The Vizslas of Martinsen’s Red Point Kennel

A spunky red pup named “Ginger” chosen by Tate and Jenny Martinsen in 2008 to be his first hunting companion on the prairies of South Dakota turned out to have natural talent as a versatile hunting dog that would shape and change his life.

“I wanted a pointing dog, something different, and I got crazy lucky with Ginger,” says Martinsen, now a professional trainer and breeder-owner with his wife, Jenny, of Martinsen’s Red Point Kennel (MRPK) in Humboldt, South Dakota.

Ginger was the first dog the Martinsens owned not counting family dogs growing up. She was the first dog Martinsen trained for North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) tests and in 2014 became their first Vizsla to earn the ultimate Versatile Champion (VC) title. The foundation bitch for their Vizsla breeding program, Ginger produced four litters of puppies. Importantly, Ginger helped Martinsen discover that he loved training dogs, which led to his resigning his job as a diesel mechanic in 2016 to train dogs full time. 

Fast forward to the 2021 NAVHDA Invitational. The premier hunt test, held in September in Searsboro, Iowa, drew entries of 205 pointing dogs – all invited, all qualified. Just under 42 percent, or 86 dogs, passed to become Versatile Champions. Martinsen trained and handled two dogs, both German Wirehaired Pointers, that passed at that event, a personal record.

Getting back to Ginger, Martinsen says, “Early on in my training career, I was invited to the Mid-West Tristate NAVHDA Chapter in Sioux Falls (South Dakota). I began training Ginger while learning myself from mentors who were members, and I fell in love with the NAVHDA system.”

Martinsen found out that Ginger had bold style and bird smarts on upland game and waterfowl, enough to get a perfect score of 204 on the Utility test and an invite to the NAVHDA Invitational. When Ginger (VC Martinsen’s Lil Pheasant Popper MH) earned the coveted title in 2014, she was only the second female Vizsla in NAVHDA history — ninth in the breed overall — to pass the test.

Over the five years Martinsen trained Ginger leading up to the 2014 NAVHDA Invitational, his affinity grew for teaching dogs to point and retrieve game, to mark retrieves, and to honor a brace mate. “I was hooked,” he says. “A handful of people at the local chapter wanted me to train their dogs, but I didn’t have time. That’s when I decided to train dogs full time.”

Martinsen was enamored with the qualities of the Hungarian Vizsla known for being an all-around pointer-retriever breed, a loyal companion and hunting dog. He has learned to harness the Vizsla’s drive and enthusiasm while selectively breeding those that have mental stability and trainability for versatile hunting. 

Ginger’s four litters were sired by NAVHDA-proven males — except for the first breeding —resulting in five Versatile Champions. “We became more knowledgeable about choosing males after her first litter,” Martinsen says. “I got lucky with the offspring Ginger had, too.” 

The Martinsens were the first Vizsla breeders to twice receive the NAVHDA Invitational Breeder’s Award for having two puppies in the same litter earn VC titles. They were honored in 2017 and in 2019 for the accomplishments of Ginger’s pups. Their success lies in Martinsen’s dog training skills and Jenny’s purposeful selection of stud dogs and thoughtful placement of puppies with committed owners.

All too soon, Ginger passed away on April 7, 2019, her 11th birthday, due to bone cancer. The heartfelt loss of this sweet, influential Vizsla, a catalyst in Martinsen’s success, has been softened by her talented children and now grandchildren.

“I love figuring out how to help dogs learn faster and better,” says Martinsen, who is now working with a handful of Vizslas that qualified for the 2022 NAVHDA Invitational. Some are homebred Vizslas — a nod to Ginger and the beginning of Martinsen’s Red Point Kennel. 

MRPK Feeds Purina Pro Plan SPORT Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice

By Barbara Fawver   |   Photos by Chris Mathan

On a cool, cloudy spring afternoon, the third day of the 2013 Southeastern Open All-Age Championship, a remarkably calm orange-and-white 2-year-old male named Just Irresistible stretched his front legs and looked around as though half-asleep.

Delivering the powerhouse Pointer to the breakaway, Judd Carlton, who was scouting for handler Jamie Daniels, knew once he let loose of the dog, a stylish, forward-running, quail-finding storm would overtake the Georgia countryside. Known as “Stud,” or rather, as “Stud Muffin” to owner Mary Devos, the bird dog, in his derby year, was a novice at field trials let alone at an open all-age championship stake.

“By the time Stud ran, many dogs had put down quality performances,” Jamie recalls. “I told Judd, ‘We’re going to have to do something to separate ourselves from the rest of the field.’ An indelible memory is what Just Irresistible made with Judd and me, both of us absolute rookies, along for the ride.”

About 20 minutes into the hourlong horseback stake Jamie saw they had a shot at winning and got gutsy with his handling, sending Stud to the opposite side of the hourglass field, away from his bracemate. The maneuver could have collapsed the whole effort but instead produced one of three outstanding quail covey finds. 

“My wife, Allison, called him ‘The Butterfly Boy’ because when he moved, it looked as though he never touched the ground,” says Jamie. 

An indisputable stellar show made Stud the first derby to win in the 23-year history of the Southeastern. “Stud pulled it off just perfect,” Jamie says. “That’s when he got me on the map, and he got himself on the map.”

