S84 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



(Nov. 19, 1891' 



and was -ander good control. Carried pointed and dropped 

 to wing at order, and the brace were taJien up. Down 81m. 



ROGER— EOMNEY. 



Mr. H. M. Kiff owns and handled the pointer Roger. Mr. 

 Wells owns and handled Romney, another of his Toledo 

 Blade-Cambriana puppies, said to be his best one. Romney 

 seemed a, good, independent and fearless worker, not so hieh 

 in he^d carriwye as his brother Luke. Roger failed to back 

 Romney'sroadiug stop, but Romney backed a similar short 

 stop for Eo^:;er later. In a starting Roger made a grand 

 point, staunch and decided, on a bevy at least thirty-five 

 yards distant. Romney ran past and "^flusbed in bad style 

 indeed. Across a blank cornfield both dogs pointed a bevj'. 

 This was put up and again located, both dogs again point- 

 ing nicely. Romney ft bit the steadier. Down 35m. 



CENTRAL BASC4— MANITOBA PATTI. 



McGregor handled Central Bang, pointer, the setter being 

 handled by :\Ir. Johnson, owner. The predictions of the 

 latte];as to the spf-ed of his bitch appeared verified. Patti is 

 the fastest one entered in the Derby, and a, n^errier and more 

 independent raoger \Toald hi hard to fLad. She had been 

 worked on quail only about a week, and the down stuff of the 

 slashings proved neiv con jtvy tor her and not of the best. 

 Two bevies were put up, iind the dogs worked to the scat- 

 tered birds, where Patti established a point; Bang coming 

 up, j)c>inted also. Air. Johnson fired and missed, both doKS 

 steady to wing and shot at order. Bang pointed at side of 

 bitcb, and Patti backed. This was not worked otit very 

 well, but no bird was put up. Down 30in, 



TIGKY-TOCK— MANITOBA PET. 



Both setters. Mr. Wells owns and bandied Ticky-Tock, 

 Mr, Johnson Manitoba Pet, the latter hardly acquainted 

 with her handler, rrho has only had her on for one day. A 

 bevy was put up and markfd. Both dogs drew and pointed 

 stauach nt ;i hru^h heap. When the bevy rose, Tock sprang 

 up on a log, but stojiped at order. Pet seemed to need a 

 sharp vcord nr so at wint:. Tock false pointed .later. At a 

 fetice row 3 bird sprauL; ahead of the dogs. Pet broke in 

 chasiag, Tock following. Both stopped at command. Down 

 o'im. 



This closed the series. The j'.idges now retired, and after 

 consultation announced that the dogs wanted for the next 

 series wonid he five brace, viz.: Sam H. and Roger, Lou 

 Dido and M-tv L., Rhwlas and Carrie, Romney and .Manitoba 

 Patti. Luke Iv.d. Central Banc. This threw cut Pendeunis, 

 Daphne, R. K., Lncky Deal, Ticky-Tock and Manitoba Pet. 

 The owners could certainly not complain at this very liberal 

 allowance, for under rigid comparisons, two or three more 

 would ha.ve gone out also. 



Derby, Second Scries. 



SAM H.— ROGER. 



Mticb alike U\ range, btit both lacking decision in locating 

 their ijirds. Roger flushed n bevy at a fence, and later did 

 sonu'thing vijry like tile same thing over the brow of the 

 hill. S nxL potter;'d uloLitf The fooiscent, Eoger backing bis 

 p;inses thrre tiuies. A third bevy wa-< found in a weedy 

 swaU, Sauj flnsoia^; R jger pointing a single, but unsteady 

 to winu. AVorkitig up the swale, RiOiier pointed the foot- 

 scent, i^iving Pam a .ureat chance on the bevy, which had lit 

 close by. Tlie Inrtev could make little of it. Roger was 

 brrjught up, and hero v\'ent aliead, and finally pointed the 

 bevy, none too snaiipily or decisively. He was not very .steady 

 to \vhig, but stopped at order. Down 13in. 



