VCC Fun Field Run & Training Seminar With Don Brown (flyer)

WHERE:         Cedar Grove Plantation   Clarksville, VA  (60 miles from Raleigh)

WHEN:            September 24^th, 2005

As part of our move into hunt tests, the club will hold a Vizsla Only training seminar and Fun Run on September 24^th  at the Cedar Grove Plantation in Clarksville, VA.  Cedar Grove is located a few miles over the NC/VA state line, and is 60 miles north of Raleigh.  For Charlotte residents, the preserve is approximately a 2 1/2 hour drive.  Don Brown, Cedar Grove’s manager, graciously offered to let the club use the private hunting preserve.  Don will teach a hands-on, in-the-field seminar called “Introducing Puppies to Birds”.  I conducted a poll on the club’s Yahoo Group site to determine the topic of the seminar.  90% of club members polled indicated they were interested in an introductory seminar for puppies.  While the focus of the seminar will be on puppies, members may bring their older dogs along as well.

 Don Brown has over 30 years experience training and handling pointing breeds.  He owns, trains, and handles a 5^th generation MH Vizsla.  Don has been a trainer/handler/breeder of Vizslas since 1962.  He is the manager of Cedar Grove Plantation -- a private 1,000 acre shooting preserve.  Before coming to run Cedar Grove, Don was a licensed New York State Hunting and Fly Fishing Guide for over 30 years.

On Sept. 24^th the VCC was privileged to have use of the property at Cedar Grove Plantation in Clarksville, Va. for a seminar on Introducing Puppies to Birds. The plantation is approximately 1000 acres of beautiful land, a gorgeous, historic plantation house, lots of smaller servants houses and smoke houses turned into guest houses and the managers very nice home where we spent the morning on the deck.

 Mr. James W. Kinnear, a retired CEO of TEXACO, owns Cedar Grove Plantation.  The main house on the property dates back to 1838.  A relative of Meriwether Lewis, John Taylor Lewis, was the original owner and builder of the plantation.  Chauncey (Smitty) Smith and Lynn Worth were instrumental in Mr. Kinnear’s decision to purchase the property back in 1990.  Smitty transformed the land into the beautiful hunting grounds that the VCC was privileged to use this fall.  Our seminar marks the first time Mr. Kinnear has ever allowed anyone outside his close friends to use the hunting grounds.

 The day started out pretty overcast with a nice breeze, for which we were all happy. This weather was  nice for participants as well as the dogs. We had a wonderful turn out of 26 dogs and their humans. We spent the morning having coffee and danish while listening to VCC member Don Brown, Manager of Cedar Grove, talk to us about introducing the puppies to birds. He explained how to build up interest and excitement in the puppies without damaging their confidence.

  Lynn Worth and husband Chauncey “Smitty” Smith, helped Don with the presentation and then the field work. Don brought out some of his older trained dogs for demos, and then all of the puppies had a chance to sniff and watch some quail run around in the brush. Next, they all got an actual trial run just like at a hunt test with a brace mate and “judge” on horseback.

  We had a wonderful lunch with more question and answer time, followed by additional time to work puppies or just roam around on the grounds and let the dogs build some confidence in grass that was taller than themselves.

 The day ended with a tour of the plantation house and some of the guest houses. What a beautiful place, both inside and out!

 Thanks so much to the Kinnear family and to Don, Lynn and Smitty for all the wonderful help and advice ~ as well as Bonita Austin who helped organize and plan this day of educational fun!

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Last modified: April 24, 2008