2005
The Dixieland Brittany Championship
Kent D. Patterson

Another year of all age dogs competing across the country for the Purina Dog of Year award came down to the last championship…The Dixieland Brittany Championship. Bourbon XVII and Smarteyes Joker were separated by 26 points with the award ceremony in Booneville, Arkansas a mere 10 days away. A placement by one or the other would make the difference. The task wasn’t going to be easy as the cast assembled included National Champions, Deep South Free-For-All Champions and U.S. Open Champions, all with their own ideas. The stake was in the capable hands of Alan Powell of Warner Robins, GA and Bill Suiter of McKenzie, TN. Both men have a long history with bird dogs and have seen more than their fair share of talented canines from both a judicial and ownership perspective. They currently own and campaign English Pointers from the prairies to the deep south. All handlers appreciated their attention to details.

Professional trainers, Al Gorrow, Ben Lorenson, Tom Tracy, and Jim John were in camp with amateur handlers, David Medford, Rob Donahue, Kent Patterson, and Dick Pulliam for the 3 day championship across the natural cover of the Percy Priest WMA in LaVergne, TN. Natural objectives with tree lined soybean and wheat fields provide a picturesque late fall setting for showcasing the brittany.

Significant effort by the Dixieland Brittany Championship Association makes this event possible with Rob Donahue, David Medford and Kent Patterson providing the organizational skills for a smooth event. On Thursday night, those in attendance were treated to a catfish supper by chef Donahue. All in attendance enjoyed the dinner and fellowship .

The 2006 champion was found in a liver and white veteran that has graced many a podium across the country.

With this win, Shambo’s Dark Shadow became a 10X American Field Champion including titles as the American Brittany Club’s 2001 National Open Champion, 2002 Deep South Free-For-All Champion, and 200 U.S. Open Champion. Owned by Bernie Crain of Raymore, MO and ably handled by Jim John of Yates Center, KS., Shadow continues a career that at times has been dominating. Runner-up was found in Harlan County Cowboy owned and handled by David Medford of Cleveland, TN. A big strapping dog, Cowboy has shown the ability to mix-it-up with the best. A very impressive performance in the previous years National Amateur Championship made everyone aware of his capabilities to compete at a top level. A product of Dave and Faye Walker’s breeding program, he is as stylish as you will find around his game.

Day 1

Royal Reverend (Lorenson), Linvel’s Ace of Diamonds (Tracy)
Luke and Ace were away under cool conditions as the gallery filled in behind the judges. Both moved well to Martin Road where Luke was standing on a treeline to the north. An extended flushing attempt and relocation pinned birds with all manners in order. Ace continued to make nice moves to the levee as Luke was out of pocket for a bit at the midpoint. Both dogs were standing at 45 with Tommy producing birds for Ace. We lost Ben during his search for Luke so Kyle took over and produced birds for his dog. Ace was at moderate range at the end of the hour and Luke having not been seen since the last find..

Ramblin Man (Gorrow), Harlan County Cowboy (Medford)
Both dogs shot straight away and ran the front over the first 20 minutes of the course making eye catching moves on tree-lines to Lake Road. Cowboy was missing at the Hog Pen but recovered shortly as we turned toward the levee. Randy was standing proudly at 25 on a long line of cover but was up for a breach of manners. Cowboy was picking up steam as he rimmed “The Knob” and seen far to the front as turned toward the Carp Pond. The judges and gallery were nearing the old home place when the faint cry of “point” came deep from cover south of the service road. Cowboy was stretched out and high on both ends as David produced a small covey from the cover. He sailed over the last 6 minutes and finished near the pipeline cut.

Pistol Pete (Patterson), The Rock II (Tracy)
Pete and Rock showed their wheels as they punched through the first couple of fields in quick fashion. Pete carried his speed and showed nicely across Martin Rd as the course turns south with Rock skimming cover on the left. Both made a sweeping cast from Lake Road to the pumpkin patch and shot to the east reaching for a tree line with enticing cover. At 20, both handlers had their hats in the air with dogs standing 20 ft apart, birds were flushed with both dogs maintaining excellent style. Both dogs continued to impress to the Carp Pond where Pete was found standing with lofty style. Birds were flushed and all manners were in order. The remainder of the hour was a strong effort from both dogs crossing the pipeline cut, both ridden for at time.