Most would agree that running a derby in a major all-age championship is not the natural springboard to success. “An all-age dog is the baddest of the bad,” Jamie says. “They have to be strong and have more endurance because we ask a lot of them.” 

That win at the Southeastern ignited Stud’s four-year field trial career. Bred by Jack and Tracy Haines, the 2XChampion/3XRunner-Up Champion took his wins between Jamie’s plantation obligations. As if not being privy to a full-circuit career wasn’t bad enough, tragically, a porcupine injury from his first summer on the South Dakota prairie haunted him years later, taking his life in his prime at 6 ½ years of age.  

Jamie plans to repeat the formula that worked so well this fall when he hits the all-age circuit with Stud’s carbon-copy derby-age grandkids out of litters he bred. There’s Dominator’s Wild Bill and his littermate sisters, Dominator’s Maybelle, Dominator’s Queen Bee and Dominator’s Debutante, sired by NCH 2XCH 2XRUCH Miller’s Blindsider, called “Sam,” out of Dominator’s Red Wine. There’s Dominator’s Rebel Queen sired by Sam out of Pearl Again. 

A String of Big Ol’ Liver Dogs

Curiosity landed Jamie Daniels at his first bird dog field trial, coincidentally, it was the 2001 Southeastern Open All-Age Championship. Working as a dog trainer at Longleaf Plantation in Thomasville, Georgia, he had noticed the field trial winners pictured in American Field magazines lying around. 

“Where’s all this happening?” he asked.

“It’s happening right here in Thomasville, Albany and Alabama,” his manager told him.

“It was the end of quail season, and I had some time off,” Jamie says. “I told the manager I wanted to go up there and watch this championship.” 

Jamie called in a favor knowing he would need a horse to watch the trial. A “green” colt was delivered to him at Chickasaw Plantation in Sasser, Georgia, where the Southeastern is run.  

“Every afternoon a guy would take this string of big ol’ liver dogs off the trailer, and I would help him,” he says. “After the third day, he came over and asked me what my name was. He said, ‘What do you do for a living?’”

“I said, ‘I’m on a plantation down by Thomasville. I do the hunting, and I break the colts,’” Jamie continues. 

“Well, I seen you ride that sorry colt you got. If you can ride him, you can ride anything I got. You want to go on the road with me?” asked Fred Dileo, a well-known all-age trainer and handler from Climax, Georgia.  

“I asked, ‘What do you mean go on the road?’” says Jamie.

“Jump in the truck, and let’s go up and down the road to field trials,” Dileo replied. 
That summer, Jamie went with Dileo to the South Dakota prairie to train dogs. “I always worked hard, but he sure did,” says Jamie. 

“I learned from Fred that the key to a successful dog man is hard work. The harder you work, the luckier you get.”

Three years later, Jamie scouted for Fred when they won the 2004 Masters Open All-Age Championship with NFC 5XCH RUCH Funseeker’s Rebel. The white-and-liver ticked male called “Ty” went on to win the 2007 National Field Trial Championship, which helped him earn a record 3,968 points and be named the 2006-2007 Purina Top Field Trial Bird Dog. Dileo was honored as the Purina Outstanding All-Age Handler. 

Dileo indoctrinated Jamie into the Rebel dogs — those big ol’ liver dogs Jamie helped him take off the trailer at the 2001 Southeastern. Ty was one. He was sired by CH Double Rebel Sonny, and his grandsire was CH Double Rebel Buck. 

Dileo got hooked on the line begun in the early 1960s by Fred Arant Jr. of South Carolina through his mentor Tony Terrell of Texas and Dr. John Criswell of Oklahoma. Tough competitors with exceptional bird-finding acumen, the early Rebel dogs weighed around 70 pounds, which made them look like they ran slow though they moved fast. 

Arant created the Rebel dogs through three generations of half brother to half sister crosses. The first breeding sired by Newman’s Delivery Dan out of Miss Mary Doone produced Rambling Rebel Dan, a Hall of Fame Pointer. He sired A Rambling Rebel, who won the Continental Open All-Age. His son, Hawk’s Rex, sired 2XNCH Whippoorwill’s Rebel, who won the National Field Trial Championship in 1987 and 1989. 

Working with Dileo gave Jamie a foundation in field trial dogs though there were not enough dogs on the string to support two trainers. In 2005, Jamie took a job as manager of Caney Creek Plantation in Albany, Georgia. During his 11 years at Caney, Jamie developed a robust quail habitat at the 10,000-acre plantation while still helping Dileo at local trials and working dogs that needed fine-tuned. 

All too soon, at age 46, Fred Dileo was killed in a terrible accident on Nov. 13, 2007. “When Fred died, he took part of me with him,” says Jamie. “I didn’t know if I wanted to do bird dogs anymore.”

One day unexpectedly Dileo’s clients Stan Howton and Rob Butler showed up at Caney Creek. Their Pointer, Elhew Sinbad, would have been a new dog on the circuit with Dileo. 

“What are you doing?” they asked Jamie.

“I’m managing a plantation,” he replied.

“Get up. You’ve got dogs to work,” they told him.

“They kind of got me going again,” Jamie says. 

The Bess & Scooter Cross

One of Dileo’s last breedings was a mating of his female, Cuivre River Daisy, a blue hen who produced quality dogs regardless of the stud, to 4XCH Just Wait, co-owned by Dr. Hunter Wilcox, Jack and Tracy Haines, and David Suitts. “Daisy” was linebred on Rebel dogs. Her sire, Double Rebel Sonny, was also the sire of National Champion Funseeker’s Rebel. 

