Hope
By Tom Word
When
I read that Hightest Sky Hawk had won the 2008 Invitational at Paducah,
I felt several emotions—a wish I had seen it, disbelief (Mr. Arthur and
JD’s ghosts wouldn’t have allowed it), and joy. Joy that a setter
had won the toughest of all-age trials, four hours head-to-head against
the eleven other top dogs. And hope—hope that a setter could once
again win the National Championship, an event unseen since 1970.
I
have seen Sky Hawk only once, in the video of the 2008 National
Championship. In his brief moments there, he demonstrates he has
the style and the gait. At Paducah he proved he has the stamina
and consistency. Will he have enough of that most important
ingredient, luck, remains to be seen. But like old-time setter
men everywhere, I now have hope, thanks to Hightest Sky Hawk.
I
have never met Sky Hawk’s owner, Bill Elliott, and I own no dog closely
related to Sky Hawk. I have never had a dog with Sky Hawk’s
handler, Ray Warren, though he did serve as my paramedic in taking me
to the emergency room at Paducah after a horse wreck (I woke up in the
cab of his pickup not knowing where I was for a moment). But like
all lovers of the English setter, I wish Sky Hawk and Messrs. Elliott
and Warren good luck at Grand Junction. In these depressing
times, the sport needs the magic of a setter win at the Ames Plantation.