Blog

Marshall Loftin (by Danny Bardwell)

March 24, 2020 | Danny Bardwell, Other Authors | Comments
My favorite Marshall Loftin story was told to me by Marshall while we were riding the soon to be grounds at Sandy Hollow, Wilmer, Louisiana. Marshall said one December a judge from Baton Rouge called him to see about buying a squirrel dog. It seemed that the judge wanted to take his grandson squirrel hunting during the Christmas break. Read more

The Whistle (by Danny Bardwell)

March 21, 2020 | Danny Bardwell, Other Authors | Comments
While running a dog at the NBHA National Open derby stake last week I lost a whistle that I had used in South Dakota. I had scratched my mother’s birthday on the side of it on that day, August 27, 1979. I should not have been using it, but it was my favorite. Good things come and go I guess. Losing it, and looking for it, and remembering it, reminded me of the following, one of many memories I have of that summer. It’s not meant to be a work of prose although it may become one sometime in the future. I’m just recounting as it comes to me. However, every word and how it transpired is true, exactly true. Read more

Robin and Rick in Alberta

March 15, 2020 | Remembrances | Comments
Rick told me of a trip to a trial in Alberta he and Robin made back when they were getting started with just a few shooting dogs in their strings. The trial had stakes in every open category and they ended up with winners or placements in all except the Derby. They were feeling good about it. Robin had been talking on the way out west about how he felt constant pressure to uphold the Gates name and reputation. Read more

Robin and Rick

March 14, 2020 | Remembrances | Comments
I had a phone conversation with Rick Furney this week that brought back vividly memories from the past quarter century and beyond, sweet memories of watching Robin and Rick compete head to head in field trials across the country. I first watched Robin handle at the Eastern Open Shooting Dog Championship at South Hill, Virginia, in 1976 when Hilmar won for Larry Moon and Alamance Pride was Runner-Up for Arthur Bean, and Robin handled a marvelous string of shooting dogs. That was forty-four years ago! Read more

The Trip

March 5, 2020 | Ben Reach, Short Stories | Comments
Ben Reach was breakfasting alone in Millie’s Diner when his old friend Fred Eanes entered and accepted Ben’s waived invitation to join him. Fred farmed near Camilla in partnership with his son. Like Ben, he had been a life-long lover of big going bird dogs, trial and hunting. He and Ben had often judged together, but not for the last decade. Read more

The Last Field Trial

February 27, 2020 | Danny Bardwell, Other Authors | Comments
A January fog, heavy wet and cold Crept down from the darkness of the pines and across the gentle folds. Not an apparition mind you but real I’m here to say. A thump loud on my door when the Field arrived that day. It lay flat, folded in a linear way Thin and plain and pale. I looked from side to side to see whom the carrier might be. But it was the fog that brought it, and delivered the truth to me. Read more

How Many Miles

February 24, 2020 | Prose, Remembrances | Comments
How many miles Did the Big Man ride Behind a bird dog Puppy, Derby, All-Age? Through heat and storm On prairie and in pines From Canada to Florida From boy to aging man Read more