Result: York Pointer & Setter Club

Location: Rossville, Pennsylvania

Post Date: Nov 22, 2023

Submitted By: Ernie Saniga

Amateur Shooting Dog Winners (l-r): Bob Verderosa, Roger Boser with Gratitude, Bart Hastings, Ernie Saniga with Bella Bulli, Greg Strasbaugh, and Larry King with Bull Finch.

The York Pointer & Setter Club held its fall trial October 14-15 at the York Club grounds near Wellsville, Pennsylvania. These grounds were purchased by the members of the club in the early 60s. Readers might recognize some of the names from those days: Gerald Tracy, Merv Eisenhart, and Gene Strausbaugh. The members bought the grounds and built a cinder block clubhouse. Gerald Tracy, a bricklayer before a dog trainer, laid the brick.

Merv Eisenhart was chairman from at least 1972 until a few years ago. I say 1972 since I ran my first dog here that year in the Amateur Shooting Dog stake. I hunted her all day on Saturday and ran her here on Sunday. Bill Primm ran his hunting dog, too. We finished with birdwork, fairly clean, we thought.

Neither of us placed, but we got to see the best dogs of the day, all of which ran every weekend in half-hour stakes and collected titles during the week.

We rented horses to watch a few braces. That cost $2 a brace. I remember seeing Ch. Sandyacres Frank, a great dog of that time or of this time for that matter. There were other very special ones, too.

The hook was set, as they say, and 51 years later, it is still set.

When Merv died, Gene Strausbaugh's son Greg took over the helm of the club, and he ran this trial. Four stakes were run: Open Shooting Dog, Open Derby, Amateur Shooting Dog, and Amateur Derby.

The Open Shooting Dog was the first stake on Saturday, which was a cold day with steady rain. This reporter judged with Bart Hastings of lower Delaware, himself a veteran trialer. Bart judged all the stakes in this trial.

Mike and Jeanette Tracy ran all the dogs in the stake. Jeanette won the stake with The Secret, a pointer male owned by Lisa Pollock. Secret never left the front, swinging and hunting at the limits, perfectly in tune with his handler. He scored three times with high style and finished manners.

Mike Tracy won second with Hauser's Hard Line. This pointer male duplicated The Secret's performance except a little rougher on the handle. He, too, had three finds, flawless in his manners.

Jeannette got third with Steel Valley Raven. Raven ran a strong race as well, scoring three times, looking like a picture, and also pointed two dead birds.

Roger Dvorak joined Bart to judge the Open Derby. The setter, Stone Hill Mystical, won the stake with four finds, not completely finished but well along to go with a spirited race. The pointer, Ladywood's None Other, was second with a fast race and one good find. Jeanette handled both. Mike won third with Hollander's Drinkaby, which had two nice finds and a good forward race.

A cancellation had Greg Strausbaugh judging the amateur stakes with Bart. Roger Boser won the stake with his Irish setter Gratitude. The dog hunted every step, scoring 10 times in the last brace with a single unproductive. Bella Bulli and Bull Finch, pointer females run by this reporter, won second and third. Both had six finds and swinging races, Finch with a single unproductive. All three winners' birdwork was high, tight, and mannerly.

Bob Verderosa's pointer Miller's Ginger Snapp won the Amateur Derby with a strong forward race and four finds, steady and stylish on her game. Second went to Roger Boser's red setter Shotput, which had a fine race and a single find. Larry King's young pointer male, Umpteen Tries, was placed on his classy carriage and strong race.

Rossville, Pa., October 14 - One Course
Judges: Bart K. Hastings and Ernie Saniga
MERV EISENHART MEMORIAL OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 12 Pointers
1st-THE SECRET, 1686192, male, by Waybetter Rocky-Ladywood's Keepsake. Lisa Pollock & Great River Kennels, owners; Jeanette Tracy, handler.
2d-HAUSER'S HARD LINE, 1702195, male, by Miller's Dialing In-Nemaha Snow Rebel. Sean & Debra Hauser, owners; Mike Tracy, handler.
3d-STEEL VALLEY RAVEN, 1696173, female, by Waybetter Rocky-Steel City Karen. Lisa Pollock, Brian Sanchez, Ted Foust, owners; Jeanette Tracy, handler.

Judges: Roger Dvorak and Bart Hastings
OPEN DERBY - 7 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st-STONE HILL MYSTICAL, 1705110, setter female, by Erin's Big Casino-Teen Spirit. Paul Berdiner, owner; Jeanette Tracy, handler.
2d-LADYWOOD'S NONE OTHER, 1705033, pointer female, by Waybetter Jay-Clarendon's Black Eyed Sue. Jeanette Tracy, owner and handler.
3d-HOLLANDER'S DRINKABY, 1705283, pointer female, by Miller's High Heat Index-Osceola's Seminole Wind. Allen Linder, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.

Judges: Bart Hastings and Greg Strausbaugh
GERALD TRACY MEMORIAL AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG - 10 Pointers and 2 Irish Setters
1st-GRATITUDE, 1676458, Irish setter male, by Come Back Cutter-Come Back Doodle. Roger Boser, owner and handler.
2d-BELLA BULLI, 1674898, pointer female, by Bully Bragg-Bullerina. Ernie & Karen Saniga, owners.
3d-BULL FINCH, 1686091, pointer female, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Bullerina. Ernie & Karen Saniga, owners.

AMATEUR DERBY - 5 Pointers and 1 Irish Setter
1st-MILLER'S GINGER SNAPP, 1700354, pointer female, by Miller's Speed Dial-Rocky Hollow Ginger Snap. Robert Verderosa, owner and handler.
2d-SHOTPUT, 1704405, Irish setter female, by Gratitude-Slingshot. Roger Boser, owner and handler.
3d-UMPTEEN TRIES, 1702133, pointer male, by Mohawk Mill Knight Hawk-Full Effect. L. J. & Casey King, owners.