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2000 R.D. Henson Derby Classic

By Kent D. Patterson

The R.D. Hinson Derby Classic is so named to honor Robert Hinson's support and leadership to the Central Gulf Coast Brittany Club. He was instrumental in establishing the club, assisting with organizing the field trials at Blackwater, and wearing all the hats needed to get the job done. Bob is a man who enjoys watching the exuberance of class juvenile dogs and the manner of their application.

His love of these youngsters is the basis for the R.D. Hinson Classic. A 45-minute stake that allows a young dog to show both dimension and hunting ability. The Blackwater grounds would be a significant test to this group of underclassmen as most of them are familiar with well defined edges and objectives. For those of you familiar with this piney woods venue, there are no well defined edges or objectives. Only those that mother nature provides in the form of a draw, thicker cover, or the occasional food plot. In summary, a dog needs to have a strong desire to find birds and the frame to deal with 45 minutes of pushing the cover.

This years event drew 22 entries from professional trainers, Dave King, John/Sharon Kline, Ben Lorenson, Tom Tracy Jr., Dave Walker along with amateur handlers Bo Ackerman and Steve Sager.

The judges were Carlton Belcase from Mobile, Al and Jim Cole of Pensacola, FL. These gentlemen are familiar with these grounds having trialed dogs of their own over these piney wood grounds. This reporter is grateful for their assistance in noting landmarks and providing some of the rich and storied history associated with the Blackwater Trial Grounds.

Judges: Carlton Belcase from Mobile, Al and Jim Cole of Pensacola, FL.

THE RUNNING
DAY 1

We had a broken overcast sky and temperature in the mid-30's on this first morning. A good gallery of folks was on hand as owners, organizers, and handlers. The gallery included Vance and Leah Schlenker, Marilynne and Clem Little, Dr. Tim Stewart, Dick Krause, Mike Dowd, Dave and Fay Walker, John and Sharon Kline, Bo Ackerman, Steve Sager, Tommy Oakley, James Doherty, Dave King, and Ed Palmer.

Dr. Tim Stewart introduced the judges prior to explaining the format and standards for the classic.

Brace 1:
Hank Rebel's Yell (Rebel)--Lorenson
Alley-Oop (Alley)-Ackerman

Rebel is a heavily marked liver and white dog with Alley being a nice size orange and white female. Both dogs were away in good fashion and not seen much until the 4 minute mark where Alley took the left edge of a corn field and Rebel was seen on the right. Both dogs were in hand as we crossed Cooley Road. Both dogs were watered and taken on at 25. Rebel was seen far to the right making a nice move at 33 with handlers crossing Three Notch Road together at 35. The heat and cover was beginning to take its toll on both dogs and the brace ended at 45 with no birds moved.

Brace 2:
Wyngold's Katahdin (Baxter)--Kline
Ortho Acres Phantom of TJ (TJ)-Tracy

The clouds began to break up and the sun began to bring the temperature up as we prepared to breakaway on brace 2. Both dogs are nicely marked orange and white males. Baxter and TJ went away like "bottle rockets" with Baxter taking the right and TJ taking the left. TJ was standing at 9 but no birds could be produced. Both dogs were watered at 12 and were in hand at 20 as we crossed Hardy Road where the terrain becomes hilly. Tom called point at 24 on what he believed was his dog but turned out to be John's. As the judges arrived on the hill overlooking the draw, John was on the ground having already fired and the dog moving. TJ made a nice big move at 35 along a line of standing timber as we crossed back across Hardy Road with Baxter on course to the right. At 42, TJ had a nice find with derby manners with John calling point for Baxter at 44. As the gallery was riding to see the action a large wild covey got up from a lespedeza patch on the right. John waved off the point as Baxter moved on and the brace was over.

