Result: National Amateur Pheasant Shooting Dog Championship

Location: Mingo Junction, Ohio

Post Date: Oct 24, 2024

Submitted By: Joe Cammisa

National Amateur Pheasant Championship (front, l-r): Alex Smith with Champion Calico's Country Strong and Chris Catanzarite with Runner-up Champion Back Country Pure Gold. (Behind, l-r): Allen Linder, Muriel Primm, Karen Saniga, Aaron McAfee (judge), Stacey Goodie, George Tracy, Greg Strausbaugh, Tiffany Smith, Jimmy Wallace (judge), Jeff Haggis, Dave Hughes, Tyler Bowser, and Bill Primm.

Alex Smith and Calico's Country Strong, Pointer Female Bring Home The Blue in This year's National Amateur Pheasant Shooting Dog Championship; Runner-up, Backcountry Pure Gold with Chris Catanzarite.

A continued short history of the National Amateur Pheasant Shooting Dog Championship shows the most recent winners since 2017.

2017 Touch's Katrina, F1654628, pointer female, by Touch's White Out-House's Proud Mary. Austin Turley, owner and handler.

2018 Touch's Hail Stone, F1653857, pointer male, by Touch's White Out-Touch's Maswood Anne. Alexander Rickert, owner and handler.

2019 Upfront's Southern Star, F1662579, pointer female, by Ransom-Double Wild. Lance Schulz, owner and handler.

2020 Touch's Diamante, F1651518, pointer male, by Touch's White Out-Henson's Go Girl. Austin Turley, owner and handler.

2021 Hightailing Maggie, F1674283, pointer female, by Bail Me Out-Walden's Ridge Liz. Kevin & Maureen Joyce, owners; Kevin Joyce, handler.

2022 Navajo Cody, F1668520, pointer male, by Great River Ice-Blaze's Isis. Camille Masiello & Saverio Morelli, owners; Joseph E. Lordi, handler.

2023 Miller's Cover Girl, F1675005, pointer female, by Just Irresistible-Miller's Bring The Heat, Jack & Fran Miller, owners: Fran Miller, handler.

Let the record books now reflect: 2024 Calico's Country Strong, F1679850, pointer female, by Waybetter Rocky-Calico's Touch of Class. Calico Kennels, owner; Alex Smith, handler. She comes from Frank and April Henderson's Calico Kennels, home of notables such as Calico's Dancing Bear and Calico's Thrillogy. She was a previous Southern Bird Hunters Amateur Shooting Dog of the Year and won The Round Pond Classic, Elwin Smith Classic, and many shooting dog placements.

Backcountry Pure Gold is a product of Chris Catanzarite's breeding program and won The National Pheasant Shooting Dog Futurity on these grounds. She was placed in the National Walking Shooting Dog Futurity, and her first title was runner-up in the Region 16 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship in Union Springs, Alabama. She additionally has many shooting dog placements.

The judges for the trial were Jimmy Wallace of Prospect, Ohio, and Aaron McAfee of Clinton, Illinois. Aaron has judged the Pheasant Futurity twice on these grounds and numerous regional and shooting dog championships. Aaron has also judged the Red Setter National Championship. Jimmy has judged many championships, weekend, and classic trials. Both are long-time owners, handlers, and trainers, and there are many placements between them. They were very attentive and gave the dogs every benefit of the doubt. They are two great sportsmen and outdoorsmen who have given of their time freely.
The winner and runner-up are detailed in the brace descriptions.

The Running
Brace 1: Miller's Special Version (PF/Madison McDonald) and Bella Bulli (PF/Ernie Saniga). Breakaway was at 8:15 on the very first day. When loosed, both were eager, raced to the top of the hill, and split up when they hit the hedgerow. Special Version at 3 slammed home on the right and pointed. A short flushing attempt ensued, but nothing was produced. When released, she went out and left at the rockpile crossing, continuing in her bid, trying to use what little wind there was to her advantage. Bella Bulli was ever forward and at the half, both were watered. Both showed far forward at 50, with Bella Bulli using up 5,000 of the Mingo 5,500 acres.

