2007 BDC World Championships Top Gun Champion - Phil and Bessie

L to R - Marty Cruickshank Canada, John Shaw IN, Bessie, Phil Hinchman IN, Matt Behe NC

 Boykin Spaniel Big Sky’s Bessie Wayne captures the

World Championship Top Gun title

October 16-20^th, 2007 at the Flying B Hunt Club in Guthrie Center, Iowa the best in the Tournament Hunting game came together in match play format and decided a 2007 BDC World Champion – Brandywine Creek’s Phil Hinchman and Bessie.

The BDC World Championships is the most coveted title available in the Tournament Hunting game.  This event consists of the best competitors and their dogs from the BDC, UFTA, PHU and Upland Classic tournament hunting circuits.  Many breeds of flushing and pointing dogs compete in this event.  Boykins, Labs, Springers and Goldens are some of the flushing breeds.  The event not only decides the best competitors and dogs in the game today but also does it in front of millions of viewers on the Outdoor Channel.   A film crew was available to video the Finals and Semi-Finals and the footage will be used to produce the 2009 season of Tournament Hunter TV.  This coming January 08 will air the 2006 World Championship.

In the 1^st round of competition on Tuesday, Bessie hit a fence and rolled while chasing a bird that didn’t quite have enough shot in it causing her to loose her mark on the bird and injure the muscles in her right leg.  After a visit to a local vet and x-rays to rule out anything serious, Bessie and Phil fought their way back to the top by finding their birds faster than anyone else in the Last Chance field sets.  Then they made their way to the Semi-Finals where they secured a position as one of the top 8 finalists with a 3 minute 3 bird run.  In the Finals they secured the title with a 5:25 run.  Along with the title Phil and Bessie won a cash prize, a Cortona shotgun and an automatic qualification to the World Championships held in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Other members of our team that competed in the event were:  Marty Cruickshank with Reggie from Canada, who had an awesome chance to beat out last years World Champion but had a missed shot.  Matt Behe and Gauge from NC also had a great chance to get to the top but had a little bad luck.  Bessie and Phil had to eliminate John Shaw and Bear (Bessie’s offspring) to get to her Semi-Final round.  All in all these dogs did a great job but it also takes clean shooting to win over your opponent.   Phil and Abby also made it to the Semi-Finals but lost that round to their opponent.