Jerry McGee
Nominated by Rebecca Walters
It is my pleasure to nominate Jerry McGee for induction into the Brittany Field Trial Hall of Fame. His success as a owner/handler of outstanding field trial Brittanys, his support of various championships in a variety of capacities and his role as a mentor in helping the new generation of field trialers more than qualifies him for this distinction.
Jerry started hunting with Brittanys some 40 odd years ago. During that time, he got to know fellow
Brittany hunters and joined the LaSalle Brittany Club in the early 1990’s and was field trialing soon after. Along with his late wife Ruth, they quickly became familiar and intimidating faces on the field trial circuit from Great Plains, deep into the South and of course his home territory of the Upper Mid-West. Jerry and Ruth were always welcomed into the summer camps of different pro trainers. Here, Jerry learned his craft, incorporating the training techniques of professional handlers into his program. To help out his friends, he would generously carry their dogs on his string to summer camp and trials, giving those dogs opportunities and exposure they would have otherwise missed with their owners working.
On his journey, Jerry trained and competed 10 of his 11 titled dogs to their FC and AFC, the most notable being HOF NFC/DC/AFC Ru-Jem's A Touch of Bourbon. With Jerry at the whistle, Chug went into the record books with 57 hour placements and THREE Purina Awards. His placement record is even more astounding as there were far fewer hour competitions back then.
Until late 2015 Jerry did all his own training and handling. His last handling hurrah was in Boonville 2015, when his beloved 2xNAFC FC/AFC Ru-Jem’s Last Penny was runner up in the both the NFC and NAFC. Shortly after that, Jerry suffered a stroke limiting his mobility and he had to turn handling duties over to others. However, this was not the end of the Jerry McGee field trial story or the success of Ru-Jem Kennel. With Steve Ralph handling, Penny went on to twice win the NAFC, in 2017 and again in 2019. The following year, with Tom Tracy handling, Penny placed third at the 2020 NFC and won the Purina All Age Award in 2021. She is one of the winningest bitches in ABC history.
Recognizing a diamond in the rough, Jerry bought a young, started dog, Hank - NFC FC/AFC Roustabout’s Flat Out, into his training program. Jerry continued Hank’s training and later, with Tom Tracy taking over training and handling, Hank won the 2016 NFC. For those counting, up to this point Jerry’s dogs have placed 8 times in Boonville, winning half of those. This is all from a kennel that has never had more than 4 or 5 dogs at any one time. A further testament to Jerry’s dedication to this sport and his eye for talent.
Along the way, Jerry became involved in supporting field trials as more than a handler. In recognition of his club support and accomplishments, Jerry was presented with LaSalle Brittany Club’s Lifetime
Achievement award in 2021. He also supported and/or served on several championship committees
including the ABC NFC Chairman for several years, ABC Chicken Championship, ABC Pheasant
Championship, Region 19 AAA Championship, the Mid-South Championship. For over 15 years, Jerry has been involved in the Prairie State Brittany Championship Association and has been its President taking over from Jim Chase. As his body kept him off horses, he would drive the dog wagon or bird plant at the championships with which he was so familiar, including those at Booneville, Groves Springs, Nebraska, and others.
Jerry also took over the running and administration of the Two Paws Dog Training Association, LLC in Paw Paw, IL for many years. The horseback training grounds were the home of over 20 nationally titled dogs various pointing breeds. Annually, the ground also hosted an annual weekend trial, proceeds went to the Illinois, Michigan and Prairie State Championships fund raising efforts.
Another way Jerry has contributed to sport of field trials is through his time in the saddle as a judge.
Beyond the countless regional trial judging assignments, Jerry also judged at least seven ABC AKC
Championships, multiple American Field Championships, the American Pointer Club Championship, the NAFC of the Gordon Setter Club of America, the NAFC of the Irish Setter Club of America and the AKC Pointing Breed National Gun Dog Championship.
Today, Jerry continues to play a vital role as a much needed coach and mentor for many newer trialers and even some old timers. He generously passes along the techniques he has learned on his own training journey to several amateur competitors from multiple regional clubs. Jerry takes the time to teach, step by step, a new handler how to break and handle a dog in competition, offering suggestion, critique and encouragement. Resources like Jerry are critical for the survival of this sport! Counting only a few of these handlers, he’s coached them to over 125 field trial placements, including multiple national championship field placements. In that respect, it rather seems to have come full circle. I’ve gone through Jerry’s training and handling program, and I was able to demonstrate the effectiveness of his time and efforts, as well as repay him for the same, by placing his last field trial dog, Ru-Jem’s Grand Touch of Bourbon (Touch), third in last year ABC NAGD Championship.
I hope you will support the nomination of Jerry McGee into Brittany Field Trial Hall of Fame. As a
handler, trainer, mentor and supporter of field trials over the decades, Jerry is most worthy of this
honor.
Dogs Owned and/or Handled by Jerry McGee NFC RU NAFC DC AFC Ru-Jem's A Touch Of Bourbon
NFC FC AFC GFC Roustabout's Flat Out* 2x NAFC FC AFC GFC RuJem's "Last " Penny *
FC AFC RuJem's Grand Touch Bourbon * DC AFC RuJem's Emerald McGee
C AFC RuJem's Dld's Shoplifter FC AFC RuJem's Field Of Feathers
C AFC RuJem's Diamond Jim FC AFC RuJems Gamblers Royal Flush
FC AFC RuJem's Fist Full Of Dollars FC AFC RuJem's Stop"N"Watch
* Denotes wholly or partially handled by others (after 2015)