US COMPLETE NEWS LETTER

Peninsula Bird Hunters Club

Meredith Jones

The Peninsula Bird Hunters Club Trial is one that the handlers on the Virginia U. S. Complete circuit look for ward to every fall and spring.  From the fantastic grounds at Cohoke Shooting Preserve, the excellent judges that chairman Sonny Mason always secures, beautiful winners plaques from Riverdale Trophies, the gallery wagon and the fried fish luncheon that is served at every trial everyone is sure not to miss this trial.

 Cohoke’s owner, Mr. Floyd Gotwald has allowed both the Peninsula club and the Hanover club to use Cohoke for the last several years for their trials.  Mike Prince manages Cohoke and with the help of Bubba Sparks he sees to it that it is the kind of place that a bird dog and his handler should be.  When you first drive into Cohoke you feel like you should be in the Carolinas or further south with the mature pines planted in rows with rows of excellent bird cover between them.  The field trial course is laid out in a figure eight through these open pines and ends up in an open corn field for a dog to show a strong finish.

This year once again Sonny Mason assembled a panel of experienced judges to evaluate the dogs.  Kurt Regensburg and George Ramkey, who judged the puppy stake, judge many of the puppy stakes on the circuit and the have a keen eye for what a puppy should show.  This spring’s derby stake was judged by Ray Rinker and Phyllis Jones.  Having both successfully campaigned derbies and shooting dogs on the U.S.Complete circuit Ray and Phyllis know what a derby should show as potential for becoming  a shooting dog.  The scheduled Judges for the Shooting Dog stake were Johnny Lewis and Ricky Bryant.  Ricky’s mother passed away on the morning of the trial and when asked to fill in, Jim Jones graciously agreed. Johnny has successfully campaigned dogs on the U.S. Complete circuit for several years having won the dog of the year several times.  Jim has campaigned dogs on the U.S.Compplete circuit the horseback shooting dog circuit and the horseback all age circuit.  The Judges decisions were well received.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ricky and his family.

As usual Sonny had winner’s plaques made by Riverdale Trophies in Hampton Virginia.  These handsome plaques are made of a white simulated marble and were a fitting award.

The U.S. Complete rule book says” A galley wagon should be provided for spectators.”  Several years ago Meredith Jones built benches on his trailer that he hauls his tractor on to serve as a gallery wagon.  Meredith brings his tractor and the wagon to the trial and this becomes the social center of the trial.  Most braces there is a full compliment of

spectators riding to watch and participate in the gallery judging and story telling.

Trial chairman, Sonny Mason was once a waterman and he began putting on a fish fry for lunch.  This has become a tradition at the Peninsula trial.  This year Sonny’s daughter Ronda and her husband Daryl served as the chefs.  This lunch had everyone coming back for seconds.

This spring’s puppy stake drew four entries.  Dennis Vescuso drove all the way down from Rhode Island to run with us.  Dennis’s setter male Jake made Dennis’s trip worth the drive by winning the first place plaque.  Jake had a big race that was always to the front and handled well for his owner.  Gene Ruperti’s Tycoon, a pointer male was named the second place puppy.  Tycoon was stylish on the ground and finished strong.  Cindy another pointer from Gene’s Northern Neck Kennels was third with a good race and a strong finish.

This spring’s derby saw twelve youngsters competing.   Meredith Jones’s new pointer female prospect was the first place dog.  Ricky B as she is called, had three broke finds with a strong race that was always to the front.  Ricky B finished to the front going away in the pine rows.  Jackson, a setter male from Wavely Coleman’s Daily Kennels, and handled by Waverly took the second place honors.  Jackson scored on birds three times with all in order with impressive style.  He had a strong finish on the edge of the corn field.  Bud, a pointer male and a litter mate of Ricky B, which was handled by his owner /handler Johnny Lewis was named the third place derby.  He also had three broke finds and a strong finish 

Seventeen dogs were entered in the shooting dog stake.  Only five dogs managed to finish the course.  Of the twelve dogs that did not finish one was injured, fell victim to her brace mates pressure.  The temptations brought on by multiple finds and breaches of manners proved to be the downfall of the others.  Pinekone Spade a setter male that is owned by Pinekone Kennels and was handled by Ashby Morgan was the first place dog.  Spade had three finds that were described by the judges as faultless that were coupled with two backs and a finish that took the entire edge of the corn field.  Second place dog was Dixie, a pointer female that is owned and was handled by Judy Jones.  Dixie had four evenly spaced finds at 5, 10, 12, and 22. Dixie wheeled and marked flight on her find at 10.  She finished strong for the entire length of the corn field. Third place was Art Mourino’s pointer female, Tess. Tess found birds six times.  Her finish was not as strong as the others.  Art’s setter Summer was making a credible bid, however she faded near the end.

 Thanks to everyone who came and helped and ran their dogs.  We look forward to seeing you in the fall.

