The senior judge
Six feet four
Sits astride his mount
Watches two black scouts
Lead up two pointers
Kneel beside them
Stroke their backs
Whisper in their ears Read more
Turn ‘em Loose
Blog
Thanksgiving Mornings ~ Spices for Farmers
Thanksgiving Mornings
Had special meaning
For me
In my childhood
My father and I rose early
After breakfast of shredded wheat
With sliced bananas
Topped with thick cream
From the neck
Of a glass quart bottle
Of Mr. Gardner’s
Unpasteurized unhomogenized milk Read more
My Favorite Spot on Dixie
Many of us have a favorite spot on Dixie, now Livingston Place.
Mine is just east of the George Evans house. On it surrounded by a low white picket fence rest the gravestones of great Dixie bird dogs and retrievers, field trial and hunting, for Mr. Gerald, Mrs. Eleanor and Miss Geraldine.
Read more
Leonard
I reported my first field trial in January 1995 and my last in January 2022, both at Chinquapin Farm, both the Florida Open All-Age Championship. Many in between all over the continent and every year the Florida. All but a few on borrowed horses. Read more
Revenge of the Cat Woman
Ben Reach had seen some strange rifts on the theme of inheritance greed since in 2011 “Portability” had come into the federal estate tax law.
Under “Portability, “a dying spouse could leave the surviving spouse his or her unused estate tax exemption, for the survivor to use against future gifts or bequests.
Because of “Portability,” some children were now encouraging single parents to marry poor (preferably penniless) candidates in questionable health in hopes of inheriting the benefits of their estate tax exemptions. Read more
Talkin’ to my Scout Horse
Whoa, Dan
My boot’s in the stirrup
Whoa Dan,
There goes our dog
Whoa, Dan
I spur him lightly
Rein him right slightly
He sees our dog Read more
Field Trial Hall of Fame 2024
The HOF results for 2023 are now reported, and before campaigns begin for 2024 I want to name two givers to the sport who are most worthy. They are not wealthy for both were career teachers. But they gave, and gave, unselfishly and effectively, motivated by a love of the game.
They are Brad Harder and John Russell. Brad taught horsemanship and related skills at Hocking College. John taught engineering at Western Kentucky University. Read more
Suspicion Unconfirmed
Fred Barnes was a watcher. Little got by him. For the last two years he had been watching John Payne, a professional pointing dog handler, and his scout, Willie Blevins.
Fred judged field trial’s a lot. Why? Because he had horses and a truck-trailer rig to haul them, and if he committed, he showed, and he appeared to be without favorites among handlers or owners, pointers or setters. He was pleasant enough, stayed sober in daylight hours. Accepted only gas money to judge. He watched constantly the dogs under judgment. Did not chat or gather wool while judging. Rode every brace at the same pace. Read more
Growing Our Own
Growing our own
Was vital to life
When I was young
But now lost in the fog
Of history
Like “putting up”
Meaning planting picking then
Shucking shelling snapping
And canning Read more
The 2024 National Championship
Twenty-Eight came to the line
Three finished
Touch’s Gallatin Fire
Handled by Mark McLean
Owned by Alex Rickert
Won with five finds Read more