LOU DIDO— MAY I. 



A pretty heat. Dido not so good as in her first heat, and 

 May I. better. Dido at times carried a very low nose in 

 making out her erame. May was brilliant at times in 

 picking out her birds. May flushed a bevy and later a single. 

 May pointed handsomely, dropping flat on her belly in her 

 peculiar style. Dido backed nictjly. Duddleston killed, dogs 

 steady to word. May pointed ruouing birds, Dido backing. 

 May pointed again, sharply, falling fiat as before, and soon 

 dropped elegantly to get another point, and was steady to 

 wing. Dido was not in this, and indeed perhaps put up a 

 bird beyond a lug, .iu^t as May pointed it. Dido pointed 

 very irresolutely, probably a runniug bird. May backing, 

 turned halt double. Dido dia not show much disposition 

 to b.ack during the heat, and was not what was expected of 

 her. Down 28m. 



KHWLAS— CARRIE. 



Rhwlas kept up hissteady, old-fashioned way of going, nob 

 brilliant, but desirable. Both dogs obedient. Both stood 

 irrasolute on a footscent. Could nob make out a bird. Carrie 

 flnsiierl umi chased 5Qlt , stopping at command. They passed 

 im o a weedy edge of a field, and here Rhwlas roaded. Carrie 

 was ■,^.5yds, to the right. Rhwlas straitened on a point of 

 questionable merit jast as the bevy rose. The birds got up 

 about ijalf way between the dogs, and it could not be said 

 that Carrie flushed. Hallam shot, Rhwdas remaining in 

 place steady as a rock. Rhwlas handles well, and needs 

 small. admonishing. Down 30m. 



ROMNEY— MANITOTT PATTI. 



Patti went off with her inimitable dash. In vim, range 

 and the natural disijosition of the hunting dog, she appeared 

 the superior of any dog in the stake, though not broken 

 well to this work. Oa the stubble she was so fa.st that she 

 kept Romney apparently trailing, though the latter !s a 

 good free ranger. The dogs got no bevy, but on singles 

 Komney m.qde two flushes, and Patti also probably one, she 

 needing considerable admonishment at wing. Romney 

 back Patti's brief pause on foot scent. This was about all 

 the work they got. and both dogs did a lot of running about, 

 apparently with no idea of what they were there for. At 

 dusk, having been down 45m., tbey were taken up and the 

 party repaired to the Ijoat, and had a very cold and slow 

 ride down the river Thames, with the additional delay of 

 going aground in midstream—an accident which might 

 have become serious, or laughable, as the tug carried no 

 small boat 



To-day the work was very largely over heavy slashings, 

 ground covered with logs, stumps and dense brambles "or 

 the like. The dogs could not work well. Range was some- 

 thing not to be tested. Much of the time it was difHcult to 

 see the dogs unless right upon the rn. It can not be said 

 that the countrv used to day is adapted to field trial pur- 

 poses. The birds were abundant enough. 



THURSDAY, NOV, 13. 



Weather cloudy and raw, the birds not moving much. 

 Banning was continued in the Derby, the first brace going 

 ilown at 9:15. 



KOMNEY— JIAJflTOBA PATTI. 



Patfi held her gait, Romney trailing after her speed. No 

 birds found, Down 17m. 



LUKE— CENTRAL BANG. 



For some reasou the judges seemed to wish to see Central 

 Bang perform again. He showed small quality, was not 

 positive, and showed a disposiLisra to keep hi.s uose in close 

 cornmuuiou with the earth. Luke was liigh-hej.ded and 

 rangier, showing the effect of the breast-high cover on 

 which he was first broken in Manitoba. Down 10m. 



