Gracie Express, Randy Steadman (owner/handler)

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“Lil Bit Of AE”, Mitchell/Sullivan/Sullivan (owners), Mark Sullivan (handler)

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2013 Spring Super Stakes Sophomore Final

Shown in rear (L-R): Reporter; Drake Roberson, Judge; Terry Gregory, Guide; Mike Gilbert
Shown in front (L-R): Eddie Parker; “Bill”, Mark Sullivan; “Bit”, Randy Steadman; “Gracie”
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 Cast is on the way to the woods, we should have something to report shortly.

Hope Mr Coon is out walking around like they were last night.

Cast is finally at the honey hole and they are collering up to turn loose.

Dogs are cast at 9:49 may the best hound win

Without much hesitation they are struck

Gracie 100

Bit 75

Bill 50

They are in hot pursuit of some kind of “critter”

Must not be as hot as they first thought, all three dogs are now trailing not far in front of the cast

Gracie is treed straight in front of the cast, Bill is left handed and moving thru the country, Bit has just kind of dried up.

Think there may a small handler error, minus Gracie for 100 and tree Bit for 100 and retree Gracie for 75.

Waiting to go to the tree, Bill is bout out of hearing

Didn’t take long, fairly small tree with Mr. Coon on the first limb, plus them up.  Walking toward where they last heard the Bill.

Score: Bit = 175+;;;;;;;  Gracie = 75+;;;;;;;  Bill = 50 strike and still looking.

Bill treed for 100, Bit and the Gracie leash locked.

Cast walking fast and getting close.

At the tree, big tree on the edge of a slough.

Could be, but no joy, circle him up.

Strike Bill =100******  Bit = 75 ******* Gracie = 50

All three dogs running wide open straight in front of the cast, must have squalled one down.

Short race, they are treed, Bill=100  ****  Bit * 75  ****  Gracie = 50

Big nice tree on the edge of the slough leaning into another big tree across the slough, Bill took a hundred minus, had his nose on the ground.  All three dogs handled at tree.

Wet handler, Steadman just did a half gainer back flip off a log into the slough.

Mr. Coon won this one, circle Bit and Gracie and delete Bill on strike.

Score:  Bit = 175+  ****  Gracie  75+  ****  Bill 100- little over an hour to hunt

They are still in the middle of the action, strike Bit = 100  ****  Gracie  =75  ****  Bill = 50.

Gracie headed right handed, the boys are straight in front of the cast

Bit is now headed off to the left alone and Bill is going straight away.

They are making me work hard on this keyboard.

Gracie is treed for 100 to the right.  Bit is to the left and now treed fir 100 and the Bill is treed with him for 75.

Gracie gets a little dry mouth and they start the two.  Took a minus 100.

Scoring the tree for Bit and Bill, says it looks like a den.

Gracie came into the tree and was handled.

One of the Sullivan boys (Coy) is following us on the computer and he wishes to remind me that Bit is a little GIRL dog.  I like’um better if they are girls.

Could not find the evidence and Bit and Bill draw circle, Gracie is deleted.

Score:  Bit = 175+ ****  Gracie  = 25-  ****  Bill  = 100-

Cut’um again and right quick they find another track.  Strike Bill for 100; Bit for 75 and Gracie for 50.

Gracie and Bill are taking a track out to the right and Bit is straight ahead.

Bit has changed her mind and is now joining the others to the right.  Gracie treed for 100.

Bill and Gracie got treed for 25 each.  Bill was off the tree when cast arrived and was minus his 25.

Coon was found and Gracie was plus 150+ and Bit 100+, Bill strike was minus.

SCORE:  Bit = 275+  ****  Gracie = 125+  ****  Bill = 225-

Strikum again:  Gracie for 100; Bill for 75; going straight ahead.  Bit strikes for 50 and is going the opposite direction.

Dogs are “six minute trailing” bout a half hour left.

Gracie and Bill have gotten pretty quiet and Bit is just muddling around behind cast.

Bout 30 minutes left.

Bill now getting pretty deep straight ahead.

Gracie found another tree and is called for 100.

She got “dry mouth” again and the two is working.

Steadman may be a little chilly in those wet clothes and tried to hurry her.  The two bit her and she took 100-.

Bill came in to check the scorecard and took 75-.

And…… We have a winner.  Bill and Gracie surrendered.

 

FINAL SCORE  Bit is the Champion with  275+  ****  Gracie second with 25+ and Bill third with 300-