Blog

Reflections on the Second Course at Chinquapin and “27”

February 6, 2021 | Florida Open All-Age Championship | Comments
It has been my privilege to report the Florida Open All-Age Championship at Chinquapin Farm each year since 1995. In those years I have watched many great performances by the best all-age dogs competing in four decades. The memories of those races are indelible, subject to recall when least expected, sometimes on waking in the night, sometimes when driving to an appointment, sometimes on seeing a dog’s or handler’s name Read more

Too Honest

February 2, 2021 | A Little Competition, Fiction | Comments
With headlights out, the small black car rolled slowly up the live-oak-lined sand road toward the kennels and stables of Mossy Swamp Plantation. At 3 A.M. the only light came from a third quarter moon and a dusk-to-dawn pole light in the graveled parking lot where a dozen long horse trailers and a single dually pickup were parked. The car stopped fifty yards from the pickup, and two men in dark clothing emerged and walked to the dually. Read more

The First Year

December 11, 2020 | Ben Reach, Short Stories | Comments
“I need your help with a patient,” Sam Nixon MD told his pal Ben Reach while the curmudgeons were waiting for their breakfasts in their customary booth in Millie’s Diner. “What’s his problem?” Ben asked. “On the verge of a nervous breakdown. Bird dog handler, got one that won everything last season, can’t keep him at all this season. He was expecting to continue winning this season, but every time he turns him loose there is a screw up,” Sam said. Read more

The Entry Fees

November 23, 2020 | Ben Reach | Comments
“Why do all the old field trial guys treat you so kindly, Ben?” Sam asked during a sundown session in Ben’s library-conference room on a Friday afternoon. The curmudgeons had just poured themselves drams of The Macallan 12, and Ben had just got off the phone with a friend and some-time client inquiring if Ben knew of any quail plantation jobs needing filling (it was March and the “spring shuffle” time for such hands was in full bloom). Read more