The National Amateur Chukar Shooting Dog Championship was held April 14 & 15th at the rugged Owyhee Mountains Milepost 9 BLM area Southwest of Marsing, Idaho. This was the final event of a weeklong series of field trial events sponsored by the Boise Valley Pointing Dog Club. The spring weather was wet, windy and wild- to say the least. Some would say that the weather was miserable. However, the wild birds and released chukar seemed to flourish. This is true chukar country. There are always abundant birds at Milepost 9.
Idaho’s Lucky Lady, pointer female, owned by Rich Heaton of Boise, Idaho, won the Championship. This was the second time that Lady has won this prestigious title. After winning the same title in 2004, Lady took time off to raise a fine litter of pups. These pups had great promise from the start as their sire (via frozen semen) was Rush Campbell’s 10X Champion Silver Strike. These pups are now 28 months old; Lady’s daughter, Idaho’s Lucky Sadie, ran in the last brace of this same event, and gave a very good accounting! A male pup, Idaho’s Lucky Strike, won first place in the companion stakes at the National Chukar Championship trial this spring. (He went on to win the Region 9 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship in late April at American Falls, Id.)
Lady had also been out of the game for a while convalescing from two ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) surgeries (Surgery in the area of the canine stifle joint which is similar to the human knee.) Lady has obviously recovered well as she ran a flawless, always forward, searching race. She had four finds and one back. After Lady ran, one of the gallery members remarked, “Well boys, we are all running for second place now”.
The Runner-Up Champion title was won by Ground Force, young setter male owned by Joe and Janel Kirby of La Center, Wa. Joe handled “Kobe” to the win. Kobe also ran well with two finds. Joe and Janel had to leave to drive back home before the judge’s decision was announced. When asked how his dog did- Joe had a smile that lit up the whole truck. Janel just giggled her famous giggle. Kobe previously won the Pacific Northwest Shooting Dog Championship in Sept. 2006 at the Robertson Ranch in Idaho.
The venerable judges were Richard Robertson Sr. of Payette, Id. and Jerry Lewis from Kansas. These two have competed and judged many times over these same lava strewn sagebrush hills. Richard Sr. was one of the people that first discovered and trained on these grounds after his kennel move from California to Idaho. Both judges are excellent horsemen who persevered despite the less than perfect riding and viewing conditions. Their effort and wisdom was greatly appreciated.
The Milepost 9 grounds consist of high sage desert providing rocky prime chukar habitat at the 4500-foot elevation. There are many opportunities for the dogs to slip through and over the high lava rock plateaus, or be lost in the vast sage expanses of the side hills. The lower grassland areas also offer opportunities for Huns and sage grouse. Quail are also to be found along the creek bottoms. The courses are generally in a figure 8 pattern: course 1 starting from near camp and running along the ridge tops and across to a small manmade lake, and course 2 starting at the lake and then turning back over new ground through a large valley and then back to the high ridges toward camp. The ground is scattered with lava drifts and volcanic litter with many large basalt boulders. High stands of sage and bitterbrush can also hide dogs on point. The elevation also makes the challenge more exciting- dogs, horses and riders have to be tough in this country.
The Boise Valley Pointing Dog would like to thank all of the amateurs who participated. A special thank you goes out to the California crew: Hal Meyer, Jerry Erickson, and Tom Griffon. This was Hal’s first time at this venue; we were very sorry that he got a little lost and went initially to Milepost 9 on the Oregon side (the Idaho/Oregon border is very close to the field trial grounds-the grounds are at Milepost 9 on the Idaho side.) The Club would also like to acknowledge the effort of Dr. Marion Brown in driving to and from (mostly non-stop) the Milepost 9 events all of the way from Ohio. His fine dogs always add quality to this event. Joe and Janel Kirby, and Alex Mauck represented the Northwest. Mike Wilkin came from Reno, Nv. and judged earlier in the week. John Mandell from Montana was also an earlier judge who stayed over to run his Lone Mountain Reliant, which was definitely a contender in this championship.
The Idaho participants were Dr. Doug Favor, Jim Ledington, Dr. Bill Murray, Josh Miller, Jack Cafferty, Rich Heaton, Gary Stevens, Rich Robertson, Kelly, June, and Larry McConnell. Besides running and scouting their dogs, all of the Idaho group was needed to pitch in and help put on this event. Gary Stevens from Caldwell, Idaho was an immense help, driving the dog wagon, and also driving the horse trailer helping to ferry people, horses and dogs back and forth on the course. Richie Robertson also provided invaluable assistance supplying horses, ferrying horses and riders, and doing whatever else was needed. Jack Cafferty spent many hours before and after the trial doing the paperwork. Larry McConnell worked many tedious hours planting birds early each morning and then handling all of the logistics of each days running. Kelly McConnell helped a great deal and continues to help by keeping the Boise Valley Pointing Dog Club website (BVPDC.com) updated. Thank you to everyone who stepped up and made this trial successful.
