Florida Open All-Age Championship

Field Trial Hall of Fame 2024

May 13, 2024 | Field Trial Hall of Fame | Comments

The HOF results for 2023 are now reported, and before campaigns begin for 2024 I want to name two givers to the sport who are most worthy. They are not wealthy for both were career teachers. But they gave, and gave, unselfishly and effectively, motivated by a love of the game. They are Brad Harder and John Russell. Brad taught horsemanship and related skills at Hocking College. John taught engineering at Western Kentucky University. Read more

My Love Affair With Chinquapin

January 10, 2024 | Florida Open All-Age Championship, Remembrances, Ted Baker | Comments

My long life (85 years) has been marked by good luck. None so great as meeting Ted Baker and gaining his invitation to report the Florida Open All-Age Championship which I did from 1995 through 2022. As a result, I watched the continent’s best all-age dogs in competition head to head annually over twenty-seven consecutive years on wild quail. Just think of it. Read more

Corrections

April 17, 2023 | Field Trial Hall of Fame, Field Trial Reports, Other Things | Comments

In the report of the 2023 National Championship appearing in the April 2023 issue of the UKC Field at page 11 (left column) the Reporter, Tessa Hughes, states: “Everyone was excited to recognize our other honoree, the well-known and extremely talented dog man, David Johnson of Lake City, Fla. Johnson is the unfailingly polite gentleman on whom Robin Gates relied for many years. He scouted champions such as Shadow Oak Bo and over 130 others to championships. He is an absolute canine genius and well-regarded by all who know him.” Read more

When January Comes

December 24, 2022 | Florida Open All-Age Championship, Poetry, Ted Baker | Comments

When January comes I will be here at home First time since 1994 Won’t be at Chinquapin The second week Of that cold month at home I spent in North Florida From 1995 through 2022 Read more

How the Florida Open All-Age Championship Was Different

November 30, 2022 | Florida Open All-Age Championship | Comments

1. No mud — ever, on Chinquapin Farm, even after heavy rain. No creeks, much less rivers. Three man-dug ponds, one at Big House, one on second morning hour course, one on second hour afternoon course. Soil: sand over lime rock, everywhere. Cover: wire grass, everywhere. No crop fields. No wooded areas that cannot be ridden through on horseback. Read more

My Life as a Field Trial Reporter

August 30, 2022 | Other Things, Remembrances | Comments

My life as a field trial reporter began in 1995 when I was 57. Before that I had been a farmer (1950-1960) and a lawyer (1961-present). Reporter was by far my most satisfying profession. Why? Because it was fantasy. It allowed me to ride horseback and watch world-class bird dogs perform and compete across beautiful hunting grounds, handled and scouted by professionals seeking perfection, then write accounts of what I had seen. What could be more fun than that? For me, nothing. Read more

Remembering Ted

May 31, 2022 | Poetry, Remembrances, Ted Baker | Comments

He was unforgettable Indefatigable Irrepressible Unconquerable Read more

What Do I Owe Bird Dogs?

July 8, 2021 | Bird Dogs, Other Things | Comments

Among the boring habits of the old is talking about their pasts. At least I write of mine, so friends can easily turn me off — just stop reading. So here mostly for my own amusement is an essay on what bird dogs have meant to me. If you are still reading you likely have a similar essay inside you. Read more

Roll In

January 27, 2019 | Prose | Comments

When the boys roll in To Chinquapin In their dually trucks Pulling goose-neck trailers Loaded with long-stepping horses And quick stepping pointers Raring to race for The front where the birds lurk Read more

25 Years of The Florida Championship, Part 2

January 13, 2019 | Field Trials, Florida Open All-Age Championship | Comments

January’s second week Brings them South to Chinquapin In dually trucks pulling gooseneck trailers Loaded with horses and bird dogs determined Determined to win On this hallowed ground Where quail aplenty are to be found Unless they decide they will not be found That is the mystery They all seek to solve How some days or hours They’re everywhere And others they vanish Into thin air or some say the Read more