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Free-For-All ChampionshipBy
Kent D. Patterson
 Break Away at Tara Hill He drank Jim Beam for his liver, smoked Marlboro’s for his lungs, loved the ladies for his ego and ran all age dogs for fun. It came as natural as walking since he was a 3rd generation dog trainer but he’d been stumbling in his fathers footsteps for 60 years and the occupation had taken its toll. Broken bones, arthritic joints and loss of hearing had slowed him to the point that he had given up training 3 years prior. Dog trainers rarely wear white shirts and really don’t like being indoors… he was obviously uncomfortable as he stared at the checkerboard tile of the hospital floor. The doctor came into the examination room and the news hit like an 8 pound sledge hammer on a stakeout pin. He didn’t hear anything after “Cancer”. His mind was far away racing through all the people, places, and animals woven into the fabric of his life…a footprint of who he was, the only life he’d ever known. Those diamonds buried deep in his mind that weren’t simply images, but events… complete with sound, smell, temperature, and light. He suddenly longed to see and feel those places again. He was struck by the stark difference in field trial venues when no one else is there. Each place welcomed him back like a child returning to the bosom of their mother. He got reacquainted with the fences, parking lots, and sound of the wind. He hadn’t realized how much he missed the wind. On the horizon were the familiar ditches, trees, and fields. He saw the covey haunts where Buck, Skip, and Betty had once stood proud while drinking the intoxicating aroma of a wild covey. With his eyes closed, he could hear the sounds of a field trial… the laughter, horses, dogs, and gentleman bob. He could see a young and fearless scout launch himself and his trusted steed down an embankment so steep the dog in the creek below could not get out. Watched in astonishment as the horse exploded into the water, the young man grabbing the dog by the collar, the horse by the tail, and back up the bank they went. From that day forward, he knew why Man Rand was associated with 12 National Champions. He could see Clyde Morton working feverishly to keep the hard charging Palamonium under control while the light footed Allure flitted through the country like no other dog he’d ever seen. Episode after episode, scene after scene, came flooding back with an intensity and magnitude that made him realize the richness of his life and blessing the game had provided. Places, people, and animals that shape the sport…events that create history and leave footprints that never go away.
The parking lot was full of guests from multiple states: From New Jersey-Joe and Marsha Luisi; Paul Pollack and Lisa Podraza; From Georgia-Alan and Eugenia Powell, Vic Williams, Joyce Roberts, Bo and Renea Ackerman, Joel Paulk, Scott Ackerman; From the Volunteer State of Tennessee; Warren Montgomery, Rob Donahue and Kent Patterson; Pennsylvanian - Hans Borgeman; South Carolina-Ben Lorenson and Kyle Merrell; Virginia-Tom Tracy and Carla Foley; Florida; Dick Krause; From Alabama- Boots Mitchell, James and Betty Doherty; Vermont-Tom Ettinger and Patty Hunt. Ms. Johnson provided her usual spread of authentic southern dishes throughout the week as everyone looked forward to the noon meal. Warren Montgomery did a great job of cooking breakfast every morning in the big house with hot biscuits and homemade preserves brought over by Boots Mitchell. Warren also did a yoemans job on the dog wagon or horse trailer depending on where he was needed.  Course 1 Breakaway James Doherty and Vic Williams did a wonderful job of capturing some of the on-course highlights, many of their photographs are included with this article. Alva helped with shuttling horses to those in need and later in the week returned home for his wife’s Katherine’s birthday. Alva’s son, William Caine came down for a few days along with Dr. Kenny Bramlett and sons eating dinner on Saturday night with the crowd. We missed having Vance, Leah and Nate Schlenker as worked called them back home. Vic Williams and Joyce Roberts hosted a wonderful barbeque dinner on Wednesday night in honor of the 2005 Free-For-All Champion, Chancey Jackpot Lotto. Tom Ettinger and Patty Hunt followed with a Cajun Feast on Friday night catered by Faunsdale Bar and Grill in honor of the 2005 Amateur Free-For-All Champion, Just Call Me Roy. You know field trialers, free food is always a drawing card and both parties were a tremendous success. Paul Pollack, Lisa Podraza, and Renea Ackerman coordinated both a hamburger dinner and spaghetti meal on the other nights. The crowd never went hungry.