Brace 3
Tara (Walker)
Dark Smokes Stone Cold (Stoney)-Lorenson

The dog wagon brought donuts, coffee, and soft drinks to the gallery and we all took a refreshing break prior to brace 3. Clouds were moving back in and everyone was hopeful for better scenting conditions. Both dogs were away in heavy cover that kept them close until the 2-minute marked when the cover thinned and both expanded their range. This area was a large expanse of rolling hills that is a picture post card of southern piney woods canopy with broom sage, gallberry, and lespedeza as a carpet of cover for quail. Both dogs were watered at the "Beaver Dam" at 20 and completed the brace at moderate range having no bird contact.

Brace 4:
Shady's Be SumBuddy (Buddy)--Walker
Piney Run Dot (Dot)--Lorenson

Buddy, a big liver and white, and Dot, a mostly white female, were away at the "Seed Orchard". This area is used to grow genetically improved long-leaf pines whose pine cones are shaken from the trees and used for seed cultivation. It provides an excellent breakaway for running dogs as the cover is minimal and both dogs took advantage of the space. As we crossed Hardy Road and through a planted dove field, the dogs enter an area known to trialers as "bird alley". This area was prominent back in 70's as holding as many as 10 coveys in a 100-150 yard stretch. Unfortunately, we could only remember those days as the gallery, handlers and dogs went through the famed chute with no birds being raised. Buddy was a handful as we moved onto the "Red Course" with Dot hunting at moderate range. Both dogs were back in hand at 33 and finished nicely with no bird work for their efforts.

Brace 5:
J and J's Copper Doll (Copper)--Sager
Ortho Acres Goldberg (Goldberg)-Tracy

After a great lunch in the Coldwater Recreation Clubhouse, everyone gathered for the afternoon braces. The cloudy skies were beginning to threaten light rain and over the course of the afternoon a slight drizzle fell that helped the dogs with scenting conditions and the humans with less dust inhalation.

Copper and Goldberg moved out nicely with Goldberg being the wider. Goldberg made a nice move at the cornfield and again at 10 from a strong cast to the right. Both dogs were watered at "Capps Crossing" at 22. From this point forward, both dogs shortened considerably and both handlers elected to pick them up at 32.

Brace 6:
Pawsat's Austin City Limits (Jake)--Tracy
Linvel's Blazin Hot Cup'A Joe (Joe)-Kline

We broke away at Three Notch Road with both dogs making nice moves to the front. Both dogs were seen sparingly for the first 10 minutes and the judges and gallery waited for both handlers to gather their dogs at that point. Tom watered his dog at 18 and had difficulty getting Jake to the front. After several unsuccessful attempts, he decided to pick up at 24. Joe is a nicely marked liver and white that made some showy casts at the midpoint of the brace and was ahead in a big open area near the end of the brace when he spun into a nice point. As John started his flushing attempt, Joe moved up and searched the area but couldn't locate any game.

Brace 7:
Wings Aflame (Wings)--Sager
Ed's McKissac of Possum Trot (Mac)-King

Both dogs were away alongside Hardy Road with nice range and energy with Wings being the wider of the two. Mac was doing a nice job of hunting some birdy spots and was standing in a patch of lespedeza with nice style at 8. Dave flushed for several minutes and relocated the dog but no birds were produced. At 15, Wings had been out of pocket for some time and Steve went back to attempt to locate the dog. Mac was standing again at 19 in a "fire break", an extended flushing attempt and the relocation came up barren. Wings was declared out of judgment for time at 27 and at 35 Mac had been out of pocket for some 10 minutes. He was found at 37 some distance away by the dog wagon. The brace ended early and we waited on a Service Road for the last two dogs of the day.

Brace 8:
Pawsat's Maxfli (Max)-Kline
Shady's Milagrow (Chance)-Tracy

Max and Chance were away in the last brace of the day with Chance "yipping" with excitement in the early going. Both dogs were animated and fast as we moved under the canopy of pine trees. Chance was seen on the far end of the dove field to the right of the course with Max to the front on the left side. Max was found standing at 16 along side a strip of cover with nice style and location. Birds were produced with derby manners in order as he was taken on. The handlers had gotten separated and as Tom brought Chance through the same area, he had a find on a single with everything in order. Chance was a handful over then next 10 minutes with Tom electing to pick up. Max was found standing with intensity at 25 and a nice covey put to flight. Max was beginning to extend his range and showing some real "bottom" as he attacked the cover. At 30, he was standing but no birds were produced. Taken on, he finished down a line to the left in the "Seed Orchard".

