Happiest Days

My happiest days Were spent horseback Riding at field trials Watching dogs explore For coveys of quail Or sharp tails or Huns  In wire grass or prairie grass Wheat stubble or weeds  Watching them freeze  Stand rigid and tall Waiting for handler To get there to flush  Then watered and released To stretch out for the front  To find more to point  At the end of a cast From first breakaway To the end of the day Looking for the one  That lays down the great race Read more

Drive at Dawn through Tidewater Farms

I drove at dawn today West through Virginia’s Tidewater counties Soil sandy, flat and fertile British names Suffolk (now a city, used to be Nansemond County) Isle of Wight Southampton Sussex Harvest time has come at last Peanuts dug and in windrows drying Waiting for the combine Farmers fearing rain or freeze or both That renders the precious nut worthless Corn this year grew wonderfully From planting to maturity Most Read more

Two Scout Adventure

The heat ended with  Both dogs unseen  The senior judge said,  “Time’s up, you got twenty minutes” The scouts on the flanks Cantered ahead To search for their dogs Pointed they hoped Read more

A Simple Life

When I was young And saw how much My father loved our little farm I formed the wish To farm there always for my living Then he died When I was fifteen Net worth $29,000 My mom and I soldiered on For seven years more Farming just as he had Read more

Last Brace

Well, he’d not a place Now down to last brace  Hadn’t paid entry fees  Couldn’t, less this one got one of three He was desperate  More than that  Out of place  Read more

The Hole

Every dog has got a hole The old wisdom says How to work round it Every handler’s test Won’t back Circles back Head trails Tail trails Read more

The Joy of the Hunt

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

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