GCUP 1ST CHUKAR CHALLENGE

05/04/24

This chukar challenge was in the making for months. Amy, Bethany and I (Nikki) worked diligently on it for months. We love going to chukar challenges but to actually be the ones hosting one was just wow. We co-hosted it with God’s Country Upland Preserve. The morning started out ruff. Not enough score sheets were printed and the computer did not have the correct cord to hook up to the tv. The owner of GCUP “Fitz” came to the rescue. We sent him the file and he went home to print it and get his computer that was already able to hook up to the TV. Pheasant Forever, Setter Point Insurance, and Lion Country Supply set up tents to show support. Pheasants Forever had raffle tickets available. Lion Country Supply brought items from the store to purchase, as well as goodie bags for everyone that attended. We had a judge meeting. The judges consisted of Bethany, Brian, Jonathan, Chad, and Me. Then it was off to the races. We had five fields with ten people in each field every half an hour slot. Amy stayed at the clubhouse to check people in and keep them entertained. Justin was our photographer for the day and bee-bopped around. I am extremely glad to of been a judge and see so many dogs run in a day. My field consisted of German Shorthaired Pointers, Irish Setter, English Pointer, Brittany, and English Setter.

I then had an Irish Setter run and that dog was absolutely gorgeous, was steady to shot, found all his birds with time to spare, and was a delight to watch work. A gentleman came out that did a lot of chukar challenges with his shorthair. His dog bumped birds as I clearly watched him. The gentleman screamed at his dog, and blamed the birds for not being set right. Which no one else had a problem with the birds. I was not a fan of this duo. I then had another gentleman that did a lot of chukar challenges, UFTA, and NUCS. This is the duo who was my absolute favorite to run. He has his older English Pointer names Tonka. That dog could work. The gentleman was extremely nice, loved how big the fields were and that the dogs actually had to hunt for the five birds. None of this the run was done in 3 minutes. Most people had to use up their full twenty minutes. I also enjoyed watching a couple from NY around my age with their GSP. They were working with him on his steadiness for NAVHDA and enjoyed it being five birds to basically use as a training scenario. This was their first chukar challenge. They rocked it and got all five birds in the nic of time. Everytime I left the field I called for birds and it seemed to go smoothly. I was able to fit one other person in my field and still be done by 1:30. All the fields were done by this time and everyone headed back down to the clubhouse for some food, and to see who the winners of each field were. The prizes were belt buckles for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for each field. Amy and myself announced it as Bethany handed them out. I was able to get some interviews of people on what they enjoyed and would improve. Most people complimented on how big and nice their fields were, and how well we ran it for being our first challenge.

Once all the participants left it was time to get the crew out. Amy had her four dogs (Dixie, Logan, Trigger, and Sioux) Bethany had (Boone, Finn, and Tom aka the ruiner lol) Nikki had (Monroe, Archer, and Ramsey) Ryan and Kelly had (Winston) Jonathan had (Nora). With 12 dogs and 3 gunners we hit the fields to kick up and find all the chukars that were left over from the day. We had singles points, we had backing, once a bird would go up it looked like a kids soccer field with all dogs running after it. It didn’t matter whose dog was on point if you heard point, a gunner showed up shortly after and flushed and shot the bird. At one point we were coming off of the hill down the walking path. Most of the dogs had passed this spot and were further down. I then here POINT to look and see my two Shorthairs (Monroe and Archer) on point together. There was no cover at all just a small patch of grass. I say there is no way there is a bird there. Then we kick around in front of the dogs and sure as shit there was a chukar in that clump of grass. We then packed up the dogs and some of use headed to a local bar for some food. I am incredibly thankful for the birddog community that I am in and to be surrounded by some amazing dogs and people. I think my favorite part is that we can run so many dogs together and everyone gets along. Everyone backs each other for the most part. It was beautiful chaos for a day and I am here for it. The dogs don’t often get to do it and just be dogs for a day in a pack run.

When I think of Huntin’ Dix I don’t just think of us 5 girls just getting it. I think of the community and how our birddogs grow us all closer together.

NIKKI