The litter produced 14 pups. The Haines’ stud fee puppy was a female whom they named Just Wait Bess. In 2010, Tracy Haines was looking for a stud dog to breed to “Bess.” She consulted Jamie, who had worked magic on a pup she had sent him from an earlier litter sired by Just Wait.

“I told Tracy I had just seen a dog out of Funseeker’s Rebel and Riverton’s Blackeye Pea that goes back to a dog of Fred’s we named A Frontline Rebel,” Jamie says. “She bred Bess to ‘Scooter’ (CH Riverton’s Funseeking Scooter). That’s where Stud came from.”

When Bess’ litter was born, Mary Devos was living with longtime friends of her family, the Haines, in Broomfield, Colorado, while attending the University of Colorado at Boulder. As a gift, Devos got to choose a pup. 

“They were all white, and a couple had liver heads,” says Devos, who had high hopes her pup might turn out for the AKC field trials she enjoyed with her father. “I chose the male with the orange eyebrow patch.” 

Three months later while on her spring break, Devos rode with Tracy Haines to deliver the Bess-Scooter litter to be evaluated by Jamie Daniels at Caney Creek. “The kennel was immaculate, and everything was so green and beautiful,” recalls Devos, conceding it helped to soften the bittersweetness of leaving behind her puppy.

“Even as a pup, Stud had something noticeably special that made him stand out,” remembers Jamie. “Working with him was like trying to lasso a tornado. He was a big, far runner, though he never ran off and never got lost. As he got older, he got really good at finding birds.”

After winning the 2013 Southeastern Open All-Age Championship in his derby year, Stud won the Border International Chicken Championship that September in Canada. He won Runner-Up at the 2014 Masters Open Quail Championship. 

As a 4-year-old, Stud was the Top Qualifier in the first series of the 2015 Florida Open All-Age Championship, eventually winning Runner-Up Champion after two call-backs. Held at Chinquapin Plantation in Branford, the Florida Open All-Age is one of the toughest on the circuit. Its open, sandy terrain sprinkled with patches of wiregrass, briers and scrub oak is best-suited for a down-to-business bird finder. The memorial trophy is named for Fred Dileo, who was particularly fond of the venue and had won it in 1995 and 1996 with Double Rebel Buck, Stud’s great-great-grandsire on both sides of his pedigree. 

At the 2015 Florida Open All-Age Championship, Stud ran three straight days. As was not uncommon during Stud’s career, Jamie handled him in the first series but had to return to Caney to manage a hunt. Rich Roberton stepped in to handle him in the call-backs to garner Runner-Up laurels.

Recalling Stud’s performance at the 2017 Southeastern Open Quail Championship, where Stud was Runner-Up Champion to his half sister, CH Dominator’s Dotted Line, Jamie says, “It was probably the best job I saw him do on ground application, and I was more amazed than anything. Although ‘Dot’ had three covey finds to his one, she did not beat Stud on the ground.”  

Stud inherited from his Rebel relatives a natural talent to dig in and find birds. “Probably the biggest thing is he would never come from behind through the gallery,” says Jamie. “He was always up front. He has passed that ability on to his offspring.” 

Hoping for a Nick

A potent producer, Stud was bred to eight females that produced 44 American Field winners. His offspring have thus far earned 295 wins or placements in all-age and shooting dog stakes. The A-list roster includes 14 Champions, seven are National Champions and two are Runner-Up National Champions, plus 17 Runner-Up Champions. Two are Purina Top Shooting Dogs and one is a Purina Amateur Field Trial Bird Dog. 

A cross made to Jack and Fran Miller’s female, Miller’s Bring The Heat, was so successful, they made it three times, the last one via artificial insemination. The Millers, of Barwick, Georgia, had visited Jamie to work dogs. “Stud had class and grace when running and bird-finding ability second to none,” Fran Miller says. “We were hoping the traits we saw in Stud and what we had in our ‘Lacey’ would nick.”

It was a nick, indeed. The first litter Lacey whelped in February 2014 produced dogs that won 23 championships or runner-up championships, five were national wins. “Stud’s influence on our breeding program has been mind-blowing, and his contribution to our sport is undeniable,” says Fran Miller. “It is probably a once-in-a-lifetime nick. Every litter has been a clone of the one before.”

The Millers sold several pups as derbies to pro trainers George and Mike Tracy of Summerhill Kennels in Glenville, Pennsylvania, who brought on owners to support their campaigns. A superstar from Lacey and Stud’s first litter trained at Summerhill was NCH 10XCH 2XRUCH Miller’s Unbridled Forever, who won the 2019 National Amateur Invitational Championship handled by Brian Sanchez of Great River Kennel in Central Islip, New York, co-owner with Neil Walker. Yearlong success made “Will” the 2019-2020 Purina Amateur Shooting Dog. In 2021, Will won the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern Open Shooting Dog Championships handled by Mike Tracy.

A second-litter high achiever is 4XCH RUCH Miller’s Heat Seeker. “Woody,” handled by George Tracy for co-owners Bill and Muriel Primm, Dennis Hood, and Jack and Fran Miller, won the 2021 New England, National Pheasant and Northeastern Open Shooting Dog Championships and was Runner-Up Champion at Garden State. Woody’s first win was the 2019 Georgia Open. 