Brace 2: Runner-Up "Dee" Backcountry Pure Gold (PF/Chris Catanzarite) and Calico's Guns N Roses (PF/Alex Smith) By 9:30 at the breakaway, it is noted that the grass was already dry, and the sun was beginning to beat down on the scorched grounds. Both dogs were off and running, filling up the landscape. The grounds here at Mingo are as dry and hard as I have ever seen them. At 8, Dee was very mannerly for a stop to flush with Pure Gold backing nicely. At 11, Guns N Roses, when at the top of the hill after her first road crossing, swapped ends and pointed. A pheasant was produced, all in good order, and she was moved on. She suffered an unproductive at 13, Dee stylishly backing with conviction. Guns N Roses suffered a second unproductive at 18. She was then moved on to where she took to the far front with a gorgeous cast. Unfortunately, at 47, the tracker was called for, and Guns N Roses ended her bid. Chris Catanzarite had the course to himself and settled in with a fancy moving Dee. She ran big and hard but was kindly handling, showing just when need be. Her race was maintained far and forward throughout. The weather was getting hotter, but she never let up, running more forward with determination. At 30, she was found stopped on the hillside past the water tubs, and with Chris flushing, a pheasant was produced. Staying tight and with all in order, she was moved on to where she finished with a strong race in dry, hot conditions.

Brace 3: Miller's Triple Digit (PM/Buddy Morrison) and Raag's Rich and Rare (PM/Greg Strausbaugh). With the sun now beating down evermore, the brace started at 10:52. Triple Digit was alongside Raag's Rich and Rare, fighting to get ahead and forward. At 10, Triple Digit was nowhere in sight. Raag's fought the high heat and stayed forward. He used the ponds to his advantage, cooling off when nearby. No birds were pointed.

Brace 4: Miller's Upgraded Dot Com (PF/Fran Miller) and Miller's Extreme Heat (PF/Joe McHugh). The first brace of the afternoon was let loose at 2:05, and both took to the hills and stayed forward to the rockpile crossing. Both had taken a good line along the center hedgerow. Just after the first road crossing, Joe called for the tracker at 17. Dot Com broke to the left along the tree line and pointed. A chukar was flown, and she looked like a million dollars. At 32, she was watered at the first pond, but at 32, she decided to take a pheasant for a stroll and was up.

Brace 5: Sugarknoll White Lightning (PM/Pete DelCollo) and Bull Finch (PF/Ernie Saniga). Both were released at 2:50 and were quick to take the front. Both were at the limit, going up the hill and then off to the left road tree line and forward from there. With the heat index climbing, no birds were pointed, and both were up by 32.

Brace 6: Miller's Little Duce Coupe (PF/Madison McDonald) and Backcountry Buddy (PM/Chris Catanzarite). The last brace of the day broke away at 3:40. Both started out with a foot race to get to the front and were down over the hill and to the rock pile crossing. Duce Coupe went straight across the road and up the hillside. Buddy stayed left and, at 21, pointed. Chris flushed in the dense tree line, relocated Buddy, and then took an unproductive. Duce was up by 23 and Buddy went on to finish the hour but did not have a bird.

Brace 7: Miller's Authentic Version (PM/Madison McDonald) and Reedy Creek Dial Tone (PM/Joe McHugh). A new day has dawned, and both were let go a little after 8 a.m. Dial Tone took the front right away and shot off to the left of the top of the hill hedgerow. Authentic Version ran a good shooting dog race, consistent while powering his way forward. At 7, he was standing, and with a great attempt at flushing, no bird was produced. Joe called for the tracker at 28. Dial Tone was let loose, and going forward once more, he slammed to a halt, high and tight at 34. A pheasant was put to the air by his handler, and all was in order at the shot. Off again, to the top of the hill at the bowl, just past the water tubs, he made a stance again. A bird was seen by the handler but not the judge. Version was up by his handler.

