The 2015 Florida Open All-Age Championship
A Magic Trial
Fifty five were entered. Gary Lester and Cecil Rester judged; no more knowledgeable or respected judges were available. They would declare it “the best field trial we ever saw.”
Among the handlers was Richard Robertson Jr., handling his own string and in the finals that of Jamie Daniels who had been called on to manage a hunt for his part-time employer. Rich, age fifty six, was planning to end his long career as an over-the-road-for-the-public trainer-handler at the end of the season to manage the Idaho ranch his family had recently sold. First, he would run his five qualified entries in the National Championship in February. No more admired or universally respected pro than Rich ever plied the circuit or traveled more miles doing it, competing from the west coast to the Deep South piney woods to the Canadian and U. S. prairies, and all venues between, year after year.
Rich’s relationship with the Florida Championship had a long and amusing history. He first came to Chinquapin in 1993. An anonymous complaint was made to the FDSB about the conduct of the drawing that year, and Bernie Matthys, recently installed as its CEO following Bill Brown’s death, imposed a one-year suspension on the Florida’s status as a Championship as a penalty, declaring that for 1994 it would be classified as an Open All-Age stake. The Suwannee River Field Trial Association responded by declaring it would sponsor no trial in 1994, and left undecided future years.
Ted Baker suspected one of Rich’s owners had lodged the complaint with the FDSB. A few years later Ted was invited by an Idaho friend to hunt Chukars on Rich’s grounds with Rich as guide. He had a great time, and during the hunt Rich assured him he had nothing to do with the complaint to Chicago.
Rich became a favorite at Chinquapin and came every year to compete in the Florida. In 2015, Rich hoped he could win the Florida Championship as a capstone to his career and for his long-time loyal patron, Herb Anderson of Washington state, a beloved HOF member of the field trial fraternity.
Rich came early to acclimate his string to Chinquapin’s sandy-soil scenting conditions. On the Friday before the trial’s Sunday start, Ted sponsored a bird hunt for the Suwannee River Boys. Rich was invited to include a dog in the shooting string; he chose Express.
Forty coveys were moved during the day’s hunt. Express did not excel. But he learned, and when his time came in the Championship finals on the second afternoon course he did excel, with a huge six-find race that won the Championship hands down.
He had been braced with Shadow Oak Bo, which also ran a big race with six finds but not so forward as Express.
But that was not the whole story. The judges called for a run-off for Runner-Up between Top Qualifier Just Irresistible, in Jamie Daniel’s string but handled by Rich for owner Mary Devos in the finals, and Lester’s Pretty Boy, handled by Lee Phillips for Dr. Ron Deal. This was not because of a judging disagreement, they both judged it a tie and felt that the dogs had earned the right to settle it head to head. Just Irresistible had scored four finds and Pretty Boy five in the finals.
Irresistible had run a blazing finals race on “27” at the end of which Rich’s mount had fallen under him, a scary moment.
They went next morning on the fabulous second course where each again excelled. After 45 minutes, Just Irresistible was declare Runner-Up. He had scored five times, Pretty Boy scored twice, and both ran outstanding races.
Ted Baker wrote a check for $3000 to Pretty Boy’s handler as a conciliation prize in recognition of the cost of an extra day on the road.
Throughout the trial great races with multiple finds had been run by many entries. It was truly a magic trial. Rich told this reporter that winning the Florida, his favorite trial, had been his lifetime ambition. Herb Anderson died June 3, 2020 at age 96.
Just Irresistible and Richard Robertson were elected to the Field Trial Hall of Fame in 2022. Ted Baker died April 28, 2022, ending the Florida Championship and this author’s 27 year tenure as its reporter.
About the Author : Tom Word
Visit authors website | View more articlesTom Word is a lawyer who represents individuals about managing their assets and for amusement writes fiction and non-fiction about bird dogs and humans obsessed with them.
About the Artist : Leah Brigham
Visit artist websiteAfter graduating from Millersville University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelors of Science in Art Education, Leah began teaching Art to inner city Middle School students in Houston and later Dallas, TX. Leah has shared with her students her passion for art and nature. This passion has sustained her and continued throughout her life in the form of painting and drawing.
Leah was introduced to American Field Horseback Field Trails and has been able to experience the excitement of seeing her own dog, competing for the National Championship at Ames Plantation in Grand Junction, TN ...standing on point, head and tail held high. This has inspired her to create works of art depicting dogs and the wildlife associated with the sport and hunting.
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