Blake Kukar Takes The Road To Ames

By Nancy Brannon
Article as featured in the Field Trial Review
special edition of the Fayette County Review
February 13-27, 2006

Bird dog field trials are one facet of Southern hunting traditions. The National Field Trail Championship is one of the oldest sporting events in America. To have one's bird dog qualified for the National Field Trial Championships is an honor that requires a lot of work, dedication, and skilled training. Blake Kukar of Somerville, Tennessee is one of those hardworking, and fortunate, bird dog owners whose dog will be in this year's National Championship.

At a field trial near Fisherville, Tennessee in January, Kukar talked about his experiences and how he got involved in bird dog field trials. "I got started about ten years ago when I moved to Arkansas. In the mid-1990's I moved back to Arkansas from New York City. I had been in a job in New York that required me to be overseas a lot."

He wanted a break from all that traveling and when he came back south, "I wanted to get into a good Southern tradition. I started with a Weimeraner, a Vizsla (a Hungarian pointing dog), and a pointer. I started running them in AKC walking trials. Then I subscribed to American Field and realized there was a whole other world out there."

When he moved to Memphis in early 2000, he traveled less and got some more bird dogs (Pointers) and horses. "That's when I started riding in field trials and got into competitions in Region 6 and the Mid-South Amateur Field Trial Association. I had always known Wilson Dunn, so I started talking to Wilson and he introduced me to Buddy Smith, a Hall of Famer. And things just went from there. Buddy helped me learn, along with Dempsey Williams and Bill Hunt. They helped me learn a lot about the dogs."

"When I needed a place to keep my dogs and horses, I moved out of Memphis to a place near the West Tennessee Field Trial Club, near Dancyville. I went to field trials nearly every weekend, which run from October through April."

"I have a female that I'm running in the open all-age trials: 'Shadows Tennessee Girl.' She was always braced with another female, 'Tender Fury,' run by Randy Downs. 'Tender Fury' ran in the Nationals last year: she had five fives and finished the three hours very strong. I was really impressed with her. And she was for sale."

"Next year I went to the first trials and my dog did well, I thought. But she was bumped out by 'Tender Fury.' That qualified her (Tender Fury) for the Nationals this year."

Tired of being bumped out by "Tender Fury" and having the opportunity to buy, Blake bought half of "Tender Fury" late last year. He now owns the dog jointly with Bill Fitch of Holly Springs, Mississippi. "This year she's ready for the Nationals. She is doing well; she qualified in her first trial. We have been selectively running her, getting her ready to fit the courses at Ames."

The National Championship at Ames Plantation is very important to Blake, "becuase there's so much history there."

Blake is currently involved in a project to update the classic book, National Field Trial Championships. He is working on the project with Brad Harter, Barbara Teare, and Wilson Dunn. The group is currently raising money through pledges to get the revision published. "It's been 40 years since it was updated. It is important to save the history and pass it on. This history just has to be preserved because it is about giving back to the sport."

Blake owns Circle B Kennels outside Somerville, Tennessee where he raises English pointers and setters and keeps his field trial horses. You can visit his web site at http://www.circlebkennels.com.