Result: New England Open Grouse Championship

Location: Berlin, New Hampshire

Post Date: Nov 12, 2024

Submitted By: Jim Hathaway

The Winners (l-r): Eric Rizza (judge), John Stolgitis with Chasehill Snoop Dog, Adam Dubriske with Mohawk Mill Miss You, and John Olfson (judge).

This year ushers in the New Guard for this championship's 30-year run. Kelly Hays stepped into the chairmanship and hit the ground running. With the help of other Setter Club of New England members, this transition flowed seamlessly to the next generation. More about all that later.

As the management of the championship changes, so do the grounds and courses it's run on. When I first ran here over 20 years ago, there were at least nine championship courses. Since then, all but three one-hour courses have been taken offline for various reasons. In most instances, either natural changes or changes by the Forest Service have altered the habitat or made the courses impassable. Either way, even with only three championship courses, there are still over 15,000 acres in Kilkenny not yet scouted, to turn into new courses. Hopefully, Kelly and the New Guard will explore the possibilities. They already have, in a smaller way. While working to reclaim a stretch of the Moosehorn derby course, though we walked up a number of grouse, the footing was treacherous. Without chainsaws and greater manpower, restoring this course was impossible in time for the championship. As a result, Kelly and David Theroux scouted out a new and yet unnamed derby course that we used this year. This year's new derby course may become next year's new championship course with a bit more work.
Also, when the New England Open Grouse Championship started, the weather was much different. My first fall here, I pitched my tent in Kilkenny, near the river, not far from the morning staging area. That first morning, I woke to nearly an inch of snow on the ground. Snow in September in Kilkenny just doesn't happen anymore. This year, we didn't even get a hint of frost all week long, and the morning temperatures barely broke into the forties.
So, let's get into this, starting with Tuesday. By breakfast, it was hardly even sweater weather. My drive from Stark to Kilkenny was spent trying to figure out if the heater should be on, the windows open, or both. It was, as usual in the morning up there, a foggy drive. It always looks worse than field trial weather on the up and down Route 10 drive south until you turn onto York Pond Road. On the ride from the highway down to the meeting area, the fog always disappears. The foliage was just starting to change. Mostly because of nearly three weeks of very dry weather, which was a good thing. Three weeks ago, when we put in a couple of days of work cleaning up the courses, the trails more resembled streams that emptied into swamps. Now, though, some spots on the courses were ankle-muddy. None had green-boot-eating mud holes anymore. So, it's time to get this trial underway.

Under the old management, each day started with a prompt departure from the meeting area no later than seven am. If all the needed dogs and personnel were there earlier, there was no reason to wait until 7. Stragglers would be left on their own to figure out where we went. Funny thing, nobody shows up late twice. However, with the New Guard, an easier morning routine was adopted. We could leave at 7:30 or earlier if we got tired of waiting around.

The Running
At the line for brace number one on the Moosehorn course, Doodle Ridge Elroy (ESM), owned and handled by Bruce Mueller and John Stolgitis with Chasehill Poison Ivy (ESM). John and Ivy took runner-up here two years ago on the Goldenrod course. This, however, wasn't to be Ivy's year. After the 7:41 breakaway and only five minutes down the course, Ivy's bell went dead. John Stolgitis, with Judge John Olfson, went off course in search of Ivy. Two grouse were walked up by the handler and judge in the search. After nearly 20 minutes of searching, John got his tracker from the judge. Ivy was up and out of the competition. But that wasn't the end of the story. When Ivy was found, she was standing a scattered brood of grouse. Depending on who you heard tell the story, nine to 15 grouse were put to wing on Moosehorn during the search for Ivy. During all this Roy had a nice Grouse find. Roy had a good run alone with handler Bruce Mueller and Judge Eric Rizza. With 15 minutes left in the hour, Roy stopped in on the left and deep in the cover. Despite a prolonged search by Bruce and scout David Theroux, Roy wasn't found until well past the hour.

Back up to the breakaway for the Ammonoosuc course next. A good section of this course had to be rerouted a day or two before the drawing. We had to bypass a section halfway into the hour that was still and just too deep in water and mud despite the nice dry weather two weeks before. At the line for brace two, Mohawk Mill Miss Ellie (PF), handled by John Stolgitis, and Wizard's Cas Dubh, owned and handled by Jim Hathaway. Both dogs scoured the course well for the first half hour. Finley worked larger and outside Ellie for the first half of the hour. By the rerouted section of the course, both dogs were equal in pace and range. At 37 minutes into the hour and just past the rerouted section, Ellie's bell stopped. Off to the right of the course and only about 30 yards into the cover, Ellie had a good grouse find. All in order after the shot, Ellie was taken on and was back to the front soon. Without a bird, 40 minutes in, Finley shortened up. Ten minutes later, he slowed to a trot, so I leashed him for the rest of the walk in. Ellie finished the hour showing the effects of Ammonoosuc's dense cover and rugged terrain.
The Goldenrod course is a good drive from Moosehorn and Ammonoosuc, which are only a couple of miles from mutual starting points and ending points. Goldenrod is a third of the way around on the opposite side of the loop road. To get there and back to Moosehorn and Ammonoosuc we pass the meeting spot off York Road twice. The first time past the meeting point, we just pass on the way to brace three Goldenrod. The second time, we'll stop for lunch.