The Tracy team also trained and handled from Lacey and Stud’s second litter CH RUCH Miller’s Just Plain Rowdy for owner Allen Linder and 2XRUCH Miller’s Locked and Loaded for the Primms. From the third litter, there are 2XRUCH Miller’s Record Heat, owned by Linder; CH RUCH Miller’s High Heat Index, owned by Casey Hollander and Stanton Harrell; and RUCH Miller’s Extreme Heat, the 2019-2020 Purina Derby Top Shooting Dog, owned by Joe McHugh.

“Often, you’ll see breeders get a good nick and a good litter, but when they repeat the breeding, they don’t get anything,” Mike Tracy says. “It’s amazing that Lacey’s three litters with Stud produced so many good dogs. These are smart, bird-finding dogs that are friendly and nice to be around.”  

The Millers started all the Lacey-Stud pups on birds. One they own from the third litter is the 2020 National Amateur Shooting Dog Derby Champion, Miller’s Packing Heat, a female handled by Fran Miller.

Senah Plantation owner Benjy Griffith of Leesburg, Georgia, bought interest in three males from the first Lacey-Stud litter in the fall of 2015 with the understanding that Jack and Fran Miller would run them in their derby year. Fran Miller handled a pup called “Dan” (NCH 2XCH 5XRUCH Miller’s Unfinished Business) to his win at the 2016 Masters Open Shooting Dog Championship. Then, she ran Dan in the 201 7 National Amateur Free-For-All, where he was the Runner-Up Champion, qualifying him for the 2017 National Amateur Invitational, where he added another Runner-Up Champion to his record. 

Senah Plantation head trainer Joel Norman handled Dan and won the 2018 National Open Shooting Dog Championship, repeated his championship win at the 2019 Masters, and took Runner-Up at the 2020 and 2021 Masters. A cross-over to all-age stakes netted Dan Runner-Up at the 2021 Florida Open All-Age Championship. 

In 2022, Norman plans to try all-age stakes with Dan’s littermate, CH RUCH Miller’s Stray Bullet, and with Dan’s son — Stud’s grandson —- NCH CH Senah’s Back In Business, the 2021 National Open Shooting Dog Champion. When “Nate” won the National in 2021, it was the second time in the 60-year history of the National Open that a father and his son had won.  

 “These dogs have that desire and range to run in all-age,” Norman says. “Although they were started and handled as shooting dogs, they are smart and honest. They look for you to give them direction, and they respond. They are very competitive.” 

Other notable all-age dogs sired by Stud include 4XCH Showtimes Sam Houston, whom owner Larron Copeland handled to win the 2019 and 2021 Continental Amateur All-Age Championships. Copeland also handled CH Showtimes Mocking Jay, the 2020 National Amateur Quail Champion and the 2019-2020 Purina Amateur Top Field Trial Dog. Respectively, their dams are KF Alias and Thin Ice.

Stud sired 3XRUCH Seekin a Thrill, a male whom owner Ross Leonard handled to Runner-Up at the 2020 National Amateur Shooting Dog Invitational and at the 2021 Mississippi Open Shooting Dog Championship. A female, 4XCH 2XRU CH Thrill Me, handled by Tommy Rice and owned by Keith Finalyson, was the 2019 National Open Shooting Dog Champion. Both Pointers are out of Snow Thrill. 

‘I Think We’re There’ 

Having recently moved to a farm in Dawson, Georgia, Jamie is looking forward to this chapter of his life as he and his wife, Allison, raise their two young children. Besides breeding, training and handling all-age dogs, Jamie taps into his plantation background as a real estate broker setting up land sales for buyers of hunting preserves.

As Jamie walks through his kennel, it is quiet with no barking dogs, a signature of the laidback, mellow nature of the Rebel dogs. “My goal is to preserve the Rebel bloodline,” he says. “Fred (Dileo) was working toward the same thing — breeding a smaller, classier dog that looks fancy but has the Rebel ability to find game.”

When Dileo died, Jamie got Pearl Again, a half sister to Stud’s dam, Just Wait Bess. Jamie bred Pearl Again to CH Riverton’s Funseeking Scooter, Stud’s sire, and got Dominator’s Rebel Heir, Stud’s half brother. “Rebel” won the 2017 Florida Open All-Age Championship — and the Fred Dileo Memorial Trophy.

“I knew Rebel had won it when we got done, and I don’t normally feel that way. I am a sentimental guy, so it was quite emotional to win,” he says.  

As to Stud, he was Mary Devos’ first and only all-age dog. “I sometimes worked three jobs while going to school to support his campaign,” she says. “It was pretty cool how I got so lucky with him.”

Stud was Jamie’s first Open All-Age Champion. “Everybody’s got to have that one dog that motivates them,” he says. “He would be it for me.”

A few straws of Stud’s frozen semen remain. “I wish we had bred him more,” Jamie says. 

“If he could come around now, the world would be his oyster,” he reflects. “At the time, I was a very new handler in the sport, and I am sure I made every mistake a handler could make. Despite my novice skills, he excelled and taught me to trust more and handle better. He pulled me into the winner’s circle with him. At the time, I was unaware of just how special he would be not only to me but to our sport.”

