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Fred B. Leggett Jr.

July 9, 2025 | Fred B. Leggett Jr., Remembrances | Comments
Fred B. Leggett Jr. died July 5, 2025 at his home in Danville, Virginia. He was eighty-eight years old and predeceased by his wife, Joan Allen Leggett, who died November17, 2024. He is survived by his children, Fred III, Will, Mike and Helen Reynolds. Read more

The Southwestern Championship (1967, 1968)

June 30, 2025 | David A. Fletcher, Field Trial History, Other Authors, Red Water Rex | Comments
By David A. Fletcher I fondly remember two Southwestern Championships. The 1967 Championship, a premier event on the major circuit, was held near Booneville, Arkansas starting November 20, over what was called the “Sanitorium Grounds”. This was my first assignment working for the American Field as a full-time reporter on staff in the southern United States. I knew well the 30 or so professional trainers who came to the Canadian Read more

The Joy of the Hunt

| Poetry | Comments
Some hunt to watch the bird fall The wise hunt to see the bird fly After pointed by a bird dog of one’s own Or of a competitor or of a friend Therein lies the true joy of the hunt Read more

Sage Advice on Backing

June 26, 2025 | Poetry | Comments
Once upon a time A customer brought Arthur A puppy to be trained So he could run her as a derby Arthur kept her six months  Then called the customer  “You can come and get her” Which the customer did Read more

Intent to Harm

June 12, 2025 | Ben Reach, Short Stories | Comments
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. Read more

Ben & Sam

June 7, 2025 | Ben Reach, Short Stories | Comments
Ben and Sam were creatures of habit. Long habit.  Octogenarians now, they had been friends since childhood, volunteer professional colleagues in helping Sam’s patients and Ben’s clients the many decades they had practiced law and medicine in Albany serving rich and poor in the Quail Belt, a 50-mile stretch of fertile, gently rolling land between Albany and Tallahassee containing a hundred plus estates known for over a hundred years as Yankee Quail Plantations, rich-snowbird refuges from the winter temperatures, snow and ice of northern wealth pockets.  Read more

Pup in Spring

June 1, 2025 | Poetry | Comments
If your pup is whelped in January Or a little before but registered so Now is the time to turn him free To learn the world with you to see Read more

Last Brace – A Memorial Day Tribute

May 25, 2025 | Henry Caruso Jr., Jim Heckert, Remembrances | Comments
Once Upon A Time, at the storied field trial grounds at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, daylight was running out. There were two more braces to run, but only time for one. No one wanted to stay another day. What to do? The four handlers with dogs in the last two braces: Dave Grubb, George Tracy, Henry Caruso, Jim Heckert. By agreement, all four dogs were run together in a last brace. Laughter flowed throughout from handlers, judges, gallery.  Read more

A Brace

May 21, 2025 | Poetry | Comments
Two hoary-headed handlers Ride to the break away Their mounts tired for ‘Twas their third brace of the day Their scouts lead their entries By a rein, the other rein leads their horses At the line the scouts’ left hands grab their dogs’ collars Right hands snap the rein to the ring on a bit shank Read more