Feb. i*, 1894.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



SOUTHERN FIELD TRIAL CLUB'S TRIALS 



THE Southern Field Trials began "with the Derby on Mon- 

 day, Feb. 5, at New Albany. Miss. They were much delayed 

 by stormy weather, the time selected being most unfortu- 

 nate in striking a rainy season this year and last year. 



The unreasonable time limit also delayed the trials unneces- 

 sarily, several heats being run in the first series longer than 

 was necessary, and there were intervals before the time limit 

 expired in which the dogs were simply run to kill time, one 

 competitor showing decisive superiority over another. 



There were birds enough for the purposes of the competi- 

 tion. The grounds were favorable for good work, though the 

 sedge grass was uncommonly heavy in places, owing proba- 

 bly to the mild, open winter, frosts* and storms being neces 

 sary to beat the cover down. 



These trials are important ones to the Southern sportsmen, 

 and therefore they should be given attention in business 

 matters and thought given to their management, bat slip 

 shod and careless methods seem to prevail. Such cannot fail 

 to result in dissatisfaction and injury to the club. Owners 

 and handlers particularly complain of the neglect of the 

 club in not engaging judges in season and publishing their 

 names before the entries close, so that they will know who is 

 to pass upon their dogs' standing in the competition. With 

 such neglect in important matters, dissatisfaction is sure, to 

 result. The retirement of this club would be a great mis- 

 fortune to field trial interests. Yet, without more system 

 and more energy, there are 

 doubts whether the club can 

 hold the necessary interest 

 of members on the one hand 

 and dog owners on the 

 other, to insure its future 

 success, even if its existence 

 is not jeopardized. 



The club's rules need 

 some revision, no part more 

 so than that which refers 

 to the time limit of forty- 

 five minutes. It is a rule 

 which has a sole use in 

 soothing owners into a feel- 

 ing that he is getting at 

 least a fixed value of some 

 kind in return for his 

 money, and has no refer- 

 ence at all to the direct 

 competition between the 

 dogs in a stake. 



There was a good attend- 

 ance of sportsmen and 

 much interest was mani 

 fested in the trials. There 

 were Mr. Wilbur Dubois, 

 Cincinnati; C. F. Joyce, 

 Greensboro, N. C; A. M. 

 Young, Manchester, Tenn.; 

 F. S. King, Leigh ton, Ala.; 

 Foster, Chicago; Arnold, P. 

 H. O'Bannon, P. H. Bry- 

 son, R. Pitts, Cherry Creek, 

 Miss.; Dr. M. F. Rogers, 

 New Albany, Miss. 



The Derby. 



There was an unusually 

 large number of good pup- 

 pies in the stake, though no 

 sensational work was done. 

 Not a competitor in it could 

 be classed as positively in- 

 ferior. As a whole, the dogs 

 were better broken than 

 those which ran in the 

 trials of recent years, al- 

 though there was a great 

 deal of that undesirable 

 feature, "hustling." It is 

 strange that hurrying and 

 scram bling are tolerated by 

 any judges at the present 

 day. A little firmness in 

 the beginning of a trial by 

 the judges in checking 

 scrambling, and there is 

 no more trouble from it 

 during the rest of that 

 trial. 



The judges in the Derby 

 were the club's secretary, 

 Mr. T. M. Brumby, Mari- 

 etta, Ga.; Major J. W. 

 Murnan, Huling, Tenn., 

 and Capt. R. P. McCai&o, 

 Olive Branch, Miss. 



The stake was for setters 

 and pointers whelped on 

 or after Jan. 1, 1892, The 

 purse was $850, divided in- 

 to three parts, 13400 to first, 

 $250 to second, and $200 to 

 third. 



First was won by Topsy's 

 Rod, though his work was 

 far below that shown in 

 the trials last year. He has 

 good range and speed, but 

 his point work was faulty. 



Bessie Shoupe, winner of second, ran a much better race, 

 everything considered, than Topsy's Rod, though he had a 

 decided advantage in range. Her point work was sharper, 

 greater and more accurate in the competition, excepting in 

 the last heat. 