Now to Goldenrod, brace three. At the breakaway, Lucy's Pride (ESF), Adam Dubriske handler, and Elhew Snake Dancer (PF) handled by Craig Doherty. The breakaway went off just before 11 a.m. Two minutes later, Snake Dancer had rounded the freshly cut goldenrod field and was back near the breakaway looking for Craig. Snake Dancer had Ideas of her own today. She was back on the road at the trucks 10 minutes later. Meanwhile, Craig, on the course where he should be, but Snake Dancer wasn't, got his tracking receiver from the judge. Both Craig and the judge walked up a woodcock and a grouse in search of Snake Dancer. Both were back in their truck about 20 minutes after the start. Lucy is a first-year shooting dog and a snappy little Llewellin Setter that has sharpened up under Adam Dubriske's training and handling. Today, she had a stop to flush on a grouse but shortened up in the late stages of the run.

Halfway through the day and after our lunch break, we are back up Loop Road for the fourth brace of the day. At the breakaway of Moosehorn, Dot (ESF) with her owner David Theroux and Chasehill Wicked Wilma (PF) handled by John Stolgitis. Right from the breakaway at 12:42, Wilma ruled the ground, covering both sides of the course and often working at the edge of bell range. Dot worked hard but much more inside of Wilma. Dot tried to manufacture birds several times in her hour, pointing most unsuccessfully. Though grouse were walked up on the course and one flushed wild on one of Dot's relocations, neither dog scored a find by the end of the hour.

Brace five, and this championship is still any dog's to win. Breaking away at two o'clock on the dot, Craig Doherty with Elhew Snakewood (PM) and Mohawk Mill Miss You (PF) with handler John Stolgitis. The highlight of this brace happened a third of the way along. Pearl stopped short just 20 yards off to the left of the Ammonoosuc course. Before John even left the course, the grouse got up. Pearl held tight. Later, Craig must not have been excited enough with Snakewood's attitude or application that day. So, he leashed him up with 10 minutes left in the brace. Pearl finished her hour.

The last brace of the day, number six, left the line at 3:36. Adam Dubriske was handling Super Storm Cliff (ESM). Mohawk Mill Good Advice (PM) was running under John Stolgitis. This was one of those braces you just pray for a bird so the dogs could at least hear the guns get fired. Sorry guys. Nice runs. No birds.

Rain was the weather prediction for the next two days. So, we all were dressed in our finest muck boots and wet weather gear. The only upside was that it didn't rain hard for most of the braces, and when it did rain hard, it didn't last long.

First up this morning on Moosehorn, John Stolgitis with Mohawk Mill Double E (PF) and Wild Apple Pop's Dorothy (PF) with Craig Doherty handling her. Breaking away a little after 7:30, John's pointer's bell was the first to stop, only 10 minutes from the start. John went in on the left, looking for his dog. He sent his scout, Adam, in on the right. It all kinda fell apart for Mohawk Mill Double E. First, she relocated before John got to her. Then the grouse decided to leave, and she decided to follow it, I guess. Dot had a nice run and looked dead serious, hard-hunting the cover to the right of the course 43 minutes into her run. The rain really started right after that. Any grouse that may have been on the ground before that were probably up in spruce, tight to the trunk waiting out the rain.

Brace eight on Ammonoosuc, Adam Dubriske with Pool Brook Dobby (ESM), and Kellie Short with Little Tommy Tucker broke away before 9 a.m. Little Tommy Tucker just came off a nice run a couple three days ago, getting the runner-up spot in the Northern New England Woodcock Championship. Tucker wasn't on his game today, however. His race was less controlled than the judge's standard. Dobby, unfortunately, finished his hour without any bird contact.

Up next, Sunkhaze Vera Masardis (PF) handled by John Stolgitis and Asper Hill Bandit (ESF) with John Cullen. This brace, number nine on Goldenrod, started at 10:50. This was another case of nice running dogs but no birds.

