National Purina Endurance Classic NSTRA trial

September 2007

Location; Kennewick, WA

Chairman:Mike Ouchida

The NW Region’s first experience at hosting NSTRA’s Endurance Classic proved to be a great success. With months of planning and a great deal of work by a group of dedicated members, the region has set a new standard of quality for National trials. Our greatest debt of gratitude go to Jim and Dona Fuller, whose ranch was the site of five days of the Endurance, several days of practice and the Three Rivers Bird dog Club double/double pre trial. This Region is very fortunate to have members who stepped up and took responsibility to do the work required in hosting such an event. Besides Jim and Dona, our hats are off to Mike Stotts for procuring 1300 feet of orange construction fence, and Three Rivers Bird Dog club, Bruce Dickey President, for setting up the fence dividing the fields. This fence was a requirement of NSTRA, as was the huge mowed strip along the fence and surrounding the fields. Knowing that a huge influx of trailers and motor homes would be arriving, the parking area was expanded and designated parking was instituted to facilitate water and septic service to all vehicles. In all, over 1300 birds were ordered. Fearing supply and mortality problems, half came from a local breeder and half from Dunlap Hatchery in Idaho. Shipping and the holding of the birds over a week were of great concern. Again, our member’s collective resources proved a success. Picking up the local birds was not a problem, getting them from Idaho was accomplished by Barry Wild on his return from a Versatile gun dog trial there the weekend before. A very large holding pen, built on a trailer, with a smaller capture pen attached was built by George Clark. As a result, the birds were in very good condition and few were lost due to stress or heat. Some of the members marveled at George’s ingenuity. Fearing hot temperatures, seven water tubs were placed in each field with a huge dip tank stationed in each blind. Water was kept topped off by Jim, with help from Mike Stotts, PJ Schneider and others. Space in the already full double/double pretrial, was made available to “out of Region dogs” by NW and a few Big Sky members pulling their dogs. It’s tough pulling out of a trial just to make room for others, and we thank those members who did. It should be remembered, “what goes around comes around”, as this same courtesy is given to us when we travel back East to trials.

To keep cost down for the trial, all judges’ quads were donated, courtesy of George Clark, Bud Folk, Mike Ouchida, Mike Stotts, Barry Wild and Jerry Youmans. Judging the trial was Davy Caven and Jerry Youmans from our Region and Doug Courtright and Brent Underdahl from the Big Sky Region. Mike Bingaman was scheduled to judge but a broken ankle prevented his attendance. Field Marshal duties were covered by N. California/Nevada Region member Cindy Lyons and Dawn Dewey, wife of Trial Chairman and National President, Ted Dewey. Since field-marshaling duties required them to be stationed on their respective fields watching for crossing and flushed birds, scoring and trial coordination was done by National Secretary, Marilyn Frank. Bird planting was expertly done by our own Alex Messner. Alex has done a wonderful job for us planting the Regional trial as well as many local trials. With Alex’s youth and short bird planting career, I had quite the job convincing the National office of her qualifications, needless to say they were impressed. We also need to thank Steve Gagne for introducing us to Alex and for transporting her and quad to the trial and back.

Meals have always been a huge problem at trials. At most National trials breakfast and lunch are simple and usually one or two dinners will be served. With the Fuller Ranch shop to work out of, I felt confident we could do better than “ just getting by”, and planned to serve every meal through out the trial. With help from individuals and clubs and an overworked crew, it was accomplished. Breakfast included; eggs, sausage, potatoes, biscuits and gravy, Belgian waffles, fruit, coffee and juice. Lunches ranged from cold cut sandwiches, Polish dogs, spaghetti, chicken, left over pork and salmon.

Dinners were a real treat, the main courses consisted of; baked salmon and deep fried oysters by Barry and Kathy Wild, Smoked pork Ribs Mike Ouchida and Linda Jenkins with baked beans by Kay Westbrook, Barbecued Rib Eye Steak by George and Phyllis Clark, Barbecued Chicken and corn on the cob by Mike Stotts and Mike Cochran of the Spokane BDC. , a whole roasted hog by John Glenewinkel and Rough. I personally would like to thank all of those who helped.