ROMNEY— MANITOBA PATTI 



In ordering this brace down again Mr. Davidson explained 

 that they had not yet been seen sufficiently on birds. They 

 were down 12m. more, Romney false pointed, Patti back- 

 ing tiucertaiuly. Patti had beforf> covered the ground where 

 Bomney made his point. No further work was had. 



It now appeared that the running was Co be conducted 



practically upon the heat system. The fact of the total of 

 previous work seemed lost sight of in this brace, and it 

 further seemed that what should be the spirit of puppy 

 trials, namely, the search for natural quality rather than 

 for a few points here or there, had been also overlooked. 

 No hardship, however, was worked beyond a slight loss of 

 time, for Romney never came up again. Doubtless the 

 judges found some reason for wishing him down so long. 

 Others could not. 



This closed the series. The announcement for the third 

 .series showed that the judges had determined to give every- 

 body a run for their money. They called itp Mav I. and 

 Rhwlas, Lou Dido and Luke, Carrie and Manitoba Patti. 

 Derby, Third Series. 



MAY I,— EHAVLAS. 

 Rhwlas kept up bis methodical quartering. He is not 

 brilliant, but well trained. May wasalsoindu.strioiis. May 

 false pointed, RhwLas called up refused glaringly to back. 

 Further on in the slashing there was some work which 

 caused discussion. The dogs made game crossing the open 

 flat, Rhwlas establishing game first. May was the first to 

 point, but Rhwlas nearly as quick. Rhwlas drew by May, 

 but on his own nose and alittle to one side. He then pointed, 

 drew up and made his bevy handsomely. Many thought he 

 stole May's poiut, but this was not thought the case by the 

 judges, who were closer up, and who credited Rhwlas" with 

 first making game. Both dogs steady to wing. Down 30m. 



LOU DIDO -LUKE. 



Dido still with head too low. Luke ranging well in his 

 peculiar high-headed .style .and showing some quality. Luke 

 false pointed. Dido lay meantime on the grass, arid a bird 

 went up not five feet from her nose. Dido Hushed, and her 

 work on the scattered birds was not good, she lo.sing three 

 opportunities. Down 13uQ. 



CARRIE— MANITdBA'PATTI. 



Carrie flnshed a single. Patti pointed a bevy and Carrie 

 pointed a single at the same time. Huddlcston killed the 

 bird, both does .steady. Moving on, Carrie pointed a bevy. 

 Patti was called up to back, but was found pointing a singre, 

 Down 17m. 



Derby, Fourlh Series, 

 Only one brace ordered down. 



MAY I.— LUKE. 



May pointed at brush heap, Luke going by her direct, 

 much to blame. Down 6m. 



Derby, Final. 



LUKE— MANITOBA PATTI. 

 Only one brace here also, and why they were ever put down 

 at all must probably remain a mystery. A bevy was flushed 

 wide of the dogs, "but no work 'whatever was done. Patti 

 simply further proved what she had already proved much 

 earlier, that she was the superior in ranging quality. Down 

 13m. 



The judges now made known their decision for the Derby. 

 They placed Rhwlas first, May I, second, Luke third, Mani- 

 toba Patti fourth. 



It may look ill for one to differ from three such able 

 judges, but it certainly did seem that, laying aside all 

 scale of points and following the spirit ancl iutenliou of 

 these rales, the proper order of these puppies should have 

 been Rhwlas flr.st, Manitoba Patti second. May 1. third and 

 Luke fourth. The question really lay between Rhwlas and 

 Patti as to the best puppy in the stake. Rhwlas has 

 worked a season before this, and his i^lace on his total work 

 here belonged to him rightly, Patti's one week or le.ss on 

 quail not having given her enough insight into this style 

 of hunting, though her ciuality as a field dog is unques- 

 tionably high class. 



