Result: Greensburg Trials

Location: Rochester, Pennsylvania

Post Date: Sep 26, 2023

Submitted By: Mike Husenits

Open Horseback Shooting Dog (l-r): Mark Hughes with Braggabull, Chris Catanzarite with Backcountry Buddy, and Karah Mason with Double Deuce Zeke. (Standing): Nick Lasica (judge) and Brian Riggle (judge).

The Greensburg Pointer and Setter Club continued their field trial tradition by sponsoring a three-day event that began on September 8 and concluded on Sunday, September 10. The generosity of the Beaver Valley Bird Dog Club enabled the event to be held at their ongoing improved venue near Rochester, Pa. Of particular note, the Beaver Valley and Greensburg Clubs are among the highest-ranked time-honored organizations still in existence that sponsor field trials annually in the Northeast region of the country.

Continued support by Greg Blair and Purina is much appreciated and greatly needed. Several young enthusiasts took control of organizing and implementing the trial format and logistics in expert fashion. Justin and Karah Mason, and Nick Lasica teamed up to organize the advertising, taking entries, drawing, food, birds, horses, and every other opportunity that arises during a field trial. The club also thanks Beaver Valley members Joe and Susie Cammisa for their generosity and time spent to ensure a joyful time was had by all. Susie's dessert dish was delectable, to say the least. Norm Meeder was ever present and ready to assist where needed.

The judging panel was outstanding, with all placements met with applause. It was great to have veteran Tom DeRosa teamed with Norm Meeder for Saturday's open stakes. The Friday horseback stakes were scrutinized by up-and-comer Nick Lasica and veteran Brian Riggle. Brian teamed with current U. S. Complete President Chris Catanzarite for Sunday's Amateur Shooting Dog.

Weather conditions were hot and humid on Friday, with gradual improvement to cooler temperatures by Sunday.

The program kicked off on Friday with the horseback handler stakes. First in the Open Derby was Backcountry Champagnesupernova, a pointer female owned and handled by Chris Catanzarite, to front running ground effort and higher-than-expected fall derby bird work. Tim McClurg's orange-marked pointer female Mac's Evie Wonder gained the nod for a close second with a hard-driving forward race coupled with appealing work on birds.
First in the Open Shooting Dog was Braggabull, a fancy moving pointer female owned and handled by Mark Hughes. Emmy scoured the course with an attractive, eye-catching forward race that resulted in a pair of perfectly handled finds. Backcountry Buddy took second for owner/handler Chris Catanzarite on the virtues of a well-directed race, a mannerly find, a back, and a lone unproductive. Consistent winner, Double Deuce Zeke, a liver-marked pointer owned by Doug McMillen and handled by Mark Hughes, was named third following a medium-range, well-directed race coupled with two finds and a lone unproductive.

The Open Walking Puppy started first thing Saturday morning, with youngster Reese Carroll taking first and second with two orange-marked pointers owned by Chris Catanzarite. Young Reese has continued to show interest in bird dogs and field trials for the past several years, and much credit to Chris Catanzarite for encouraging his interest. Both Backcountry Mickey and Backcountry Fearless demonstrated plenty of potential with classy forward ground races.
First in the Open Walking Derby was Gimmie Some Sugar, a pointer female owned by Anne Smith and handled by Hall of Famer Dave Hughes. Sugar covered her ground with a stylish way of going and pointed her birds intently with advanced manners at flush and shot. Knight's Gettin To Business, a liver-marked pointer male owned and handled by Don Knight, took second with a far-flung ground race coupled with a pair of derby finds plus two unproductive stands.

The Open Walking Shooting Dog was a highly competitive stake with several worthy performances. When all was said and done, Backcountry Missy, a consistent winning pointer female owned and handled by Chris Catanzarite, emerged at the top after a hard-driving race to the extremes coupled with faultless bird work. Backwoods Wild Fire Blaze, a black marked male pointer owned by Justin Mason and handled by Mark Hughes, was second on the merits of a medium-range classy ground race coupled with polished bird work. Pretty Boy Leo, an orange-marked pointer male, took third for owner Ted Mappas and handler Mark Hughes with a well-directed, stylish ground race and smooth handling response combined with excellent bird work. Closest to the winners was a setter male named Leroy.

