Result: Summerhill Field Trial Club

Location: Greenville, Pennsylvania

Post Date: May 31, 2024

Submitted By: Ernie Saniga

Amateur Restricted Derby (front, l-r): Joe Lordi with Erin's Envy, Dave McKay with Excitable Boy, and Evan Tracy with GJF Oakley. (Behind): Danielle Lordi and Mike Tracy.

The Summerhill Club ran a three-stake program on May 4 and 5 at the George Tracy training grounds near Glenville, Pennsylvania. Also run was an unrecognized Youth stake.
Karen Saniga is chairman and has quite a staff helping her. Mike Tracy wrangled the horses and side-by-side for participants. George Tracy planted the birds each brace. Aidan and Evan Tracy were here to scout and to wrangle. All were busy throughout the trial, doing all the little things to be done to make the trial a success.

A public drawing was held on Friday evening at the clubhouse, which doubles as a horse and hay barn. The drawing was in conjunction with a pizza dinner furnished by the Club. Dave Hughes drew the dogs out of a bowl.

On Saturday, Mary and Casey Tracy hosted a dinner for all participants at Mike's home near the training grounds. We had an off-and-on cold rain throughout the trial, and their hospitality was much appreciated.

The first stake was the Amateur Restricted Derby, judged by Ben Dillard from Maryland and Larry King from West Virginia. The winner was Erin's Envy, a Pointer male owned by Joe McHugh and handled by Joe Lordi. The attractive dog had four finds with style and finished manners to go with a strong race.
Second went to Excitable Boy, a Pointer male owned and handled by Dave McKay. He had a back and three upright finds with finished manners on two.
Third was GJF Oakley, a Pointer female owned by Greg Fried and handed by Dave McKay to a four-find performance with a good race and some finished work.

We had 17 in the Amateur Shooting Dog stake, judged by Hall of Fame trainer Dave Hughes from northwestern Pennsylvania and top amateur Tom Brigman from North Carolina. Pointer male Iron Bully won with four finds, a back, and a strong forward race. He is back in competition after a yearlong recovery from a hip injury. His littermate sister, Bull Finch, was second with a similar performance, including four finds and a back.
Third went to Gratitude, Roger Boser's Red Setter male with six finds and a good race always to the front.

Darren Boyer and Tom Brigman judged the Amateur Derby. Sean and Deb Hauser's Pointer male, Hausers Unhinged, won the stake with three nicely handled finds and a classy race. Joe Lordi handled him.
Larry King won second with his Pointer male, Umpteen Tries. The fancy dog had multiple finds handled with high style and mostly finished with a fast race.
Irish Setter male, Shotput, got the yellow ribbon with a good race and three finished and upright finds. Roger Boser owns and handles him.

The Youth stake was run Saturday in light rain, but nothing dampened the spirits of the young handlers, the dogs, or the largest gallery of the trial who were following. Ben Dillard and Gunner Boyer judged the five entries and ended up with a tie for first.
Blake Ruby was up first with "Scooter," and the champion dog handled and hunted as expected, with sharp birdwork between his casts. Blake works dogs here in the summer with his grandpa and sister Raina, so he knows how to handle and flush.
Liam Lawrence's mother, Nikki, is Luke Eisenhart's sister, so you would expect Liam to know what to do with his entry, champion Rebel, and he did just that on the dog's multiple finds and nice race.
Braydon Smith handles when dad runs his dogs, at least in terms of singing to the dog. He won an honorable mention in the Amateur Shooting Dog when he handled Over The Top, and here he ran their female, Eva, to a good race and multiple finds.
Laine Berdiner ran her dad's champion Setter, "Big." The dog did very well on the ground and was perfect on his game for the young lady.
Raina Ruby was up last with another champion, Faithful, and the dog looked the part in her snappy race and flawless birdwork.

Greenville, Pa., May 4
Judges: Ben Dillard and Larry King
SBHA AMATEUR RESTRICTED DERBY - 6 Pointers
1st-ERIN'S ENVY, 1705275, pointer male, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Erin's Miss Maggie. Joseph McHugh, owner; Joe Lordi, handler.
2d-EXCITABLE BOY, 1701610, pointer male, by Bad Bourbon-Gun Runner Carli. David McKay, owner and handler.
3d-GJF OAKLEY, 1701794, pointer female, by Chelsea's Thunder Bolt-Apalachee Elhew Kat. Gregory & Jacki Fried, owners; David McKay, handler.

Amateur Shooting Dog (front, l-r): Aidan Tracy with Iron Bully, Ernie Saniga with Bull Finch, and Roger Boser with Gratitude. (Behind): Darren Boyer, Liz McKay, Larry King, Dave McKay, Mike Tracy, Dave Hughes, Tom Brigman, Evan Tracy, Joe Lordi, Danielle Lordi, Sheila Cassidy, and Liam Lawrence.

Judges: Tom Bigman and Dave Hughes
SBHA AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG - 15 Pointers and 2 Irish Setters
1st-IRON BULLY, 1686077, pointer male, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Bullerina. Ernie & Karen Saniga & Bill & Muriel Primm, owners; Ernie Saniga, handler.
2d-BULL FINCH, 1686091, pointer female, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Bullerina. Ernie & Karen Saniga, owners; Ernie Saniga, handler.
3d-GRATITUDE, 1676458, pointer female, by Come Back Cutter-Come Back Doodle. Roger Boser, owner and handler.

Judges: Tom Bigman and Darren Boger
SBHA AMATEUR DERBY - 6 Pointers and 1 Irish Setter
1st-HAUSERS UNHINGED, 1706301, pointer male, by Lester's Storm Surge-Hauser's Cotton Dots. Sean & Deb Hauser, owners; Joe Lordi, handler.
2d-UMPTEEN TRIES, 1702133, pointer male, by Mohawk Mill Knight Hawk-Full Effect. L. J. & Casey King, owners; Larry King, handler.
3d-SHOTPUT, 1704405, Irish setter female, by Gratitude-Slingshot. Roger Boser, owner and handler.

Amateur Derby (front, l-r): Joe Lordi with Hausers Unhinged, Larry King with Umpteen Tries, and Shotput with Roger Boser. (Behind): Darren Boyer (judge) and Tom Brigman (judge).

Youth Stake (front, l-r): Raina Ruby with Faithful, Blake Ruby with Rebel, Liam Lawrence with Scooter, Laine Berdiner with Big, and Braydon Smith with Eva. (Behind): Ernie Saniga and Gunner Boyer.