by Keith Meissner
This was the first time that I had ever gone to the Hall of Fame and it’s pretty amazing. The history, passion and emotion for both the dogs and the people that are there is incredible. Several people were in tears while making their inductions. It’s a pretty emotional place with lots of history and an incredible amount of trophies, photos, paintings, bronze sculptures, special mountings and displays.
A.R. Ginn (a member of our FT Hall of Fame committee from Texas) handled the introductions and inductions for both the two dogs and two people. He did a great job and gave a good bio of both Henry Berol and Elias Vail, influential American cocker trailers of the early era of cocker trials (1930s-1960s). Several of Elias Vail’s grand-children were at the event and said a few words about their grandfather. They were really excited about the induction.
A.R. also included some nice personal thoughts and observations about “Storm” (FC Warrener’s California Quail MH) and “Merlin” (NFC FC Creignant Mordred) that resonated very well with the audience. Fred Bradley, who had handled Merlin for owner Ramon Rustia, gave a heartfelt speech about the dog, what Merlin had meant to him and the type of dog he was. Paul McGagh gave a great speech about Storm and shared some stories about the Canadian Nationals where Storm had won or placed in. He also gave a warm thank you to the springer group for all the help they gave to get the cocker field trials started again in the early 1990s.
We broke for lunch which was provided by Purina for everyone in the audience. There were almost 200 people there, all talking and reminiscing about dogs. Jerry Cacchiio introduced us to some of the legends of the field trial world. Sue Rose had come down form Michigan for the inductions, so Paul, Vicky (Thomas), Fred, Pete (Rizzo) Sue and I all had lunch together while A. R. went back to the springer field trial where he was running two dogs.
The cocker section of the HOF includes three walls. One wall is filled with framed pictures of the recent inductees hanging over the top of the new cherry and glass display case, custom built for us by John Leininger from Ohio, who had just delivered it to the museum in time for the ceremonies. (Now we need to find items to fill the case with such as old trophies etc.) The other two walls have prints of the modern NCC winners. The idea is that as we fill the walls with future inductees, we can re arrange the NCC prints and /or remove them as space is needed.
Terry Reckert and his wife were there as well and showed us how the interactive video display worked. He had hundreds of photos downloaded into sic separate categories that were operated by the touch screen. These include early black and white photos from the 1930s through the early 1960s of old cocker field trials, a video and photos from the first revived cocker trial in 1993, photos of dogs and puppies, photos from the recent NCCS as well as many action shots and photos of people.
All of the cocker inductee (dogs and people) photos are identically framed in similar attractive oak, arranged together by year with small descriptive cards beneath each. The NCC prints and pictures are also identically framed in burled oak, thanks to the generosity of A.R.
Our Cocker Field Trial Hall of Fame is still a work in progress, but if you ever are near Grand Junction, TN, do visit The Bird Dog Museum and take a look!
ELIAS C. VAIL
1890 – 1961
Elias Cornell Vail was one of the most respected and well-known trainers of gun dogs in the first half of the twentieth century. At his Elcova dog training facility —- the name derived from the first two letters of his full name (El co va) —- he trained many different breeds of hunting dogs including both pointing and flushing dogs. He was particularly well known, however, as a trainer and handler of American Cockers. In fact, he was featured in the October 25, 1937 issue of Life Magazine with his personal cocker, High Time Elcova, which at the time was considered the most prized hunting spaniel in the USA, having won five field trials in a row. The Life Magazine article coincided with the publication of a book Elias Vail wrote in conjunction with Ella Moffit, Elias Vail Trains Gun Dogs-Covering the Pointing Breeds, Spaniels and Non-Slip Retrievers. It was one of the first training guides published in America, written as a resource for the owner-trainerhandler. It was Mrs. Moffit who organized the first cocker trial in 1925 and it was held on the grounds of Elias Vail’s 500 acre farm in Verbank, New York. Mr. Vail judged the first national cocker field trial championship in 1953 and also spent ten years serving a director of field dog activities for Gaines Dog Food.
HENRY BEROL
1897 – 1976
Henry Berol of Berol Lodge Kennels in Chappaqua, New York contributed greatly to cocker field trials following World War II in two important ways: he was one of the most important breeders of dogs that performed exceptionally well in trials and he was a respected leader who, as head of the Field Trial Committee of the American Spaniel Club, organized the first National Cocker Field Trial Championship in 1953. His cockers were large, strong, field-bred American Cockers —- a type that no longer exists —- and they were known to be marvelous hunting companions and/or field trial competitors. Eleven became field trial champions, including three which won the National Cocker Field Trial Championships in 1957, 1960 and 1961. Interestingly, the 1960 winner went on that year to place second in the first Canadian National Spaniel Field Trial Championship, competing against English Springers. Later in his life Mr. Berol purchased a plantation in Waynesboro, Georgia where he competed in pointer/setter field trials. Today the plantation is a public wildlife area and on it is a cemetery where over 70 of Mr. Berol’s dogs are laid to rest, each with its own headstone. Mr. Berol was inducted into the Pointer/Setter Field Trial Hall of Fame in 1976.
“Storm” CNFC FC CFC Warrener’s California Quail MH
Owner, Handler, and Breeder: Paul McGagh of Glencoe Farm & Kennels, Bismarck, ND English Cocker Spaniel. Lemon Roan Dog Whelped: 10/3/2002. Deceased: 11/5/2012. By FC Oahe Sentinel x Gwynnfield Misty
Storm was a powerful hard-charging cocker who placed in four Canadian National Championships. He won it in 2005, the only Cocker to have ever done so to date. Canada offers the only opportunity for cockers to compete against springers in North America allowing a true comparison of the breeds. Some thought it would take a miracle for a Cocker to win the Canadian National Championship against springers. Storm, by traveling north of the US border, proved a little cocker could take on “the big dogs, toe to toe” and come out victorious. In the USA, Storm had an impressive career. He won his first Open All age trial at a year and one day old against a field of thirty plus seasoned dogs. He was entered sparingly through his life, but like all class field trial dogs remained competitive, placing in his last Canadian National at nine years of age.
“Merlin” NFC FC Creignant Mordred English Cocker Spaniel
Owner: Ramon Rustia | Breeder: A. and B.C. Wyman | (UK) Whelped: 5/14/1999 | Deceased 8/27/2013 | Lemon and White Dog | By EFC Larford Cateran x Larford Emma
Merlin’s most significant win was the 2002 National Cocker Championship; he also won the Guns’Award. He had exciting and exceptional runs: a retrieve that had two leftover birds in between the flush and the fall; he trailed, caught, and retrieved a runner that reversed direction and went through the gallery. In the fifth series, tracking a runner, he was stopped twice by his handler’s light whistle, once at 60 yards when the chase got too close to the road. He returned to his handler as the rooster burst into the open. Outside trials Merlin’s performance was just as notable on ducks, wild birds, and at hunting clubs, “like winning the National every day…” commented his owner. The strength of Merlin’s progeny should have a great effect on the cocker world. From seven breedings he sired thirteen offspring with performance titles; eight being field champions, one high point dog four years in a row. Many demonstrate Merlin’s calmness and intensity. These talented offspring bring new interest and new handlers into competitions.
