Setter Derby On His String ~ Part Three

At the cook out on the grounds Saturday Night
He heard lots of praise for Sal
But no one offered to buy her
And leave her on his string
Though two other handlers echoed Willie Koonce

He took Sal with him to the motel
After caring for his mounts and other dogs
That would sleep tonight clipped on the chain
Willie Koonce would be there in his camper
Said he’d check on them in the night

He took Sal with him to his room
Combed the sheep burs from her ears
She slept at the foot of his bed but he could not sleep
His other Derbies had disappointed
He was reliving their races and Sal’s when he finally fell asleep

At five she woke him
By licking his fingers
He dressed and walked her out to empty
Then they headed for the grounds, Sal on the seat beside him
He had entries in the third and fourth braces then Sal in the seventh

For the hour course, the half-hour was the second half
But run backwards
He would ride every brace to know where birds were
As he expected, birds were put out at fifteen and thirty minutes
As well as where they’d been yesterday on the second half

Five chances for finds in the hour
He’d handled on the course several times each year
Over his six years as a pro based in South Carolina
It was not his favorite grounds but he handled on worse
And the judges had shown him they liked his Sal so he had hope

When after lunch another handler scratched
An entry he was braced with
He scratched too so Sal would have daylight for sure
Every body liked that (except one owner of his not present)
Sal’s time came and he knew he had no other in the money

Willie Koonce would scout her
Though he had not any others
He had asked Willie on a whim
It turned out to be wise
For Willie found her pointed twice away from where birds
had been seen before

He could hardly believe it
When Sal won the Open Shooting Dog
With five finds without a bobble and a good race too
All riding sang her praises
Then Willie asked again “Is she for sale?”

He shook his head no
“I do not blame you” Willie answered
Then as he prepared to leave, Willie’s owner
Waiting till Willie had gone approached him
“Son will you sell her to me if I leave her with you?”

He thought for a full minute
Then shook his head again
“But you have not heard how much I’ll offer
Or that I’ll give you my other dogs to run”
Still he shook his head no

On the road to South Carolina
As he rolled down I-95
He remembered what his father had told him
“Don’t take no dog off another handler’s string
Or try to snake an owner from another that’s trying”

He had purse money enough for gas to get home
And a little extra
And he had confidence now Sal would land him a good owner
Then he began to smile as he reran Sal’s race in his mind
“I wonder if ole Willie put those two birds out.” He said it to Sal on the seat beside him.