Brace 8: Cape Point Hidden Jewel (PF/Bill Bonetti) and Glenmere's Silver Roo (PF/Jeff Haggis). Off at 9:10, at 1, Roo went right....and was quickly up. Jewel broke away and was forward, searching hard, and was standing at 11, on the top right just before the well pad. A flushing attempt ensued with no results. At 32 at the top of the hill No. 1 breakaway, Jewel stood again, this time with someone home. A pheasant was put to the air, and a shot was fired, everything in order. At 39, she was well mannered for a stop to flush on the right before the first road crossing.

Brace 9: Miller's Southern Gossip (PF/Madison McDonald) and Calico's Over The Top (PM/Alex Smith). The Breakaway was at 10:56; both were far-flung and out to and past the left roadside tree line. Over the top and across the road to the top of the next hill was their next moves. One hunted left, and one hunted right. A nice brace to watch. Around and past the well pad and back to the rock pile. Both had nice big races, but Gossip ran straight for the clubhouse at 30, and by the time we got back to the rockpile at 50, both were up by their handlers.

Brace 10: Iron Bully (PM/Ernie Saniga) and Miller's Upgraded Version (PM/Fran Miller). In the heat of the day...2:04, the two of them broke loose and headed for the hilltop hedge row. Just over the top at 7, both dogs were seen standing, but the handlers quickly determined it was a backoff and moved them on. Within two minutes, Iron Bully was standing tall over what looked like a good find. And a good find it was. Ernie flushed a pheasant, fired and all was in order. At 16 both dogs were watered at the rockpile water tubs. Let go once more. Upgraded Version stopped at 18, looking high and poised. Fran flushed and relocated her charge, but no bird was produced. The heat was becoming intolerable at 30, and the first pond, Iron Bully's handler threw in the towel and cooled Bully in the water. Upgraded Version continued but no bird was pointed by him. Both dogs, during their times down, had extended races.

Brace 11: Miller's Automatic Upgrade (PM/Fran Miller) and Calico's Country Strong. Bryant's Give It A Rip scratched, and Automatic Upgrade was brought up from the 19th brace. Automatic Upgrade came with his running shoes laced tight. He broke away with Country Strong at 3:13, which may appear to be an unlucky number to some. Automatic never really looked back. Upgrade was gone to the hills and picked up by his handler at 15. Calico's Country Strong started out on his journey with a breakaway going forward to the top of the first hill, where last year's winner, Miller's Cover Girl, pointed a covey of quail on the right-side hill. At the end of the left road tree line at 7, Calico's Country Strong stopped and pointed just before the road crossing. Alex flushed and produced a pheasant, firing; all was in order. Starting forward once more, he took to the cover at hand, tallied another pheasant at 20, and then started to roll on and up the hill and past the well pad. In the far grove past the well pad, he stood posed for one of the early morning pheasants that had been released. Alex dismounted and went over to the statue rock-hard charge and flushed a pheasant, firing and bringing the headcount total to three. Calico's Country Strong was not done yet, pounding his way towards the No. 1 breakaway hill. It was there after the turn, on that hedgerow right side, that he stopped abruptly, and nothing could be produced. Moving on, just a short distance further down the row, he stopped again, and Alex produced a quail, fired, moved on, and 50 yards further up the row, one more stop for another quail that required a searching effort to flush. Calico's Country Strong stood perfectly through the fast and furious few minutes, a shortened time barrage of action. Cut loose one final time, he shot out forward, down the hill, crossing the bottom road, over the hill, and out towards the rockpile crossing, where he finished strong.

Brace 12: Miller's Flowers and Lace (PF/Buddy Morrison) and Hightailing Maggie (PF/Kevin Joyce). Hightailing Maggie scratched, and Millers Flowers and Lace ran as a bye. Buddy let Flowers and Lace go at 4:20, and she took off like a rocket. At 12, she was found standing on the right at the far edge of the second pond. Buddy flushed and Judge Weaver stated that he saw a rabbit go out. Moving on, she climbed the long hill and took off for the well pad area, only to be stopped by a pheasant find at 27 with everything in order. Off towards the well pad, and just before it, she was watered, loosed, and then found stopped at the sorghum right side at 36. Buddy flushed, and Judge Weaver was in just the right place to block the pheasant, and it took flight. Buddy fired, and she stood tight, holding her ground. One might have thought that the three of them may have done this together before, well executed. At 38, she stopped to flush on a pheasant and then finished her hour.