CHESDEL POINTER AND SETTER USCSDA SPRING 2008 FIELD TRIAL WILL BE CANCELLED

As of March 1st, 2008 and completely unbeknownst to any of us in the Diamond State, the State of Delaware, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife has instituted a NEW USER FEE for the Norman G. Wilder, Ralph Kellam C&R Center and Bird Dog Field Trial Grounds outside of Petersburg, Delaware which amounts to $950 (PAYABLE UP-FRONT BEFORE BEING ISSUED A PERMIT TO USE THE GROUNDS) per 3 day weekend trial.  It has stricken a heavy blow to organized AKC, FDSB/AFTCA, NSTRA, NAVHDA and UKC field trials in the State of Delaware.

 

That cost alone has thrown my proposed budget for the newly formed CHESDEL POINTER AND SETTER USCSDA SPRING 2008 FIELD TRIAL including;

•     200 birds @ $.3.50 per bird                      $700
•     insurance at                                                $400
•     food & beverages                                      $750
•     advertising                                                  $150
•     ribbons                                                        $50
•     judges gifts                                                 $200
•     judges lodging                                           $500 
•     judges golf cart rental                                $300
•     GROUNDS FEE                                       $950
•  
• TOTAL  BUDGET                                       $4000 +

    

That's $4000 without cost over-runs, incidentals, AFTCA membership dues and USCSDA reporting fees...... I can't fathom a way to recoup cost at that level.  Even if we run a fully subscribed program of stakes including:

 

• 30  1 Hour Am. Shooting Dogs @ $75.00       $2250
• 10  Open Puppies @ $25                                  $250
• 10  Open Derbies @ $35                                  $350
• 10  Open Shooting Dogs @ $45                      $450

 

TOTAL REVENUES                                                    $3300 -

 

I'm looking at final potential trial revenues of $3300 and projecting a net loss for the trial of $700+ ASSUMING A FULL SLATE OF DOGS...

 

Cutting back the trial to a 2 day event with Amateur and Open 1/2 hour stakes leaves me with expenses of roughly $2500 and potential revenues of +/- $2,000 AGAIN a NET LOSING PROPOSITION.  We're probably NOT GOING TO RUN under these conditions and will seek alternate grounds for next fall.  We're teleconferencing with the State this week to seek alternative grounds and/or a mediated remedy.  I fill you in shortly with our final plans.  This thing has thrown our plans awry.

 

        2008 USCSDA OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP    
 

No Champion named. The Trial was reverted back to a Shooting Dog Stake
 Placements: 1st Cinderella owned by Eli Richardson handled by John Stolgitis
 2nd Daniel Creek John owned by Bob Meyer handled by Buck Daniels
 3rd A Tarheel Passion owned and handled by Roger Maguire. 

Full Report to follow soon.

I would like to thank everyone who attended the Nat. Ch. at Tall Cotton.
The people who stepped up and helped were great. everyone chipped in
and took charge in a way that made my role a joy and easy. I will not
mention names for fear I would miss someone. We had participants from
all over. The farthest from Wisconsin.
My thanks to the judges. It was disappointing we had no Ch. There were
many great dogs entered capable of going out and winning this trial,
but we all had our problems. It is amazing to me how someone can watch
part of a day and have the answer. We had great birds, bad
weather, but I think everyone had a great time.
drop Mr. Evans and Tom, Bill a note thanking them for their hospitality
and great food.
thanks to all

Carl Bishop
cloelbr@yahoo. com

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR SPONSORS
       
 FIELD TRIAL MAGAZINE                 
 

With this decision there would not be a 2007 National Invitational Champion named this year. The title would be withheld. The Judges told me that they could not place any dog National Champion that knocked Birds.

NO CHAMPION WAS NAMED  Trial Report  

Moyock Sportsman Field Trial Club
January 26-27 2008   This is a Precise Points Trial    
GROUNDS:  Arcanum Trial Grounds, Ahoskie, NC.  DIRECTIONS:  From the Intersection  RT 11 & 561.  Take W 561 to St John at stop sign turn left stay on W 561 1.5 miles turn right on Lewter Lane go through the gates follow Arcanum Trial Grounds signs.    Lunch on Grounds
Starts 8:00 Am
Drawing JAN 22 8:00 Pm @ the Home of Gary Ansell  757-724-3139
Open Puppy  30 min  50%, 50-30-20                              30.00
Open Derby   30 min  50%, 50-30-20                               40 .00
Open Shooting Dog 30 min  50%,  50-30-20                   50.00
Judges Jeff Scott Chesapeake Va, Tom Pastula Neeses  SC, Jerry Murray Creswell NC
Phone entries to: Gary Ansell 757-724-3139 email: ansell@mchsi.com

Welcome the new Sponsors of the 2007 US Complete Nat Inv Amateur Championship