Allene had held Topsy's Rod quite even in the competition, 

 though both had done faulty point work. In the rain on 

 Tuesday the birds were much easier to find and point, and it 

 would then have been but fair to have given all the best dogs 

 a chance to sae what they could do under improved condi- 

 tions. Ightfield Rosalie and Callie White both made an ex- 

 cellent competition, as compared with the others. 



MONDAY. 



A white frost, a cool, bracing air and a clear sky were most 

 favorable weather conditions for the beginning of the trials. 

 As the sun mounted higher the weather became warmer. In 

 the middle of the afternoon it was uncomfortably warm. 

 The grounds had dried up to an astonishing degree notwith- 

 standing the torrents of rain which fell on Friday night and 

 all day Saturday. The lowlands were still wet or soft, but 

 such lands were but a small part of the field trial grounds. 

 The drawing took place on Monday. 



There were twenty .starters, namely: 



Jackson- Denmark Kennels' b. w. and t. dog Earl Palmer 

 (Frank Whitley— Dulcina), Thomas Bond, handler, with P. 

 Lorillard, Jr.'s, o. and w. bitch Beryl (Gladstone's Boy- 

 Ruby D.), C. Tucker, handler. 



P. Lorillard, Jr.'s, o. and w. bitch Ightfield Rosalie (Fred 

 —Rosa), C. Tucker, handler, with Aveut & Thayer Kennels' 

 b w. and t. bitch Thalid (Jean Val Jean— Avent), J. M. 

 Avent, handler. 



P. Lorillard, Jr.'s blue ticked bitch Antoinette (Antonio- 

 Daisy Hunter), C. Tucker, handler, with F. R. Hitchcock's 

 bitch Topaz (Count Gladstone— Tory Diamond). J. M. 

 Avent, handler. 



F. R. Hitchcock's b. w. and t. bitch Amethyst (Count 

 Gladstone— Tory Diamond), F. S. Bevau, handler, with A. P. 

 Stokes's b. w. and t. bitch Bessie Shoupe (Gath's Hope- 

 Countess Rush), D. E. Rose, handler. 



Greensboro Field Trial Kennels' b. w. and t. dog Rod's 

 Mark (Roderigo— Mark's Maid), F. S. Bevan, handler, with 

 Manchester Kennel Co.'s b. w. and t, bitch Nellie Gladstone 

 (Dan Gladstone— Queen Novice), A. P. Gilliam, handler. 



F. S. Bevan's b. w. and t. bitch Dame Durden (Eugene T, 

 —Dell Rivers), owner, handler, withB. Cooper's b. w. t, bitch 

 Sadie Ross (Gath's Hope— Tempest), D. E. Rose, handler. 



W. E. Smith's b. and w. dog Major Thomas (Gladstone's 

 Bay— Bell Foster), A. P. Gilliam, handler, with T. H. Gibbs's 

 1. and w. dog Lad's |Rush (Lad of Rush— Devonshire Belle of 

 the Ball), L. W. Blaukenbaker, handler. 



P. Lorillard, Jr.'s b. w. and t. bitch Leona (Eugene T.— 

 Bess of Hatchie), C. Tucker, handler, with Manchester Ken- 

 nel Go 's b. and w. bitch Callie White (Gath's Mark- 

 Georgia Bell), A. P. Gilliam, handler. 



Blue Ridge Kennels' b. w. aud t. dog Blue Ridge Mark, 

 D. E. Rose, handler, with Greensboro Field Trial Kennels' 

 b. -w. and t. bitch Miss Hattie (Gath's Hope— Queen Noble), 

 F. S. Bevau, handler. 



Avent & Thayer Kennels' b, w. and t. dog Topsy's Rod 

 (Roderigo— Topsy Avent), J. M. Avent, handler, with Blue 

 Ridge Kennels' b. w. and t. bitch Allene (Gath's Mark— 

 Rttfey'B Girl), D. E. Rose, handler. 



