Result: Northern New Hampshire Bird Dog Club

Location: Stark, New Hampshire

Post Date: May 30, 2024

Submitted By: Lloyd B. Murray Jr.

The Northern New Hampshire Bird Dog Club ran its 35th annual spring field trial on its spring grounds at Phillips Brook. Sixty-two dogs were drawn for the two-day event, which made for a busy but pleasurable event.

We are grateful to "American Forestry" for allowing us to use their land to hold our spring event (our fall trials run in the Kilkenny section of the White Mountain National Forest).

Thank you also to Purina for their continued support over the 35 years we have hosted the spring event; we greatly appreciate it!

A big thank you to Tony and Marie Bly for handling all their drawing-related chores, from taking entries to the actual draw, filling out the judge book, typing brace sheets, and posting the draw online.

To our dedicated bird planters, old friends Jay Christian from Connecticut and Roy Hargreaves from Maine, you guys did great!

Finally, to all of our judges who walked many miles looking over our various and numerous (nine) stakes, we enthusiastically say a heartfelt "thank you!"

The Open Puppy was the first stake on Saturday. We were away at 6:50 a.m.; Dick Brenneman would be proud! Tony Bly and Steve Sumple especially looked over a small but talented field. Both men have judged many open championships, and we greatly appreciate their efforts.
Winning the blue ribbon was the fast and flashy German Shorthair Pointer, Maier's Skywalker, owned and handled by old friend Maggie Maier. Second was awarded to Long Gone Pickles, a setter female owned and handled by Lloyd Murray. Pickles laid forward and hunted hard for her 20 minutes.

Next on the two-day, nine-stake program was the White Mountain Open Derby Classic. This stake has been a good barometer for identifying future winners, with many champions first showing their talents in this event.
Kelly Hays of Columbia, New Hampshire, and Lloyd Murray of Stark, New Hampshire, looked over a small but attractive entry. Winning first was Jamie Leitch's flashy Pointer male, Can Am Cooper. This white and liver pointer male ran a big, mature race combined with finished birdwork to secure his win. Second went to Steve Sumple's Sumps Murphy's Law. "Murphy," a beautifully running and pointing white and orange Setter female, nailed multiple birds with breathtaking style, plus broke work to win her ribbon. Both of these derbies look to have very bright futures.

Jamie Leitch and Steve Sumple judged the Granite State Open Shooting Dog Stake. Winning first was Frank Joyal's pointer female, Moonlite's Crown Jewel. Crown ran a large race, coupled with stylish finished work, to win the blue ribbon. Frankie was back in the charmed circle with his white and orange pointer female, PeeDee. This big going bitch showed heels and put on stylish birdwork. The yellow ribbon was awarded to Lightning Flash Dude, a setter male owned by Styles Bridges of Canton, New York, but handled today by Bailey Arkley. Dude ran fine and scored three times on birds to win his placement.

Sunday morning dawn was bright and cool for the first stake of the day, the New Hampshire Amateur Puppy Classic. Field trial veterans Thom Richardson of Whitefield, New Hampshire, and David Theroux of Strafford, New Hampshire, judged these juveniles. Winning her second blue ribbon of the weekend was Maier's Skywalker. Second went to "Tune," Jim Hathaway's large tri-colored setter male. Third went to Fowler, Kellie Short's tri-colored setter male. All three pups "tore it up" and showed much potential.

The George Johnson Amateur Derby stake was next. Thank you to judges Jim Hathaway and Kelly Hays. We are proud to honor our old friend George Johnson, who contributed so much to our game. We lost him several years ago, but he is not forgotten.
Winning the blue ribbon was the consistent winner, Leia, a tri-colored setter female owned and handled by Roy Hargreaves from Summer, Maine. Leia hunted hard and forward, coupled with several broke finds. Second was won by Roadie, a tri-colored setter male owned and handled by veteran Kellie Short of Buxton, Maine. Roadie displayed advanced manners on his birds to go along with an attractive race. The yellow ribbon went to the tri-colored Setter female, Rae, owned by Doug Dix but ably handled by Bailey Arkley.

The Phillips Brook Amateur Shooting Dog Classic was next on the agenda. Professional Adam Dubriske from Troy, New Hampshire, and Connecticut-based Steve "Hank" Sumple judged this Classic. Winning first for the second year was black and white setter male Long Gone Dequan. "Quan" had three stylish finds with a forward race to win the blue. Second went to Jamie Leitch's hard-charging Setter male, "Jack." As always, Jack pushed the limits and coupled this effort with clean birdwork. "Dude" was back in the winners' circle, with Bailey Arkley handling; her dad Bob had a broken arm! Dude nailed his birds with good style to advance his position.

The Open Derby Qualifier was up next. David Theroux and Deb Kennedy looked over these youngsters.
Winning first was the tri-colored setter female puppy, Long Gone Pickles. This pup scored two broke finds with a forward race to win the blue for owner and handler Lloyd Murray. Maier's Skywalker was back in the winners' circle, getting second in this stake with a snappy forward race and solid birdwork. The Setter female, Rae, also scored her second placement of the trial with good birdwork and nice ground coverage.