Satisfaction comes from knowing that Stud stamps his best qualities into his children and now his grandchildren. “When I leave this game, I want people to go back and remember the Dominator dogs,” Jamie says. “The No. 1 thing you can hope for as a breeder is to leave a line better than you found it. I think we’re there.”
 

A 9-year-old white-and-orange male English Setter named “Mac” hunted grouse with top-notch expertise to win the 2021 Grand National Grouse Championship in November at Marienville, Pennsylvania. 8XCH 3XRUCH Ponderosa Mac won the one-hour stake with an outstanding grouse find on a challenging, wide open course. Handler Scott Chaffee of Pioneer Kennels in Clare, Michigan, says, “Mac had a great, forward-running race and perfect manners.” Highly versatile and adaptable, Mac has won championships in all three cover dog geographical regions. He is the only cover dog in history to win eight championships and to place in four consecutive Nationals. At the Grand National Grouse Championship, he was Runner-Up Champion in 2017 and Champion in 2018, and at the Grand National Grouse & Woodcock Invitational Championship, he was Champion in 2018 and Runner-Up Champion in 2019. Bred by Chaffee and his wife, Tammy, and owned by Steve Snyder of Ellendale, Minnesota, Mac was sired by 2XCH 2XRUCH Jetwood out of 2XCH Cooper Mtn. Pepsi. This top cover dog is fed Purina Pro Plan SPORT Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula dog food.

With rabbit-tracking accuracy, four Field Champion Gundogs outshined the competition to win their classes at the 2021 AKC National Gundog Brace Beagle Championship Oct. 4 to 5 at Belmont Jefferson Beagle Club in St. Clairsville, Ohio.

NGBC FCGD Eagle’s Wings Mega Ball, a 2 ½-year-old tricolor female, won the 13-inch class with clean, tight check work, following the rabbit’s every turn into cover and down the path. “Meg” topped 52 hounds with her good nose, straight-line tracking and exuberant chop mouth. Owned by breeder Marty Gipson of Paris, Missouri, Meg was handled by Zak Hoover of Upland, Indiana. Her sire, FCGD Hillsides High Ball, is Gipson’s first finished Field Champion, and her dam is FCGD Stanford’s Jessie.

NGBC FCGD Old Hatchie’s I’m Taking The Grand Tour, a 2 ½-year-old black-and-tan female, won the 15-inch class, outperforming 66 rabbit trackers with her slow, chop mouth, big nose and focus. “Molly” was handled by breeder-owner Todd Odle of Jackson, Tennessee. She was the high hound in second series when she ran with her littermate sister, FCGD Old Hatchie’s Dragondoll, who held second place. Odle says Molly performs much like her dam, NSPC NGBC FCGD Stephen’s Pearly Blue. Her sire is FCGD McDaniel’s Jake From State Farm.

NGBC FCGD Still’s Wipeout Trackman, a 4-year-old tricolor male, kept his cool to overturn the high brace and win the 13-inch class out of 38 gundog Beagles. Handled by owner Travis Still of Blackville, South Carolina, “Trackman” stood out with his squall mouth that opened to a chop mouth when trailing the rabbit into thick cover. Likening Trackman to his sire, NSPC FCGC Still’s Wipeout Slim Shady, Still says Trackman was the stud puppy out of a litter whelped by FCGD Strickland’s One Eye Wonder. David Strickland of Georgia is the breeder.

NGBC FCGD Hall’s Hillbilly Chaos, a 6-year-old tricolor male, came back from fourth in second series to win the 15-inch class. Handled by Caleb Cole of Scottsburg, Indiana, a co-owner with Marc Gibbs of Marengo, Indiana, “Chaos” kept the rabbit going and stood out with his tracking and high-pitched mouth. Bred by Tim Young of Booneville, Indiana, Chaos was sired by FCGD Blue Rivers Doc Holiday out of Young’s Rock Hard Roxy.

Molly, Trackman and Chaos were fueled for their fast-action, rabbit-tracking performances by Purina Pro Plan SPORT Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula dog food.

Story and photos by Keith Schopp

In hunting dog and hunt test circles, it is known simply as “The Grand.”

Officially, it is the Hunting Retriever Club (HRC) International Grand, and twice each year enthusiasts who share a passion for hunting dogs, and more specifically, duck hunting dogs, travel hundreds or thousands of miles to participate and earn a coveted “Grand” pass. 

Pass two Grands and earn 300 championship points and a talented hunting dog becomes a legendary Grand Hunting Retriever Champion (GRHRCH). Pass four Grands and earn 1,000 championship points and your legendary hunting dog attains Hall of Fame (HOF) status.

“Mason,” formally known as GRHRCH (12) Oak Point’s Traveling Man HOF, is going for Grand pass No. 13. Whelped Jan. 19, 2012, the gray-muzzled 9 ½-year-old Labrador has passed every Grand he’s entered and accumulated 1,360 championship points. He’s a Hall of Famer, in a class by himself, and has the potential to surpass the all-time record of 15 Grand passes. 

The 2021 Fall Grand, held Sept. 18 to 21 near St. Louis, will be different for Mason. His handler for those 12 Grand passes, professional trainer Stephen Durrence of Taylor Farm Kennels in Sylvania, Georgia, is at home on oxygen battling COVID-19. With 20 dogs entered at the Fall 2021 Grand, Durrence scrambled to place dogs with other professional handlers to make the journey to St. Louis. He tapped his good friend and fellow professional trainer Marcus Bice to run Mason.