In many ways the country over which the running has 

 been conducted is an unfortunate one for field trials, and 

 this impression becomes confirmed the more as the week 

 passes. The birds are .generally found or go to slashings, 

 full of logs and brush heaps. The wide, confident ranging 

 which most sportsmen prefer is out of place here. The "kill- 

 ing dog mttst be one which will v.^ork out the brush heaps 

 like a spaniel. It is easy to lei a lot of points thus acquired 

 outweigh qualities which would roll up far more points in 

 a proper country for trial work. It is doubtful whether the 

 trials will be held on these grounds next year. In facta 

 movement is now on foot to secure a good strip of territory 

 elsewhere, and this has a pro.spect of success. 



AU-Aues Stahe, First Series. 



WKSTil INSTER DRAKE— MATAN E 



Drake, a pointer, handled by Hallan; Mr. Wells, owner, 

 handling the setter Matane- Drake showed a .sia.shing, 

 confident: gait, was fearless of cover, and displayed a very 

 good style in covering his ground. Drake pointed at a fence 

 by the roadside, Matane coming around and tryiug to com- 

 mit highway on his point, and making an ugly fiush in the 

 attempt. After I8m. of work the dogs were taken up while 

 the party took lunch, going down again at 12:o0. Matane 

 false pointed. Drake did not back. Matane's tail was going. 

 Some dogs will not back under .such circuoistances. Drake 

 seemed independent and cast off for the bevy, making game 

 in the swale near by. Birds were flushed in the brush acro.ss 

 the swale. Matane false pointed, wagging his tail, Drake 

 pas.sed in ahead, not backing. Matane pointed a bevy, and 

 Drake, brought around to back, went in ahead, doing some 

 work far from creditable, as he got no point, though several 

 birds got up near by. Down 16m., or 34:m. in all. 



LADY PATCH— A5TEL KING DON. 



Mr. Jos. Kime handled Lady Patch, setter, Hallan hand- 

 ling the pointer Don for Mr. Darby. Much alike in range, 

 though Patch faced the cover more honestly. Both indu s- 

 trious and obedient. Don showed a rather' better carriage 

 and style in covering a stubble on which they were turned 

 Qown. Patch pointed a heyj on the stubble handsomely, 

 Don making a long back, or, more properly, a drop to orderi 

 as he was not allowed to go up and back standing. Kime 

 shot and missed. Both dogs steady. On the scattered birds 

 some pretty work was done. Don" pointed a bird jnst as a 

 spectator flushed it. On the green wheat Don crouched to a 

 stylish poiut, Patch backing none too well, and Don not per- 

 fectly steady to shot. Don again nailed a bird on the wheat, 

 but got too close and flushed. Both dogs now pointed beatt- 

 tifully, both steady to wing. All this was in the open. A 

 merry lirace, though Patch impressed one as not having 

 steam enough to stay with a real good one. Down 33m. 

 MANITOBA PET— LADY GAY SPANKER 



Mr. Johnson owns and handled Pet, setter, the same 

 puppy he had in the Derby. Mr. Davey owns and handled 

 Lady Gay Spanker. Pet poked up a bird and ran around 

 the thicket to see which way it was going. Mr. Johnson 

 was disgusted. "She doesn't belong in here," said he, and 

 forthwith took her tip himself. Down 18m. 



CANADIAN JESTER— COUNT GRAPHIC. 



Mr. Davey, owner, handled the setter Jester, Mr. Mil- 

 kins, owner, handling the pointer Count Graphic. They 

 were down for 10m., finding nothing, and then follov.'ed a 

 wearisome walk of nearly an hour, the do,gs mo~t of the 

 time on chain. Finally a bevy was marked. Jester showed 

 himself a very useful quail dog, was under perfect control 

 and very confident and snappy on singles. He whirled to a 

 poiut on a single, and then nailed another, Count backing 

 when brought up, both steady to wing. Count ran right 

 into a flush, putting up five birds. Jester false pointed, 

 Count not backing, but going in ahead. Count pointed 

 false and Jester made a very elegant back. Mr. Milkinsnow 



declared that his dog was not suflBciently trained for the 

 work and took him up. Down 30m. in all. 



