FOREST AND STREAM. 



213 



%* MmtteL 



TENNESSEE STATE SPORTSMEN'S 

 ASSOCIATION. 



[from our special correspondent.] 



Memphis, Tenn., October 30th T 1875. 



Tour special correspondent, after a break down on the 

 Blue Kidge Mountains of Virginia, arrived here, and pro- 

 ceeded to the Peabody Hotel, the headquarters of the 

 Tennessee State Sportsmen's Association. The first gen- 

 tleman I chanced to meet was Capt. Dick Lightburne, who, 

 I believe, has done more for the noble companion of man 

 the dog— than anyone else in the State. With the co-oper- 

 ation of the writer, Capt. Lightburne drafted the rules 

 and laws by which the Tennessee State Sportsmen's Asso- 

 ciation, in field trials, is now governed. 



The Tennessee State Sportsmen's Association, practical- 

 ly organized for the protection of game in the State, is 

 more of a pigeon shooting society than an association for 

 game protectigon, and we could wish that it would follow 

 in the footsteps of the Ohio State Association, which, on 

 the 8th of June last, during their meeting at Cleveland, 

 eliminated from their proceedings everything relating to 

 pigeon shooting. We visited Hernando Park, near Mem- 

 phis.and found there assembled some of the most prominent 

 sportsmen of the United States, among them as delegates 

 from the Chicago Gun Club. We also met delegates from 

 St. Louis, Mo.; Cleveland, Ohio; Boston, Mass.; Louis- 

 ville, Ky.; Nashville, Tenn. ; New York, Brooklyn, and 

 from other cities. All of the trap shooting was made fiom 

 H & T plunge traps; most of the birds were wild pigeons, 

 and, as a rule, were top-drivers. The quartering birds 

 were generally killed, but we noticed, even with the im- 

 mense loads of powder (some using 8 drachms), a great 

 many birds were missed, the wind being in favor of the 

 birds. Most of the prominent gun manufactories had their 

 representatives present, among whom we noticed W. W. 

 Greener's agent (Mr. Williams, of St. Louis,) who extend- 

 ed to all gentlemen sportsmen a handsome reception at the 

 Peabody Hotel, where he exhibited a superb battery of 

 breech loading guns. Mr. Williams is the only agent for 

 this English firm in the country, whose guns have proved 

 so successful in England. 



There were as many as 6,000 wild pigeons furnished for 

 shooting, which were supplied by Mr. Martin, of Chicago. 

 Among the prominent amateur pigeon shots present were 

 the old Chicago boys mentioned often in your journal; 

 also Mr. Acklen, of Louisiana, the great snipe shot, Wil- 

 liams' and Alleys, of Tennessee, and gentlemen from Wis- 

 consin, and other Northwestern States. 



[Our limited space compels us to omit the details of the 

 pigeon matches, the results of which were announced in 

 our last issue. — Ed.] 



THE BENCH SHOW. 



The exhibition of sportsmen's dogs was acknowledged 

 by all present to be perhaps the best display ever held in 

 America. We noticed that the prominent colors were 

 white, with orange, lemon and blue ticks. 



How shall I begin to give you the different classifications 

 and almost perfect strains of the setters on exhibition? I 

 will start with the field trial breed. The most perfect 

 beauty in the show was Paris, owned by Mr. Smith, of 

 Ontario, Canada. Although not awarded the first pre- 

 mium, owing to the change of judges, yet still we state 

 here that Paris, with Dan, Dora, Rake, and the far-famed 

 Laverack, took the first prize in the champion class. These 

 are, perhaps, the purest setters of their class in America. 

 In the Irish class we noticed Mr. Burges' grand dog, Ru- 

 fus. As a sire the excellence of his get will have yet to 

 be determined. He has great power forward, a fine quar- 

 ter, chest, and a better coat and feather are seldom seen. 

 His quarters are long — perhaps a little too narrow in loin. 

 His sire, French's Shot, was always a successful getter, 

 going back as far as the Plunkets, Everleighs and others. 

