1986 VCOI Spring Field Trial
March 8-9, 1986

Open Gun Dog - 10 Vizsla entries (Retrieving)
1. Eddie's Lil Brown Scooter, O/H Bob Hodges
2. DC Askim, O/H Jim Busch
3. Ch. Poppie Dungeon What A Dickens, O/H Debby Fridlund
4. FC/AFC Rebel Rouser Yankee, O/H John Steenburg

Open Derby - 21 Vizslas
1. Brook's Budman, O/H Tony Lucas
2. Mehagian's Hot Tamale, O/H Ken Crago
3. My-T-Hi Yankee Girl, O/H Mike Murphy
4. Ch. Solo, O/H David Lee

Amateur Gun Dog - 14 Vizslas (Retrieving)
1. Withheld
2. Winnshiek Rocket, O/H Kelley Donham
3. Ch. Willie's Pal Gus, O/H Tony Lucas
4. DC Askim, O/H Jim Busch

Open Puppy - 19 Vizslas
1. Mehagian's Plenty of Sauce, H/ Ken Crago
2. Brook's Budman, O/H Tony Lucas
3. Withheld
4. Withheld
Third Place dog was moved to 2nd Place due to AKC cancellation of 2nd place entry

Open Limited Gun Dog - 8 Vizslas, 4 GSP, 1 Weim
1. GSP
2. GSP
3. GSP
4. Rippi's Pipernickel Bear, O/H Ken Crago

Hunting Dog - 10 Entries
1st pl. Demetri's Richie Whompum Jim Couris
2nd pl. Craig's Buddy Kosenkorva Craig
3rd pl. Pines' Marmaduke Dale Hoffman Shoemaker
4th pl. Baron George Peirce

The weather started the weekend in the teens and worked its way up to the 60's. Multiple finds in the gun dog events on short flying quail made impeccab;e bird work scarce. While they had four placable dogs in the Amateur Gun Dog, the judges withheld first place citing less then perfect manners as the reason. Deb Fridlund, whose dog Dickers placed 3rd in the Open, was approached by both judges after the Amateur placements were given and was assured that it was her three points that remained unclaimed. Evidently Dickens' manners on his first three finds were crisp enough that the judges felt that any winner had to exhibit the same crispness. Dickens 4th find, halfway around the course on a dead bird, was his undoing. Deb said the retriece was flawless and to hand.

Scooter's "blue" in the Open completed his retrieving points needed for his Field Championship. Bobby and Scooter no need only that, oft times tough to get, Open major.

Kan Crago cracked the winner's circ;e with three placements on three different dogs, including one "blue" on Sauce in the Puppy stake. Ken brought Sauce back from Arizona where he left Brandy to be bred to the winner of the Rio Salado Hunting Dog Stake (non-regular). Ken spent the last month touting Sauce to all who would listen. I think that even he was surprised when she tool the Puppy stake though.

Tony Lucas's hot young prospect came through with a "blue" in the Derby and "red" in the Puppy. Budman, you will recall, was runner-up in the VCOI 31 dog Hunting Dog stake (Des Plaines Hunting Dog Championship) just two weeks earlier. Just found out that Budman took a Derby 2nd at the GSP trial the weekend of the 15 & 16th of March. Look out!!!

If you look at the names of the handlers of the winners, you will see that, once again, those with experience claimes the prizes. Our sport definitely rewards long term commitment.

We ran 79 dogs. Del Seelye would have sent some if we would have had the room. Hank Rozanek had a judging assignment and was not there. The March 8-9 date was two weeks earlier then the previous two years. This was caused by shifting numbers of March weekends. We must be more careful in the future when moving dates. Peopl make plans long in advance and frequently cannot attend when dates are changed. We had five other breed entries. We did not need them. With a slight change in the premium wording, we would have been able to accomidate all Vizslas who wished to enter. It has been years since the numbers of enteries was such that an all Vizsla trial could use simultaneous courses.

All in all, Harry Ruffner, Chairman, and his committee did a great job in producung another class Vizsla Club of Illinois field trial. See you in the fall.

Thank you to the committee members that worked and the non-committee members who did cleanup, etc. All those jobs keep a trial together and moving along. Our hunting dog stake was a big success thanks to Bill Lyman and John Steenberg for judging. They made sure everyone got their share of the birds. A BIG trophy is awarded for 1st place. The winners are expected to take their turn judging. How about it Jim?

- as printed in the VCOI March-April 1986 Bulletin