 Champion One-And-Only at his first find at the Sawtooth Oaks  Cooper's first find in the Championship Series Cooper’s Ozark Traveler, a beautifully marked roan male, was named runner-up for owners James and Betty Doherty of Mobile, AL. James handled his charge to an hour filled intelligent application intertwined with 4 rock solid and stylish pieces of birdwork to make the winners circle. Details of Cooper’s performances are detailed below.  Breaking away at the Well Pasture
Sunrise brought a chamber of commerce morning, clear blue skies laced with jet contrails overhead and a chilly 38 degree mark. A front dropped some rain the night prior overnight while delivering snow as far south as Atlanta. Brace 1: One N Only (Lorenson) Dakota Alley Cat (Tracy) Butch and Tiger were towing their scouts to the start line as the gallery assembled along Safford Road. Neither wasted any time leaving the mark and impressed early showing on the far tree line as everyone settled into their seats. Butch extended the cast to its end and turned the corner toward Coach’s Place as Tiger was seen traversing the patch of woods. As the gallery came out of the wood’s cut, Tiger was seen briefly up front while Ben looked for Butch. Butch returned at 10 and was seen going away along a food plot to the south. A covey lifted from the far end with no credit nor blame placed on the dog. Both dogs were wide to the Lost Pasture where extreme westerly casts took them deep into the country as the gallery traversed the big broom sage field. Butch showed up front and was seen going over the hill to the lake with no sign of Tiger. Butch rimmed the property line behind the lake and “ripped it” down the Sedgefield fence line. At 40, he was standing stylishly on the shoulder of Safford road near the lake entrance. Ben stepped into classic quail cover on a sunny hillside as a wild covey exploded back over the dog to the south. Tiger had not returned from the cast at 18 and was counted out. Butch finished strongly down a line below the Hamilton Place. Brace 2: Hi Proof Whizki (Lorenson) Chancey Jackpot Lotto (Tracy) The Hamilton place breakaway provides a wonderful vista to watch powerful all age dogs explode out of the box. Whizki and Chance didn’t disappoint as they went deep into the corner of the meadow with only the rooster tails of water barely visible as they made the turn back toward the course. Chance came through the finger of woods and sailed over the hill as Kyle rode toward the southern edge of the property looking for Whizki. Chance’s cast extended to the well pasture with Tommy looking to pull him out as the course turns west. Whizki was recovered in the same area from his initial cast as the entourage rode the Hamilton Loop. He continued with a fast and forward effort to Hamilton Road being out of pocket as we crossed over Tara Hill. At the bottom of the hill, a big 8 point buck entertained the spectators with an effortless and bounding escape toward the Limestone Gully. Chance had not been recovered from the Well pasture cast and was counted out for time. Whizki was seen at time on a cast below the Saw Tooth Oaks with no bird contact to his credit. Brace 3: Marjo's Red Rum Luisi) Early Times (Tracy) The well pasture is a big space to fill but Johnny and Earl had no problems as they hit the far tree line and took it for a ¼ mile ride to the bottom of the pasture. Johnny extended his move into the far end and was a handful to get turned as the course turns to the south. Both jumped into cover to the east with Earl not being seen again until Camp No Sleep. At 15, Earl was standing with tremendous style on a sun soaked and picturesque hill near the Hamilton Knob. Tommy flushed a small covey hiding in a cedar thicket with all manners in order. Johnny had not been recovered from a large expanse of property below Camp No Sleep as the gallery rode toward the Sedgefield alley. Earl continued his eye catching casts as we cleared the Hamilton Knob and rode through the alley. He was out of pocket as we cross Hamilton Road but recovered and sent down a line of cover along Safford Road where he was standing at 38, Tommy indicating a running covey that crossed the road. The judges never saw birds with this piece of work. Upon release, Earl shot to an island on the south side of the course and was standing at 43, excellent style and composure throughout as birds were put to flight. Johnny was never recovered from his Camp No Sleep cast. Brace 4: Linvel's Ace Of Diamonds (Tracy) Keystone’s White Label (Lorenson) Ms Johnson’s southern friend chicken, rice, gravy, collard greens and banana pudding kept most folks in the lunch chairs until after 1 pm as everyone lazily congregated at the breakaway of course 1. The sun was warming to the shoulders with