 Old Rufus, with his grand body, lost the first prize be- 

 cause his mother was not capable of heading him. I must 

 notice just here among native dogs, Count and Grouse, 

 owned by Mr. Whitman, of Chicago, who has always been 

 so liberal to gentlemen sportsmen and anglsrs as a railroad 

 man. These dogs are not pedigreed as stock blues, but, in 

 my estimation, among the pure white and lemon Beltons, 

 such a yearling puppy as Count is seldom seen in a show 

 of sportsmen's dogs anywhere. He took my fancy, al- 

 though master and dog were both unknown to me. The 

 dog reminds me a good deal of Mr. Brooks' dog, Bis- 

 marck, of Philadelphia. The native stock undoubtedly 

 showed the improvement due to recent importations. It 

 is all very well to laugh over what is called blue blood; 

 but when it comes to practical facts, the native and Eng- 

 lish blood has achieved wonders. We are not speaking of 

 individual trained dogs for snipe, quail, etc. But give us 

 a good English performer, and when mated to a hand- 

 some native dog their progeny will be excellent. 



The show of pointers, although numerous, was, in my 

 opinion, second class. The most noticeable dog without 

 doubt, although awarded only second premium by the 

 judges, was Capt. Lightburne's chestnut pointer Sandy. 

 His head was almost perfect, reminding me of Garth's 

 Drake, now owned by Mr. Price, of Bala, Wales. I no- 

 ticed es| ecially his shoulders. They were narrow at the 

 blades, with fine muscle. His feet were only fair, and 

 neck a little too throaty; the only bad fault was in his 

 stern. The fine-looking black and whites belonging to 

 Major Taylor, of Kentucky, were a little too snaky, though 

 the feet, legs, loins, and stifles were about middling. The 

 fox hound class were undoubtedly the best dogs of the 

 show, except the setter class . Mr. J. W. Alley, 'of Mem- 

 phis, entered some lovely animals, black and tans, with a 



touch of the tawny on their backs and arms, reminding 



me of the dogs of the Wheatley Kennel. I paid particu- 

 lar attention in this class to a pup crossed with the native 



stock by a recent importation. 

 1 will now give you the entries and prizes. There were 



76 entries in all, of the canine race:— 



Class \.—E7iglish Setters. — Premium, a silver goblet of 



the value of $35; 14 entries— Leicester, 1st premium, 



owned by Smith, of Canada. Grouse, 2d, owned by Whit- 

 man, of Chicago. 



Bitches— 8 entries— Victress, 1st, owned by Smith, of 

 Canada; Maud, 2d, owned by Bryson, of Tenn. 



Puppies— 7 entries— Count, 1st, owned by Whitman, of 

 Chicago; Shot 2d, owned by France, of Tenn, 



Class II— Gordon Setters— 9 entries, Rip, 1st, owned by 

 Orgill, of New York; Don 2d, owned by France, of Tenn. 



Bitches — No entries. 



Puppies— Mab 1st, owned by Thornton, of Ky. 



Class III— Bed Irish Setters.— 3 entries, Rufus, 1st, 

 owned by Berges, of Ky.; Harry 2d, owned by Nicholson, 

 of Tenn. 



Bitches— 2 entries, Gypsey 1st, owned by Whitman, of 

 Chicago; Friend, 2d, owned by Burges, of Ky. 



Puppies — No entries. 



Class IV— Champion setter on exhibition, Paris, 1st, 

 owned by Smith, of Canada. 



Class V— Pointers.— 20 entries, Duke, 1st, owned by 

 Taylor, of Ky ; Sandy,2d, owned by Lightburne, of Tenn. 



Bitches— Fanny, 1st, owned by Miller; May 2d, owned 

 by Dr. Saunders, of Tennessee. 



Puppies— No Name, 1st, owned by Gibson, of Tenn. ; Joe 

 2d, owned by Howe, of Tenn. 



Extra Wass Pointers.— -5 entries, 1st prize to Duke, owned 

 by Taylor, of Ky. 



Extra Cass Setter Puppies.— Grouse, 1st, owned by Whit- 

 man, of Chicago. 



