When Field Trial History Rhymed

The field trial seasons of 2006-07 and 2022-23 rhymed, to paraphrase Mark Twain’s adage, “History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”

In 2006-07 Fred Dileo and Funseeker’s Rebel reached the pinnacle of our sport, Rebel winning the National Championship and All-Age Dog of the Year Award with record Purina Points and Fred the All-Age Handler of the Year award. I can see Fred now, in June in Williamsburg, clad in dark suit and red tie, addressing fans gathered to honor him and Rebel. I had watched (and reported) them in January winning the Florida Open All-Age Championship.

Fred’s rise to the top from shirtsleeves had begun with winning Runner-Up at the Florida in 1987 with Texas Hummer and continued with back-to-back wins of that Championship in 1995 and 96 with Double Rebel Buck with which he had earlier won the Continental. Fred had apprenticed in Texas and Oklahoma on the Packsaddle Ranch with Tony Terrel who indoctrinated him into love of the Rebel dogs.

Jamie Daniels had never witnessed a field trial until in 2001 he, out of curiosity, attended the Southeastern Open All-Age Championship at Sasser, Georgia on Chickasaw and adjoining Abigail Plantations at season’s end. Kate Morton loaned Jamie a horse to ride.

Jamie volunteered to help Fred stake out his string of liver-headed pointers and Fred watched him riding Kate’s green colt.

Fred invited Jamie to “go down the road” with him and for the next three seasons he did, including on summer trips to the Johnson Ranch in South Dakota where Fred trained with Marshall Loftin and competed in the Southwestern and All-America trials. Funseeker’s Rebel winning the 2004 Master’s Open Quail Championship was the first champion Jamie scouted.

Then Fred said his string wouldn’t support two men and suggested Jamie take a job managing the habitat and hunting on Easter Plantation.

Soon after, Jamie was hired by Caney Creek Plantation to do the same, which he did with great success. Meanwhile, Jamie continued to help Fred at piney woods circuit trials and to train summers with him in South Dakota. Mentor Fred and apprentice Jamie grew close.

Fred’s death in November 2007 devastated Jamie. He briefly lost heart for our game, but Stan Howton and Rob Butler brought him puppies to develop as Fred had done for them previously and encouraged Jamie to carry on.

Soon Jamie stepped into Fred’s shoes as color bearer for the Rebel dogs with blood from Fred’s breeding program and by good fortune and hard work came up with Champions Dominator’s Rebel Heir (winner of the Continental, Florida, Masters (twice) All-America and Missouri Open Championships) and Just Irresistible, the latter just elected to the Field Trial Hall of Fame.

I will never forget Just Irresistible’s three memorable performances at the Florida Championship in 2019. In the qualifier Jamie handled him to Top Qualifier honors. In the finals, handled by Rich Robertson while Jamie managed a hunt at Caney Creek, he gained a run-off for Runner-Up with a blazing race on “27,” made most memorable (and scary) by Rich’s mount’s collapse when front hooves tangled in a sand hole. And in the run-off he secured Runner-Up honors before judges Gary Lester and Cecil Rester who declared it the best trial they had ever seen.

Then came Jamie’s 2022-23 season, to rhyme with Fred Dileo’s of 2006-07.

With Just Irresistible’s son, Miller’s Blindsider, Jamie won the National Championship and Purina Top Bird Dog Award. Blindsider now has six titles, including the Master’s Open Quail (three times) the National Open Derby and the Missouri Open Championship. No doubt his pal and mentor, Fred Dileo, is smiling down.

Ch. Funseeker’s Rebel