If you owned an empty box that once contained twelve quarts of oil what would you put in it? That question for many of us could be answered in many ways. However, for Jack McLane of Port Huron, Michigan the answer is very simple and logical. Just fill it three-quarters full with yellow field trial programs that you have collected from the trials you have attended.
You may find it hard to believe but that is exactly what Jack has done through the years. During the Red Cedar licensed trial Jack brought me that oil can box filled with all those old yellow programs. He wanted me to take it home and count them. So that is exactly what I did. Guess what? There were three hundred and seventy-nine programs in that box. One could only guess how many miles jack drove attending all those trials.
Undoubtedly, that old oil case box would now be full and Jack would probably be started filling another one if he hadnt been involved in a tragic accident over 5 years ago. That accident left him barely able to walk and made driving long distances almost entirely out of the question. Jack has recuperated somewhat and now is able to attend trials in his home state of Michigan but long distance traveling is now out of the question for him.
Like that popular song from a few years ago entitled Ive Been Everywhere Man Jack can say he has almost been everywhere a licensed brace trial has been held. When he was in his prime he wouldnt hesitate to think of driving all night to arrive just in time at his destination to enter his dogs in the trial that day.
Jack is currently campaigning four males that he bought from Ersel Blackburn. He has them with handler, Bob Bibbee. Their names are 4, 5, 6, and 7. When asked why he named them 4,5,6, and 7 he said Ersel had chosen 1,2,3, and 4 and he took the rest and that is why he named them that way.
Undoubtedly, Jack would like to still be traveling around the country but for now he has to be content to just set home waiting for that phone call that tells him his dog is a winner. And besides right now he doesnt have any empty oilcan boxes and I haven't returned his three-quarter full one!