Brace 13: The Secret (PM/Joe Lordi) and Backcountry Champagnesupernova (PF/Chris Catanzarite). The morning started at 8:06 with a nice breakaway and both dogs cruising forward. The Secret had one thing on her mind, and that was putting space between her and her handler, which she did in fine fashion. Supernova wasn't giving up anything and stayed right by his side at the top of the hill hedgerow. At 7, Supernova was found stopped just before the bottom of the hill crossing. Standing tall and tight, she had her quarry pinned to where Chris was able to easily flush the pheasant and fire his pistol. All in order, she was moved on to the rock pile, where she pointed again on the left after the road crossing in the dense cover. Unfortunately, no one was home. On and out to where she next took in the powerline hill, and at 31, she tallied another pheasant find, again all in order. It was after that find that the handler decided to pick her up.

Brace 14: Miller's War Bonnet (PM/Joe McHugh) and Miller's Upgraded Design (PM/Fran Miller). At 9:12, the 14th brace began, and both were gone like a shot. At 7, both were well applied and headed for the well pad turn. The first stop for this train was at 12, where Upgraded Design dug into the left-side woods across from the well pad, pinning a pheasant for his handler. Fran flushed, fired, and moved on. At 15, both were on the far left, and by 19, both were across the road, up the powerline hill, and over towards the rockpile. After the No. 1 breakaway turn to the hedgerow, Upgraded Design was found in the far-left corner, standing with War Bonnet backing. A pheasant was seen leaving as all rode up. Fran elected to flush, but nothing more was produced. At 49, Upgraded Design pointed again at the rockpile crossing, and War Bonnet once again backed. Both heading for the powerline hill, they separated, War Bonnet forward and Upgraded Design on a short detour, and then later they met up. At 58, things turned around for War Bonnet, where this time he was pointing far off on the powerline vista, and Upgraded Design was now backing. All things in order and properly handled, and they finished their hour.

Brace 15: Jolene Jolene (PF/Dave McKay) and Calico's Sky's The Limit (PF/Joe Lordi). At 10, both were far forward past the roadside tree line on the left, crossing the road and up the hill. Jolene went into the black hole for a short while; just past the powerline hill, scout Joe McHugh was dispatched, and she was found a good distance away standing a bird, and Dave elected to pick her up. In last year's performance at this same trial, I called her a fancy little youngster that was a bird-finding machine. At 15, Sky went on to point a pheasant on the right-side hill before the "Chukar Crossing." All was in order for her, and she was moved on. Calico's Sky's The Limit, at 27, was left and forward from the well pad, and a pheasant erupted off to her side, and soon after, Joe elected to pick her up.

Brace 16: Miller's Blazing Hot Chick (PF/Ernie Saniga) and Waybetter Bobby (PM/Bob Verderosa). Breaking away at 2:10, both were forward, out and past the hedgerow, and heading for the rockpile crossing. When at the rockpile, both took full advantage of the water tubs. At 15, Hot Chick took a dip in the first pond on the left. There were a few clouds in the sky, but they only provided less sunlight for brief moments. At 26, Ernie called for the tracker. Just after the ponds, Bobby was seen forward at the "Frans Covey" location. At 42, Bobby pinned a pheasant at the left roadside tree line. Joe went in, flushed and all was in order. Further down the tree line at 48, just before the road crossing, Bobby swapped ends and tallied another pheasant find. At 52, a pheasant was seen flying from forward and far left. Bobby had another contact before his hour was over, and that was a stop to flush at 58. Bobby ran a good forward race.

