Bret Banks wins AKC Youth World Hunt
7/13/2010 12:53:00 PM
Newport, TN – It's an amazing story, that of the winner of the 2010 AKC Youth World Champioship. It goes like this. Take a six-year old Bluetick female that hasn't been hunted in three years. Turn her over to a seventeen year old hunter that has never hunted in competition. Let him hunt the dog for two nights before he enters her in the Youth World Championship. The result is in the record books.
Bret Banks, a 17-year old from Dandridge, Tenn., hunting in the thirteen and older age group, notched two cast wins with plus points and was the only handler to do so although every cast hunting in the two-night event had a winner with plus points. Bret handled six-year old Spring Hill Blue June, a Bluetick female owned by Tony Clevenger of Dandridge, Tenn., to the prestigious win. June’s combined two-night score was 400 plus.
Under AKC Youth World Championship rules the high scoring dog and handler from the remaining age group are crowned the Reserve Youth World Champions. Winning those honors wass twelve-year old Jordon Stuart handling Black River Doc. Doc is a three-year old Treeing Walker male owned by Bobby Chambers of Newport, Tenn. Doc won his cast on Friday night with 225 plus.
Photo at left: 2010 AKC Reserve Youth World Champions Jordon Stuart, center and Black River Doc. Left to right: Jimmy Stuart, Jordon Stuart, Brandon Jenkins, Bobby Chambers
AKC congratulates our Youth World Champions and as someone at the event said so well, “They are all World Champions by just being here.” We had a great group of kids that conducted themselves perfectly throughout the event. The High Oaks Coon Club, known far and wide for the quality events they produce, did their expected excellent job. My special thanks to Mike Bryant and all the great folks at Newport for such an incredible weekend.
Photo at top: 2010 AKC Youth World Champions Bret Banks, center and Spring Hill Blue June. Left to right: Wesley Smelcer, Bret Banks, Mike Smelcer
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