Lucky Star’s Roll The Dice (Donahue), Keystone’s Double Shot (Lorenson)
Roly and Shooter were away after a nice lunch both showing their sneakers to 10 where Shooter was standing with style and intensity on birds deep in hedgerow cover. The birds flushed quickly to the west with Shooter maintaining his poise. Both dogs were in and out of pocket as we crossed Lake Road with Roly standing at 22. Shooter came in from the south and failed to back to end his bid. It was a non-productive for Roly after an extended flushing attempt. Upon release, he hit the long line toward the levee and showed his tremendous style on a covey that Rob flushed to the north. The last find put some gas in his tank and he sailed down lines over the next 20 minutes with another stylish find at 40 near the Carp Pond and at 55 near the pipeline. His hour ended across the service road with a solid hour for a nice young dog.

Ortho Acres Phantom of TJ (Medford), Grand Junction Jake (Pulliam)
TJ left the starting line like a bullet with Jake showing his speed in broom sedge to the right. Both were consistently forward while hunting the cover over the first half of the course. Jake had to be gathered up at 35 as we had all parties across the levee and through the woods cut. TJ made a nice swing along cover near the lake and froze at the end of the cast with birds pinned on an island of cover. David flushed feeding birds with TJ maintaining his style. Jake made an eye catching cast across the knob leading to an “L” shaped tree line. He skidded to a stop as the judges and gallery rounded the corner. Birds began to lift and he began to assist those that hadn’t left to end his hour. TJ’s hour continued as a steady and forward effort.

George Dubya (Trace), Bouncing Betty (Gorrow)
Both dogs were directionally challenged from the start with handlers and scouts working hard to get them turned. Once lined out and headed down course they hit a pocket of woods known to hold deer. The brace ended early as the judges and gallery road for another 15 minutes with no sign of either dog.

Buck (John); One-N-Only (Patterson)
Buck and Butch were the last brace of the day. Butch sailed out the front and was seen briefly at the far end of the combine field with Buck working cover to the east. The judges and gallery road for another 6 minutes to Martin Road where the scout called point for Butch on a tree line to the north. Butch was standing with excellent style as birds were flushed . Buck had begun to shorten and Jim elected to pickup as Butch began to stretch the course to the north. He was standing at 30 having made an extended cast near the levee. A feeding covey lifted slowly and he took steps to end his bid.

Day 2

Chancey Jackpot Lotto (Tracy), Buckwheat (John)
Chance and Buckwheat seemed to enjoy the cool weather start as they went out the front with haste. Chance was seen once at 3 and counted out for time at 23. Buckwheat went deep into cover at the hog pen as was not seen again as we arrived at the levee and Jim asked for the tracker.

Shambo’s Dark Shadow (John), Noble Neighbor (Patterson)
Shadow and Pitch sprinted away from the starting line and were seen side by side going over the hill toward the combine. Shadow skimmed a soybean field to the east with Jim pointing him out as both dogs swung around the gentle curve toward Martin Rd. Both continued to stretch the course to the 20 minute mark where the scout called point for Shadow standing in picturesque style on a high hill near the Hog Pen. Jim moved the covey with all manners in order. The pace was quick to the levee and through the woods where Shadow was standing on the far end of lake field., maintaining lofty style throughout flush and shot. Pitch was standing at 33 with style characteristic of his sire Noble Rocket. Running birds were put to air with all manners in order. The remainder of the hour was a strong race from both dogs, finishing deep in the space south of the service road.

Keystone’s White Label (Lorenson), Sunrise Dot Com (Tracy)
Hank and Bill left in hurry and were seen sparingly over the first 15 minutes of the course. They maintained the front and worked opposite sides of the course as we crossed Martin Road. Hank was the first to score on a covey east of Lake Road. He is a big white dog that is eye catching on the ground and around his game. Bill continued to blister the outer edges of the course as everyone whispered “this dog needs a bird”. Hank was standing at 20 that produced birds after an extended flushing effort.. Bill continued his assault with huge moves and showing up front. Hank was a bit erratic as we crossed the levee but got lined out at “The Knob”. At 50, Judge Powell saw a bird lift from cover on the right margin of the course, he mentioned it to Ben who rode 30 yards into the cover and raised his hat. As he got off to shoot, the rest of the covey boiled out of the ragweed cover. Both dogs ended the hour with deep casts across the pipeline cut.

