I met Joe Prince November 14, 1973, introduced by his brother David, a life insurance salesman seeking prospect referrals from me, a 35-year-old lawyer doing estate planning in Richmond, Virginia. Joe was a grain farmer in Sussex County, forty miles south of Richmond at the village of Stony Creek. But Joe’s claim to fame was as a quail hunter of a special kind, the kind every city-bound quail hunter longs to have as a friend. Read more
Category: Remembrances
My Thanks to Field Trials
With age we worry we have not expressed thanks to all those we owe thanks. So here I say thanks to all involved with pointing dog field trials for their countless gifts to my joy. Yes, joy, pure and simple, for field trials have meant pure fun for me. I claim no special knowledge or skill about field trials beyond appreciation of their entertainment value. I simply enjoy them, watching Read more
My Last Conversation With Big
It was at Nonami Plantation, Albany, Georgia. I had flown to Atlanta alone and driven in a rental car south to Albany to see a bit of the Masters Championships, a Bucket List trip. The grave of Sam Ellis had drawn me like a magnet to the spot. Read more
Worthless Dog ? Maybe, Maybe Not
If you are a long-time bird hunter or field trailer you have started and given up on many prospects you judged deficient or worse. This is the story of three such I gave away and that proved more than useful to its donee. Read more
Reflections on The American Field
I was an avid reader (or scanner) of the Field for all its print-format years from about 1965 onward. I published a piece in its Holiday (Christmas) issue every year from 1973 onward. After I started reporting trials in 1995 I published several reports each year, including of the Florida Championship every year, the Invitational at Paducah ten years, the Continental and Free-For-All several years, and the Lee County (a personal favorite) many years, all filled with fun for me. Read more
My Father, the Farm, our Draft Mares and the Tractor
My father died of car crash injuries when I was fifteen in 1954. Now I am eighty-three. Despite our few shared years, he remains the person most influential in my life. I think of him often, and with gratitude, and wonder at how he inspired me.
My father, born in 1897, lived through repeating hard times. Born and reared the son of a livestock dealer-farmer who conducted business largely on horseback through my father’s youth when he apprenticed, my father was drafted for Army service in World War One and completed Officer Candidate School at Camp Zackary Taylor in Kentucky just in time for the Armistice. Read more
Big
I first watched Robin Gates handle at the Eastern Open Shooting Dog Championship in Virginia in 1976. His dogs hunted beautiful patterns, found game and were fast and stylish and had impeccable manners. And they reacted to his voice as if connected by cellphone, not then in use. I was impressed by how seldom he spoke to them, and how swiftly they obeyed him. He was 20 years old. Read more
Luke
My friend Luke Weaver died today
His best friend Bubba called to say
We shared memories of our friend
A friend to all who came his way
Luke had a gift for friendship
And a gift for fun
If you were with him you’d be laughing
As sure as you were breathing Read more
Lambing Time
On our small farm
In Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains
Lambing time commenced
On Christmas Eve
The pregnant ewes
Were gathered in
Our barn with third-cutting alfalfa hay
In the manger down the middle
Read more
Magic Memories From Field Trials
I have stored in my kit bag of field trial memories some special (to me) ones that come back often deep in the night when after waking sleep will not return. Here are a few. Read more