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U.S. Complete Shooting Dog Association |
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2008 Futurity
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U.S. COMPLETE SHOOTING DOG FUTURITY
By Yvonne McKeag
The Twelfth annual U. S. Complete Shooting Dog Futurity was held on March 1-2, 2008 at the Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area in Boydton, Virginia. This year the Futurity was judged by Bill Fowle of Gretna, VA and Tom Tracy, Jr. of Chase City, VA who was a last minute fill in when Billy Kuser was unable to judge. This year’s crop of twenty derbies was, according to the Judges, an outstanding group of young dogs worth watching in the future. They acknowledged that the majority of the dogs this year had superior manners and style on their birds causing the judges to look hard at the ground race and use of the course as determining factors for place this year’s four winners.
This year’s top dog came from the 5th brace. Skydancer Making Time is a setter male owned by Dr. Terry Cass and was bred by Dennis Lutynski and Handled by Travis Gellhaus. His sire is Skydancer Timely Tales and Skydancer Moonphase.
The 2006-2007 National Puppy of the Year garnered second place, Porter Meadow Elroy a pointer male bred by Nabil Elrassamni, and owned and handled by Jim Bush. Elroy was sired by Beaver Meadow Benjamin, the winner of the 6th Annual USCSDA Futurity, out of Swiss Miss.
The third place dog Crowd Pleaser, a female pointer, owned by Meredith and Judy Jones and handled by Meredith Jones. She is sired by last years USCSDA National Champion Verlene’s Ringo Star out of Holyoke Susane. Her breeder is Roger Bryant. Crowd Pleaser also placed 2nd in last years Puppy Classic.
Taking this year’s fourth slot is Bob’s Elhew Chase, a pointer female, owned, bred and handled by Bob Phillips. She is out of Hobb’s Pete Rose and Bob’s Elhew Josie.
Preceding the Futurity was the Annual Robert E. Lee Open Shooting Dog Classic, which drew 29 starters this year. In the saddle were Pat Casey, Union Level, VA and Dick Bembenek, Webster, MA. Zumbro’s Ace, a pointer male took top honors with Travis Gellhaus handling. Ace is owned by Dale Windhorst. Robert Ecker, Jr. handled Foxy On Fire to second place honors. She is a pointer female owned by Nick Puhuk. Robert Ecker, Jr. also handled Slim Jim a pointer male to the third place win. Jim is owned by Antonio Dattolo.
Following the Futurity was the Puppy Classic again due to illness we had Tom Tracy, Jr. and Bill Fowle in the saddle. First was Urban’s Tina with Robert Ecker, Jr. handling. This Classy pointer female is owned by Troy Terlizzi. Second was Terrell’s White Power who is owned and handled by Donald Terrell. In third was Zumbro’s Data owned by Dale Windhorst and handled by Jenny Craig.
The Running
The first brace of the futurity was Pinekone Street Sense (Morgan) and I am Zoey (Cipponeri). Zoey scored two finds, although she had an immature ground race, showed plenty of style and promise for the future. Sense scored a find at 12 with excellent style and manners then went on to have an unproductive at 30. He had a nice forward ground race.
Next to the line was Porter Meadow Elroy (Bush) and Bob’s Elhew Chase (Phillips). At 21 they had a stylish divide find with all in order at 32 Elroy had an exciting true stop to flush with Chase being cautioned to a stop. Chase went on to have two more finds showing nice manners with an appealing forward race. Elroy went on to have another find with excellent style, and a strong forward race covering all the ground. Judges commented that he gave a future Championship performance.
In the third brace was Smokey Rise Katie (Terrell) and Quinton Oak Bossman (Lewis). Katie scored four finds at 14, 27, 35 and 36 with nice manners and a nice forward race, while her bracemate Bossman backed at 14 but was not pleasing his handler and was picked up before the end of the brace.
Fourth was Waybetter Jack (Ecker, Jr.) and Pinekone Hobo (Morgan). Jack was lost on point in the first hedge row and was found shortly after his handler called for the tracker. Hobo was outstanding on his birds at 29, 32, and 33 including letting birds walk under him during one find. He started off strong on the ground then dug in after the pond, gathering himself to have a nice finish.
Skydancer Making Time (Gellhaus) and Bonview Grand Slam (Hester) were the Fifth brace. Slam was not pleasing his handler and was leashed at 5. Time went on to score 5 impressive finds at 8, 14, 20, 26, and 32. He also had an unproductive at 37. He had a strong forward race hunting the whole time and was not afraid of the cover. Judges noted that his bird work as stylish and finished.
In the Sixth brace was Winter Chill (Mourino) and Northern Neck Grimsly (Lewis). Chill had a happy tail and feet and was picked up early. Grimsly backed at 13, and had three finds at 18, 19 and 31. He had nice style and manners. His ground race was forward but checked in on his handler often.
The Seventh brace was Crowd Pleaser (Jones) and Lady Libra’s Bandit (Greenway). Pleaser had an unproductive early at 6, but when on to have stylish finds at 21, 26 and 35, she was always hunting the course not seen on the path and when missing was always found on point. Bandit had two finds and judges noted this was the best backing dog in the stake. She helped find her bracemate on point twice backing her at quite a distance both times. Judges also noted that this brace was the most fun to watch and enjoyed both the handler and the dogs.
The final brace of the day was Lansdale Mike (Ecker) and Bob’s Elhew Wendy (Phillips). Wendy had finds at 13 and 30. Although she handled a little rough, she still was flashy on the ground. Mike backed at 30 and had one find with excellent manners. He started slow on the ground but kept improving as time went on. Both of these dogs had a nice finish.
Sunday morning first to the line in the Ninth brace was Quinton Oak Budlight (Lewis) and Pete (Pittman) Budlight had outstanding style and manners on finds at 5, 13, 20, 29 and an unproductive at 34. He had a nice forward race. Judges gave this dog an honorable mention commenting he will have a future. Pete had a nice forward race checking with his handler frequently.
The final brace of the stake was Hobb’s Tina May (Lewis) and Crandall’s Captain Jerry (Crandall). Tina had a divided find at 6, a back at 19 and was picked up by her handler at 28. Jerry had a divided find at 6, another find at 19, 33 and 34. He started a little slow but improved as the brace went on.
I would like to thank our Sponsor Precise for all of their support of the U. S. Complete Shooting Dog Association for without them we could not maintain the quality of our trials. We had a handler’s dinner Thursday and Saturday night allowing everyone time to visit and enjoy two wonderful meals. As usual we had plenty of help from the participants, club officers, and friends so that everything went off with out a hitch.
Most importantly I wish to thank all of the participants who support and attend this event each year, with out them the futurity would be unable to continue. Hope to see you all back next year!
PICTURES
Tom Tracy, Jr., Judge , Travis Gellhaus with Skydancer Making Time, Meredith Jones with Crowd Pleaser, Bill Fowle, Judge and Ricky Bryant
Robert Ecker, Jr. with Urban’s Tina, Bill Fowle, Judge, Donald Terrell with Terrell’s White Power, and Jenny Craig with Zumbro’s Data
Dick Bembenek, judge, Travis Gellhaus with Zumbro’s Ace, a participant with Foxy On Fire, Robert Ecker, Jr. with Slim Jim and Pat Casey, Judge
