GRAND AMERICAN COON HUNT: Carolina Clifford wins championship

Clifford joined Big Train, Gin N Juice and Backwood Quinn in the final cast of the 57th Grand American early Sunday. Clifford rallied from the slow start Saturday to take first place in the final cast and become the 2022 Grand American Overall Nite Hunt Champion.

Clifford, a Treeing Walker owned by Wade Windham of Mount Pleasant, scored 800 Friday and 600 Saturday to earn a spot in the final cast.

After a fourth-place finish Friday, Big Train, owned by Trey Yother of Williamsburg, Va., scored 1,200 to place first overall in the Saturday Nite Hunt.

Backwood Quinn, owned by Jason Roberts of Pelzer, finished first overall Friday with a score of 987.5. She followed that up with a score of 775 and a top-five finish to make the Final Four.

Gin N Juice, owned by William Cochran and Ryan Eaddy of Georgia, did not place in the Top 20 Friday but was able to win its cast with a score of 325. They made the big leap on the Saturday Nite Hunt, scoring 975 to finish second overall, earning a spot in the Final Four.

Local dog, Big Lee, of Orangeburg, owned by Chris Harley, finished fourth overall in the Saturday Nite Hunt with a score of 825.

Again in 2022, thousands of people turned out for the Grand American based at the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds. License plates could be seen at the fairgrounds from Missouri, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky.

“The Grand American Hunt has become such a staple in the overall existence of Orangeburg that we just wouldn’t be the same without it,” Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce President James McQuilla told The Times and Democrat. “It represents tradition, family and Southern culture.”

As the kickoff to the United Kennel Club coonhound events calendar, the annual Grand American is the first major event of 2022.

Presented by American Cooner magazine, the Grand American is a national event that features dog/owner teams, which represent each of the seven coonhound breeds, competing for various prizes.

The Grand American includes nightly competitive hunts in which coon hounds and their handlers earn points for treeing and identifying raccoons. The raccoons are not killed or attacked in the hunt.

The Grand American got its start in the 1960s when prominent coon hunters searched for a hunt in a warmer climate because snow prevented much winter hunting in the North.

A panel of national competition hunters was formed, including some hunters from The T&D Region.

One of its members, Jim Mathis of Denmark, met with the newly formed Orangeburg Coon Hunters Association’s president, Lynn Anderson, who agreed to have the initial hunt in Orangeburg. It’s been held here ever since in early January.

The 2022 Grand American Final Four: From left are ‘PR’ Wipeout Gin N Juice, TW, William Cochran, Ryan Eaddy, Georgia, handled by Will Deloach, 0;

‘PR’ Iron Swamp Carolina Clifford, TW, Wade Windham, South Carolina, handled by Wade Windham, 225+; CW

NITECH ‘PR’ Roberts Backwoods Quinn, TW, Jason Roberts, South Carolina, handled by Jason Roberts, 75-;

‘PR’ T&T’s Big Train, TW, Trey Yother, Virginia, handled by Hunter Garnto, 100-. Iron Swamp Carolina Clifford claimed the title of Overall Nite Hunt Champion.

Final Four

• Overall Nite Hunt Champion — ‘PR’ Iron Swamp Carolina Clifford, TW, Wade Windham, SC, Handled by Wade Windham
• 2nd Nite Hunt — ‘PR’ Wipeout Gin N Juice, TW, William Cochran, Ryan Eaddy, GA, Handled by Will Deloach
• 3rd Nite Hunt — NITECH ‘PR’ Roberts Backwoods Quinn, TW, Jason Roberts, SC, Handled by Jason Roberts
• 4th — ‘PR’ T&T’s Big Train, TW, Trey Yother, VA, Handled by Hunter Garnto

Bench show

• Overall Bench Show Champion – CH EGCH ‘PR’ Skyline’s Push My Luck, RED, Beth Jenkins, VA
• Reserve Bench Show Champion — GRCH(2) ‘PR’ Melrose Mtn Lead Me Home, B&T, Lisa Beddingfield, Shane Beddingfield, NC
• Overall Youth Show Winner — GRCH(2) ‘PR’ Second Winds Barnabas, TW, Jordyn Brooks, Jacob Brooks, VA, Handled by Jordyn Brooks