The 2002 renewal of the California Quail Championship, sponsored by the Pacific Coast Field Trial Club, again utilized the unforgiving landscapes of the Brooks Quarter Horse Ranch, located near Jamestown, Cal. Running commenced on Tuesday, March 5 and concluded on Thursday, March 7. The Region 11 Amateur All Age Championship followed. Bluebird weather prevailed during the first day of competition, the afternoon even being a bit warm for the dogs. During the last 2 days of running, the weather was cool and most braces encountered a steady drizzle. The start of the first brace after lunch on Tuesday was delayed for about a half-hour by heavy fog, that moved in and out quickly. The final brace of the derby stake ended prematurely when a severe storm cell, featuring hail and lightning bolts, passed through the area. Except in this latter brace, weather was not a significant factor in the performances that were observed.

The Winner of the 56th running of the West Coast's third-oldest Championship stake was Mona's Delight. Delight is a 7-year-old, white, orange and ticked male setter that is owned by Dr. Marion Brown, the affable cardiovascular surgeon from Dayton, Ohio, and handled by Richard Robertson, Jr.

Named Runner-up was Stinson's Rebel Star, a 3-year-old, white, liver and ticked male pointer that is owned and handled by Ron Bader of Escalon, Cal. The stake was adjudicated by Tim Schillereff of Portland, Ore, and by Ron Shuman of Woodland, Cal. Twenty-two dogs started.

Only 8 of the 22 starters completed the hour with acceptable birdwork. Listed in the order in which they appeared, these were Sierra Gold, Spectre Sam, Mona's Delight, Stinson's Moonlight Joe, Nemaha Nicky, Stinson's Rebel Star, Payload and T's Gunrunner. Stinson's Moonlight Joe and Nemaha Nicky did not have sufficiently expansive ground heats to strongly challenge the pair that were placed. Sierra Gold's finish was not nearly as strong as those of the Winners. Payload was braced with the Runner up and, in a side-by-side comparison, he was slightly more circumscribed than and was out-birded by his bracemate. He also had some movement at flush on one of his backs. The strongest unplaced challenger might have been Spectre Sam, with a huge race and one find. Sam got behind some, in the early going, and also spent quite a bit of time in the open country off the course to the east of camp. His application, during this latter venture, may have been somewhat suspect in the minds of the judiciary. He also became a bit unstrung when his bracemate took out a bird in front of him, and he was charged with an unproductive.

Two dogs were in the "what if" category: T's Gunrunner and Magma's Shining Nickel. If Gunrunner had pointed a native covey on his last stand, instead of being charged with his second unproductive, it is likely he would have been the Winner. If Nickel could have been shown to the judges 5 minutes sooner, he would, certainly, have been somewhere in the mix.

The Jim Ingle Open Derby Classic, also featuring 1-hour heats, attracted 12 starters. Placed First was Irene's Investment, a white and liver female pointer that is owned and handled by Mack Smith of Yuba City, Cal. Placed Second was Sand Creek Rita, a white, liver and ticked, female pointer that is owned and handled by Dr. C.A. Hjerpe of Davis, Cal. Third place went to Sunset's Rogue, a nearly all-white and slightly orange male pointer owned by Vince Teofilo of Los Gatos, Cal., and handled by Sheldon Twer. Irene and Rogue are littermates. The judges were Ron Shuman and Rudy Difuntorum of Esparto, Cal.

No true all age ground heats emerged during a full day of derby competition. Irene's Investment and Sand Creek Rita had 2 and 3 finds, respectively, all featuring all age manners. Irene was a bit more polished on some of her bird work than was Rita, the latter having some movement on her first find. On the other hand, Irene relaxed during flush on her second find. Rita was the faster and, generally the wider of the two. Both hunted hard throughout and showed mature selection of objectives. Sunset's Rogue began somewhat tentatively. He widened as the heat progressed and, eventually, made some big swings, even though lacking any incentive that could have been provided by game contact.

Several individuals contributed to making this trial a successful one. Ron Young was in charge of bird planting, and released all of the morning birds. Mike Stephens released most of the replacement birds. The absence of Paul P. Brock, Sr. from the scene was difficult for many of us to deal with, especially those of us who have grown accustomed to rubbing elbows with Paul at field trials, over the past 38 years or more. Paul is fine with it. He just wants to fish and relax a little more, now. It is the rest of us who are having difficulty adjusting. His replacement, Lou Johnson of Reno, Nev., handled the dog truck assignment flawlessly. Pacific Coast Field Trial Club (PCFTC) President , Mack Smith, did most of the marshaling, assisted with bird planting, provided the dog truck, and coordinated and tied loose ends together. The PCFTC Club Secretary, Lynn Taylor, assisted by Candace Wilkins and Wanda Wells, prepared and served first-rate lunches. Candace also assisted with bird planting. Lynn and Mack jointly hosted the social hours that were held at the conclusion of each day's running. Tom Broad and Mike Johnston provided the hors d'oeuvres and libations, respectively, that were served during these social events.

The Pacific Coast Field Trial Club acknowledges the support provided for this trial by KASCO.