It’s a tough assignment. Marcus and Mason have less than a week to get acquainted and train together. The veteran trainer and handler and the talented retriever will give it their best.

It’s hot, humid and dusty at the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in Weldon Springs, Missouri, and the 7,000-acre property is teeming with lakes and fields to test the most talented hunting dogs and their handlers. Besides Labrador Retrievers, there are Golden Retrievers, Boykin Spaniels, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, and Flat-Coated Retrievers.

HRC Grand Hunt Committee Chairman Tracy Stubbs couldn’t be happier.

“It’s the biggest Grand ever,” Stubbs says. “We have 884 entries and 795 dogs to start counting scratches. These are dogs, owners and handlers from 140 HRC clubs around the country. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you do in life, when you have a Grand Hunting Retriever Champion you have the ultimate hunting dog.”

Ten sites — five land and five water — have been selected at Busch. Handlers are grouped into 10 flights of about 75 dogs each. To earn a Grand pass, dogs must complete five series including two land, two water and the upland test. Dogs are judged at each series and earn a “2” for meeting the standard, “1” for a marginal performance, and “O” for failing the test. Only one marginal score is allowed through the first four series. Dogs are dropped along the way. The upland test is pass or fail.

The HRC is sanctioned by the United Kennel Club, which carries the registry and offers titles for the HRC program. Stubbs explains that the Grand Hunt test was created for dogs that have attained their Hunting Retriever Championship (HRCH) title.

“Before the Grand, you’d get your HRCH title and you were done,” he says. “The Grand was a way to keep those dogs active and in the game — ultimately to improve our purebred hunting dogs. We’ve come a long way since that first Grand in 1986. It was hosted by the North Louisiana HRC in Monroe, Louisiana, and there were 13 entries.”

The journey from 13 entries in 1986 to nearly 900 entries in fall 2021 is a testament to the HRC philosophy: “Conceived by Hunters, for Hunters.” Tests are set up that simulate hunting situations. Participants must dress in camouflage clothing. It’s a family friendly atmosphere, a hunting and dog-loving fraternity, and a game that continues to grow. 

“Our founders wanted something for duck hunters where you compete against a standard, not each other,” Stubbs says. “And still, it’s challenging. We have 500-point clubs and 1,000-point clubs, and then we have our Hall of Fame class. That is the pinnacle hunting dog.”

Hunting Retriever Club President Jack Gravely of Foley, Oklahoma, says adding the Hall of Fame class four years ago has been a huge catalyst for growth at the Grand. “At the 2017 Grand there were four flights of dogs,” he says. “Here at the Fall 2021 Grand there are 10 flights. Hall of Fame status has been huge for breeding rights as well as bragging rights.”

Each test site at Busch is designated as a water or land location and named after an HRC sponsor. Appropriately, Purina Area Manager Ray Voigt and consultant Kelsi Toth are visiting with handlers at Purina Land and will visit professionals and amateurs at every site before the Grand is over.

“This is a huge event for Purina,” Voigt says. “It’s challenging and geared to the hunter. It’s a family friendly atmosphere and very inclusive, and they root for each other. We’re proud to be a part of this event.” 

Stubbs notes that Purina Pro Plan is one of two HRC Legacy sponsors. “We’ve received unwavering support from Purina through the years,” he says. 

Dogs Are What It’s All About

After two series, Mason has a good Grand going. “He’s making me look pretty good,” Bice jokes. The third series is a triple water mark with a blind retrieve, meaning Bice must handle Mason to retrieve a bird the dog did not see. The test site is appropriately named “Lucky Duck.”

Bice brings Mason to the line and the judges are chatty. “Looks like Mason is going after No. 13,” one judge says. “No pressure Marcus,” another says. 

Bice smiles and replies, “The last thing Stephen told me was ‘Mason has passed every Grand he’s entered. And he’s going to pass this one, too.’”

With that, Bice blew his duck call and the test began. Mason picked up his three marked retrieves, no problem. Bice lined up Mason for the blind retrieve and sent him with a forceful “BACK” command. Mason veered left, offline. Bice blew his whistle, attempting to cast Mason right. Mason continued left: a cast refusal. Another toot on the whistle. Another cast refusal. Toot. Still no luck. 

The judges had no choice. “Call him back Marcus. I’m sorry,” one judge says.

Mason was out. No Lucky Duck No. 13 at this Grand.

“It’s not what I wanted,” Bice says after the long walk back to the truck. “He’s a really nice dog. We just weren’t working well together on that blind today.”

Stephen Durrence appreciated the effort. “It’s not Marcus’ fault, and it’s not Mason’s fault,” Durrence said later. “They had a very short time to get acquainted. I’ve had Mason since he’s been 6 months old. He’s still in great shape, and he’ll get to play again at the Grand.”

Those who participate in the HRC Grand are drawn to the sport for many reasons. The main attraction common with all is getting to work with their dogs. 

Rhett Riddle is a professional trainer and handler from Hartsville, South Carolina. He’s parked in the shade at one of 10 test sites with 10 dogs entered in the Grand.

“I love dogs. That’s why I'm here,” Riddle says. Formerly a veterinary technician, Riddle trained bomb detection dogs for five years and settled into the hunt test and dog training game. 

