Red, an 8-year old pointer owned and handled by C.A. Hjerpe of Davis, CA captured this year's title with a strong forward race and single find on Sharptail Grouse. "Chance" came to the line with previous championship placements at the West Coast Open Shooting Championship and the Region 12 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship, both in the runner up position.

 Runner Up went to Hemaruka Phoebe, a 7-year old setter, handled and owned by Sean Kelly of Carstairs, Alberta. "Phoebe" laid down a good shooting dog race with two well spaced out finds and a stop to flush.

The Hemaruka hall saw handlers and friends gather the night before as the entries were being accepted. A past winners list was handed out showing the winners dating back to 1967. This started a lot of buzz with people remarking on specific dogs as well as handlers from the past. It was interesting to me the history that is behind this great event and I enjoyed hearing the stories that were being passed around and the camaraderie that always takes place at the draw. Past winners in attendance were: Doug Vaughn with his dog Bush Princess in 1990, Sean Kelly in 1994 with Hemaruka and John Mandell took home the title 3 years in a row with Lone Mountain Magic in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

We were fortunate to have two highly respected and knowledgeable gentlemen take on the task of judges for this event, Sig Guggenmoos of Sherwood Park, Alberta and Jim Deyell of Cochran, Alberta. Both men have spent many long hours in the saddle as both handlers and judges. Each would give all 20 contenders their undivided attention.

Behind every successful trial there is a crew there to make sure every thing is in order. Our thanks to Prairie Pointer and Setter Club for all their hard work. Last but not least, thanks to our Region 14 President and Secretary team of Lou Qualtiere and Jeannette Heise. This pair spent many hours making sure everything was in order and on behalf of everyone in attendance I wish to give thanks for a job well done.

The Running

  On Wednesday, Aug. 18 the first brace was brought to the line. The skies were clear and there was a cool temp of 9ºC (48ºF) with a slight wind out of the NE. There was a good sized gallery consisting of handlers with dogs set to run later in the stakes all wanting to see how high the bar would be set as well as where the courses would go. Region 14 President, Lou Qualtiere, gave out some instructions as well as introductions of marshal D. Vaughn and judges Jim Deyell and Sig Guggenmoos. The day was set to start.

The 1st pair were cast off at 8:30 A.M. Unleaded Gasoline (Bender) took little time to reach the first gate in the east/west fence and headed into the pasture past the dugout with Ginger (Brinster) close behind. Both handlers road out to collect their dogs, as the course turns into heavy cover to the east. With Sara on course wide to the right, Ginger elected to hunt the cover a little longer eventually getting back on course in time to make the second sharp turn at the gate on the north west fence. Sara never made the turn and Ron called for his tracker. At :28 a covey of Huns were seen in the air and Judge Deyell informed Joe that Ginger was involved.

 At the fence line north of camp with the wind picking up slightly out of the northeast, Windsong's Torbin (Brinster) and Kootenay River Millie (Eunson), broke away with a quick drive to the bluffs on the right. At :04 the gallery held up before crossing the road as both dogs were being brought back on course. Millie, back on course, grabbed the opportunity to score first. Point was called at :11 with chicken getting up as judges road up. Millie stood tall for the shot. Both dogs hunted the heavy cover to the right with only Windsong's Torbin coming through and crossing into the pasture. Millie eventually came back on course at :55 with one unproductive slowing her down in open pasture at :40. Both dogs finished strong.

  Lady in Red (Hjerpe) ran in the 3rd brace and was paired up with High Powered Gasoline (Bender). They broke away across the road north of the Scoville Ranch. Both dogs started strong as they make the swing at :05 High Powered Gasoline handled a bit wider to the right took in the north fence line and Lady In Red on the left headed to the front to take in the cover just before the rail grade. As the gallery made their way across the rail grade both dogs were seen hunting the cover to the left. With the course swinging hard to the left to head back to the rail grade only High Powered Gasoline was seen coming out and taking the open country by the alkali flats. At :18 a scout was employed to check the spot were Lady in Red was last seen with point being called at :22 making Charlie and Judge Guggenmoos ride back where we over rode her standing in the bluffs. Charlie attempted to produce birds but came up empty. Lady in Red was relocated to again stand up tall a few yards away where the second attempt brought up a single Chicken. As we crossed the road, point was called at :28. High Powered Gasoline was standing in side a group of fenced trees but no birds were produced. With both dogs back to the front the course entered the feedlot. High Powered Gasoline, coming in for water and up wind of a pair of Huns, stopped with good manners as they took flight. At :50 the course opened up as we made our way past the gas line gates. Both dogs showed to the front and finished strong.

  With our short 1st brace the dogs set to run at the start of the afternoon got their chance early. The sun was getting stronger and the wind picked up. Naissa's Dog (D. Preston) and Lone Mountain Magique (Mandell) broke away at the Quadruple Gates. Each dog ran a slightly different race with Naissa's Dog taking advantage of the more open country to the right and Lone Mountain Magique taking a snappy form as she hunted the bluffs to the left. At :22 Naissa's Dog returned to the front after showing sporadically, just in time to for Mandell to call point at :23 with only the tip of Magique's tail showing in the tall grass. As Naissa's Dog approached, Magique relocated herself and both dogs moved on. Preston not happy with what he saw collared at :25. Point was again called at :54 with a snipe produced at the flush.