Class VI— Fox Hounds.— -8 entries, all owned by J. W. 

 Alley, of Tenn. His dogs Frank, Tom and King, and 

 bitches Flora and Kate, and a puppy bitch were well 

 worthy the premiums. There was no competition 



THE FIELD TRIALS. 



Memphis, Tenn., October 30th, 1875. 

 The second annual meeting of the Tennessee Field Trials 

 for dogs on quail, came off October 29th and 30th, on the 

 plantations of Cols. Townsend, Mosby and Brooks, situated 

 about fifteen miles from this city, the former gentleman 

 having extended the courtesies of his house to the sports- 

 men present on the field. The farms had been specially 

 preserved for this occasion, and many birds laid down 

 which were purchased two years ago in Arkansas, so as 

 nothing could mar the success of the trials on account of 

 the scarcity of birds . 



It may be noticed here that Mr. P. H. Bryson, the Presi- 

 dent of the Association, and Mr. Wheatley, the Secretary, 

 have really labored very hard to bring these tests of merit 

 in dogs in the field over game to something like suc- 

 cess, although I scarcely think they received the support 

 they deserved from the public, nor from their own mem- 

 bers. The entries were by no means so numerous as ex- 

 pected, and the small patronage received was, I presume, 

 owing to the great expense one has to incur in bringing 

 dogs and guns such long distances from the North and 

 Northwest. The rules, regulations and points governing 

 these trials were arranged and published by the writer— 

 your former Field Editor— in Forest and Stream some 

 two years ago. The handling and working of the dogs 

 was, with the exception of Mr. Horsfall, nothing to speak 

 of. Although repeatedly requested to act as judge, I 

 found it impossible to kill the quail over single points with 

 one barrel at the same time — in other words, to take notes 

 and give a fair impartial report to the public, and at the 

 same time do justice to the different owners of the ani- 

 mals. Dr. Rowe's dogs failed to arrive. His breaker, having 

 to lay over at St. Louis, had the misfortune to loose Ban- 

 shee by a dog thief. The breaker being so long delayed, 

 and the dogs fatigued by 1,500 miles of travel, were evi- 

 dently unfit to enter the stakes. It is a pity that the grand 

 dog Rufus, owned by Arnold Burges, is a stock dog, as he 

 would do well in the field. 



The performances of the dogs in the different stakes, 

 although the weather was dead against them the first day, 

 were such as to lead one to suppose that there was only 

 one breaker in America. His system I like, although per- 

 haps a little too slow at times. The careful, masterly 

 style in which he handled Romp and Rake, in the brace 

 stakes, would have easily given him an extra prize for am- 

 ateur workers, which ought to have been awarded to him 

 by the association. The judges in this stake were greatly 

 in error. Admitting, as I do, Tom to be the best dog, al- 

 though unbroken for a field trial, yet his companion, May, 

 was frequently weak in his backing, trained miserably, 

 good style and pace, nose inferior, handled and worked 

 with no judgment, but by a gentleman. The flag was 

 thrown up for Tom and May, while Romp and Rake, bar- 

 ring their pace being slow, and rather of the woodcock or- 

 der of workers, were simply perfect. I had never seen 

 one of the dogs or owners before this visit to Memphis, so 

 these remarks may be called impartial. In the All-aged 

 Stakes, Tom be it everything easily. He could have given 

 Harry twenty points and beaten "him, but as he had noth- 

 ing to show against, he was not called on. Harry is per- 

 haps one of the best field sportsman's dogs I ever saw. 

 When points of merit are to be judged, he must be 

 worked by a professional. The puppies, Maud and Paris, 

 were entered, and worked in all the stakes, and when the 

 time came for the All-aged Stakes they were, as a matter 

 of course, completely tired out. 



The Tennessee Brace Stakes for Setters and Pinters, Dogs and Bitches 

 Champion Brace of America, for a purse of $ 00 cash and a Silver 

 Cup, value $150, given by the Turf, Field and Farm, the absolue win- 

 ning brace to take Cup and $150, the rest of the money pro rated. 