TJ’s Thunder (John), Blazen Walker (Lorenson)
Thunder was on course and handling kindly as Skeeter had scout and handler working hard to maintain contact. At Martin Road, Ben was out of pocket with judges and gallery awaiting his return. Thunder pointed 50 yards up the line with Jim moving a couple of birds from sparse cover. Skeeter wasn’t recovered as Thunder began to dig in cover near the Hogpen. He stood a small covey at 25 with excellent style. Across the levee and through the woods he shortened and Jim elected to pickup.

Ortho Acres Booker-T (Tracy), Breton’s Castle Rocket (John)
Rocket was a no-show so Booker had the course to himself. He was seen sparingly over the first quarter of the hour but gathered up as the course turns toward Lake Road and cast up a hill as the gallery circles its base. The scout called point on top the hill with an extended flush and relocation finally pinning running birds. He continued to show to the front to the 35 minute mark where he was seen under a bird.

Tequila Jack II (John), LeGrande Tank DuFayette(Gorrow)
Jack and Tank were side by side as the sailed over the hill and hit the combine field edge. Jack hadn’t been seen as we neared Martin Rd with Al calling point for Tank on the backside of a tree line. Birds were flushed with manners in order. Tank was at medium range nearing Lake Road with Jimmy recovering Jack at the turn as we go through the Hogpen. The dogs worked opposite sides of the course to the levee and were moving well across the knob. Jack stood stylishly and mannerly at 35 with birds perfectly located . At 45, Tank stood mannerly over birds pinned in a finger of cover near the Carp Pond. Jack had to be recovered from an extended absence at the end of hour with Tank at medium range .

Dakota Alley Cat (Tracy), Bourbon XIII (Gorrow)
Tiger hadn’t been seen from breakaway as we crossed Martin Road. Al had been in contact and coursing the long lines that lead to the crossing. Tiger remained out of pocket as we arrived at Lake Rd with Al in contact and hunting the lines of cover as we turned to the levee. At 28, Al was standing on a long line of cover. A group of running birds were finally moved with all manners in order. Tiger was counted out at the levee. Al continued a smart application with finds at 40 and 50, birds well located in both cases. He finished at moderate range near the rabbit field.

Just Call Me Roy ( Lorenson), Smarteyes-Joker (John)
Roy and Jordan were strong across the early open ground as both handlers could sit back and show their dogs. Jordan made a flashy move at 15 on a hill side with Roy on the left margin of the course. Both dogs stayed in contact across Lake Road and were ambitious toward the levee where Jordan was found standing with style. Jim waded into cover, birds lifted and Jordan chased to end his bid. Roy was steady over the middle part of course with a stylish find at 40 on birds that were close. At 50, Roy began to stretch and became a bit bullish to end the brace.

Jake Acres In Disguish (Gorrow), Early Times (Tracy)
Earl was flashy over the early portions of the course while maintaining contact with his handler. He was smooth through the hogpen and made an eastern cast at 20 that resulted in a find back near Martin Road. Tommy flushed and fired but the judges did not see birds. An extended flush and relocation never produced and Tommy elected to pickup. Jake blasted away from the start line and hadn’t been seen as we reached the 20 minute mark. Al said thanks to the judges, turned his horse, and the dog showed up.

LaVergne, TN., Nov 16 -18, 2005
Judges: Alan Powell and Bill Suiter

The Dixieland Brittany Championship
[One Hour Heats] --- 34 Entries

Winner --- Shambo’s Dark Shadow, Brittany male,
By Camsham’s Shambozo X Starr’s Aapricot Lulu
Charles Crain, owner; Jim John, handler

Runner-Up --- Harlan County Cowboy, Brittany male,
By Chubasco II X Spotlight II
David Medford, owner/handler

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