“Over the years I began to learn dog psychology, what they’re thinking and what they’re trying to tell you,” he says. “The best part is getting to work with dogs every day. It’s a bonus when they pass.”

Meanwhile, Sue Liemohn of St. Francis, Minnesota, and her retired Labrador, GRHRCH Taylor Farm’s Midnight Georgia MH (“Georgia”), are under the merchandise tent at HRC Grand headquarters. Liemohn is taking orders for HRC Grand apparel, including camouflage shirts, and embroiders the Fall 2021 HRC logo for customers each afternoon and evening. It’s part of her Sue’s Embroidery and Designs business, but she and Georgia have many more Grand connections.

“Georgia has four Grand passes and four Master National passes, and she won the 2019 SRS (Super Retriever Series) Crown Championship in the Open division,” Liemohn says matter-of-factly. “Stephen Durrence ran her and won with her in the Open division. I qualified her two years in a row in the Amateur division.”

Liemohn, who started competing with Georgia in 2008, says, “The best part is  meeting new people and seeing the dogs work. I just love the dog work.”

Amber Everett is an emergency room nurse from Bridgeport, Texas, who is hooked on the hunt test game. She has four dogs entered: “Linda,” “Rylee,” “Jessie,” and “Bodie.”

“How did I get here?” Amber says. “I’m the only child of a dad who loves to hunt and fish who married a guy who loves to hunt and fish. My first Valentine’s Day present from my husband, Taylor, was a cute little Labrador we named Bodie. I bought a book on retriever training and watched every video I could get my hands on and went to seminars. I said, ‘I can do this. I can run a dog.’ Next thing you know I have four HRCH retrievers and a dog trailer, and I’m driving to the Grand.”

Everett’s goal at the Fall 2021 Grand is to get a Grand pass for 6-year-old Bodie and earn second Grand passes for Rylee and Jessie. 

“We want all the initials in front of their names,” she says.

Bodie came through, earning his first Grand pass. He’ll be back at the Spring 2022 Grand going for his second pass and Grand Champion Retriever status.

Good news just in. Stephen Durrence has kicked COVID-19 and is back running dogs. He enjoys the challenge and agrees passing the Grand is the pinnacle for a hunting dog. He also values the family atmosphere and camaraderie of his HRC colleagues. 

“My wife, Kendra, will load up our children and bring them along,” he says. “You can ask anybody, they’re all as much a part of the event as I am. Bottom line, our dog family is part of our family.” 
 

The statuesque standout among 192 bird dogs competing at the National Shoot to Retrieve Association (NSTRA) 2021 Purina Endurance Classic was a 4 ½-year-old tricolor female English Setter named “Stella.” Owner-handler Mike Stotts Jr. of Nine Mile Falls, Washington, attributes the success of Stotts’ Skipping Stella to her keen bird-finding ability, stylish pointing and strong overall performance over six 30-minute rounds and the final one-hour round. Held Sept. 8 to 11 in Lewistown, Montana, the endurance event was a walking trial that drew handlers of several bird dog breeds from across the country. Points were earned for quail covey finds, retrieving ability, backing or honoring a bracemate on point, ground coverage in search for game, and obedience work. Stotts, a 20-year NSTRA competitor and avid hunter, says, “On the last day, Stella ran in four rounds. In the final round, she slammed the first quail covey find about 100 yards out, only five seconds into the round.” Bred by Shaun Rydl of Buzzard Roost Kennels in Medora, Iowa, Stella is fed Purina Pro Plan SPORT Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula dog food.

In a little more than one year on the U.S. show circuit, a white-and-brown 3 ½-year-old female Lagotto Romagnolo named “Orca” has ensured that Americans not only recognize Italy’s famous truffle-hunting dog but also fall completely in love with the adorable breed. The No. 2 all-breed dog in the country, No. 1 Sporting dog and No. 1 Lagotto all systems is EUR MBIS/BISS JEW19 MBIS/MBISS GCHS Kan Trace Very Cheeky Chic. Handled by Phil and Amy Booth of BlueRose Kennels in Mims, Florida, Orca is owned by Victor Malzoni Jr. of Malibu, California, her breeder Sabina Sinkovic Zdunic of Rijeka, Croatia, and Ante Lucin of Croatia. “Orca is an intelligent, endearing companion and truly one-of-a-kind for her breed,” says Phil Booth, who has piloted her to 24 Bests in Show and Best in Specialty Show at the 2021 Lagotto Romagnolo Club of America National Specialty. A European superstar before 2 years of age, Orca won 22 Bests in Show at Fédération Cynologique Internationale shows, twice earning Supreme Best in Show over all-breed entries of 6,000 dogs. Orca is fed Purina Pro Plan SPORT Performance 26/16 Chicken & Rice Formula dog food.

Performance factors typically tip the scale when it comes to choosing the best food to feed an individual dog. Does the food in your dog’s bowl provide the nutrition and energy needed to power a canine athlete?

“When choosing a food, it’s best to determine your dog’s energy needs, the most critical part of his or her diet other than water,” says Purina Research Nutritionist Christina Petzinger Germain, PhD.

Energy fuels a dog’s performance. When a dog food provides the right levels of energy nutrients — carbohydrates, fats and protein — a dog is more likely to achieve a high VO₂ max, or maximal oxygen uptake. When maximal oxygen uptake combines with maximal fat oxidation, it produces the best performance during hard work.

