As we lament the loss of Ted Baker, we remember some great dogs that showed their stuff at Chinquapin and the characters who owned (or were owned by) and handled them.
We start with some of Ted’s. All know the story of Builder’s Addition, National Champion of 1980 and first winner of the Florida after it became a Championship in 1979. It cemented a bond between Ted and co-owner T. Jack Robinson and between them and handler Bill Rayl. And their love of the Invitational, which it won and came Runner-Up in twice. All three men and Builder’s Addition adorn the Hall of Fame.
Then there was Chinkapin Bisco Buck which won the Florida Championship three times, in 1989, ‘90 and ‘93, and came Runner-Up in ‘95 (my first year as reporter) for handler Pete Hicks, a unique character beloved and befriended by Ted. Pete knew how to handle on Chinquapin and proved it repeatedly.
Some think Buck should have been named National Champion in 1992 when he was called back for a run off with The Hitch Hiker and after one find ran off on a deer, typical Pete Hicks luck. Scout Charlie Ward’s story of Buck’s last workout on Chinquapin before that National is classic, over three hours down in steady rain and thirty plus faultless finds and Pete didn’t want to quit. “Pete, I’m going to lose him if you don’t pick up — I can’t see him in this rain,” said Charlie.
Another Pete-Hicks-handled great, Bisco Big Jack, won the Florida in 1987 with so many finds there was worry he’d had too many. Pete was typically paranoid as he rode crowding the judges watching subsequent braces. Ted feared Pete would cause trouble after the announcement so he had sheriff’s deputies on hand. But the judges rewarded Jack and Pete and courageous owner Barry Carpenter with the title and peace prevailed.
Fred Dileo won Runner-Up that year (1987) with Texas Hummer to announce his future presence at Chinquapin, and would go on to win back-to-back with Double Rebel Buck (1995 and 96), in 2001 with Million Dollar Man and in 2007 with Funseeker’s Rebel, that year’s National and Invitational Champion (after Dileo’s tragic death) and Purina Dog of the Year. Dileo also won Runner-Up in 1998 with Double Rebel Andy, in 2000 with Frontline Spike, and in 2002 with Double Rebel Pearl, a Baker-Tom Kennard-owned favorite.
Robin Gates first won at Chinquapin with Black Crude in 1992, then with Joe Shadow in 1998 and 99. But he and Silverwood will always be remembered for their epic performance on Course 2 in 2002. His last was with In the Shadow in 2008.
Ted usually sent a derby to Canada with Robin that ended up on the Chinquapin shooting string. Robin also won Runner-Up with Flatwood Hank in 1986, Rester’s New Wave in 2003, Joe Texas in ‘05, Point Blank in ‘10, and Distant Shadow in ‘10.
Joe Hick’s came to Chinquapin as dog trainer in 1984 as part of a two way deal-he brought with him Paper Rosie, soon to be Masters Champion and in 1985 Runner-Up in the Florida for Joe and for years the favorite on Chinquapin’s shooting string and a producer. She was by T. Jack’s Evolution out of Addition’s Lou, combining the blood of Ted’s and T. Jack’s Hall of Fame National Champion Builder’s Addition. Her status is attested by the steel profile statute of her at Chinquapin headquarters.
Joe would handle Florida Runners-Up Chinquapin Bisco Hardy in 1990 and Bisco Black Jack in 92. He would move up to manager of Chinquapin and in 2008 and ‘09 win the Florida convincingly with Chinquapin Andy, a fabulous Champion Joe was determined to win the National with for Ted, but which would die young tragically of cancer days after winning the Invitational.
It was a happy time at Chinquapin in 2003 when Solid Reward won for Fred and T. Jack Robinson and scout David Johnson. Reward sired Chinquapin Reward which won for Slade Sikes and Ted in 2013 and ‘16 and sired Chinquapin Legacy which won for them in 2020. We will follow up with more memories of the dogs and people that made the Florida special.