a gallery excited to resume the action. Ace and Hank did the honors as they shot away from the pasture fence heading to the far tree line. Hank turned west with this white outline and pleasing gait putting a smile on everyone’s face. Ace was challenging early but got lined out as we made the turn toward the Coach’s Place. Hank hadn’t been seen from the initial cast at 15, as Ace was standing near the Tower of Power. The stand and subsequent relocation did not produce game. Hank was counted out at 25 as Ace’s application became more lateral over the remainder of the brace with no birdwork to his credit. Brace 5: The Rock II (Tracy) Keystone’s Double Shot (Lorenson) Both dogs were “rubbin ribs” as they shot to the bottom of the Hamilton pasture and motored down the tree line. Shooter made an intelligent move over to the finger of cover that leads up the hill as Rock traversed the space further south. Rock’s cast took him to parts unknown as Shooter rimmed the edges along the Hamilton loop leading to a stylish and well executed find at 20. Ben put a small covey to wing on a finger of trees that juts out into the Hamilton Loop. Rock regained the front as the gallery headed toward Hamilton Road and the party was back together as everyone disappeared down Tara Hill. Shooter began to fill up the country as we came off the hill and was seen at 5-6 minute intervals over the remainder of the hour, always to the front but on the perimeter of the property. Rock had slowed a bit as the brace ended at Safford Road. Brace 6: Pistol Pete (Lorenson) Shakedown (Tracy) Pete and Rufus are youngsters in the Free-For-All for the first time but they didn’t seem nearly as worried as owners Kent Patterson and Bo Ackerman riding in the gallery. Both shot to the southern tree line and flew down the course with the early exuberance of most 2 yr olds. Pete hit the crossing and was on course as Rufus extended his cast to the bottom of the well pasture with scout and handler working to get him turned. Pete ran the front-end through Camp No Sleep with Rufus making the wide turn that put him farther south as the gallery rode over Hamilton Knob. Pete made a deep cast to the north with the scout calling point at 27. He was standing with style and intensity as Ben put a big group of birds to flight. Both dogs were well forward through the Sedgefield alley and last seen going out the far end as the course turns toward Hamilton Road. Pete was found standing at 38 under a big oak along Hamilton Road with birds well located. They sailed low and fast toward the lake as he maintained excellent style and composure. Rufus was out of pocket as the course parallels Safford Road with Pete making a probing cast to the south with a swing to the front. At time, Rufus was along the well pasture fence. The judges were waiting to see Pete when the faint cry of point was heard near the Hamilton loop. The group cantered across two fields to find him standing over a small group of birds buried in thick cover. He maintained his composure to end the brace. Brace 7: Ortho Acres Booker-T (Tracy) Clyde’s Microbreeze (Pollock) The gallery was greeted by 35 degree weather and a hard frost that made for a beautiful landscape over which to test bird dogs. Booker and Mike seemed equally enthralled as they reached for the far end of the breakaway field working the tree line cover to the north. Both went toward course 3 but returned on their own as we made the turn at Coach’s Corner. Over the next 15 minutes, Booker was seen on an extended and forward cast below the SawTooth Oaks while Mike was out of pocket in cover to the north. At 30, Booker was standing intensely near the new lake; Tommy flushed a small covey from cover below a big oak tree. Mike was seen briefly as we continued to the lake. Booker’s race and timing was starting to have that feel as he continued to show up front along the long edges that run back toward Safford Road. Point was called for Mike as he was buried in the golden broom sedge hillside behind the lake. An extended flush and relocation was barren. Booker smoked the Sedgefield fence and Tommy gathered him up near the Hamilton gate and heeled him thru the opening. The high shrill of the whistle sent him sailing down the bottom line of cover and at time was seen far to the front going over Hamilton Knob. Mike finished in cover to the west. Brace 8: Sunrise Dot Com (Tracy) Royal Reverend (Lorenson) Bill and Luke were glued to the eastern line of cover as the party left the Hamilton Place breakaway. Bill was the first to show along the lines that shape the Hamilton loop, running with an eye appealing gait that made quick work of the fenced border to the east. He turned back toward Safford Road and made a cast that would keep him out of pocket for