Well, it's about time that I got back to writing! I do apologize for not getting an article in last month. We began an additional business and purchased commercial property and have been extremely busy remodeling, painting, and getting a business up and going. Hopefully, I'll have time to get back on track and keep up with news.

The Fall Classic Field Trial held at Delmoe Lake on Homestake Pass on August 16th and 17th was a great success. We were a little worried about getting closed out of the woods by wildfires or forest closures, but it rained at the field trial site on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. So the drags had a small amount of moisture to hold the scent. There was not enough water in the reservoir to hold water races, but we still had a nice weekend. We had participants come from Idaho, Washington, British Columbia, and Alberta, Canada, as well as all parts of Montana.

Jim and Marilyn Powers of Ennis, Montana had contributed several boxes of trophies back to MSHA and these trophies were used with new plates for the Fall Classic. Their generous contribution saved MSHA approximately $500 in expenses. Thanks Jim and Marilyn!

The Fall Classic event results are as follows:

UKC Coon Drag: 1st Line & 1st Tree - Chuck Eve with Copper.

UKC Bench Show: Best Male of Show - Eric Lechleitner with 'PR' Lech's Tree Rapin' Jack; Best Female of Show - Roland Deane with 'PR' Rockies Miss Red Berkshire; Champion of Champions Male - Chuck Eve with CH 'PR' C Eve's Scream-up Dog Copper; Champion of Champions Female - Duke Price with CH 'PR' Royal Duchess Blue Zorro.

Open Coon Drag: 1st Line and 1st Tree - Chuck Eve with Copper; 2nd Line and 2nd Tree - Rhett Shein with Star; 3rd Line and 3rd Tree - Heidi Leavitt with Betty.

Open Cat Drag: 1st Line and 2nd Tree - Yukon Bob with Coon; 1st Tree and 2nd Line - Eddy Brewer with Huck; 3rd Line and 3rd Tree - Tony Knuchel with Lark.

Single Tree Contest: 1st Place - Dan Ford with Sugar; 2nd Place - Sanford Shrout with Gunner; 3rd Place - Dwight Dahl with Rose; 4th Place - Dwight Dahl with Rosie.

Double Tree Contest: 1st Place - Rhett Shein with Star and Jim Evenson with Ash; 2nd Place - Yukon Bob with Coon and Rusty; 3rd Place - Dwight Dahl with Rose and Rosie.

Bear Drag: 1st Tree - Yukon Bob with Coon; 1st Line and 2nd Tree - Brad Shultz with Pip; 2nd Line and 3rd Tree - Tony Knuchel with Cooter; 3rd Line - Jim Lechleitner with Boot.

High Point Dog of the Field Trial honors went to Yukon Bob with Coon.

Junior Handler Boy went to Eddy Brewer and Junior Handler Girl went to Torrie Dahl. Both of these young people worked very hard handling dogs.

The running for High Point Dog of the year was quite close and several dogs placed close. From first place to fourth place was a spread of only 35 points.

HIGH POINT DOG OF THE YEAR WENT TO EDDY BREWER WITH HUCK with 115 points - congratulations, Eddy! Second place was Chuck Eve with Copper earning 100 points; third place went to Monte Goodman with Woody gaining 95 points, and Tim Chase with Star accumulated 90 points for fourth place.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank every houndsman who contributed funds to the Ginger Powers Family Fund. Ginger and Mike are both home recuperating. Ginger has had a second session of surgery so far, but keeps progressing. She has a houndsman's spirit of no defeat and is a fighter all the way.

Mike is progressing, but at a little slower pace. This young family has said to please tell everyone a big thank you from their hearts! They continue to require help and have more battles to win before they are on top again. Ginger wanted to come to the Fall Classic and thank everyone in person, but time just didn't allow her to get there. The houndsmen have sent contributions of over $1,700 as of this writing. Prowler Lites contributed a light to the Fall Classic dedicated to the Ginger Powers Fund and we had a raffle for that item and raised another $156 which went directly to the Ginger Powers Family Fund. Sanford Shrout held the winning ticket for this light. If you would like to continue to send contributions, the Ginger Powers Family Fund is still open and accepting contributions for Ginger and Mike.

Again at the Fall Classic we held a Montana Heritage Defense Fund Raffle. Contributors were: QUICK TRACK/PROWLER LITES who sent 9 gift certificates worth $50 each; GALLATIN MEATS of Bozeman, MT with six items of Sausage & Snack Sticks; BAMA HUNTING SUPPLY with three nylon/chain leads; DEEDLE EVE brought two specialty jars of Chocolate Cookie mix and a jar of Pistachio Nuts; ALBERTA TREE HOUND ASSN. provided two ATHA caps; TRI-TRONICS contributed a 25% off gift certificate; TRACKER sent a 20% discount certificate on a Maxima System; WILDLIFE MATERIALS sent a gift certificate for a Magnum #3190 Collar along with a cap; and MSHA contributed a cap and several T-shirts.

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you from MSHA to all the contributors. All houndsmen should show their appreciation to the contributors of our raffles. These people and organizations have helped increase the funds available in the Montana Heritage Defense Fund so that we will be able to defend the ability to hunt in Montana.

The final raffle for 2003 was the big annual Montana Heritage Defense Fund raffle that did not require attendance to win. There were two prizes in this year's raffle. First we raffled the Guided Buffalo Hunt with Montana Hunting Co. of Gallatin Gateway, MT. The winner was Jim Sprunger of Butte, Montana. The second item was a framed oil painting entitled "My Father's Wishes" contributed by DUSTY MILLER of England. I want to say a big thank you to Dusty! The winner of this painting was Murray Selzer of Alberta, Canada. These two raffles increased the MHDF coffers by $1,545 after all the advertising, etc. was paid.

Fall is coming soon and hunting seasons will be opening here in Montana shortly. Some seasons open September first and other openings will occur throughout the next four months until Mountain Lion season opens December 1, 2003 and the Hound Training License will run from December 2, 2003 to April 14, 2004.

If you have any news or pictures, please let me know and I'll put them in my articles.