That’s the number of dogs handled by Hurdle listed among those nominated to compete at Ames Plantation near Grand Junction, Tennessee, starting Monday with braces at 8 a.m. and he’s got seven reasons to be even more determined to succeed. Hurdle is back in 2017 for the 118th running of the National Championship of Bird Dogs.

In 2012, Hurdle again won the National Championship, this time with a pointer named Connor’s Button. Just like he did when he was a national champion rodeo performer in high school and college Hurdle may have gotten thrown off his horse a few times, but he always got back on with even more determination. During his time in the hospital he was given 44 pints of blood. Stunned spectators and family members watched as Hurdle was airlifted to a hospital where he underwent surgery. He remembers the pain of what he said was like getting hit in the back of the head by a hammer. Just minutes after the final photograph had been taken of Hurdle posing with Shell Creek Coin near the steps of Ames Plantation’s Manor House, Hurdle fell to his knees.

Some weren’t even sure if he would live as he lay in a hospital bed for 13 days after sustaining an aneurysm in 2006 moments after one of his dogs, Shell Creek Coin, had won the National Championship of Bird Dogs. There were those who thought Steve Hurdle’s days as a professional bird dog handler were over.

Bird dog championship 2017 tom