Result: Wolverine Field Trial Club

Location: Highland, Michigan

Post Date: Jun 11, 2024

Submitted By: David A. Fletcher

Dave Fletcher Open Shooting Dog Classic (l-r): Mark Hughes with Parkway, Will Langley (judge), Joe Guzman with Double Deuce Zeke, Chris Jaeger, Bill Darr (judge), and Rich Hollister (handler) with Dun Rovens Soozee.

The Wolverine Club, notably the oldest one-course field trial club in Michigan, held its spring event May 10-11 over fine courses at the Highland Recreation Area near Milford, Michigan. An entry of 60 dogs in three walking and two horseback stakes filled two days with great birdwork and strong competition for placements, leaving Sunday, Mother's Day, for family matters.

The Wolverine Club ran its first event in 1978 with an entry of 77 dogs. Club leaders in the early years were Oliver DeLuca, considered founder, Lou and Dave Campana, Ken Kortilla, and others, but Oliver DeLuca and Jim Cipponeri were soon club leaders and, for over 40 years, steered this club into prominence. Since the demise of Oliver and Almerinda DeLuca in 2019 and 2020, the club presidency and all the management duties that go with it have fallen on the shoulders of Jim Cipponeri. The Fletcher Classic was inaugurated by Mike Traxler and staged with the Southwest Michigan Club for several years. It was then brought to the Wolverine Club to help their new walking stake program, and it has been a great success over the last 14 years. This year, the 29-dog entry helped the program entries measurably.

The weather for the event was favorable to the trial, with temperatures in the 50 to 60 range with no winds or heavy rains. A few brief rain showers did not affect the running or the birds. Stake Manager and Club President Jim Cipponeri and his wife Connie looked after the drawing, and Jim was on the grounds judging a stake, putting out birds, and marshaling the courses. Secretary Fletcher reported, took the entry money, and paid the bills. Other club helpers included Paul Tutro with the morning doughnuts and bringing the birds from the Emmett, Michigan supplier. Ron Sposita was there putting out birds, running dogs, and cooking lunches. Brian Wood announced the braces. Judges were Bill Darr and Will Langley in the Fletcher Classic, along with Jim Cipponeri, Mark Hughes, Christy Helmes, Paul Renius, Rich Hollister, and John Paul Jones. Our thanks also must go to Purina for their continuing support.

Open Puppy
Judges commented that placements were based on how much courage to reach out and hunt the course given by the dogs we placed.

Open Puppy (l-r): Paul Renius with Dunrovens Rolling Stone, Mark Hughes (judge), and Rich Hollister (handler) with Fearless Hawkeye Hank. (Not pictured): IV's Feed The Flame, handled by Robert Ecker.

Highland, Mich., May 10
Judges: Jim Cipponeri and Mark Hughes
OPEN PUPPY - 3 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-DUNROVENS ROLLING STONE, 1705028, pointer male, by Crosswind Jim-Highbank's Down'n'dirty. Mark & Jim Fernandez, owners; Rich Hollister, handler.
2d-IV'S FEED THE FLAME, 1712100, pointer female, by Bo of Piney Woods-Sugar On Fire. Samantha Adams, owner; Robert Ecker, handler.
3d-FEARLESS HAWKEYE HANK, registration pending. Mac Linton, owner; Richard Hollister, handler.

Open Walking Derby
Tilly was the top dog with a great forward effort and a trio of broke finds. Second was Fire Marshall Bill, a hard-going youngster who always headed forward and was rewarded with two mannerly and stylish finds. Sutter's Boy Sue ("Cash") claimed third place with three somewhat immature finds and some great hunting.

Open Walking Derby (l-r): Paul Renius (judge) with Grouse Feather Tilly and Rich Hollister (handler) with Sutter's Boy Sue. (Not pictured): Fire Marshall Bill, handled by Robert Ecker.

Judges: Christy Helmes and Paul Renius
OPEN DERBY- 3 Pointers and 10 Setters
1st-GROUSE FEATHER TILLY, 1703250, setter female, by Grouse Feather Hawk-GF Southern Belle. Curtis Coleman Jr., owner; Richard Hollister, handler.
2d-FIRE MARSHALL BILL, 1702783, setter male, by Ponderosa Mac-Moonshine Sage. Eli Richardson, owner; Robert Ecker, handler.
3d-SUTTER'S BOY SUE, 1706342, setter female, by Sutter's Backwoods Rumble-
Dunroven Crystal. Paula Giulitto, owner; Richard Hollister, handler.

The Fletcher Classic
The winner was Parker, a first-year shooting dog that we rode up on twice, well to the front of course to witness superb quail finds. He hunted the edges hard, came around to the front regularly, and was a deserving top dog. Double Deuce Zeke, a Grouse Championship winner and a previous winner of this stake, had a very similar performance, two great finds way up front, and a good start and finish. Soozee was third, with slightly less ground coverage than the dogs placed above her, but she had four very stylish and mannerly finds.

Judges: Will Langley and Bill Darr
DAVE FLETCHER OPEN SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC - 13 Pointers, 12 Setters, and 4 Brittanys
1st-PARKWAY, 1701708, pointer male, by Grouse Trails Tuscarora-Halestorm.
Mark Hughes, owner and handler.
2d-DOUBLE DEUCE ZEKE, 1673940, pointer male, by Double Deuce Peter-
Funseeker's Holiday. Doug McMillen Jr., owner; Mark Hughes, handler.
3d-DUN ROVENS SOOZEE, 1682090, setter female, by Clary's Tekoa Sky Hawk-
Dun Rovens Boofay. Chris Jaeger, owner; Richard Hollister, handler.

Open Shooting Dog
Beer was the winner with a hard hunting search of his course and a stylish stand on quail, his bird well located, and he was very mannerly at flush. Second and third placements were taken by Quick, who had a somewhat undefined point, and Mickie, who both ran and hunted well but were birdless.

Judges: Rich Hollister and John Paul Jones
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 3 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-DUKE'S HOLD MY BEER, 1684677, pointer male, by Sugarknoll War Paint-
Sizzlin Julie. Ron Sposita, owner and handler.
2d-WICKED QUICK, 1674810, pointer female, by Dunn's Tried'n True-Dunn's Get Out Sue. Kelsey Hajek & Sandy Maclean, owners; Kelsey Hajek, handler.
3rd-MICKIE, unreg., setter male, breeding not given. Bill Darr, owner and handler.

Open Derby
The three dogs placed in this stake were all littermates from a litter bred by Joe Guzman and a sire owned by Dan Battistella of Ottawa, Ontario. Last Stand was the winner with a good hunting effort and an "up front" find. Katie, second, and Mackinac Straights also had good finds and good hunting efforts.

Judges: Rich Hollister and John Paul Jones
OPEN DERBY - 3 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-KNIGHT'S LAST STAND, 1705328, pointer male, by Knight's Last Chipster-Windfall Queen of Soul. Joe Guzman, owner and handler.
2d-DUKE'S C C KATIE, 1699933, pointer female, by Knight's Last Chipster-Windfall Queen of Soul. Ron Sposita, owner and handler.
3d-WINDFALL MACKINAC STRAIGHTS, 1701992, pointer male, by Knight's Last Chipster-Windfall Queen of Soul. Joseph Guzman, owner and handler.

Knight's Last Stand First in the Open Derby

Windfall Mackinac Straights Third in the Open Derby