2004
VCOI Winter Walking Field Trial
Ottawa Field Trial Grounds, Eagle, WI
December 4-5, 2004
WALKING
IN A WINTER WONDERLAND
The walking field trial was held on December 4-5, 2004 at the
Ottawa Field Trial Grounds near Eagle, WI. It was nearly a perfect
weekend for Wisconsin in December. The only thing that could have
made it better was a Packers win. Temps were about 40 degrees,
light winds, and no precipitation … exactly what the Weather
Chairman (yours truly) had ordered. It got a little blustery for
a couple of braces, but for the most part, scenting conditions
were pretty consistent from one day to the next.
The event had 62 entries, which
were comprised of 38 different dogs owned by 20 different people.
This is a lot of entries for a single-course venue and without
the VCOI field trial volunteers, the smallest SNAFU could have
prevented us from getting all of the dogs run. Even with the experienced
judges, handlers, and helpers, we barely got everything done in
available daylight hours.
Rodney Albin was the Chair and
chief bird planter, course salter, and coffee maker. Mark Johnson
was the captain of the guns and also planted birds and pitched
in where needed. He also let us rent Thunder (one of the most
bombproof horses I know) for one of the judges for the weekend.
Jeff Parise, Victor Barger, and Mark Spurgeon also planted birds
and helped with other field trial chores. Kim Barker sponsored
the Amateur Gun Dog stake. Many thanks to Kim for helping the
December trial turn a profit! If I’ve forgotten any volunteers,
I apologize!
This
year’s trophies were 8x10 stained glass panels made by Cindi
Chilbert of Seugenhof Stained Glass. Cindi was also our “lunch
lady” this year, and brought us hot chili, beef & barley
soup, and really tasty oatmeal scotchie bars. Not having the VCOI
be responsible for purchasing/making food was a tremendous help
to our bottom line, not to mention this secretary’s sanity.
Our
judges had very favorable comments about the quality of the Vizslas
shown to them over the weekend. Mike Kindler, who is a GSP pro,
and Larry Hause, a long-time Weiner handler, were very impressed
by the improvement made in the breed over the last several years
. The competitiveness in both the Open Puppy and the Open Derby
were most encouraging, since this is where “raw talent”
is exhibited. They spent extra time deliberating over placements
for the young dog stakes, as any of the entrants could have placed.
It all came down to “splitting hairs.”
The event tuned a small profit
this year, thanks to the many factors. The high amount of puppy
entries, local judges who had no hotel expenses, no food expenses
to speak of, and of course, Kim Barker stepping up to sponsor
a trophy, all contributed to the favorable balance at the end
of the event.
Congratulations to all of the
placing dogs, and thanks again for all of the volunteers, and
offers of help (even if I didn’t have anything for you to
do at the time!), and many thanks to the amateur handlers who
helped out our members on the “injured reserve” list!
Submitted by Michel Berner, Field
Trial Secretary
Amateur Gun Dog Ret (12 starters)
Trophy sponsored by Kim Barker
1. FC AFC Upwind Shiloh Mark of Zorro “Zorro” Robert
Tomczak
2. Shiloh Madach’s Mishka “Mishka” Robert Tomczak
3. Strider’s Ace JH “Ace” Victor Barger
4. Strider’s Red Flash JH “Flash” Victor Barger
Open
Puppy (17 starters)
1. Strider’s Generator “Briggs” Rodney Albin
for Wanda Berner
2. Shiloh’s Thunder “Thor” Robert Tomczak
3. Rio Le Rouge “Rio” Jonathan Peck
4. Zoom-Zoom “Zoom-Zoom” Mark Spurgeon for Jim Busch
Open
Limited Gun Dog (10 starters)
1. Cherokee’s Jazzmin of Shiloh “Jazzmin” Robert
Tomczak
2. FC AFC Saginaw Dandy Sue SH “Sue” Mark Johnson
3. Berry’s Diamond LK Cleopatra “Cleo” Grag
Hedien
4. Strider’s Red Flash JH “Flash” Victor Barger
Open
Derby (14 starters)
1. Shiloh’s Absolute “Neissa” Robert Tomczak
2. Fankell’s Shiloh Taz “Taz” Robert Tomczak
3. October Rust Shiloh’s Zetta “Zetta” Robert
Tomczak
4. Shiloh’s Thunder “Thor” Robert Tomczak
HM. Super Duper Copper Cooper “Cooper” Marty Hull
Amateur
Limited Gun Dog (10 starters)
1. FC AFC Upwind Shiloh Mark of Zorro “Zorro” Robert
Tomczak
2. FC AFC Saginaw Dandy Sue SH “Sue” Mark Johnson
3. Strider’s Red Flash JH “Flash” Victor Barger
4. Withheld