”The higher the VO₂ max, the more intense a dog can exercise,” Dr. Petzinger Germain explains. “This is due to the supply of energy from fat to the muscles, sparing the liver and muscle glycogen stores, and the body’s use of amino acids, or protein, to provide glucose and delay fatigue. The longer you can spare glycogen, the better.”

Glycogen, the storage form of glucose in the muscles and liver, is needed during intense work. However, it is limited in the body, and its depletion may affect a dog’s performance or capacity to work optimally. When glycogen stores are fully depleted, this leads to exhaustion.

A diet that is high in protein promotes high-circulating red blood cells, which have a crucial role in carrying oxygen to the cells, including muscle cells where oxygen is used to burn fat to produce the energy needed by a dog during work. Increased oxygen in muscle cells results in the increased capacity of the muscles to use fat as an energy source.

Fat is an important concentrated source of energy. The gross energy of fat equals 9 kilocalories compared to 4 kilocalories for both protein and carbohydrates. The digestibility of fat is generally higher than protein or carbohydrates, and fat is highly palatable and impacts the texture of dog food.

Curious as to how kilocalories compare to calories in human food? They are the same, except on human nutritional labels, kilocalories are shortened to Calories. Both represent the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water 1 degree Celsius.

“During exercise recovery, glycogen stores are replenished via carbohydrates in the diet,” says Dr. Petzinger Germain. “Dietary carbohydrates are important because they help maintain glycogen stores, enabling repeated episodes of exercise and work on a long-term basis.”

Understanding energy balance and determining whether your active dog receives the nutrition he or she needs can be as simple as evaluating the dog’s performance to help ensure that he or she performs optimally with energy, drive and enthusiasm.

Purina Pro Plan SPORT Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice Formula

• Made for all life stages
• 484 kcal/cup
• Real salmon is the No. 1 ingredient
• 30 percent protein/20 percent fat
• High-performance dry formula crafted with 30% protein and 20% fat to fuel metabolic needs and maintain lean muscle in canine athletes. Delivers concentrated nutrition to optimize oxygen metabolism (VO₂ max) for increased endurance.

Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula*

• Made for adult dogs
• 429 kilocalories per cup
• Real salmon is the No. 1 ingredient
• 26 percent protein/16 percent fat
• Specialized dry formula that nourishes skin and coat and supports the digestive health of adult dogs. Made with omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat as well as rice that is easily digestible and gentle on the digestive system.

*Although Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula does not provide the protein, fat or carbohydrate levels needed for a dog to reach VO₂ max, it does provide benefits that are important to sporting dogs and may be ideal for dogs that require fewer calories or have sensitive skin or stomach.

Purina Pro Plan is sold exclusively at pet specialty and through online retailers. For more information, please visit proplan.com

The 2021 National Open Shooting Dog Champion is a 4-year-old white-and-orange Pointer named “Nate,” who took top honors only three years after his sire won the prestigious event. It is only the second time in the 60-year history of the National Open that a father and son have won. Running in the first 90-minute brace — No. 17 of the seven-day trial — on a cold, windy morning, Senah’s Back In Business delivered a powerful, stylish performance with seven covey finds. Joel Norman, manager and head trainer at Senah Plantation in Leesburg, Georgia, handled the homebred champion for owner Benjy Griffith, and Jamie Daniels of Bronwood, Georgia, scouted. “Nate is a natural. He runs a far-reaching forward ground race and always knows where I am,” Norman says. “He was a late bloomer, but his desire to hunt birds was evident right away.” Nate was sired by Miller Unfinished Business, whom Norman handled to his win at the 2018 National Open, out of Miller’s Dialing for Dollars, the 2016 Southeastern Open Shooting Dog Champion. Griffith bought both dogs from breeders Jack and Fran Miller of Barwick, Georgia, and Nate was whelped and raised at Senath Plantation out of that mating. Among his other wins, Nate won the 2020 Southeastern Open Shooting Dog Championship. His power and ability make him a contender in all-age stakes, as reflected in his winning Runner-Up Champion at the 2021 Florida Open All-Age Championship. The talented bird dog is fed Purina Pro Plan SPORT Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula.

A 7-year-old male named “Lewey” kept his cool under hot, humid conditions to win the 2021 National German Shorthaired Pointer Association (NGSPA) National Championship. With four quail covey finds during the one-hour stake, NC-FC-AFC BMB’s Free Ride drove a riveting performance. “Lewey showed a lot of power and really nice style,” says handler Brandon Blum, of Berthoud, Colorado, the co-owner with his wife, Jen. It was Lewey’s 20th championship win, his first National Championship. Lewey is the first bird dog that Blum, an amateur, fully trained himself. Blum started with bird dogs about 10 years ago with a Vizsla, switching to German Shorthairs as he got more involved with field trials. Other winners Blum handled at the NGSPA National are Lewey’s 5 ½-year-old half-sister, RU-NASDC-FC-AFC BMB’s Madison Ave, the Runner-Up Champion at the National Amateur Shooting Dog stake, and his 3 ½-year-old son, RU-NAC-FC BMB’s Freeloader, the Runner-Up Champion at the National Amateur All-Age stake. Bred by Matt Smith of Florida, Lewey was sired by FC Kimber Tactical out of FC Time To Pay The Piper. This year’s National Champion, an easygoing house dog when not running field trials, is fed Purina Pro Plan SPORT Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice Formula.