Kona's first run at American Field Trial.

[jcbuttry8]

So, we didn't run in the Derby but had a great day in the puppy. My daughter almost fell out of the chair when they called Kona for the first place ribbon. She wouldn't let it go until they told her that there was a chocolate dog that went with it. Then she gave me the ribbon.

Kona looked good. She pulled a puppy move and went way left at the start and circled around the club house. She gave ol RayG a run for his money, but still greatly appreciated him scouting for me. She caught back up and then hunted the rest of the course like a champ. She handled well the rest of the course. I can't ask for much more out of a young pup.

Just the start of hopefully a great year,

Joe

[PntrRookie]

Congrats Joe and great to include ur daughter...best of luck in the future!

[bb560m]

How far do puppies range in AF? I've only done puppy in AKC FT...

[Brittguy]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

What sanction body, AKC or FDSB has nothing to do with range of the puppy. More to be considered is what breeds you are competing against.

[jcbuttry8]

In today's running, the other pups were three brits and another pointer pictured here. The other pointer and the brit that took third never ventured past 100 i believe is what I was told. The two brits that ran together played chase the tail for the first few minutes but I don't think they ranged to far. Kona was in the third heat by herself and she was several hundred yards at one point in the wrong direction but once she came back in she was out by 100 but not much more. I did my best to not let her take it to big again due to the last half of the course was paths in the woods and a few left and right turns down paths. The course for the walking puppy was tough. It was not a wide open area. It required several turns to navigate. It was a rough course for a young pointer that will range big and grab tree lines and go. Which is what my little one pulled. Can't get mad at her for doing what we have pushed her to do. She just needs to be better controlled.

We are to the point that any walking we do will have to be on some pretty wide open fields, such as the Medford club and probably greenwood. She will hang out now at 300 to 500 yards and will take a few 700 yard casts now and then. I am thinking we are going to have to head more towards the horseback trials. I can definitely tell that we need to get back to focusing on more yard work. She seems a bit on the rebel side this week. So, we need to remember who pays the food and electric bill. I had to do more hacking today than ever before and was not at all happy about that. So, we will be getting our head back in the game starting tomorrow.

I know that some of the complaints today about the course is they had to make three laps on the same course for one of the earlier events. Makes it a little rough on the dogs. Again, not sure what the case was with that. I know that the field across from the club house is a pretty big area. Not quit sure as to the specifics of the running in that event.

All in all, we had fun, and got the pup home safe for a little R and R with a splash of milkbone.

Joe

[bb560m]

Thanks - the puppy WFT we were in the dogs were out about 100-250 yards - roughly the same. Congrats!

[ultracarry]

Congrats on the blue!

[NC Quailhunter]

Congratulations. That is a nice way to start a career for a young pup. It is great that you brought your daughter and included her. way to start padding it on.

[rkappes]

Congrats! Kona is a good lookin' dog, I love them black and white pointers with tickin'!

[doco]

Congrat's Joe! Your dog looks good in Blue!

[jcbuttry8]

Thanks, everyone. I sure like her in blue myself. My daughter asked me after the ribbon ceremony, when will she be able to get her own puppy to run. So, I am pretty sure the bug is embedded pretty deep. Then she went and broke my heart. She said how much she sure liked those brown ones with the short tail.

So, I will give her just a few more weeks, but if she don't straighten up, she is getting cut from the Buttry string.

Joe

[birddogger]

Congrats on the blue Joe and it is great that you are including your daughter and even greater that she is getting hooked.

Charlie

[jcbuttry8]

Thanks - the puppy WFT we were in the dogs were out about 100-250 yards - roughly the same. Congrats!

You do have to remember that most of the big guns are still down south and out west. I think a much better representation will be the Greenwood trial in mid March. We will be running that trial also. It is much more conducive grounds to run a big pup on. It will be a horseback trial.

Joe

[AHGSP]

CONGRATS! That pic with your daughter leaning on your shoulder is awesome! Gotta get 'em involved young and that grin says it all!

[jcbuttry8]

It was great. I know Bart has been doing this for a while and sure appreciated his time judging. I don't know if he ever got to judge a handler while holding his daughters hand on the back half of the course but he got that chance yesterday. She grabbed hold of my hand and asked daddy is she doing good. I hope she wins.

I absolutely love that she comes with me. It always seems a little harder to find things to get involved with young girls, but man she sure made it easy for me.

Joe

[AHGSP]

You know, that's funny Joe, but I have 2 daughters and I'm not sure they know they are supposed to be girly girls! They Train with me, have Deer Hunted with me, helped me clean/butcher game and after taking them to a few Trials; where folks like DocO, Raven and a whole host of other characters from off this board have helped them to have a good time, they'd rather skip School and go with me now! I'm not sure that skipping School is such a good thing, but happy as can be they love it so much and am really thankful for those folks that are always willing to make it fun for a kid!

[RoostersMom]

Joe,

Look on the bright side, if she gets the short tailed dog, then she won't be beating the old man in these trials. Dogs are an awesome thing for girls. Hunting as well - you guys just keep up with those girls getting them outdoors - you'll be glad you did when it comes time for them to start dating. They'll handle anything better when they have that confidence that hanging with dad has given them.

This, coming from a girl! All grown up now, but I appreciate everything my dad did for me (and he wasn't even a hunter).

[RayGubernat]

Joe and Emily -

Congratulations on a nice win with Kona. She was fun to watch.

Now, as Andy Rooney used to say...here's the rest of the story.

I saw Kona hook a left when she got deep in the first long field. I knew I was going to have to ride for her since the course went right. I went deep and swung to the left, coming out above and behind the clubhouse, not having sighted the dog. I was pretty bummed. I saw one of the judges near the clubhouse and he waved me over sawing that the dog had come back and was back on course. I found out later that evening that Kona had made a giant loop out to near the breakaway of the horseback course(about 3/4 of a mile or so) and my son Dan, who was over there waiting to scout for someone, rode the dog down, got her to go with him and returned her to the clubhouse area. He then rode back to do his scouting duty.

I thought that was pretty funny. So did Dan. You see, he usually scouts for me when I handle and he could not resist giving the old man a bit of a hard time for having to help me out.

Kona is a lot of dog. There are going to be lots of times when yioyu guys are holding your collective breath with that little one.

And that is what it is all about.

RayG

[Karen]

Then she went and broke my heart. She said how much she sure liked those brown ones with the short tail.

Hehe! You mean THESE brown ones with the short tails?



If so, they liked visiting with her too. BTW, we should have more on the way if your daughter is interested.

Wish we could have seen Kona's run, but hubby was REALLY SICK all weekend, which meant we stayed inside whenever possible. Congratulations on her win!

[topher40]

Great Job Joe! I am glad you included your daughter in the event! It is amazing when people take that leap into the field trial game most of the time they are pleasantly surprised! Getting the kids involved is key to bringing up the next generation to carry it all on, my year old boy has been running dogs the past year and loves to ride in the gallery. Quality time for sure all around!