The Endurance trial format is a “beat your brace mate to advance format”. Placement points and trophies were also given to the top three placers in each trial. There were two trials of 26 dogs each day Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday only one field was used for advancing dogs while the other field was used as a consolation trial for dogs that had been eliminated during the week. Placements from the weeks running are as follows:

Winning the trial was Rusty, a Brittany owned and handled by Mark Donovan from Montana. This classy five year old, two-time NSTRA Champion, male Brit. was last year’s the Big Sky Region Hi Point Dog and has a lifetime total of 53 points. In second place was Mocha, a seven-year-old female GSP owned by NW Region member, Tony Tohmeh. Mocha is a five time NSTRA Champion, has 99 lifetime points and was handled by Ron Park. Third place was won by N. California/Nevada Region member, Bruce Lyon handling his wife Cindy’s dog, Spinner. Spinner an English Pointer male is out of Stephens bright Copper with 11 total lifetime points. Fourth place went to another NW, Diamond, this years NW region’s Hi Point dog. Diamond is a three year old, three-time Champion, English Setter female with 62 lifetime points. We’ll se seeing a lot more of her in the future.

Our dogs made a great showing, proving again that our dogs are just as good as any in the Nation. The NW Region is in the process of bidding for the 2008 Grand National trial. The Big Sky Region will be sponsoring next years Endurance trial. These National trials need our support and are within driving distance.

We received many compliments during the trial, overall it was a great experience. Our shotgun raffle was a success earning the region nearly $ 800. Our National president Ted Dewey won the CZ 20 ga O/U shotgun. The auction held Wednesday night brought in $2600. A big Thank you (‘s) go out to all of the Region members and Clubs that donated the quality items for the auction. Thanks again to those individuals who help setup the trial; Jim Fuller, Bruce Dickey and the Three Rivers BDC, George Clark. Bud Folk and Ron Trask for greeting arriving guests, directing parking and with the sale of training birds. Barry Wild for delivering the trial birds from Idaho, and Jim Fuller for arranging ordering, and pickup of local birds for training.

Mike Stotts for acquiring the construction fence and T posts. George Clark for designing and construction of the bird holding cage. Bud Folk, George Clark, Mike Stotts and Mike Ouchida for delivery of Equipment and trailers to the trial. Barry and Kathy Wild, Phyllis Clark, Linda Jenkins, Mike Stotts, Mike Cochran, John Glenewinkel, Bruce Dickey for meals. Linda Johnson, aka Linda Schneider, for delivery and sale of Region T shirts and hats. Jim Fuller, Mike Stotts, PJ Schneider, George Clark and others for putting water out in the fields and to the RVs. Barry Wild, George Clark, Bud Folk, Mike Ouchida, Mike Stotts for the donation of quads for the judges. Linda Jenkins for donating 104 jars of homemade Marionberry jam for the goodie bags given out to all entrants. Special thanks to Davy Caven and Sportsman’s Warehouse in Spokane for the donation of Leatherman tool packets for the final four winners awards. Jim Fuller, George Clark, Bud Folk, Tom Baker and Mike Ouchida for the takedown of the barrier fence for the finals. Barry, George, Bud, Tom, Mike, Steve Gagne, Jim Shank, Bruce Dickey and Jim Fuller for taking down the trial and loading of equipment. Thanks to Ron Trask for taking extra birds from the trial and training to Western Washington for sale to a Region member. Special thanks to Dona Fuller for arranging and hosting the infamous wine tour. Lastly thank you to all the Region members who attended and supported the trial.

The National Group
		"Rusty" and Mark Donovan from Big Sky
"Mocha" owned by Tony Tohmeh run by Ron Park	"Spinner" owned by Cindy Lyons run by Bruce Lyons	"Diamond" - Mike Stotts
1st through 4th placement with the owners

President: Mike Stotts, Jr

Vice President: Ed Westbrook

Secretary: Mike Ouchida

Treasurer: Jack Richardson

Directors: Paul McCawley, Jerry Youman, Robert Proctor , Jeff Funke