So your dog is qualified
And you’re going to Grand Junction
To run in The National Championship
The one and only
To run on the Ames Plantation
Where for a century and a quarter
The continent’s best bird dog has been yearly crowned
And where bird dog stories true and fiction abound
Where dogs and men become legends
From the first, Count Gladstone IV and J. M. Avent in 1896
To last year’s winners, Coldwater Thunder and Steve Hurdle
In between many whose names evoke mystery
Like Wariel Allegheny Sport in 1957
Who set the record for finds for Herman Smith
Or Sioux who won in 1901 and ‘02 for Avent
Only to be run over by a train
Or triple winners Mary Montrose in 1917, ‘19 and ‘20
First as a Derby the only ever for Bob Armstrong
Then twice for Herb Tomlinson
Private trainer-handler for owner William Ziegler Jr.
Baking powder king and friend of the blind
Becky Broom Hill for Chesley Harris in 1922, ‘23 and ‘25
Louis Lee Haggin of Kentucky owned her
Feagin’s Mohawk Pal in 1926, ‘28 and ‘30
For E. M. Tutwiler Jr and owner Forrest Dean
No triple win again until Ariel in 1941, ‘43 and ‘45
For Clyde Morton and owner A G C Sage
Some say the greatest handler-owner-breeders team the sport has ever known
They won here first with Rapid Transit in 1933
Then with Sulu in 1936 followed by Ariel’s three
With Luminary between in 1942
Again with Saturn in 1947
And finally with Paladin in 1951 and ‘52
Nine wins over three decades and nineteen years
Plus founding and supporting the Free-For-All
The other three-hour stake all strove to win
Yes Morton and Sage did much with help from scout Man Rand
The double winners were besides Sioux ‘01 and ‘02
Mary Blue in 1929 and ‘31 for Chesley Harris and W. C. Teagle
of Esso Fame
Paladin in 1951 and ‘52 as said
Palamonium in 1956 and ‘59 for Morton and new boss Jimmy Hinton
so Morton won eleven times most ever
Whippoorwill’s Rebel in 1987 and ‘89
For Tommy Davis and S.R. “Tate” Cline
Then setter Shadow Oak Bo in 2013 and ‘14 for Robin Gates and
Butch Houston and Dr. John Dorminy
First of his breed since Johnny Crocket in 1970 for Howard Kirk and H. P. Sheely
(Setter folk rejoice)
Fast Forward to 2017 and ‘19
Lester’s Sunny Hill Jo for Gary Lester and David Thompson
All the double winners so far
But in 2022 Coldwater Thunder—Miller’s Speed Dial—Whippoorwill Justified
will have a shot