The Club heartily thanks the National Amateur Chukar Shooting Dog Championship sponsors: Bass Pro Shops sponsored the judges and reporter gifts. Purina sponsored the barbeque. The barbeque was wonderful and was catered by Good Wood Barbeque. Bruce Fox plaques were provided to the winners. Tri Tronics donated E collars to the appreciative winners. Thank you so much to these sponsors. Please remember these sponsors when you are buying your dog food, dog products, gifts, and other items. Look them up and do some of your shopping on the internet. We could not have our field trials without these fine sponsors. Thank you to AFTCA for holding this event and allowing us to have an occasion to run our fine dogs. Linda Hunt and her sidekick, Elizabeth Reid, were not able to attend this year and we greatly missed their humor and hearing all of their adventure tales. Jack Cafferty handled Linda’s duties in a very professional manner.
The Running
Rio Renegade (Mike Wilkin) was picked up at 35 after a self-flushing incident on a pair of wild Huns at Dead Horse Rock. D&D Blackrock Stitch (Dr. Doug Favor) had three finds, but was picked up after a second non-productive. Sadly, the handler reported that he saw a pair of wild Huns eventually get up –this was on the second non-productive, but after the GSP was already collared, and the judge had left.
The second brace of the morning started at the corrals. Mike Wilkin was not having a good start to his morning; he picked up Shadows of Justice at 55 after a second non-productive. Up to this point, the pointer had run a very good forward race with two finds.
Setter, Lone Mountain Reliant (John Mandell) had “a bunch of birds” on a combination of chukar and wild Huns. He had a point at 4; a back at 7; a divided find at 16; a non productive at 23; and finds at 56 and 58. His style was very good. A few minutes of reluctance to leave the site of his last find marred an otherwise excellent performance.
Black Rocks Holy Smoke (Doug Favor) ran a big race with no birds. He finished the hour with a non-productive near the end of the brace, very high up in the “nose bleed” heights of the mountain across from camp. Stinson’s Kickapoo (Hal Meyer) had a fair race and was picked up after a second non-productive near the end of the brace.
Idaho’s Lucky Lady (Rich Heaton) had her first find at Chukar Rocks. The chukar climbed high through, and into the crevices of the huge boulders. Judge Jerry Lewis said, “Shoot”. Lady was sent on, and soon had her second find on chukar in the green marshy area just past Chukar Rocks. Her third find was above the pond. She continued running a very consistent, always forward race to Dead Horse Rock where she pointed again. This chukar was difficult to find; and when found- it turned out to be a runner, running behind the dog. All was handled well as the bird was eventually flown. At the large bowl near Coyote Ridge, Lady backed her brace mate, setter Mauck’s Loowitte.
Mauck’s Loowitte (Alex Mauck) had had a find above the pond on Huns. After that, the following action consisted of a non- productive past the pond on the grass hill, and a non- productive (which Lady backed) on Coyote Ridge.
Field Marshall (Mike Wilkin) and Johnny’s Rockin Rikki (Jerry Erickson) each had a non productive and they had no birds.
See Joe Go (Jerry Erickson) had one nonproductive in the high rocks near the pond; there was no further bird work. Daisy ‘A Nickel (Jim Ledington) ran a good race with two finds including a find in the heavy high brush just past Rattlesnake Springs. Bridget Ledington, Daisy’s owner was riding to watch her pointer.
Gotta Lotta Nose (Tom Griffin) ran in the first brace during snowy, low visibility conditions. There were no finds, and the setter was lost to the front near the conclusion of the brace. Despite the weather, Ground Force Kobe (Joe Kirby) did a very nice job with a front running, always in control good race. There were two nice finds at 20 and 45. The judges were impressed with the setter’s style. After a non- productive at 48, the judges termed Kobe’s finishing run as “tremendous!”
Eye Candy (Tom Griffin) and Murray’s Laser (Bill Murray) started on course 2 by the lake. Eye Candy had a non- productive at 5, which was backed by Laser. Eye Candy ranged outward and had a limb find on sage hen out by the cattle guard. She was very beautiful on point. Eye Candy continued up the course and pointed on the hill leading to the Chukar Rocks area. The chukar flew out; the judge did not see it. After consulting with the judge, Tom relocated and the setter pointed another chukar which flushed wild. After this bird action, Eye Candy continued on, getting separated from Tom at times. Laser had been picked up at 25 as she was not pleasing Bill.
Touchstone B (Dr. Marion Brown) made a fast start to the high reaches of course 1 and was last seen heading over the top of the rocky ridge near Dead Horse Rock. On Thin Ice (Kelly McConnell) ran a good race with one find on Coyote Ridge near the conclusion of the brace. The pointer’s form was very statuesque.
Nobody’s Ogre (Tom Griffin) and Miller’s Storm (Josh Miller) had no birds and were both picked up halfway through the brace. It was very windy and neither dog was running well.
Touch Star B (Marion Brown) had a good race, but only a find on a dead bird. JA’s Marcinator (Jack Cafferty) ran well. She had one find above the pond area in heavy sage. Her finish was good.
Idaho’s Lucky Sadie (Rich Heaton) and Paladela’s Shadow (Alex Mauck) started swiftly from the breakaway at course 2. Sadie had a find at the pond, and a second find on wild chukar in the big bowl coming out of the pond area. One non-productive followed this at 48. Sadie ran very well until the last eight minutes of her brace. Shadow also had a find near the pond. Alex picked her up at 40.