Back to Moosehorn to start the second half of the day. Neo (ESM) with David Theroux and Chasehill Snoop Dog (PM) with John Stolgitis, ready to go. Any or all the dogs running in this or any championship have the potential to put down a special run at any time. These two dogs have been known to do just that. Neo is a runner-up Woodcock champion, and Snoop just picked up a Woodcock champion title in New Brunswick a couple of weeks earlier. Neo had a nice run but stopped or pointed for David unproductively too many times. Snoop Dog on the other hand, put everything into his run any handler could hope for. That, combined with his two nearly perfect pieces of bird work in less-than-ideal weather conditions, set him an hour apart from the others.

Ammonoosuc comes next. North Country's Soda Pop (ESF), handled by Adam Dubriske and John Stolgitis with Boomer of Blackwater (PM), started brace 11 at the judges' ok at quarter past two. Damn rain. What else can I say? Boomer was last year's champion. Two hard-working dogs. But no grouse for all their efforts.

Last brace of the day. Thankfully, the rain seemed to be lightening up for Lloyd Murray with Long Gone Juniper (ESF) and Mooselook Texas Star (PM) with Adam Dubriske. About a third of the way into this brace that started at a quarter of four, something happened; I say something because even for the judges, it was unclear. The bottom line was that both dogs were working in the same thick cover. A grouse got up. Adam figured whatever happened, he wasn't going to let his Pointer think he may have gotten away with something and leashed him up. Lloyd opted to continue the brace with Juniper. Unfortunately, that one grouse was the only one to be seen in the hour.

Yesterday's weather may have been crap for field trialing. Today promised to be double that. As a result, the bye-dog in the 14th and last brace was scratched. So, let's get on with it then. Last brace, lucky number 13, Higby Arcade (PM), handled by John Stolgitis, good to go with Super Storm Nell (ESF) with Adam Dubriske. The short story is that the rain was nasty, and the birds were nowhere or still up in the trees.

From here, it was down to York Pond intersection road for the winners' announcements.
The courses at Kilkenny are tough on dogs. Only the best-conditioned dogs can finish the hour, and only the cream of them can combine it with grouse finds. There were plenty of grouse, and a woodcock or two moved on all the courses this year, though because of the damn rain, more on the first day than the other two. Chairman Kelly Hays did the honor of thanking the judges and all those who helped put on this year's event. Then, in the pouring rain, she announced the Runner-up Champion, Mohawk Mill Miss You, owned by Gary Winall and handled by John Stolgitis. And this year's 2024 New England Open Grouse Champion, Chasehill Snoop Dog, owned by Erin Stolgitis and handled by John Stolgitis.

After the photos were taken, the floor, as it were, muddy and getting worse by the minute, was given to me. The Setter Club of New England, at our annual meeting, resolved to award Lloyd Murray a Bird Dog Hall of Fame Life Patron Membership Plaque. It was left to me as the Secretary of the Setter Club to collect donations from club members and others for this purpose. Then, decide when and where to award the plaque to Lloyd. That was the easy part.

The rest of the plan was to keep this a secret from Lloyd yet known to everyone else. Anyone who has ever associated with Lloyd will appreciate this difficulty. How to get as many of his bird dog associates and him in the same spot at the same time without having to let the cat out of the bag. So, I made the decision; here we were, and so was Lloyd. It all worked, except for the one uncontrollable variable: the weather. So, as we all stood in the pouring rain, Lloyd Murray was made a Life Patron Member of the Bird Dog Hall of Fame. John Stolgitis, graciously and in a voice loud enough to be heard over the pounding rain, read for us all to hear the inscription on the plaque below Lloyd's photo. Here is what is written and John read: Lloyd Murray Jr. lives in Stark, New Hampshire. A tiny town not far from the Canadian Border.
Here, Lloyd continues his family's three-generation-old successful line of grouse dogs.
Continuing his grandfather's and father's tradition, Long Gone Setters blood runs in the veins of
uncounted hunting dogs and countless field trial champions. Under Lloyd's direction, Long Gone Kennels produces the savviest Setters in the grouse woods. Lloyd's reputation as a breeder goes hand in hand with his accomplishments as a promoter of northeastern wild bird trials. In the early 1990s, Lloyd took the lead, working with the U. S. Forest Service and others to establish the Kilkenny section of the White Mountain National Forest as a premier multi-course grouse trial venue. Lloyd has continued his grandfather, Bernie Murray's support of the Setter Club of New England. First, by petitioning the American Field for permission to run the club's Burnham Grouse Classic as the New England Open Grouse Championship. Then chairing that championship for 29 of its first 30 years in Kilkenny. Additionally, Lloyd, a Northeastern director of the Grand National Grouse Club, has chaired the Grand National Grouse Championship at Kilkenny in its rotation, as well as the National Amateur Grouse Championship a number of times to boot. Lloyd's passion for field trials, grouse hunting, and breeding the best Setters for both pursuits is a worthy goal for a worthy man.

