The Sunflower Open All Age Championship

The Sunflower Open All Age Championship
Kimbell Ranch, Yates Center, Kansas
October 19, 1998 to conclusion

The 1998 Renewal of the Sunflower Open All Age Championship was a fun event, smooth and easy flowing in a friendly sort of way. But then when you have the best grounds in the country, lots of birds, beautiful weather coupled with friendly professional handlers with good dogs, you have heaven on earth. Everyone pitched in and helped us and each other, so the trial was fun.

It was Mike and Linda Johnson’s first trip to Yates Center, but they smiled a lot and said they would be back. Mike handled both winner and runner-up.

Miller’s White Diamond was turned loose on the number two course. Rod went north up the creek and crossed to go west up the cut between the big hills. This writer, scouting Miller’s North Star for David Grubb, found Rod in the oaks on top of the south hill. This 80 acres on top of the hill holds lots of birds, but none were pointed this trip. Rod came out of the woods and went around the hill, skirting the woods line at good range. Going south from these hills toward the chute that leads to the silver gate, Rod styled up on the edge of a cut bank, looking down. Mike was quick to flush a nice covey of quail from the bottom of the draw. Going south through the silver gate Mike kept Rod on the left side and under control. This is a short grass pasture cut by two deep draws. As we crossed the first draw Rod went west on the topside and was a handful. As the course turned west after a mile swing around the east fence line, Mike took the :halter: off Rod and turned him loose. He didn’t disappoint as he filled the skyline with 1/2 and 3/4 mile swings. At pick-up he was way in the country going away.

Miller’s Excel drew the number one course turned loose from camp. Up over the breakaway hill, Excel went to the east and toured the hills that make up most of this mile square pasture. The course goes through the middle of these rolling, oak-covered hills. Excel was a handful through this part, leaving the oaks, the course goes north for two miles, past several big motts. Both Excel and his bracemate, Worsham’s Silver Streak, filled the prairie with their swings. At the very north end, almost to the road fence, Excel pointed a pair of quail in a downed dead tree. A beautiful find. His finish was that of a tired dog, but good enough.

No trial of this stature could be put on without good help and great grounds. Gordon Shaw and Bob Enke had the dog wagon at all the right spots on time, filled with coffee, donuts, juice, or pop. Their help sure makes things easier. Everyday at noon, they had a spread of deli meats and cheeses for lunch, furnished by the club, ready for hungry trialers.

Jim Maxwell, Mike Harris, and Mike Boydston helped marshal and close gates. Thanks, guys!

Evert Davis, again, did his usual excellent job of marshaling. He was unanimously elected president of the Kansas Championship Association. A well-deserved election. Everyone, putting on a trial, should have an "Evert" to lay out their courses and ride to put everyone into birds! Thanks, Evert.

Bill Black again hauled his cookers (hauling things is a way of life for everything involved with this trial!) to the grounds and fixed steaks to die for. Most people ate two. His mom, Helen Black, and his sister, Robin Sherck, sent salads, hot bread, baked beans, and three kinds of brownies. Most people ate too much.

The Ed Kimbell family is very generous to let us use their ranch for the trial. The ranch is located approximately twenty miles west, north west of Yates Center, Kansas. It is short grass country featuring large rolling hills, mostly crowned with oaks. All the courses have an abundance of these hills covered with oaks and some wide country to cross to get to the next objective. In this country a dog has to have "prairie all age" run coupled with the know-how to hunt the oak woods. The quail were in abundance this year and the prairie chickens are on the up swing. As many as 150 seen on one pasture.

The Kimbell family are also involved in a new venture, the best barbecue around. Smoky Ben’s, normally closed on Mondays, was opened up for the trialers. A superb dinner of brisket and/or ribs with all the side dishes was fed to 32 hungry people. Purina helps with the trial and hats and promotional bags were passed out to all who attended. Also in attendance, was Robin, Jack, and Rachel Sherck. Robin helped provide food for the Wednesday night steak dinner. Thanks.