some 15 minutes. Luke’s initial cast had taken him deep toward the well pasture with Ben working to get him out and back on course. He finally turned and Ben cantered him to the front as the trial party neared Hamilton Road. We had both dogs and handlers as we traveled down Tara Hill, Luke worked the extended tree line on the right as Bill hit the island and crossed to the western border. Bill continued to carry his speed as Luke maintained his smooth, edge running effort. Both traversed the big broom sedge field with quickness and made the wide sweep toward the Suttle 40. The brace ended with no bird work for either dog. Brace 9: Just Call Me Roy (Lorenson) Cooper’s Ozark Traveler (Doherty) Roy and Cooper were yipping with excitement as we left the well pasture crossing. Both dogs spent some time in the middle of the big space sorting out exactly where they wanted to go and finally settled on the left edge. That particular edge makes for a beautiful move that will bring a dog to the gap where the gallery is headed and both dogs did it perfectly with good timing. They ran the edges of cover leading to Camp No Sleep in intelligent fashion with Roy making a wide swing behind the historic camp. Cooper was the first over the Hamilton Knob and shot straight-away to the Sedgefield alley as Roy had to be pulled out of cover far to the south. We had both dogs and handlers for the trip through the alley as the course heads toward Hamilton Road. As we parallel Safford Road, Ben was looking for Roy over near the lake with Cooper last seen crossing Safford Road. At 37, Cooper was found standing by the scout along a cedar lined fence row. He stood intensely with style as James flushed running birds. He was brought back across Safford Road and released where he shot down the hill and disappeared near an island at the base of the hill and found standing in the island at 41 with birds located. They flushed wildly as James stepped into the cover, Cooper again maintaining excellent style. He shot to the western Egyptian wheat cover with another single pinned at time. Roy was never recovered from his Tara Hill lake cast.
 Keystone’s Double Shot Tequila Joker X Shady’s Chik-N-Little; B. Lorenson(H); K.Cherry(O) Five others were named for the championship series: One N Only Lobo’s Boss Man X Maxwell’s Lucky Strike B. Lorenson(H)/K. Patterson (O) Early Times Ortho Acres Booker T X Windy Hill’s Sho-N-Tel T. Tracy(h)/ B Ackerman (O) Pistol Pete Maxwell’s Farm Boy X Cheyenne VI B. Lorenson(H)/K. Patterson(O) Cooper’s Ozark Traveler Blaze Dakota Trucker X Mokan Razzle Dazzle J Doherty O/H Ortho Acres Booker T Chubasco X Shady’s Li’l Clipper T. Tracy(H)/D.Webb(O) 
Brace 1: One N Only (Lorenson) Early Times(Tracy) Championship morning brought clear blue skies with temperatures in the high 30’s. There was some question as to whether Butch would make the morning call having been rushed to the vet the night prior for minor surgery on an abscess in his front foot. After the first 50 yards, the adrenaline kicked in and he showed no sign of being limited over the remainder of the hour. Both dogs sailed away from Safford Road and were seen skimming the northern tree line as the gallery of horses worked off the morning sweet feed. Upon exiting the woods cut, Butch was streaking at top speed along a broom sedge line leading toward Coach’s Corner with Earl returning from the east. The rolling hills provided only a glimpse of the dogs over the next 10 minutes until Butch was found standing up front and on course near the SawTooth Oaks. Ben stepped into classic quail habitat and the ground erupted with a wild 20 bird covey that left Dodge in a hurry, Butch maintaining his style throughout. Both dogs made big moves through the lost pasture and across the big broom sedge field where Butch was found standing at 25 with Earl backing with style. Both dogs posed in a classic hunting scenario as a small but skittish covey was put to wing toward the limestone gully. Both had their sneakers on as they shot toward Tara Hill Lake with the gallery enjoyed the warming morning sun. Butch swung wide to the east as Earl made the dangerous Bermuda Triangle loop, notorious for swallowing dogs that seem to vanish in thin air. The call of point was heard near the lake with Butch standing stylishly on the backside of a thicket of cover. Ben moved a running group of birds, filling the morning silence with the retort from a 32 caliber. Earl made the Bermuda loop safely as Butch streaked down the Sedgefield fence line toward the Hamilton Gate. At 45, Earl was standing in a picturesque manner below Hamilton Road, maintaining his pose throughout wing and shot. Butch was seen sailing along the Hamilton fence as the gallery rode along the westerly tree line. He was found