^ DART— LUKE. 



Mr. A. Mathers, owner, handled Dart, pointer, Mr. W. B. 

 Wells, owner, handling Luke. The latter won third in the 

 Derby, taut should hardly go down again in the All-Ages. 

 Both pointed a bevy. Dart a bit unsteady to Mr. Mather's 



'flushed at a brush pile, and later pointed false. Down 30m. 

 CAMBRIANA— IGHTFIELD BLITHE. 

 Mr. Wells handled his own setter bitch, and Mr. Johnson, 

 owner, handling the pointer Blithe. The latter is simply a 

 professional beauty of a pointer, and a merrier, pleasauter 

 little worker never went down. She showed a lot of pace 

 and a model style. Mr. Wells' brood bitch Cambriana also 

 reminded observers that we were now come down to dogs 

 which would show some ability She had a. head of ht r own, 

 and cut out her own work cleverly. In the bush Blithe 

 made a very fetching point, but, unfortunately, there was 

 nothing in it. Cambriana backed when she came up on one 

 side. Blithe stopped again and Cambriana backed, but 

 Blithe went on, no bird being located. Mr. Davidson 

 marked a bird, and both dogs worked within 20ft of it, Mr, 

 Wells flushing it when Blithe was not 10ft. from it. In a 

 log pile Blithe pointed sta,unch, Cambriana backing beau- 

 tifully the instant she caught sight. Both .steady to Mr. 

 Johnson's shot. On a slashing Blithe pointed, but though no 

 bird was found, not much time was given for thai. A 

 squirrel ran not far off. Mr. Johnson hardiy spoke to Blithe 

 throughout her work, her obedience being p'erfect. Cambri- 

 ana had more handling, but Mr. Wells .seemed far more con- 

 fident in his old bit h than he had been with her puppies. 

 Down 50m. 



IGHTPTELD UPTON— ROSE RAPID II. 

 Mr. Johnson, owner, handled the pointer Upton, Mr. Geo. 

 Kine, owner, handling Rose, a setter. They made a very 

 fair showing. Upton, like all of Mr. Joitnson's .stock, 

 sermed a smashing goer in the or)cn, and was admir,ably 

 broke. Rose also was capable and obedient. Both pointed 

 at bru-sh, side by side. As the party came no, Hose left her 

 point to go around clo.ser Kine shot and killed, both dogs 

 steady, Upton later pointing dead nicely. Ro,se poiateal. 

 Rose then flushed and dropped. Rose false pointed at a 

 brush heap, Upton backing, but leaving soon. Upton 

 flushed three birds in .some ragweeds, few seeing this. Rose 

 roaded along the railwaj- track, and a bevy was walked up. 

 Down 40m. The day's runnings closed. 



FRIDAY, NOV. 13. 



A light wind and hazy sky, temperature falling toward 

 noon. The bu'ds seemed uneasy and restless all day, so 

 that, although it was not a good scenting day, plenty of 

 them were found. 



Dr. Nicholls, one of the judges, was absent. Mr. David- 

 son and Mr. Smith, by consent of owners, continued with- 

 out a third judge. 



As a day of sport in the field, and one of high class work, 

 to-day was a memorable one. It is much a question whether 

 a better was ever seen at any of the larger meetings. All 

 predictions as to the excellent ijurdity of the dogs entered 

 here were fully justified. The Derby of the International 

 this year was dull, btit the All-Aged was brilliant in the 

 extreme. It ended in the development of two dogs which 

 will stand favorably any comp:any, and of tbes':' oue is fit to 

 go into any field competition with the odds much in lu-r 

 favor. To-night no oue in Chatham will have anything iuit 

 Blithe, and Mr. Johnson is justly a very happy man indeed. 