Mr. Buffet (Robertson)-Sierra Gold (Young); Gold drew first-blood at 6 minutes, standing attractively by rocks around the corner from camp. Buffet was first pointed out near the first pond at 9 minutes, but was not seen again thereafter. Gold showed regularly at adequate range until 55 minutes. At 31 minutes, he was found standing by the big rock out-cropping in the bottom of rattlesnake canyon. During the last 5 minutes he was within a comfortable perimeter.

Spectre Sam (Robertson)-Bullet's Super Express (Twer); they were sent away towards the second pond. During the first half, both were seldom seen and often not at the front. At 29 minutes, Sam pointed nicely by rocks above the first pond, with Express backing on command, in a location from which he could not see his bracemate. Four minutes later, Express ran over a bird, failed to stop, and was picked up. Shortly after this, Sam pointed without results. For the balance, he was far to the front and handled pleasingly.

Tekoa Mountain Outrage (E. Mauck)-Proof's Secret Service (Twer); they went away from the first pond, Proof being the more ambitious of the two. For the most part, neither filled the country nor was any game contacted. Outrage became overheated at 44 minutes and was picked up Each was charged with a blank stand.

Mona's Delight (Robertson)-Waygoing Speck (Stephens); this was the first brace following lunch. Delight showed sparingly but regularly. When seen he was usually far to the front. Shortly before time was called he was seen on a mammoth forwardly swing, pointing loftily in the rocks above the second pond, with all in order. During the first half, Speck was fast and hunted hard, but was circumscribed and overly concerned with the whereabouts of his handler. As time went along, he became progressively more independent and made some nice tours, but did not contact game.

Stinson's Moonlight Joe (Bader)-Nemaha Nicky (Smith); they went away from the second pond. Joe was generally within a circumscribed perimeter and tended to be lateral. His birdwork, to the contrary, was extremely impressive. At 18 minutes he pinned a small covey of valley quail along rock creek. At 51 minutes he handled a difficult situation where birds were running in the rocks above the first pond. He also had a mannerly stop-to-flush and twice backed his bracemate. All of this was accomplished with incisiveness, style and intensity. Nicky was fast and forward at adequate range for the first 50 minutes. For the balance she was comfortable. She pointed game at 25, 38 and 49 minutes, and was charged with one non-productive.

Coldstream Charger (Robertson)-Ceefour Hank (Twer); Charger's owner, Jim Mason of Santa Rosa, Cal., was in the gallery. The start was from the second pond, the dogs being directed towards rattlesnake canyon. Charger was seen sparingly. At 12 minutes he was spotted by the gallery on a hill that is south of the powerlines, a location from which he was not returned. Hank looked good hunting the objectives on both sides of rattlesnake canyon and spring canyon. At the halfway point he was seen on the hill to the left of the second pond. He was not returned from that location and was counted out at 50 minutes.

Stinson's Rebel Star (Bader)-Payload (Young); the start was at 8:01 AM, from the corner above camp. Both had nice, wide ground heats, with Star, in the main, being a bit wider than his bracemate. At 6 minutes they were found standing together in close proximity. Star was positioned slightly in front of his bracemate and was looking good. Payload was looking great. Both handlers shot and both dogs were mannerly. Bader had a some difficulty on the breakaway after this find, with Star wanting to cut back. At 25 minutes, Star pointed in rocks below the radio tower, and Payload came in to back. The latter moved a bit to mark at flush. At 35 minutes, Star made an immense tour to the front and was founding pointing loftily in rattlesnake canyon, a "limb find" of the first water. At 39 minutes, Payload countered with a nice relocation in upper spring canyon. They both finished strongly, over the hill to the left of course, on the way to the second pond.

Tommy B (Robertson)-Wells Fargo Patty (Wells); both were lost on the breakaway.

Madras (Files)-Murray's Magnum (Robertson); Madras did not fill the country to the desired degree. He had a nice find at 12 minutes and another at the half-way mark. Magnum was moderately wide and did a nice job laying out to the front, handling well and going to the right places. He pointed once, but without positive results.

Ceefour Argent Bullet (Twer)-Magma's Shining Nickel (Hjerpe); they went away from the noon starting point, after a 30 minute delay while we waited for foggy conditions to abate. Bullet hunted at moderate range throughout and could manage only a non-productive. Nickel was to the limits at all times, pointing loftily below the radio tower at 15 minutes, and showing good manners. At 53 minutes he disappeared behind the rocks above the second pond and was not returned within the grace period.

Pacesetter's Equinox (M. Mauck)-T's Gunrunner (Robertson); Equinox disappeared at 5 minutes and was not returned. Gunrunner was wide, to the front, and hunted and handled well throughout. At 11 minutes he was found standing attractively in rocks above the first pond. At 25 minutes, he had a blank stand. At 50 minutes, he pointed nicely by the big rock outcropping below the radio tower, being mannerly but losing style during a long flushing attempt. At 58 minutes, he pointed across a fence, far out to the left front. In that location it was likely to be either a native covey or nothing at all. Time expired during several attempts to relocate, and an unproductive eventuated.