The Dixie Trace Field Trial Association held its annual meeting and awards banquet on June 4, 2011.  The festivities were held at the Hilton Garden Inn, downtown Albany, Georgia.  This venue is across the street from the Flint River.  The riverside has extended paved walking trails offering beautiful views of the Flint as it flows through town.  The Albany Riverquarium is also beside the river and is definitely worth a visit.

            The business meeting was held at 4:00 in the afternoon.  Two new clubs were welcomed into our membership.  The addition of Mill Pond Field Trial Club and Flint River Field Trial Club brings the Association’s member clubs to twenty.

            Rob Boot of the Flint River Club volunteered to establish and maintain an association website.  He created a logo and the beginnings of the site are now up.  The web address is www.DixieTrace.org.

            We plan to have drawings and trial results available on this site as well as information about the clubs of our association.

            Officers were voted on and they are the same as last year:  Steve Standley, President; Dr. Davey Deal, Vice-President; and Lynn Heard, Secretary/Treasurer.  At the business meeting, we also established trial dates for the upcoming season.

            At the conclusion of the business meeting, some eighty attendees enjoyed a cocktail hour and social gathering.  The banquet tables in the Flint Ballroom were colorfully and tastefully decorated.  The catering staff of Hilton Garden Inn did an outstanding job with the meal and the service.  Local television station WALB Channel Ten covered the awards ceremony.  The interview with Brent Cox, winner of the High Point Dog of the Year, and Steve Standley, President aired on the news that evening. 

            Thanks are due to the Annual Meeting Committee:  Lynn and Buck Heard, Neil Walker, Alan York, Polly Jackson, Mary Ann Alexander, and Kate and Paul DeLoach.  This group also sought out generous donors for some 47 door prizes.  These were given out throughout the evening by Mary Ann Alexander, Kate DeLoach and Polly Jackson.  Winning these wonderful prizes added greatly to everyone’s being a part of the party.  Door prize donors were:  Allen Copeland Wildlife Art, B & B Tack, Branding Solutions, Christie’s Boots and Apparel, Christie’s Farm and Ranch, Farmers Seed and Feed, Gun Dog Supply, Jack Haggis Saddlery, Kevin’s Fine Outdoor Gear, Lion Country Supply, and Stafford’s.  The Association thanks all of these businesses.

            The Recognition of Merit Awards were attractively displayed on a table in the banquet room.  These awards were elegant, keepsake trophies that truly signified the achievement level of the winners.  Recognition of Merit award and banquet sponsors were Bennett Supply, Plantation Supply, Ivey’s Outdoor and Farm Supply, Insurance Market, and Vintage Lifestyle Magazine.  Most people in the Dixie Trace Field Trial Association know of these sponsors and door prize donors.  They know that these donors can be counted on to help support and promote field trial activities.  A hearty thank you goes out to these generous supporters.

            The Dixie Trace Field Trial Association By-Laws show a stated objective to promote bird dog field trial activities in the southeastern United States.  The Dixie Trace Field Trial Association has some incredible grounds on which to show some of the most competitive dogs in the country.  There was much discussion about the generosity of landowners.  The Association membership is a fellowship of people that enjoy the company of the canine, the equine and each other.

            The well-deserved award winners are shown in the Dixie Trace advertisement in this issue.  We hope you will join us next year!