Mr. P. H. Bryson's black and white Maud, Mr. Smith's, 

 of Ontario, Canada, field trial breed, Paris; Mr. Williams' 

 blue Beltons Romp and Rake; Mr. Wheatly's Campbell 

 breed, Tom and May; Mr. D. Bryson's native breed, Lee 

 and Mab, making four entries. Judges — Luther Adams, 

 of Boston; W. W. Sterling, of St. Louis, Mo. Maud 

 and Paris went down, ranging over the first cornfield, but 

 failed to find; continued hunting down wind, then entered 

 some weeds in another cornfield. Maud fouud first, Paris 

 backing, sitting on her haunches. Maud again a little too 

 close; flushed in sedge. Paris flushed; Maud, gently work- 

 ing, made a false point: Paris points, Maud backing. Paris 

 retrieves in good shape. The weather now was sultry. 



Maud and Paris, both flushing, were taken up. Romp and 

 Rake flush for Romp in corn, and well done-, the little ras- 

 cal. Rake, made a beautiful point, Romp backing, the bird 

 retrieved by Rake. Romp and Rake now beat the ground 

 honestly but slowly, and were taken up. Tom and May 

 were put down, both going off in grand style, dashing 

 through a cotton field, and at the bottom of a little ravine 

 Tom pointed. The birds were flushed and killed, and then 

 retrieved by Tom. Tom then pointed a running bird in, 

 thick, close sedge grass, which was retrieved by May. 

 Tom following down a steep ravine, May pointing pretty 

 well, Tom backing, both dropping to shot fairly, as the 

 birds were killed. May retrieved in good style. This con* 

 tinued with more or less success for half an hour. Both 

 are good rangers, and hunt in a masterly manner, but are 

 not thoroughly broken. Mab and Lee were now cast off, 

 up wind, crossing the railroad track. Lee flushed a large 

 bevv. Mab found them and stood. Lee, coming up to 

 back, flushed. Lee and Mab made five successive flushes, 

 three scarcely penal in my opinion. Mab again flushed, 

 with her nose right on a bird; both taken up. Now comes 

 the prettiest performance of the day. Romp and Rake, 

 the two little beauties, worked cautiously over the line of 

 a cotton field, running over the edge of a wheat stubble, 

 and entered a garden patch. Here Mr. Horsfall showed 

 his working the dogs to perfection. Romp and Rake mad© 

 six successive points, each sought dead, found and re- 

 trieved also six times in grand style. Tom and May were 

 put down again, both dogs finding and backing after a 

 speedy range. Maud and Paris, after ranging through 

 some hog weeds, Paris made a beautiful point, both drop, 

 ping to wing and shot. Evening was now coming on, and 

 all of us returned home, gladdened with the excellence of 

 the sport. The following were the winners and points 

 awarded: Tom and May were the winners, 77 polnls; 

 Romp and Rake, second, 74 points; Maud and Paris, third, 

 72 points; Lee and Mab nowhere, with 52 points. 

 Setter and Pointer Puppy Stakes, under eighteen months, for champion- 

 ship of America. Purse ^300 cash and a beautiful Cap, va'ue $150, 

 given by Rod and G-un. The Cup and $150 in cash becomes the al>KO- 

 lute property of the winner, the rest of the money pro rated. 



Entries— Mr. L. H. Smith's, of Strathroy, Canada, field 

 trial dog, Paris, against Mr. Luther Adams', of Boston, 

 field trial dog, Duke. Mr. P. H. Bryson's, of Memphis, 

 field trial bitch, Maud, against Major Taylor's, of Ken- 

 tucky, field trial bitch, Blanche. Paris and Duke cast o I 

 first. They beat out a stubble field in a masterly manner; 

 failing to find, they quartered a cornfield. Passing through 

 this they entered a sedge field, and on coming up by a 

 cotton patch, Duke made a very short point, which he socn 

 left. Paris, on running up, made a staunch point, but 

 failed to find, as they were running birds, evidently show- 

 ing that they had passed through the fence into heavy 

 cover. They then beat several fields, not being able to 

 find birds. Paris was first to find a bevy of birds, which 

 he pointed very staunchly in a cornfield, which Duke did 

 not back. On the birds being marked up by Mr. Smith, 

 who handled his own dogs, Paris retrieved his birds in 

 good style. Paris then made a point in a cotton patch; 

