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2023 Utah NSTRA Regional Elimination Trial
MAY 20TH, 2023
NEWTON, UT
The time has come for another year of Utah NSTRA to come to a close, we would like to say THANK YOU!! It was a very interesting season with what felt like one of the longest winters most of us can remember. We had record snowfall in our state which presented some challenges for us along the way, all in all it turned out to be a very memorable season.
We had to say goodbye to several dogs in our region that passed away and moved on to greener pastures which is always hard to do. We gained several new members that would bring great handlers and dogs into our region and raise our level of competition. We are very grateful for the growth our region has experienced over the last several years.
Our regional elimination trial was planned for the 20th of May, 2023 in Newton, UT. It is an invitation only event where competitors have to qualify during the season by earning a placement. This year we would have 28 dogs qualify and do their very best to try and earn that coveted title of region champion for the season. The weather was going to be perfect and it would make for a great day of running dogs and spending time together as a NSTRA family.
Being an elimination trial we run a format of 14 braces where all 28 dogs compete. From there we have the top 6 scores move on to the next round where they run again in 3 more braces. The two highest scores from round 2 then move on to compete in a final hour run-off to crown our champion of the region for the season. It takes a lot of endurance to be able to run in tough conditions and run 3 different times throughout the day. It takes everything you have left in the tank to run in that final hour and be called the region champion. This year it would come down to Cade Allen and his Brittany Annie against Bret Wonnacott and his Setter Snaps. It would make an incredible final hour that was decided by 40 points, it was a joy to watch.
ROUND 1
We needed to get an early start on the day to run as many braces as we needed to complete the trial, we started at 6:00 am. We would run the 14 braces and the top 6 scores would be moving on to round 2.
Brace 12: Jared Haddock and his young dog Jersey had a great run where they found 3 birds, with excellent scores in the high 80’s and 90’s they would have a final score of 667. This score would be good enough for 6th place and they would move on to round 2.
Brace 7: Cade Allen and his dog Annie would make a great run finding 3 birds also, they were also able to have a back off their bracemate that would result in a final score of 714 and give them 5th place to move on to round 2.
Brace 13: Bret Wonnacott and Snaps were able to cover the field and locate 3 birds, they also were able to get lucky and get a back off their bracemate which resulted in a great score to finish in 4th place. Their final score for the round was 728.
Brace 13: Spencer Johnson and his dog Scout also ran in the 13th brace and were able to have a fantastic run where they found 4 birds in the field. Their final score for the round came out to be 758.5 and would give them 3rd place in round 1 and would be good enough to move on.
Brace 9: Quinn Inwards and his snappy dog Jade were able to have an exceptional run where they picked up 4 birds and received great scores. When the brace was over they came out of the field with a final score of 836 to take home a 2nd place finish.
Brace 6: Tracy Neilson and his young dog Weed had the run of the day in the early run by finding 4 birds and were able to collect a back off their bracemate. They tore up the field and finished their campaign with a final score of 909.83, so they would move on to the next round and finish in 1st place. Way to go Tracy and Weed.
Here are your top 6 with the top 3 pictured after round 1:
1st Place - Tracy Neilson/Weed
2nd Place - Quinn Inwards/Jade
3rd Place - Spencer Johnson/Scout
4th Place - Bret Wonnacott/Snaps
5th Place - Cade Allen/Annie
6th Place - Jared Haddock/Jersey
ROUND 2
After a quick break where we were able to clean the fields and complete the draw for the next round. The draw for the next round would be as follows:
1 - Scout - Spencer Johnson
1 - Annie - Cade Allen
2 - Snaps - Bret Wonnacott
2 - Jersey - Jared Haddock
3 - Jade - Quinn Inwards
3 - Weed - Tracy Neilson
Brace 1/Round 2: Cade Allen and Annie were able to have a heck of a run and find 4 birds, they were also lucky enough to get a back off their bracemate and that would help result in a final score of 875 and give them the second highest score of round 2 which would result in a place in the final hour championship.
Brace 2/Round 2: Bret Wonnacott and Snaps had an amazing run where they found 4 birds and received a back off of their bracemate. With great scores on the card they were able to have the best run in round 2 and put them into the final hour championship against Cade Allen and Annie.
ROUND 3
CHAMPIONSHIP
The final hour championship was set. It would be a showdown between Cade Allen and his Brittany Annie against Bret Wonnacott and his Setter Snaps. Snaps was lucky enough to be the region champion 2 years ago and so Cade knew he would need to give it everything that he and Annie had to complete the impossible. At this point in the trial both dogs and handlers are completely spent, mentally, physically, and emotionally. It would take everything they had left in the tank to make a run at the championship. As both dogs and handlers worked the field they would each locate birds. When it was all said and done and time had expired it would come down to scores to decide the winner. Bret and Snaps had found 4 birds as well as getting a back off of Annie. Cade and Annie would have 5 birds on the card but did not have an opportunity for a back in this final hour. As the scores were tallied it was decided that Cade and Annie had 40 more points than Bret and Snaps which would make them the new champions of the Utah Region of NSTRA. Everyone in the gallery was congratulating Cade and Bret on an amazing final hour brace. It was a blast to watch and see such great dog work throughout the brace.
We as a region would like to congratulate Cade Allen and his dog Annie as the new Champions of the Utah Region of NSTRA, it could not happen to a more deserving, more humbling person.
Way to go Cade and Annie!!!
2023
UTAH REGION CHAMPIONS
CADE ALLEN
BLAZE'N PRAIRIE WILDFIRE
“ANNIE”
Here are your 2023 top 6:
1st Place - Cade Allen/Annie
2nd Place - Bret Wonnacott/Snaps
3rd Place - Jared Haddock/Jersey
4th Place - Tracy Neilson/Weed
5th Place - Quinn Inwards/Jade (Not Pictured)
6th Place - Spencer Johnson/Scout
HIGH POINT DOG
Our region high point dog was won by Bret Wonnacott and his Setter “SNAPS”, they accumulated 16 points during the regular season and 3 points at the Regional elimination. Way to go Bret and Snaps that is a great accomplishment and title to hold.
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Our region had two new dogs complete the coveted title of Champion throughout the season. Bret Wonnacott and Snaps finally collected that last first place point to get them their first championship. Lance Hansen and Rip got lucky and earned enough points to become a champion. Congrats to the both of you on this accomplishment.
Bret Wonnacott
1X NSTRA CHAMPION
“SNAPS”
Lance Hansen
1X NSTRA CHAMPION
HIGH WEST SUPER SONIC RIP
“RIP”
DOGS WE LOST
“ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN”
4X NSTRA CHAMPION
BRET’S TIC TAC CHICKENWEASEL
“TIC”
9/7/09 - 11/27/22
Owned and Handled by:
Bret Wonnacott
1X NSTRA CHAMPION
YASH VOM WASATCH
“YASH”
12/1/2013 - 9/27/22
Owned and Handled by:
Dennis Haggard
DOUBLE D’S SOAPSTONE BENELLI
“NELLI”
1/14/2015 - 4/11/2023
Owned and Handled by:
Lance Hansen
THANK YOU!!
We would like to thank everyone in our region for another great season. We appreciate everyone that took the time to judge, marshall, bird plant, setup, take down, chair a trial, and so on. We could go on and on about all the people that work so tirelessly behind the scenes to make these trials happen. We simply want to say “THANK YOU”
We have elections coming up so we would like to ask our members to please think of qualified individuals that would carry on the great tradition of the Utah Region of NSTRA.
Look for information soon! Thanks and we look forward to a great future for our region.
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