Chinquapin

A magic place
For fifty years
For bird dog folk
Where quail live wild
Neath every pine
And run when pointed
Before they fly

Where old handlers
And young
Dream to run
To turn loose
A really good one

To watch it reach
Over the sand
To a distant ridge
And there to stand
Nose tilted up
Tail straight and high

To see quail flush
While dog stays put
A statue there
As all admire
As pistol cracks
And time stands still

Then water him by
Bath in a tub
Let scout collar him for the restart
Turn him loose
To search and reach again
For quail in the wire grass way yonder there

It’s been like this since ‘69
When Ted encouraged by Red Weddle
First opened Chinquapin
To bird dog men
To try trials there
A lucky moment for our sport

To bring the handlers
Ted guaranteed
A healthy purse
Built barn and clubhouse
Paddocks and pastures
Supplied the hay
Fed all lunch free
Plus cocktails and an oyster roast

Lured by the purses
And the birds
The handlers came
From all the south
Gates and Moreland
Arant and Jines
Smith and Grubb
Rayl and more

Owners came to watch their dogs
Welcomed by Ted to the Suwannee Club
Some still come but many are gone
Wheat and Fiveash
T Jack and Tom Kennard
Missed by all

And so it’s been
For fifty years
At Chinquapin
Heaven on Earth to Bird Dog Folk
Thank you Mr. Ted