All three winners in the Amateur Walking Shooting Dog proved to be most worthy of their placements with hard hunting ground races and superior polished bird work. First went to Wildland Hide The Wine, owned and handled by Eric Munden; second, Ajax Irish Charm for owner/handler Richard John Jarosinski; and third to Foxy Abralena for owner/handler Mike Fox.

Rochester, Pa., September 8 - One Course
Judges: Nick Lasica and Brian Riggle
OPEN DERBY - 5 Pointers
1st-BACKCOUNTRY CHAMPAGNESUPERNOVA, 1701699, female, by Dragonfly-Apple Annie's Sweet Delight. Chris Catanzarite, owner and handler.
2d-MAC'S EVIE WONDER, 1700896, female, by Mac's Silver Chief-Mac's Silver Shadow. Tim McClurg, owner and handler.
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 11 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st-BRAGGABULL, 1670091, pointer female, by Bully Bragg-Bullerina. Mark Hughes, owner and handler.
2d-BACKCOUNTRY BUDDY, 1682654, pointer male, by Waybetter Rocky-Backcountry Polly. Chris Catanzarite, owner and handler.
3d-DOUBLE DEUCE ZEKE, 1673940, pointer male, by Double Deuce Peter-Funseeker's Holiday. Doug McMillen Jr., owner; Mark Hughes, handler.

Open Walking Puppy (l-r): Backcountry Mickey with Reese Carroll and Backcountry Fearless with Bob Smith.

Judges: Tom Derosa and Norm Meeder
OPEN PUPPY - 4 Pointers
1st-BACKCOUNTRY MICKEY, 1705242, male, by Springflow's Backcountry P-Apple Annie's Sweet Delight. Chris Catanzarite, owner; Reese Carroll, handler.
2d-BACKCOUNTRY FEARLESS, 1705245, female, by Springflow's Backcountry P-Apple Annie's Sweet Delight. Chris Catanzarite, owner; Reese Carroll, handler.
OPEN DERBY - 4 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-GIMMIE SOME SUGAR, unreg., pointer female, by Mac's Silver Chief-Mac's Silver Shadow. Anne Smith, owner; Dave Hughes, handler.
2d-KNIGHT'S GETTIN TO BUSINESS, 1700034, pointer male, by Miller Unfinished Business-Wells Lady Hawk. Don Knight, owner and handler.
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 10 Pointers, 2 Setters and 2 Irish Setters
1st-BACKCOUNTRY MISSY, 1672663, pointer female, by Erin's War Creek-Backcountry Tornado. Chris Catanzarite, owner and handler.
2d-BACKWOODS WILD FIRE BLAZE, 1691395, pointer male, by Erin's Wild Justice-Hollywood Hot'n'Tot. Justin Mason, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.
3d-PRETTY BOY LEO, 1699782, pointer male, by Grouse Hill Smokey-High Desert Storm. Theodore Mappas, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.
Judges: Chris Catanzarite and Brian Riggle
AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG - 7 Pointers, 1 Brittanys and 2 Irish Setters
1st-WILDLAND HIDE THE WINE, 1697105, pointer male, by Double Deuce Zeke-Beaver Meadow Rose. Eric Munden, owner and handler.
2d-AJAX IRISH CHARM, 1694642, Brittany male, by Ajax-Ajax Dark Side Mila. Richard & Jane Jarosinski, owners.
3d-FOXY ABRALENA, 1682017, Irish setter female, by Zansett Simply Red-Foxy's Lil Red Missy. Mike Fox, owner and handler.

Amateur Shooting Dog (l-r): Wildland Hide The Wine with Eric Munden, Ajax Irish Charm with John Jarosinski, and Foxy Abralena with Mike Fox. (Standing): Brian Riggle (judge) and Chris Catanzarite (judge).