  At 2:15 Dixy's Northbound (Rogers) and Waygoing Maggie (Stevens) were set to go with the temp at 18C (64ºF) with a mix of sun and cloud and a light breeze out of the northwest. Both dogs ran hard to the front with Maggie to the left in the open and Dixy to the right along the fence line. As the course turned left both dogs hunted the heavy cover before the next turn. Dixy was seen going back and had to be collected. Maggie, not seen coming out, forced Mike and a scout to stay back to try to locate her. At :18 Point was called for Dixy at the set of bluffs at the end of the north/south fence. No birds were produced. As the course crossed the road north of camp Maggie showed back to the front only to have a new handler. The Judges asked Jim Eunson to handle as there was no sign of Mike. Both dogs did a good job and hunted the cover but finished with no birds.

  The 6th brace saw Ten Oak's Will (Qualtiere) and Waygoing Speck (Stevens) start at the Quadruple gates. Both dogs were using the country and hunted well to the front. Point was called at :06 off to the left for Will with the flush coming up empty. After crossing the road north of the Scoville Ranch, Maggie began to make game at :18 with a brief pause at one bluff. Will, coming in from behind, took the opportunity to honor with great style. Both dogs would move on and make the turn to the rail grade. At :35 Maggie styled up as Will again quickly stopped to honored his brace mate's stand. A lone chicken was produced with both dogs showing excellent manners. The pair ran well through the feedlot but shortened in the last 10.

  The 7th brace and final of the afternoon began at the Quadruple gates with Floral's Nancy (Qualtiere) and Shadow Cruiser Streaker (Vaughn) set to take us back to camp. Right from the start each dog picked a side to hunt with Nancy to the right and Streaker to the left. The pace picked up as each hit the cover properly and quickly. The anticipation of bird contact had every one on the edge of their saddles. At :13 point was called for Nancy at a small bluff in the open off to the right but no birds were produced. As the course went though the final gate on our way back to camp and the cover began to tighten Streaker shortened up and continued to work hard but no birds would be found. Nancy started to stretch out got a little bigger and stayed wide to the right. At :55 Qualtiere asked for the tracker.

  The day ended on a sad note. With every one unsaddled and doing the chores, Lou rode into camp with Nancy on his saddle. She was found expired on course. It is not sure as to what had happened to her but she was a veteran at 9-years old and had been very competitive in many championships and club stakes. Running hard like the athlete that she was and hunting the ground with intensity she was doing the thing that she loved to do for many seasons.

  The clouds cleared off and the sun was out for the start of the day two. A light breeze was out of the northwest and the temperature was 12ºC (54ºF). The day started with the 8th brace featuring Kinwashkly Mac Magoo (Brunen) and Sand Creek Rita (Hjerpe). Rita looked well rested as she sped off from the breakaway taking an all age cast to the heavy cover far to the left. Mac handled well to the front making the turn into the pasture. Point was called at :03 as Charlie thought he could see Rita standing in the distance but was called off as he got closer not to find a dog. He called for his tracker at :20. Mac maneuvered through the tight turns and point was called through the fence east of camp at :22. With Vern walking in Mac relocated himself to stand a few yards away but no birds could be produced. At :54 he suffered another unproductive and was collared.

Our 9th brace featured Lone Mountain Opus (Kelly) and Kinwashkly Smokin' Hank (Brunen). Opus took an energetic line that forced Sean to ride hard to collect him as we crossed the road. Hank handled well taking in the cover to the left in the first pasture and made a wide turn crossing over to the second pasture. With both dogs now to the front and working the same area, a flighty pair of birds lifted with both dogs splitting a stop to flush at :16. As the guns fired 3 more Sharptail were seen leaving. Both dogs stood tall. At :19 Kelly called point for Opus. Coming up-wind of the birds Hank stopped to honor his brace mate only to have the chicken get up between the two dogs and have them fly over his head. At :33 the course stretched out through the Quadruple gates and headed on down to a dried up slough bottom. Opus used this opportunity to take in the big country and was counted out at :53. Point was called for Hank in some low bushes at :40 but no birds were produced. At :51 point was again called and a covey of Huns got up as the judges approached. With a second unproductive at :55 Hank's bid was over as he was collared. At the end of the brace Sean stated: "We've come to an understanding, he (Opus) gives me a half hour and I give him a half hour."

The Final Brace of the championship had Hemaruka Phoebe (Kelly) and Canadian Pete (Brinster) line up at the corner across from the Scoville Ranch. Pete ran wide to the left with Phoebe running straight away. Sean ran hard to the front and called point at :02 Phoebe stood in a hollow with her tail moving slightly. As the Judges rode up Sean asked if birds left but none had been seen. Sean proceeded to flush and then moved her on. At :05 birds were seen leaving a bluff to the right with Sean then calling point as Phoebe was seen on the other side standing. Phoebe stood tall for the shot. At :07 Phoebe scored a "championship" style find on a pair of Sharptail as she stood back a good distance from the bluff looking picturesque, tail at 12 o'clock. Pete made the turn wide and chose to hunt the alfalfa field to the right. It was a good decision but when a large covey of Chicken got up the urge to move was too great ending his bid and Phoebe now had the dance floor to herself. After crossing the rail grade point was called at :18. This was in the same area as the lone chicken that was pointed early on in the morning but the flush and relocated came up empty. Phoebe ran the remainder of the hour with a good pace to the front recording another find on Huns at :42 and finishing strong.