Good showing this weekend

I entered four dogs in the Dallas Pointer and Setter Club trial at Wortham, TX.

In the Open Shooting dog I ran Tucker (Parrs Tucker) had a nice find, stood with the flush and the bird flew over his head and I fired he took 5-6 steps but I was able to stop him, unfortunately, it was a broke stake - but this dog has come a long ways and I am super happy with his effort today.

In the Open Derby - Cullen ran nice, a bit lateral and had 1 find and 2 non productives but finished strong and was awarded 3rd Place. Maggie ran a hard driving, forward race with two very nice finds. She finished strong and was awarded 1st Place.

In Open Puppy - Dolly ran a bit immature at first but picked up and ran a nice forward race with a nice find. She did not finish in the money - but it was a great effort and I look for more great things from her.

Keith - Posting from Under the Live Oak trees

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. It will be a busy one for me - working dogs as usual and hopefully I will get it done early enough to go out and relax shooting my flintlock rifle or fowler.

We have several up and coming young dogs that I will be getting ready for hunting in January - most of them are young but seem to be talented.

Keith - Posting from Under the Live Oaks

Another Solid Weekend for Bootleather Gun Dogs

I just got back from running in La Grange, TX. I entered 6 dogs (5 llewellins and one irish setter) In Open Gun Dog - I ran Whiterock Jackaranda - She had a find at 5 minutes and was very nice looking - I rode up a bird it flew over her head and it was too much for her. She chased like a puppy. OH WELL.

In the Open Derby, I ran Celtiagh Magix Cullen (IS) and Bergs Collin. Cullen had 3 finds and a very nice hard driving race. Collin started slow but picked up well, had 2 finds and a strong race at the end. Cullen was awarded 1st Place. Both my scout and I thought Collin would have gotten a piece of it, but the judges saw it differently. Collin ran the best he has in competition and is putting it altogether well now.

In the Open Puppy - Streeks Lil Maggie ran a strong, hard driving race, to the limits of the country she had to work with. Copelands Dolly Parton ran a nice but immature race and finished well. I thought Maggie might have won it but was awarded 2nd Place - Hey, there is always next week. Dolly was awarded 4th Place.

So Bootleather trained and handled dogs wound up with a First Place, a Second Place and a Fourth Place. Not a bad showing.

Kudos to Georgia Brown - dogs from her breeding program dominated the placements. And special thanks to Molly Brown for scouting my dogs - something the program really needs to continue to succeed.

Keith - Posting from Under the Live Oak Trees

Its field trial season

I just got back from judging the Region 8 Amatuer All Age Championship. We saw some good dogs and I had a great time.

Champion - Resters Pro Line O/H Cecil Rester
Runner Up - Barnhills Jake O/H Jim Michaletz

I stayed on after the championship to run some dogs. I ran Misty Valleys Marvel (Chewy) in the Open Derby and although I was pleased with his performance it was not quite good enough to place.

In the Open All Age Classic (A National Championship Qualifier) I ran Blizzards Bomberstone Diva - She was not performing up to standards and I elected to pick up at 30 min.

This was a major step up for our program - I was running against a who's who of major all age championship quality dogs including at least 7 dogs that were at Ames Plantation in 2009

It was great fun overall.

The previous weekend I ran in the Texas Coastal Brittany Club trial at Wortham, TX. I placed Maggie 1st in the Open Derby and Cullen 3rd in the Open Derby. This was the exact opposite of the last time we ran them. This weekend I am running 6 dogs in a trial at West Point, TX.

So, far it has been a great year for the program.

Keith - Posting from Under the Live Oaks

New Pics

This is Celtiagh Magix Cullen - he has had a nice fall season placing in 2 of the 4 trials he has run in this fall. He was also bred to Celtiagh Magix Dot and we should have a bunch of little Cullens and little Dotties running around this spring and I can't wait to get them up to SD in the summer.

Back but Under the Weather

Hello, all - I just wanted to let everyone know we are back in one piece, and that all the dogs are missing their owners. I came back to a hot, humid day (84F) then the very next day had to work all morning day, in the pouring down and cold rain.

This has put me under the weather. I have a high fever (101F) and Daniel will have to meet you, as I don't want to get any sicker, until I am feeling better.

Very Sorry;

Keith Hickam Sr.

Field Trial stuff

Congratulations to the following dogs and owners

Blackhawks Dot - Bourke Harvey - 1st in Open All Age Derby
Fayeds Chewy - Fayed O Fayed - 2nd in Open All Age Derby

There were 7 dogs drawn for this wild bird stake on the prairies in Montana

Whiterock Mali - Chuck Wilson - 3rd in Open Shooting Dog. There were 18 dogs drawn for this stake.

Sunday, was also a good day for the dogs.

In the Open Derby (Shooting Dog). There were 8 starters in this stake.

1st Place was Celtiagh Magix Cullen -Teresa and Keith Hickam
3rd Place was Streeks Little Maggie - Donna Gibbons-Markey

These stakes are multiple course trials run on wild sharptail, huns and pheasants, every course has plenty of birds.

On a lighter note - Tucker waited to the last day to get broke - but he had 4 broke finds on wild pheasants on his last outing prior to coming with me to Montana for some more work - unfortunately we did not get into any more birds here.

Keith - Posting from the Banks of the Wide Missouri