The Elephant on the Porch

Dialing In won it
Eight clean crisp finds on his card
One unproductive where he signaled them gone
A big race to the front with handler in mind

The stars lined up
Ground softened a little
A snowstorm rolling in from Arkansas
Bird hunter’s dream afternoon

Brace mate too with mind on job
But Lady Luck left him
Lost on point
Overridden by owner-scout

Only six of forty-five
Made three hours on the ground
The five finishers before Spec
Included Quester for Todd pointing seven

Included also Stardust Chazz for Hurdle with three
Lester’s Jazz Man for Anderson with three
Lester’s Bodacious for Furney with five
And Erin’s Dog Soldier for Eisenhart with six

Until Dialing In made his bid
Dog Soldier likely preferred
Quester close behind
But Dialing In closed the door
Race and bird work met Ames’s test and more

With forty minutes left to go
Snow spat from clouds hanging low
Tension built—would it snow too much
Would nature swallow up the show

But Spec’s luck held
The birds kept feeding
And Spec keep pointing them cleanly
Gary shooting as quick as they lifted

His finish strong and energetic
Despite three hours testing effort
A performance long to be remembered
From a dog whose genes bore the genius

Of a breeder and developer without equal
A man despised by some
Admired by others
Whose protege handled and held legal title

When they gathered on the steps
Of Mr. Ames’s Big House
The genius was present smiling proudly
Not an elephant in the room exactly
But certainly one on the porch

Photo of Miller’s Dialing In courtesy of Jamie Evans.