Earl Palmer and Beryl were cast off at 8:47 in open 



" DICK FOX BACKING MISS RUBY." 

 Mr. D. E. Rose at the Eastern Field Trials, 1893, 



sedge not far from town. Earl pointed a bevy, and Beryl 

 going across wind flushed it and dropped to wing. Beryl 

 flushed a bird in woods. Sent on she pointed a bevy in open 

 sedge. Earl after pointing a sparrow got a point on a single 

 bird. In roading to a bevy, both on the trail of it, Beryl .. 



showed better work. On scattered birds each made three chance to win, among which was pre-eminently Thalid. 

 points, Beryl quicker and sharper in locating. Both would Antoinette and Beryl were both superior to him, and Dame 



Bessie Shoupe and Amethyst were started at 11:17 and 

 ran till 12:14. Bessie was not ranging at all near her 

 form of the previous Thursday, yet she did some excellent 

 clean, sharp point work and showed good judgment in her 

 work. She located and pointed a bevy nicely. On the scat- 

 tered birds she made a point. Rose flushed one, and the bitch 

 held her point staunchly. Rose said that there were more 

 birds. He walked forward and flushed three. She still held 

 her point, but no more were found to it. She made three 

 more good points on single birds. Amethyst stayed out well 

 and ranged steadily, but it seemed difficult to change her 

 from a set range, and her handler made no attempt to work 

 her on scattered birds. She, too, picked out the easy going. 



The running was suspended while the party partook of a 

 most agreeable lunch at Mr. W. G. Bias's place. 



Nellie Gladstone and Rod's Mark at 1:10 began a beat 

 which lasted 37m., 3m. short of the limit. On the trail of a 

 bevy, Mark was first to locate and point it. Nellie backed. 

 The work was indifferently done after a plodding fashion. 

 Mark pointed a bevy in open sedge. Both were fair rangers, 

 but their work was inferior. They were steady to shot. 



Dame Durden and Sadie Ross started at 1:53 and ran till 

 2:38. Dame made one good bevy point, two single bird points, 

 two points which proved barren and one flush. Sadie flushed 

 a bevy and made one point on f ootscent. Both showed faulty 

 judgment in ranging, Dame showing a proclivity for point- 

 ing on scent. They were steady. They had good speed. z± 

 Major Thomas and Lad's Rush ran an ordinary heat! 



Major stopped to the flush 

 of an otttlying single, then 

 pointed the bevy. He 

 pointed a single next, and 

 moving on, he stopped at 

 the same time two birds 

 flushed. Another find and 

 point on a bevy and a single 

 bird point finished his work 

 on birds. Lad's Rush 



Eomted twice on single 

 irds, and found and 

 pointed a bevy which flush- 

 ed wild about 100yds. ahead, 

 and he made a point which 

 was blank. Each backed 

 well. Neither ranged wide 

 nor showed much judgment 

 in it. Down 39m. 



Leona and Callie 

 White began at 3:28 and 

 ran 47m. They ranged well 

 and with good judgment. 

 The work on birds was not 

 first rate. Leona pointed a 

 bevy, and at the same time 

 Callie, a short distance 

 away, pointed or backed. 

 On the scattered birds, 

 Callie made a good point. 

 Leona pointed a bevy 

 Tucker failed to flush, al- 

 though the bevy was but a 

 few yards away. Callie came 

 mas the bevy flushed. They 

 were steady to wing and 

 shot. 



Blue Ridge Mark and 

 Miss Hattie started at 4:20. 

 Down 41m. Hattie made a 

 good point on a bevy and 

 was backed. Mark pointed 

 a single, and next he pointed 

 on the trail of a bevy, and 

 Hattie going on about 

 30yds. further pointed the 

 bevy. Had she been brough t 

 m to back as was proper, 

 she would not have profited 

 by Mark's find. Mark 

 pointed a single and a bevy 

 in open sedge. The handlers' 

 were separated a great deal 

 in the heat. Both had fair 

 ran ge. Mark was the better 

 finder. 