DAY 2

Wednesday morning found handlers and dogs on the line as slivers of sunlight illuminated the piney woods cover. It was 38 degrees with dew glistening like diamonds.

Brace 9:
Chancey's Jackpot Lotto (Chance)--Tracy
Ricoche-T (Ricochet)--Walker

Ricochet streaked to the left on breakaway and did a nice job of coming across the front with Chance taking the right side and heading straight op the course. Chance showed nicely in the dove field with Ricochet coming in from the side at 9 and spinning into a point just in front of the judges and gallery. Dave was ahead and didn't hear the group call point. The birds lifted with Rico in hot pursuit. As he moved out to his handler, he spun again allowing Dave to flush and fire. Through the "Rock Field" we had both dogs out at good range and at "Capps Crossing" Chance started a huge cast to the right that would end his day. He didn't return within time. Rico continued at nice range for the remainder of the brace.

Brace 10:
Keystone's Double Shot (Shooter)-Lorenson
Breezewater's Rebel Jac Son (Spanky)--Tracy

We broke away on the yellow course with Shooter making a big cast on the left and Sparky at medium range on the right. As Shooter returned from the cast at 14, he got birdy in a marshy area to the left and the gallery saw a bird. Ben stepped off his horse and fired, collared the dog and took him on. Sparky continued hunting the right side of the course and both dogs were in hand as we approached Hardy Road. At 22, with Shooter coming back toward his handler on the edge of a dove field, he stopped with nice style. As Ben hit the ground the birds lifted with Shooter and Sparky in pursuit. Across Hardy Road both dogs hunted a big draw on the left side of the course. As the course opened up, Sparky wasn't pleasing Tom and was up at 36. Shooter continued to the front with a nice finish.

Brace 11:
Gray's Last Chance (Chance)-Walker
Bye

Chance is a young dog that was having some trouble figuring out the cover and just as he began to open up two deer ran parallel to the gallery and across the front. Chance was not seen from that time forward and Dave asked for the tracking collar receiver at 16. The dog was located shortly after lunch.

THE WINNERS

The winner was found in Pawsat's Maxfli. His overall application and birdwork was outstanding considering his initial outing in this type terrain. Max is out of Linvel's Blazing Jake and Pawsat's Gracious Gretta and owned by Ralph and Martha Pawsat of Maysville, KY. It is worth noting, Linvel's Blazing Jake has sired the last two classic winners with Triple Creek Blazen Hot Jilly taking last years event for owners Tommy and Kim Oakley. Jake continues the legacy of Beans Blaze.

Runner-up was Ortho Acres' Phantom of TJ. TJ is out of Tequila's Joker and Shady's Chick-N-Little and owned by John Kozlowski of Salem, CT. TJ showed great speed and independence throughout his 45 minutes and only needed a bit cleaner bird work to make the judges decision even tougher.

Munson, Fl., February 8-9, 2000
Judges: Carlton Belcase and Jim Cole
R.D. Hinson Derby Classic
(45 Minute Heats) - 21 entries



Back Row: John Kline, Kent Patterson (Reporter) & Tom Tracy, Jr.
Front Row: Jim Cole (Judge) & R.D. Hinson

Winner
Pawsat's Maxfli
1483753, Brittany male, by Linvel's Blazing Jake X Pawsat's Gracious Gretta. Ralph and Martha Pawsat, owners: John Kline, handler.

Runner-up
Ortho Acres' Phantom of TJ
Brittany Male, by Tequila's Joker X Shady's Chick-N-Little. John Kozlowski, owner. Tom Tracy Jr., handler.



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