Photos were taken. The rain continued. And it was time to wrap up this day with the Florence Harwarth Memorial Derby. So, back up the road, we went to the first derby course. Our derby is run on three half-championship courses. As this is the last of the championship and, everyone is stretched to near exhaustion from already walking hours or watching and handling dogs. The derby is given to the judges, and it's theirs to run. In the past, derbies were run over one or more wild bird courses, and the top dogs called back and worked on quail if no grouse or woodcock were pointed. Callbacks have also been done by sending the best callback dogs into guaranteed woodcock cover. One year, George Doyle and I judged the derby here on a single out-and-back course on horseback. The course was so muddy and steep that we had to let the horses pull us up the muddy hills by their tails. Fortunately, no one has photos of that. It was before cell phones. There have also been years when callbacks were not possible or practical; derbies were placed on run by the judges.
So, considering all that, I will spare the readers who have made it this far the gruesome details of the brace-by-brace running. The rain only slightly lightened for the five braces of the derby. No callbacks were requested as the placing dogs had acceptable fall derby birdwork. The winners of the Bill Kearns Memorial Open Derby Classic for 2024 were: 3rd Place--Hifive's Sweet Basil (PF), owned and handled by Eric Rizza; 2nd Place--Still Meadows Little Sunray (ESF), owned by Kelly Hays, handled by Adam Dubriske; and 1st Place--Points North Pour Another (PF), owned and handled by James Welsh.

As I ended the report's first paragraph, now is the time to run down the whys and wherefores of the Changing of The Guard, as it were, for the New England Open Grouse Championship. From the Championship's inception, it has been run by a handful of stalwart Setter Club of New England Club members, among those but not limited to Lloyd Murray, Tony Bly, Bob Lang, and Craig Doherty. The truth is what it is, and time catches up with all of us, and the better of us know when it is time to usher in and mentor the New Guard, if you will. This is exactly what is happening now. Though Lloyd, Tony, and Bob have retired from the day-to-day running of the New England Open Grouse Championship, they remain active in assisting the New Management, Setter Club members Kelly Hays, David Theroux, Adam Dubriske, and others. To them from all of the Setter Club Officers and Members, we thank you and look forward to years of the best competition the New England grouse woods has to offer.

Thirty years; that should count somewhere north of 60 judges over the years, including the derby judges. Hardly anything I could say here can express the gratitude of the New England Open Grouse Championship's management. Thank you all. And thank you especially to Eric Rizza for your first year in Kilkenny. Thank you to John Olfson. John is a workhorse and sharp-eyed judge. I believe this is your fourth go-round in Kilkenny. Our derby judges this year were David Theroux and Jeremy Avery. For a job well done in the rain for two and a half hours, we all thank you.
To wrap this all up and say goodbye until next September, thank you to Purina, Greg Blair, and Bruce Mueller. Purina's sponsorship is greatly appreciated.
See y'all next year.

Berlin, N. H., September 24
Judges: John Olfson and Eric Rizza
NEW ENGLAND OPEN GROUSE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 14 Pointers and 13 Setters
Winner-CHASEHILL SNOOP DOG, F1703110, pointer male, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Erin Stolgitis, owner; John Stolgitis, handler.
Runner-Up-MOHAWK MILL MISS YOU, F1703199, pointer female, by Mohawk Mill Big Stuff-Mohawk Mill Dolly. Gary S. Winall, owner; John Stolgitis, handler.

Bill Kearns Memorial Open Derby Classic (l-r): David Theroux (judge), James Welsh with Points North Pour Another, Adam Dubriske with Still Meadows Little Sunray, Eric Rizza with Hifive's Sweet Basil, and Jeremy Avery (judge).

Judges: Jeremy Avery and David Theroux
BILL KEARNS MEMORIAL OPEN DERBY CLASSIC - 2 Pointers and 8 Setters
1st-POINTS NORTH POUR ANOTHER, F1705570, pointer female, by Wild Apple Boa Constrictor-Prairie Creek Dolly. James Welsh, owner and handler.
2d-STILL MEADOWS LITTLE SUNRAY, F1704573, setter female, by Long Gone Wallace-Chase's I'm Miss Smith. Brian & Kelly Hays, owners; Adam Dubriske, handler.
3d-HIFIVE'S SWEET BASIL, F1705357, pointer female, by Hifive's Ruff Runner-Wild Apple Siri. Eric Rizza, owner and handler.

Lloyd Murray presented with the Bird Dog Hall of Fame Life Patron plaque (l-r): Kelly Hays, John Olfson, Deb Kennedy, Adam Dubriske, Jeremy Avery, Lloyd Murray, Tony Bly, John Stolgitis, and Eric Rizza.