Topsy's Rod and Allene 

 started at a great pace at 

 5:03 and ran till 5:49. They 

 took wide casts at high 

 speed, in fact, too wide at 

 times. The handlers be- 

 came separated. There was 

 a good deal of awkwardness 

 on the part of the judges in 

 managing the heat. Topsy's 

 Rod pointed on f ootscent 

 (of larks probably) and per- 

 sisted in pointing staunchly 

 after it was plain there was 

 nothing. Senton.hepointed 

 again in a few minutes, but 

 went on to an order from 

 the whistle. He seemed to 

 point on scent to the extent 

 of a fault. No birds were 

 found till the end of the 

 heat. On the trail of the 

 running birds, both drew 

 to a point several times, but 

 Allene was the more accur- 

 ate, being sharper and quicker in roading. She followed the 

 bevy into woods and pointed it, and was steady to shot. 



In the evening the judges made out a list of the dogs to 

 remain in. The selection cannot be entirely commended, 

 as several of the dogs had done common work and had no 



potter on false or strange scents, though not frequently. Up 

 at 9:31. Their range was but moderately fair. Both were 

 steady to wing and shot. 



Ightfield Rosalie and Thalid began at 9:37. Rosalie 

 showed a decided superiority over her competitor both in 

 locating, pointing and beating out the ground for bevies. 

 She pointed a bevy and Thalid made a point and a flush, 

 each on a single, and missed some good opport unities to point 

 in open sedge. Thalid made four points on singles, while 

 Rosalie made three points on singles, also one on several 

 scattered birds, one on a bevy, which she found nicely, and 

 one on scent where a bird had flushed a moment before. 

 Several of her points were dashingly done, she wheeling to 

 them in her stride after catching the scent. Both were 

 steady to shot and wing. Thalid was irregular in- range, 

 showed poor finding qualities aud looked for orders fre- 

 quently as to what she should do next. Up at 10:20. 



Antoinette^ and Topaz began at 10:28 and ran44minutes. 

 Antoinette easily outworked Topaz, she finding two bevies, 

 one of which Topaz passed closely without recognizing scent. 

 She pointed a single nicely, and another one she pointed then 

 moved on and flushed. She made an excusable flush and 

 pointed once at the same moment the bird flushed, and twice 

 nothing was found to her points. Topaz flushed a single and 

 a bevy, and made an awkward piece of roading on a bevy 

 which flushed wild. Her work was poor. She came in fre- 

 quently for orders, and was inferior to her competitor in 

 range and industry. Both were steady to shot. 



Durden had shown so much false pointing that it marred 

 her work sadly. Lad's Rush also had not shown sufficient 

 range and general performance to rate with the others. Blue 

 Ridge Mark had shown a good competition. 



TUESDAY. 



The weather was clear and cool, with a stiffish southeast 

 wind blowing. Birds were not found in abundance, and the 

 work was, with few exceptions, inferior. An excess of false 

 pointing and inaccurate work in locating was common. As 

 the imperfect work was exhibited by nearly every dog which 

 Tan during the day, the failing was due' probably to bad 

 scenting conditions. There was quite a large attendance of 

 spectators, of whom five were ladies. The running was 

 managed rather awkwardly, and the judges seemed unneces- 

 sarily slow in reaching a decision. They were painstaking, 

 yet worked some dogs unnecessarily often and long, and 

 seemed to feel not quite sure of the proper decision. 



Bessie Shoupe and Major Thomas began at 8:41. Bessie 

 pointed a bevy in the open at the same time Major pointed 

 an outlying single. Sent on. Major dropped to a point, 

 then roaded and pointed the bevy. Bessie made an uncertain 

 point, then moved on and flushed the bird. Both were steady 

 to shot. Up at 9:14. Bessie was far superior in the class of 

 her work She had better range and more judgment. 



Dame Durden and Miss Hattie began at 9:17 and ran 23 

 minutes, and Dame flushed a single bird. Both pointed on 

 the f ootscent where a bevy had flushed. Miss pointed a bu-d. 

 Next both had a point on the same bird. Sent on, Hattie 