standing in what appeared to be “mid-stride” as we turned the corner. As Ben leaned over to go through the rail fence, the covey erupted from sparse Johnson grass cover. Earl had gotten in the Sedgefield alley and gone deep toward the southern border of the property as Butch was released into the big space of the Hamilton pasture, he darted to the far island and was seen sailing over the Hamilton Knob. Earl was not recovered from the previous cast as Butch finished the hour far to the front near Safford Road. Brace 2: Keystone’s Double Shot (Lorenson) Ortho Acres Booker T (Tracy) Everyone buckled their seatbelts in anticipation of a fast and furious hour from two veterans that know their away around this country and fearless in their application. The wind had picked up a bit and those in camp that keep bankers hours had made it to Tara Hill to swell the gallery even further. The sun continued to warm temps into the 40’s as the view from Tara Hill puts a permanent grin on anyone that loves being in bird dog country. Even after 6 years, it still has a ton of “Wow” factor. Booker chose the right as Shooter went left with everyone else folding in behind the judges. Booker completed the cast, crossed at the bottom and was seen headed west. His extended quest was rewarded with a find near the limestone gully, all manners in order. Shooter stayed on the bottom edge of the big broom sedge field and crossed at the midway point as we make the loop behind the pine stand. Both dogs were a handful over the sweeping turn back towards the Suttle 40. Booker had to be pulled from deep on course 1 as Shooter was in cover to the west. As we rode diagonally across the well pasture, Shooter skimmed the tree line to the south with Booker having gone deep into cover back toward camp. Some time was spent getting him out as he regained the front near Camp No Sleep. Shooter was rimming the cover leading to the Camp No Sleep gate when he swapped ends on a small covey hiding in a broom sedge fence line. His style and composure was excellent throughout. The remainder of the hour for both dogs was a more flowing application than the first half with the brace ending near Hamilton Road. Brace 3: Pistol Pete (Lorenson) Cooper’s Ozark Traveler (Doherty) The Suttle 40 is a small, rectangular space with the course headed diagonally across to a big oak. It often holds wild coveys along its edges so dogs just released and getting up to speed can be faced with maintaining their composure on a full tank of gas. Pete and Cooper escaped the early challenge as Pete skimmed the right half of course, Cooper handling the left and then crossing. At the big oak, Pete took a grand tour of the property to the north, a big space that takes some time to navigate. Cooper shot to a finger of cover near the bottleneck and ran an intelligent race to the corner where he ducked into broom sedge habitat. At 14, he was found standing with excellent style with birds well located. A hard flying group of birds left as James pulled the trigger. Brought out to the bottleneck and released, James hadn’t really gotten back in the saddle before Cooper was again standing a small group of birds that were caught sunning. His style and composure was excellent. We had both dogs riding along the side hill below the lake. Cooper made a cast down the hill to a small island of cover where he stopped, then moved up. It was a flush and relocation event that eventually produced a single bird. Pete continued to run the perimeter of the property as Cooper intelligently worked the series of interior objectives back toward the stand of pines. His timing and forward moves were starting to have that championship feel. The parties got separated as Pete was out of pocket deep on course 1. Cooper worked the long muddy tree line back toward Safford road carrying excellent speed. He crossed the creek and worked the western edge and was found standing near Safford Road. This covey is notorious for vanishing as the gallery pounds its way up the long muddy stretch but Cooper had them pinned with style. He crossed into the well pasture upon release and finished with the same strength and speed he exhibited at the start of the brace. Pete was recovered from course 1 but did not have any bird contact to his credit.
 Alberta, Al., February 7-9, 2006 Judges: Alan and Eugenia Powell Deep South Brittany Free-For-All Championship [45 min qualifying heat] [1 hr championship heat] 18 Brittanys  Champion One N Only Brittany Male, by Lobo’s Boss Man X Maxwell’s Lucky Strike; Kent D. Patterson, owner, h Ben Lorenson  Runner-Up Cooper’s Ozark Traveler Brittany Male, by Blaze Dakota Trucker X Mokan Razzle Dazzle; James and Betty Doherty, owners; H James Doherty |
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