 Of this engaging little bitch Mr. Davidson, who should 

 know a field dog if any one, said to-uight: "She is the best 

 pointer in America. I have never seen her work surpassed, 

 and if I owned her money could not buy her." This is high 

 and valuable praise. The result of to-day fully conflrfns 

 the high opinions which the writer formed of Ightfield 

 Blithe two years ago when reporting these trials. Last year 

 she was only beaten by the best of the Lonsdale dtigs, and 

 beat one (Jttice) which later beat the best in the lower trials 

 of the States. This year her work is brilliant almost to the 

 point of absolute faultlessness, showing, therefore, the ex- 

 treme consistency of her performance. This is all the more 

 worthy of notice when it is .stated that Oct. 15 she had a 

 litter of puppies, and w^as .suckling on the 22d. Mr. John- 

 son destroyed the litter in order to bring Blithe here to the 

 trials, which neck-or-nothing act lost him probablv §.500 

 worth of property, but afforded us all the pleasure of seeing 

 some field work for whose equal we may have to wait very 

 long. 



Canadian Jester, second, is Mr. Davey's stud dog. He is 

 a cltver and very safe performer, finely broken and also a 

 killing game dog. At close work he is quick, confident and 

 sure, and though his performance is not so stirring and bril- 

 liant as that of Blithe, he shows an equal bird seu,se and i,s a 

 field dog of the utmost value and usetulness. 



As to first in the AU-Ageu, t*ere could be no question; as 

 to second there was no question. As to third it became 

 more difficult, taut there was no doitbt that Westminster 

 Drake deserved it as he got it. As to fourth, there were 

 half a dozen to choo.se from. Lady Patch and Cambriana 

 were given a divided fourth. I can not think that the 

 former belonged there, and violently bad as was Ightfield 

 Upton's work to-day, should prefer him for the marked dash 

 and field efficiency from which he only incidentally departed. 

 Mr. Davidson holds Cambriana very much of a setter, and 

 liked her work exceedingly. She is a good middle cla,ss 

 game do.e, and at this dose brash and log work is quitf at 

 home. She backs beautifully, and is staunch and .steady, 

 but is not a very bold and clever ranger. With dt-ference to 

 those more able to pronounce, it would still seem that in 

 these field trials we should be reaching oat after the high 

 class actual type of field dog, such as we should like in the 

 stud, and not for the few artificial points of a scale, gained 

 by a circumscribed experience in a certain .style of country. 



If we may criticise the judges — and if we may not, then 

 for what purpose are judges given us? it would se=m tha^ 

 here they kept too clo.se to the old scale of points and to the 

 heat system, looking at one dog as against its running mate 

 and not at one dog as against them all. It took nineteen 

 heats to decide the All-Aged, where it would have taken 

 ouly fifteen under the heat system. This is not against the 

 record, but had the initial heats been longer than the usual 

 limit, the remaining ones could have been fewer, and we 

 should not be obliged to feel, as was unavoidable in the 

 fiual runnings for the lowei places, that one dog was run- 

 ning directly against the other, and that a point one way or 

 the other on the artificial scale would decide the matter as 

 soon as it was made. This was the iridividnal against the 

 type, the meat dog against the dog which even the meat 

 dog's owner would rather breed from. I do not believethat 

 this was what the spotting system contemplated. As was 

 stated fibove, there were several to choose fcom at the bot- 

 tom round, and all judging or criticism, no matter on \vhat 

 point, is after all only a matter of human opinion, the dif- 

 ferences in which make the basis of all trials, and indeed of 

 all sport in any form, yet it seems to me that on a general 

 look at the lot, as evidenced by their total workrwould 

 place Ightfield Blithe first, Canadian Jester secondj West- 

 minster Drake third, Axtel King Don fourth. The latter 

 dog, even in the roughest country, covered more territory in 

 better style and gait, and showed as a better cla.ss field dog 

 than any of three or four which beat him on the heat sys- 

 tem. At the fourth place, however, there were a half dozen 