Judges for the championship were Rosco Staton of Cleveland, Missouri and Randy Anderson of Vinita, Oklahoma. Rosco retired this year, after nearly 30 years of a very successful career as a professional handler. Rosco makes everyone have a good time. There’s never a time when you want to give this man a chance to "get" you, he will. Randy breeds and runs true prairie all age dogs. The last ones that come to mind are Iron Clad, King Pin, Eye to Eye, and Main Addition. Randy judges all across the country and is in great demand, a testament to his judgment and friendliness. Joining Rosco for the derby was Bob McKamey of Shelbyville, Tennessee. Bob always has top contenders. Thanks guys for a job well done! It was nice that everyone could congratulate the winners and shake the judges’ hands and thank them for their time and efforts.

The first brace saw Bear Creek Bess, Andy Daugherty with Chief’s Bullet, Gary Pinalto. Bess picked up a thorn in her foot and was picked up. Bullet had an unproductive in a known haunt and looked certain. He was picked up at 10 on his second unproductive in another known covey location. Great style.

The CHAMPIONSHIP

We deadheaded 1/2 mile to the regular number two starting location to turn loose Euchie Jeanie, Andy Daugherty with Rebel Nick, Gary Pinalto. Andy’s dog got into birds at 15 and 16 and was picked up. Nick was lost going west.

The last brace before lunch saw Mosley’s Petit Jean, Butch Winters with Elhew Explorer, Dave Grubb. Winters’ dog was under chickens at 20 and was up. It’s always a pleasure to have Dave at a trial, he’s such a gentleman while being so very competitive. Explorer ran a big erratic race but couldn’t buy a bird.

The first brace, after a delicious lunch, was Miller’s Excel already described with Worsham’s Silver Streak. Joe Worsham, an amateur of the purest kind, was fresh off his win of the 90-minute Mid America Championship at Welch, Oklahoma. Silver Streak was all "all age" this day but couldn’t come up with any bird work.

Brace 5 was See Johnny Run, Jerry lewis with High Meadow Brush Fire, Butch Winters. Johnny had an unproductive on bedding deer at 15 and again at 25, was fired over on larks at 55 and picked up. Brush Fire had an unproductive at 25 where he really looked positive. Ran really big at times but erratic.

The last brace of the day saw Mr. Macho, Gary Pinalto with Barshoe Quickly, Andy Daugherty. These two broke away from the tank battery hill. This hill gives you a view of about ten miles in any direction. The course went west, north west 1 1/2 miles to several hill tops that make a large bowl where six or seven coveys of quail call home. Macho was picked up for not backing Quickly early on. Quickly had larks early and raccoons in the creek at 20, and quail at 50 where we rode up two other coveys as riders rode in and out of the woods going to her find.

Dale Rennick was down from Nebraska to watch his Sport O Whipperwill handled by Gary Pinalto braced with Barn Owl High, Butch Winters. Sport had a dandy find at 12, looking good. He was running the race and hunting the birds. Sadly, he was lost at 45 going northeast toward the Virgil road. A bad bread for Dale and Gary as he was doing an excellent job. Barn Owl High had point called for him deep in the woods at 10. Singles were ridden up going to him. It was an unproductive that went on and on as Winters foot hunted him all over the hill top trying to point something. His race after that was in and out.

Brace 8 had Miller’s White Diamond, Mike Johnson with Miller’s North Star, Dave Grubb. North Star went into the woods at 10 and was brought out at 20, 3/4 of a mile southwest. Going down the creek through the silver gate he swapped ends and looked positive, but nothing. Again, at 40 he had an unproductive in a known location. He scooted across a mile of prairie to go under a fence and be gone at 50, brought in that night by the oil pumper in his truck.

The last brace of the morning again started at the tank battery hill. Borrowed Money, Gary Pinalto with Lonesome Dove’s chip, Andy Daugherty. Money was slow to start but made the next objective and found a covey through the fence into the west pasture. Both dogs hunted the cut between the hills going back to camp. This cut is 1/4 to 1/2 mile wide, woods on both sides with pockets that hold birds, going back to pump jacks.

The first brace after lunch had Rolling Reward, Butch Winters with Rock Acres Radar, Gary Pinalto. Reward had a hard time getting out of the woods and never caught up. Radar on the other hand had a great find at 15. Leaving the woods Radar cruised for the next 30, looking great. At the Virgil road the course turns south along the big draw. Radar crossed the draw and went over the hill west. First the scout went west over the hill, then Gary went west over the hill. After a short absence Gary returned the dog to the front, but never regained the luster of the first half.

