Ben Reach never dreamed such a sinister thing could happen at a bird dog field trial. He was riding as the reporter, last-minute substitute for a no-show at the Deep South Open All-Age Championship.
It was March, and the handlers entered were here in Southwest Georgia seeking end-of-season Purina Points toward All-Age Dog-of-the-Year and a slice of the $35 thousand purse to be divided 20-10-5 among Champion, Runner-Up Champion and Top Qualifier (the event was run with 40-minute qualifying heats and one-hour finals among as many call-backs as the judges felt worthy, usually about twelve, or two days of finals-running worth. Forty dogs were entered.
Birds were plentiful enough and the weather cooperating. Ben was enjoying being back at his old hobby and seeing many old friends among the handlers, owners, and snow-bird fans who had come south to ride this and a few other end-of-winter trials for recreation.
Starting Sunday, they were running four braces in the morning and three after lunch in the qualifiers so the forty entered would finish the qualifying braces Tuesday afternoon with time left to run one finals brace that day.
The judges had on Monday afternoon after completing the day’s running announced eight call-back dogs to run in the same order in the finals as they had run in the qualifiers. They said then others would be called back when qualifying braces were finished Tuesday. Notably missing from the initial callback dogs announced Monday after the running was Mission Man Sam, handled by Sam Barnes of Alabama, in a close battle for Purina Dog-of-the-Year. Sam Barnes had been visibly upset by his dog’s absence from the early list of callbacks.
Judge Fred Eanes said after the day’s last qualifying brace Tuesday, “My morning horse is worn out, cannot go tomorrow. “Sam Barnes, riding nearby, said, “I’ve got a horse for you, judge, will bring it to the morning breakaway.”
The final list of callbacks would be announced after Tuesday’s running was over and everyone was back at headquarters. As it turned out, Mission Man Sam was not called back to go in the finals.
As promised, Sam Barnes lead an extra horse to Wednesday’s breakaway, intended as the morning mount for judge Fred Eanes.
Ben Reach rode toward the morning breakaway, following Sam Barnes from the headquarters club house and stables complex of Moonshine Plantation, where the Deep South Championship was being run. Just before Ben reached the breakaway, Sonny Slade, a handler with a called back dog to run in the morning’s second brace, cantered up to Ben.
“Mr. Ben, don’t let judge Eanes ride that horse. I know that horse. He’s a killer. Sam likely picked him up at a sale barn cheap over in Alabama, thinking he could Ace him enough to get him broke for a scout horse. If Sam’s got him Aced this morning, it will wear off before lunch and likely get judge Eanes throwed.”
Ben rode to the manager of Moonshine Plantation who was riding as chief marshal and, getting him aside, told him another morning mount would be needed for Judge Eanes. He immediately told his assistant to provide his mount to the judge and a near tragedy was thus averted.