Location: Nescopeck, Pennsylvania

Post Date: Oct 14, 2024

Submitted By: Thomas Mains

Mid-States Open Walking Shooting Dog Championship (standing, l-r): Jeremy Chaplin, Rich Warters, Rob Boos (judge), Dr. Tom Mains, and Kevin Lahoda (judge). (Kneeling, l-r): Samantha Adams holding Buck of Piney Woods and Robert Ecker holding Sammy The Rock Star.

The 2024 Mid-States Open Walking Championship was held at Faith's Pheasant Preserve in Nescopeck, Pennsylvania on September 6th and 7th. Owner Jeremy Chapin had the grounds in exceptional shape for the running of the championship. The grounds consist of a mixture of fields and woods with managed cover and objectives throughout the hour-long course to test the abilities and endurance of the most seasoned dogs. The course was prepared with ample pheasants to provide each dog with opportunities to demonstrate their abilities. This was the inaugural running of a field trial on these grounds, and the hope is that it is the beginning of many future opportunities to support the sport.

As with all trials, it takes many hands to pull things together to pull off a successful trial. Out of fear of missing someone, I'll thank everyone who did the work to make it happen. Additionally, thanks go out to Purina for supplying dog food to the winners and SportDOG for donating an electronic collar to the winner of the stake. Without their support, events like this would be much more difficult to run.

Twenty-one dogs were drawn to run: three Irish Setters, 12 English Setters, four English Pointers, and two Brittanys. Six braces were run on the first day and five on the second. Temperatures for the first day started at 53 degrees and increased to 71 degrees when the last brace of the day broke away.

The day was a mixture of sun and clouds, initially giving way to sunnier conditions as the day progressed.

The second day started at 63 degrees, with the last brace running at 67 degrees. The day was cloudy with a rain front moving in, which was realized the last two braces.
Buck of Piney Woods was named champion. He is a well-put-together English Pointer male owned by Richard Warters and Dr. George Najor, that ran on the second day in the eighth brace. The temperature at the breakaway was 65 degrees. Handler Robert Ecker cut him loose, and Buck didn't waste any time searching for his quarry. He laid out to the front and had three well-spaced finds on the one-hour course at 14:35, 30:54, and 54:02. The first two finds were in grass plots, and the final find came along the edge of a cornfield. All finds were handled with exceptional manners, and Buck had energy to spare at the end
of his hour.

Sammy The Rockstar was named runner-up champion. He is an English Setter male owned by Dr. George Najor that ran in the 10th brace on the second day. Sammy had the course to himself as his bracemate was scratched. Handler Robert Ecker cut him loose, and Sammy laid out to the front and worked the course methodically with little handling. He was looking in all the right places when his efforts were rewarded at 15:38. As the handler moved in for the flush along the edge of the wood line, a hen pheasant was flushed by the approaching judge; however, a cock bird was produced in front of Sammy's point which is the bird he was pointing. Sammy was staunch to the flush of both birds. Sammy continued the hour nicely reaching out and handling forward while finishing strong at the end of the hour.

The Running
Cedar Creek Rio, ISM, and Ashpole Hidden Tarheel, ESM, were in the first brace. Rio had an unproductive at 9:50 with Tarheel backing. Rio had a bird at 13:02 and finished the hour. Tarheel had his first find at 19:06 and finished the hour.

Blue Ribbon River, EPF, and Grousehill Rambo, EPM, were in the second brace. Rambo stopped at 8:04 with River backing. No bird was able to be produced. Rambo had a bird at 15:08, and excitement proved too much with a bird at 30:00.

Mia Star, ESF, and Iv's Whiskey In A Tea Cup, BRIT F, were next in the third brace. Star had an unproductive at 8:45 and 37:57 and finished the hour.
Whiskey ranged nicely and had a bird at 43:02 with good manners and finished the hour.

Bruno's Piney Run Pearl, BRIT F, and Dun Rovens Midnite Ike started the fourth brace with temperatures rising to 65 degrees. Pearl worked the course close to her handler with a bird at 30:08, all in good order. Ike kept his handler on his toes and finished the hour but was unable to connect with a bird.

See Ducks Cool Breeze, ESF, and Long Island Ice ran in the fifth brace. Temperatures continued to
increase to 68 degrees for the start of the brace. Breeze had a stop to flush at 10:07. Both Breeze and Ice
had birds at 33:36. Breeze handled her bird, but the temptation was too much for Ice. Breeze continued
until 45:00, then was picked up as she wasn't beating what the judges were caring about to this point.

The sixth and final brace of day one consisted of Ash Creek Tug, ESM, and Stonehill Mystical, ESF. Stonehill was enthusiastic to get started and was later picked up by the handler at 16:00. Tug covered the ground nicely and demonstrated superior conditioning for running in 71-degree weather. He just kept going. Unfortunately, he had unproductives at 35:48, 40:05, and 45:26. Temperatures clearly were not making scenting conditions easy. Tug wasn't beating what was being carried, so he was picked up.

Upon the conclusion of the first day's running, IV's Whiskey In A Tea Cup was named day dog for her consistent application and mannerly find.

Celtics Hell Fire Missile, ISF, and Rockland Ridge Rocky, ESM, started the second day's running in the seventh brace. Missile decided to hang close and was elected to be picked up by her handler at 2:07. Rocky had a bird at 9:51, 12:31, unproductive at 31:45, and a stop to flush at 41:45.

Buck of Piney Woods was previously reported. His bracemate Celtics Blue Ribbon Oakly, ISM, had a single find at 30:54. Oakly was nearing the end of the hour, and a second bird proved too much and was up before being able to finish.

Big Changes, ESM, and Jacob Start, ESM weren't getting it done to the pleasure of the handlers and were both picked up.

Grousehill Prima, EPF was scratched. Sammy the Rockstar, ESM was previously reported.

Brace 11 consisted of Ironstone Shenanigans, ESM. He was running the final brace as a buy dog. Shenanigans was let loose and was picked up at 14:08 following a porcupine encounter.

Nescopeck, Pa., September 6
Judges: Robert Boos and Kevin Lahoda
MID-STATES OPEN WALKING SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 4 Pointers, 12 Setters, 2 Brittanys, and 3 Irish Setters
Winner-BUCK OF PINEY WOODS, F1696648, pointer male, by Bo of Piney Woods-Grouse Hill Prima. Richard Warters and Dr. George Najor, owners; Robert Ecker, handler.
Runner-Up-SAMMY THE ROCK STAR, F1694825, setter male, by Sunrise Star-Lucy Two Star. Dr. George Najor, owner; Robert Ecker, handler.