It was very late in the afternoon before we got to the final stake of our spring program. Kelly Hays and Maggie Maier judged this Gun Dog stake. We did not have enough entries to recognize this event, but we ran what we drew and had a blast anyway. Bradley Green got the blue and red ribbon with his good gun dogs, Gil and Belle. Tom Jay and his reliable Setter, Max, were awarded third.

Thank you to all who pitched in to make this a relaxing and fun weekend!

Stark, N. H., April 27 - One Course
Judges: Tony Bly and Steve Sumple
OPEN PUPPY - 3 Pointers, 1 Setter, and 1 German Shorthair
1st-MAIER'S SKYWALKER, 1709089, German Shorthair female, by Goose Creek Jester's Dead Trenary-Goose Creek Cedar Plank Trenary. Maggie Maier, owner and handler.
2d-LONG GONE PICKLES, 1711405, setter female, by Long Gone Dequan-Paucek's Jordi. Lloyd Murray Jr., owner and handler.

Judges: Kelly E. Hays and Lloyd B. Murray, Jr.
WHITE MOUNTAIN OPEN DERBY CLASSIC - 3 Pointers, 1 Setter, and 1 German Shorthair
1st-CAN AM COOPER, 1703026, pointer male, by Hirollins Gone And Doneit-Steel Valley Wardance. Jamie Leitch, owner and handler.
2d-SUMP'S MURPHY'S LAW, 1705520, setter female, by Grouse Hill Bullet Proof-Spata Setters Sally. Stephen Sumple, owner and handler.

Judges: Jamie Leitch and Steve Sumple
GRANITE STATE OPEN SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC - 5 Pointers and 9 Setters
1st-MOONLITE'S CROWN JEWEL, 1695573, pointer female, by Miller's Heat Seeker-Moonlite Yellow Jacket. Frank Joyal, owner and handler.
2d-CAROLINA'S GREAT PEE DEE, 1695476, pointer female, by Miller's Heat Seeker-Moonlite Yellow Jacket. Frank Joyal, owner and handler.
3d-LIGHTNING FLASH DUDE, 1677504, setter male, by Lightning Flash Mick-Lightning Flash Charli. Styles Bridges, owner; Bailey Arkley, handler.

Judges: David Theroux and Thom Richardson
AMATEUR PUPPY CLASSIC - 1 Pointer, 5 Setters, and 1 German Shorthair
1st-MAIER'S SKYWALKER, 1709089, German Shorthair female, by Goose Creek Jester's Dead Trenary-Goose Creek Cedar Plank Trenary. Maggie Maier, owner and handler.
2d-WIZARD'S PAIGH AM PIOBAIRE, 1704385, setter male, by Long Gone Wallace-Shepherd's Clair. James Hathaway, owner and handler.
3d-PAUCEK'S FOWLER, 1704853, setter male, by Long Gone Dequan-Paucek's Jordi. Kellie Short, owner and handler.

Judges: Jim Hathaway and Kelly Hays
GEORGE JOHNSON AMATEUR DERBY - 1 Pointers, 4 Setters, and 1 German Shorthair
1st-PAUCEK'S WOODLAND JEDI LEIA, 1703529, setter female, by Paucek's Little Tommy Tucker-Paucek's Andromeda. Roy Hargreaves, owner and handler.
2d-PAUCEK'S ROCKY ROAD, 1704261, setter male, by Long Gone Porky-Paucek's Mandy. Kellie Short, owner and handler.
3d-ROCK SOLID RAE, 1706422, setter female, by Rock Solid Tucker-Rock Solid Casey. Doug Dix, owner; Bailey Arkley, handler.

Judges: Adam Dubriske and Steve Sumple
PHILLIPS BROOK AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC - 2 Pointers and 13 Setters
1st-LONG GONE DEQUAN, 1675616, setter male, by Long Gone Studly-Phillips Half Moon. Lloyd B. Murray Jr., owner and handler.
2d-STOKELY B JACK, 1670962, setter male, by Stokely's Frankie B-Fernwood Cove's Bella. Jamie Leitch, owner and handler.
3d-LIGHTNING FLASH DUDE, 1677504, setter male, by Lightning Flash Mick-Lightning Flash Charli. Styles Bridges, owner; Bailey Arkley, handler.

Judges: Deborah Kennedy and David Theroux
OPEN DERBY - 2 Pointers, 3 Setters, and German Shorthair
1st-LONG GONE PICKLES, 1711405, setter female, by Long Gone Dequan-Paucek's Jordi. Lloyd B. Murray Jr., owner and handler.
2nd-MAIER'S SKYWALKER, 1709089, German Shorthair female, by Goose Creek Jester's Dead Trenary-Goose Creek Cedar Plank Trenary. Maggie Maier, owner and handler.
3d-ROCK SOLID RAE, 1706422, setter female, by Rock Solid Tucker-Rock Solid Casey. Doug Dix, owner; Bailey Arkley, handler.