Brace 17: Miller's Strolling For Gold (PF/Fran Miller) and Hillhavyn's Wild Child (PF/Joe McHugh). Off at 3:26, the breakaway was at the well pad. Down across the sorghum row, they went driving hard to get to the right-side cover and the hilltop. They were next headed for the rockpile crossing when Wild Child was found standing at 17. A pheasant was produced, and all was in order. Coming next to the clubhouse turn, Fran directed Strolling For Gold to the parking lot, ending her bid. At 40, she was watered, and Joe noticed her pads cut up and elected to pick up.

Brace 18: Glenmere's Cruiser (PM/Jeff Haggis) and Backcountry Bruiser (PM/Chris Catanzarite). The breakaway was at the road crossing leading to "Frans Covey" in the bottom of the hollow. Both broke away and started a far-flung pace. At 13, Bruiser slid to a halt in the sorghum edge, and Chris was right behind him. A flushing attempt occurred, but no bird was produced. Ten minutes later, at 23, Cruiser had his own quarry to deal with. He swapped ends and pinned, with Jeff flushing; no bird was moved, then relocating Cruiser to where he pinned the bird, and all was in order. At 29 on the right-hand side towards the well pad, Bruiser hit a home run, locating and holding fast a pheasant that Chris flushed and fired over. Bruiser stood tight and was then moved on. At 29, Cruiser, trying to match wits with a pheasant, got just a little too close in his effort to pin it down, and the bird got up, ending Cruiser's bid. Bruiser stayed well far forward, and the handler called for the tracker at 47.

A huge thank you goes out to all the supporters of this trial. I've often heard the phrase, "It takes a village of people." Well, these villagers came together in what I would call the very harshest of conditions at a field trial that I have ever seen. The ground was hard and resembled 6-grit sandpaper; the cement-like hardness was responsible for tearing up the pads on numerous dogs. What little wind that was there was hot and dry, and the heat was unbearable; the sun beat down with no relief from the clouds.
The top-shelf quality of the following people who continuously helped each other cannot be denied, and our grateful thanks go out to them for making this trial an exciting experience:
Alex Smith, Tiffany Smith, Ernie Saniga, Karen Saniga, Joe McHugh, Dave Hughes, Allen Linder, Madison McDonald, Mike Tracy, Pete DelCollo, Pat Casey, Jeff Haggis, Chris Catanzarite, Kelsey Hajek, Kevin Joyce, Maureen Joyce, Joe Lordi, Dave McKay, Greg Strausburg, Stacey Goodie, Jack Miller, Fran Miller, Bob Verderosa, Buddy Morrison and anyone I may have missed. This group could move a mountain.

The National Amateur Pheasant Shooting Dog group would like to thank our sponsor, Purina and Greg Blair, for their untiring support this year. Additionally, they sponsored the Thursday Night Banquet. We would also like to thank The Mingo Sportsman's Club for their support in providing a lunch menu along with bird planting duties. Chris Catanzarite for sponsoring the Friday night fish fry by Jim Winnen. We would also like to thank the local 4H club for providing a dinner during their fundraising week on Saturday night. Additionally, we are most grateful to The Amateur Field Trial Club of America for their oversight and to Piper Huffman for taking entries and conducting the draw. Thank you to Garmin for their continued support of Garmin products and to Bruce Fox for making the winners' plaques. Thank you to Jeff Haggis for providing the judges' gifts.
Thank you to Santa Cruz Biotechnology for providing samples of their canine salmon oil and equine fly and tick spray. Thank you to Dave Hughes for driving the dog truck, putting out and keeping the water tubs full, and for his help wherever needed. And a huge thank you to the many other unsung heroes. Thank you to all who helped make this the hugely successful trial that it was.

Mingo Junction, Ohio, September 20
Judges: Aaron McAfee and Jimmy Wallace
NATIONAL AMATEUR PHEASANT SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 37 Pointers
Winner-CALICO'S COUNTRY STRONG, F1679850, pointer female, by Waybetter Rocky-Calico's Touch of Class. Calico Kennels, owner; Alex Smith, handler.
Runner-Up-BACKCOUNTRY PURE GOLD, F1694791, pointer female, by Springflow's Backcountry P-Backcountry Tornado. Chris Catanzarite, owner and handler.