Brace 11 saw Barshoe Esquire, Andy Daugherty with Checotah, Weldon Bennett. Checotah never really got it all together and though he stayed to the front, was a handful. Esquire was slow starting then ran huge although not to the course. Scout found him at 45 through the fence into the next pasture, 1/2 mile to the rear. Both owners, Lee West and Tom Faller, were riding to watch their charge, but today he didn’t knock on the door.

We turned Cashaway, Gary Pinalto with Fine Shine, Butch Winters going back toward camp. By 30 both handlers were unhappy with their charges and up. Neither dog wanted to run and handle this day.

Wednesday started cool and clear; good weather for dogs and field trialing. Judicator’s Addition, Gary Pinalto braced with Restor’s Gold Crown, Andy Daugherty both went to the woods. Both dogs were in and out hunting but not in a big hurry. Neither dogs posed a threat to those the judges were carrying.

Dave Grubb had The Professor with Butch Winters and Las Animas Patches. The Professor is a very classy setter, both running and pointing. He had two unproductives by 20 and was up. Patches (last year’s Runner-up Champion) started with a bang and looked good going south down the fence row. He was sticky at the mile corner in the woods and very erratic thereafter.

Texas Air was scratched from the next brace with a swollen front shoulder, and Texas Maverick the bye dog was moved up, braced with Barshoe Bandit, Andy Daugherty. Both dogs broke away from the tank battery hill and looked good going north. At the woods bowl, both dogs were sticky and hard to get out front. Neither challenged after that.

After lunch, Dave Grubb ran Miller’s Silver Ending to a medium hard-hunting race with 3 dug up finds, all good. He showed a wise old bird dog could dig up birds during the heat of the day. Gary Pinalto had Black Rain on the ground and he showed why he has won so much. He looks good!

The last brace of the Championship had Rebel Warrior, Weldon Bennett with owner, Bob McKamey, riding to root him on. Braced with Snap Jax’s Golden Boy, Mike Harris. Both dogs, though young, looked very good at times. Both are classy bird dogs that look good hunting. The #2 course is a difficult course to run as most dogs want to hunt the woods and cannot be seen as you are constantly going up or down the side of a big hill. The last half allows a dog to stretch out and hunt and still be seen on long casts. But when they break them off to run the open it takes away from the standard already set by the eventual winner on the same course. Both these young dogs showed promise and immaturity. They looked good; just not good enough.

The DERBY

The Derby drew 18 starters, some of whom pointed birds, some of whom ran prairie all age races. When you come to the prairies, you ought to run the race. This is a Prairie Awards points trial.

The second brace of the Derby saw Barshoe Predator, Lee West with Exhibitionist, Randy Anderson. The course went east south east back through the cut. However, both dogs went north by north west on big swings. After regaining the front, both ran medium shooting dog races. However, Predator proved how many birds the cut holds by having three jam up wing and shot finds.

The last course going in gives a derby the best chance to run, hunt, and point birds. That’s just what Headwater did for Gary Pinalto and owner David O’Connor. One good find and a good race, I’ll take any day.

Judge Bob McKamey said the best race of the stake was in the 5th brace when Bud Moore and Patty Black Moore loosed Nakota Mountain. He made three 3/4 to mile casts, came out of the woods on his won, and ran right down the middle of the course. He came out of the woods, off the hill and finished at 12:00 o’clock out front.

The rest of the field was as follows:

The Mountaineer, Bud Moore with Barshoe Trump Card, Andy Daugherty.
Rebel Maverick, Weldon Bennett.
Los Animas Missy, Butch Winter with Web Walker, Gary Pinalto.
Whippoorwill’s Storm Cat, Andy Daugherty.
Texas Gambler, Gary Pinalto with Eye to Eye, Randy Anderson.
Salem’s Rebel Rail, Andy Daugherty with Itron’s Fantasy, Weldon Bennett.
Peace Maker, Andy Daugherty with Main Addition, Randy Anderson.
Dakota Mountain, Bud Moore with King Pin, Andy Daugherty.