 Duke, refusing to back, stole his point from him, and as 

 no birds were flushed, it was evident they were standing 

 scent. After a little more work at this place, the judges 

 ordered them up. The two sisters, Maud and Blanche, 

 were the next put down in a patch of sedge grass, in which 

 was a scattered bevy of birds, where they did some very 

 pretty work, pointing and backing each other, Maud re- 

 trieving in good style. As birds were plentiful, the judge* 

 soon ordered them up, the flag being raised for Maud. 

 Paris and Duke were then ordered down again, both doing 

 beautiful work, each dog seeming to feel that it was his 

 duty to back the other. Paris was now instructed to back 

 Duke; he finding, Paris backing. They were then or- 

 dered up . 



The following were the winners and points awarded: 

 Maud, first, 93; Paris, second, 86; Duke, third, 74; Blanche, 

 fourth, 71. 



Satttbday, Oct. 30th.— The Open Stakes; free for All-aced Setters and 

 Pointers, for the championship of America. Parse $500 and a mag- 

 nificent piece of Silver Plate, valaed at $150, given by Forjsbt an» 

 Stream, $250 cash and Cnp to the winner; rest of the money pro- 

 rated. 



P. H. Bryson's, of Memphis, Maud against Mr. Wheat- 

 ley's, of Memphis, Ida. Mr. Nicholson's, of Memphis, 

 Harry, against Mr. Campbell's Tom. Mr. Smith's of Can- 

 ada, Paris to run a bye. Maud and Ida were put down 

 and cast off in some heavy sedge grass. Ida flushing, lost 

 her chance; Maud also flushing up wind. After this Maud 

 behaved better; found in a large cotton field and retrieved 

 well. The dogs were at length taken up. Tom and Harry 

 were then unloosed. Tom went off at full speed in grand 

 style, and pointed an immense bevy of quaii, the handler 

 killing three birds, which Tom retrieved, Harry rinding 

 and pointing first this time, and drawing carefully on hia 

 birds— bird killed, Harry pointing dead. This he did three 

 times successfully. Paris and Ida were now put down to 

 show a few of their actions to the judges. In pace and 

 style, and dropping to shot, Paris was by far the better 

 dog. Ida and Tom started, but were objected to by Mr. 

 Bryson, on account of their having been broken together. 

 Ida was taken up and Tom was cast oif by himself to see 

 his dropping to shot. He failed to do it, but dropped to 

 hand. Paris was then put down against Tom, Tom, a* 

 usual, doing the wide ranging, Paris the closest. Tom 

 found in a cornfield— Paris, after being called up, back- 

 ing. Tom retrieved, and again found a single bird. Maud 

 and Paris were now put down, and after along trial, were 

 taken up. 



The following are the winners and points awarded: Tom, 

 the Forest and Stream set and purse, 92 points; Harry, 

 second, 7t points; Maud, third, 67 points; Ida, 05 point's; 

 Paris, 65 points. 



This concluded the meeting. 



While we are speaking of dogs and shooting, we must 

 not omit the handsome silver ware on exhimtion at the 

 store of Messrs. Bird & Co., consisting of a magnificent sil- 

 ver goblet, mounted with gold, valued at $150, which was 

 presented by the Turf, Field and Farm. We aLo notice a 

 rnagnificent'water set, consisting of pitcher, goblets, and 

 bowl, and engraved with a most beautiful picture of a'do^. 

 This was, as you know, donated by the Forest and' 

 Stream. There was a large goblet, 21 inches iu height, 

 presented by the Bod and Gun, and last, but not has? 16 

 goblets given by the Tenn. S. S. A., valued at $35 each. Ve 

 omit mention of winners here, as you will see them else- 

 where. 



The banquet, given jointly by the proprietors of the 

 Peabody Hotel and members of the Tennessee State Sport*- 



