News Release
For Immediate Release — January 24, 2011
Finding the Top Dog
National Championship to be Held at Ames Plantation Beginning February 12
"IN THE SHADOW," took home the title at the 2010 National Championship of Field Trialing Bird Dogs at Ames Plantation. He is shown above during last year's competition. The dog is owned by Carl Bowman. His handler is Robin Gates, and Gates' son Hunter serves as scout. Photo by Brad Harter.
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GRAND JUNCTION, Tenn. — Football fans have the Super Bowl, baseball fans have the World Series, bird dog lovers have Ames Plantation.
For the past 96 years, the National Championship of Field Trialing Bird Dogs has been held on 6,000 acres at the historic Ames Plantation in Grand Junction, Tennessee. It is here that the hunting skills, strength and endurance of some of the top dogs in the nation are tested. Over several days, dogs compete, judged on how well they run and how many coveys of quail they find.
While The National dates back 112 years, the challenging trial course at Ames Plantation has been its permanent home for almost a century, set in place in 1915 by former owner and longtime National Championship President Hobart Ames.
In February, the dogs will once again be released at the historic site. The drawing for the order of running will take place on Saturday, February 12, at 7:00 p.m. at Bryan Hall. The first day of actual competition will be Monday, February 14. The morning brace will be held at 8:00 a.m. An afternoon brace will follow lunch. This schedule will continue until all braces are complete. In the case of inclement weather, braces may be postponed.
Visitors are welcome to visit Ames Plantation and watch The National in person. Or you can follow the action online at www.amesplantation.org. A brief summary of each brace, complete with photos, will be on the website at the end of each day's running. The website also offers more information on the prestigious history of The National Championship.
Ames Plantation is privately owned and operated by Successor Trustees of the Hobart Ames Foundation through the Will of the late Julia Colony Ames. The plantation's 18,400 acres of land are made available to University of Tennessee AgResearch as one of 10 research and education centers located across Tennessee.
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Contact:
Dr. Rick Carlisle, Director, Ames Plantation, rcarlisle@amesplantation.org,
901-878-1067
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