1991 IAMS All-Age Brittany of the Year Award

Bernie of the Briarpatch

  The 1991 winner of the IAMS All-Age award was Bernie of the Briarpatch, a 5 year old orange and white male owned by David Ayres. Bernie was handled to victory in the National Open Championship and to a runner-up in the Mid-South Championship by Kraig and Rosco Staton. David helped the cause by winning the Region 6 Amateur Championship with Bernie. Bernie seems to have a penchant for Arkansas grounds in that his 3 placements that won him the IAMS award all occurred in Arkansas.
  Bernie was bred by William Spivey with a mating between Hedgerow's Pride's St. Jacques by Sulaine's Penny. His father goes back to Pacolet while his mother was out of The Real Thing by Smokestone Dynamo. Owned originally by Mr. Higginbothum in Florida, Dave bought him just as he turned three.
  I first saw Bernie in the U.S. Open when it was obvious that at this young age he was going to go on to become a true All-Age performer. He continued to improve, and his stamina came with it under the tutelage of Rosco and Kraig. He then got it all together to win the National Championship and in another couple of months went on for his other wins.
  Roy Pelton was again on hand to make the presentation at the club house of the Blue Mountain Wildlife Area. Roy has been an ardent supporter of the All-Age standards and has been a friend for years. A large crowd was on hand for happy hour and the presentation, as Ross Young presented a painting of last year's winner, Rimarda's Trademark, to Jim and Janet Chase. Following a few words of wisdom by Roy, Bernie was brought in and presented to the crowd. It had been another good year for the IAMS All-Age Award and the next year had already started.