If you want to win at Chinquapin
Bring a dog with nose and hunt
One that hits the cover hard
But floats across the sand Read more
If You Want to Win at Chinquapin
Category: Florida Open All-Age Championship
What’s This?
What’s This?
You ask.
Just the best hour field trial course
In all Quaildom Read more
Chinquapin Immortals
I reflect on Chinquapin After twenty-seven Florida Championships Reported there From 1995 through 2022 A piece of earth crafted From lime-rock and sand Covered in wire grass Jack oaks and sparse pines Sculpted uneven by The Master With an all-age bird dog in mind Its courses laid out in 1969 By Fred Arant nickname Goochy Since then it has served As a place to hunt quail And for a week Read more
T. Jack and Ted and the Florida Championship
Many a friendship has been inspired by a mutual love of bird dogs. My favorite story of such a friendship is that of T. Jack Robinson and Edward L. “Ted” Baker. That friendship spawned many others, and led to the breeding and development of legendary All-Age and Shooting Dog Champions over six decades and a premier wild bird field-trial Championship celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Read more
Chinquapin
A place on earth sublime
Where quail prevail
And pointers seek and point them
For men and women to swing guns to shoot them Read more
What Is
“What is the noblest thing you ever saw a dog do here?”
The fellow asked his buddy as they watched the embers dim
Sitting before the fireplace at Chinquapin
The others had all gone to bed Read more
2018 Florida Championship
Segment of Tom’s American Field report for the 2018 Florida Open All-Age Championship detailing the finals performance of the champion, Lester’s Georgia Time, handled by Robin Gates and scouted by Tony Reynolds.
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One Find Champions
“It’s bird dog, not birds dog,” judge Andy Crowell said when I asked him how he and fellow judge Rich Robertson had chosen Lester’s Georgia Time as 2018 Florida Champion, handled by Robin Gates for Jim Clark and Baker Hubbard of Columbus, Georgia, with only one find, and that of a single hiding in a hedge row and found by the dog while it was regaining the front after a change in direction of its course. Andy explained that in an all-age stake it was race, not bird finding, that counted most. And Time’s race had been outstanding, all at the front and searching. Read more
Reflections on the Second Course at Chinquapin and “27”
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
2021 Florida Open All-Age Championship
Fifty-four dogs, including two English setters, were drawn for the Florida Open All-Age Championship, starting January 10, 2021 at Chinquapin Farm, Branford, Florida under the experienced eyes of judges Cecil Rester of Angie, Louisiana and Woody Watson of Leesburg, Georgia. Read more