Event: Trumped wins 66th renewal of the
Result: Northeastern Open Championship

Location: East Windsor, Connecticut

Post Date: Nov 19, 2024

Submitted By: Tom Gates

Northeastern Open Championship (front, l-r): Mike Tracy with Trumped and Haley Moreland with Miller's High Heat Index. (Standing, l-r): Amilcar Pereira, Gene Casale (chairman), Tony Forte, Tom Gates, John Malone (judge), Chris Catanzarite (judge), George Tracy, Keith Cagle, and future field trialers.

Owned by the popular Allen Linder of Livingston, Tennessee, Trumped (PM) was a spectacular sight to see. Handler Mike Tracy had Trumped in the first brace on Monday morning. The hour's performance set a high standard for the next 14 braces! Away at 8:25 on Monday, October 14, Trumped was braced with Miller's Little Duce Coupe (PF/George Tracy). I must start by saying that these two dogs were extremely stylish going, with high snapping tails and a 'hard-charging' pace. Trumped has a flashy, fast-driving gait that makes you look at him as the cracking high tail catches your eye. At 8, Coupe was found standing covey birds on the right. She has a very attractive pointing style. Birds lifted everywhere at shot. At 15, Trumped was high and tight with a covey of his own. Perfect at flush. Pretty pointing dog! All in order. Moving on, Trumped again swapped ends for a covey at 25 with Coupe backing stylishly from about 40 feet. Adding a single at 30 Trumped was unstoppable! We found both dogs standing at 35 for a divided find on a large quail covey. Trumped's final find was at 42 on the Dearborn property. The Pointer male was a sight to see on the left edge at time. He just ran bigger and bigger. Extremely impressive without slowing down the whole hour. One of those hours that you will never forget!

Runner-up laurels went to Miller's High Heat Index. Co-owned by Allen Linder and Casey Tracy of Blakley, Georgia, Index was also handled by Mike Tracy. Away at 8:15 on Wednesday morning, Index ran as a bye-dog. The powerful Pointer male was like a rocket off the line and never slowed down. We found him standing at 9 with a large covey well located. Birds blasted in all directions as Mike flushed, with Index remaining like a statue. Found standing a sizable covey again at 15, Index was high and tight! And, of course, a single was recorded at 21 up toward the clubhouse. This Pointer didn't let up one bit on the ground and attacked the cover while flowing on the edges. Out to the Dearborn property, he traded ends at 39. Two Bobwhites lifted directly over his head, and he never moved an inch! At time, Index was pointed out, taking the left edge as a distant dot. Wow!

The Field Trial
This was the 66th renewal of the prestigious event. The trial was staged at the well-known Dr. John Flaherty Field Trial Area in East Windsor, Connecticut, October 14-16. This Championship draws only the most talented dogs in the Eastern U. S. while others avoid the high-level competition. The Casale family has chaired the Northeastern Championship for nearly 47 years. Hall of Famer Eugene Casale ran the event for many years at the Glastonbury Meadows venue in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Helping him with the trial for most of those years was his son Gene Casale. Gene took the reins as chairman about 34 years ago. Gene is very detailed in his approach, making every aspect of the trial run smoothly and at the highest level. This year was no different. Thank you, Gene, for another perfect renewal! Additionally, David O'Brien has been a major part of this event for as long as I can remember! After chairing the Region 1 Shooting Dog Championship on these grounds the days before, Dave labored to make this trial perfect again. Thank you, Dave! Gene and Dave are the guys that keep field trials alive in the Northeast.

A major championship of this caliber requires judges of the highest level! We were fortunate to have John Malone of Bolton, Connecticut, and Chris Catanzarite of Scenery Hills, Pennsylvania, in the judicial saddles. John Malone is nationally recognized as a top choice, with many major events judged in his resume. Chris Catanzarite needs no introduction. He has won and/or judged every major championship in the East. His outstanding Pointer female, Backcountry Pure Gold, won the Region 1 Shooting Dog Championship on these grounds the day before this trial started! Congratulations again, Chris!

Having judged a few dozen championships over the past 50 years, I watch judges as well as dogs/handlers at a trial. I must commend these two gentlemen on their judicial manner and approach. From setting and maintaining the pace to the way that they complemented each other, covering a find - they were certainly the best! Experience and ability at its finest! Thank you both!

PURINA has sponsored this event for as long as I can remember. Somewhere near 50 years! Greg Blair of Purina is a very knowledgeable "dog man." He provides a huge amount of assistance and support to the Northeastern Championship. A great man and a great dog food! Purina is the choice of everyone that I know in New England! Thank you again, Greg!
No one, repeat, NO ONE, leaves the Northeastern Championship hungry! Pam Casale (Gene's wife) deserves a huge "thank you" for her continued dedication in the clubhouse. From coffee and donuts in the morning to two types of soup and sandwiches plus pizza at lunch to handlers' dinners extreme! This year, Pam outdid herself with Shrimp Scampi, fried chicken, salad, homemade vegetables, and apple crisp or blueberry pie for dessert. Additionally, Chef Tony Forte supplied a huge offering of his famous fried eggplant. George likes the pie and ice cream best! Thank you, Pam and Tony, for your devoted effort.

Dave O'Brien, Anna (Casale) LaRose, and John Olfson were out every brace to handle bird liberation. Craig Santos and his daughter, Frank Scarpinato and Almicar Pereira, were on hand to assist when needed. Thank you all!

The Running
It was an awesome New England setting for this Championship. Crisp fall air with temperatures down in the mid-20s at night and colored leaves that are only this beautiful in New England.

Brace No.1: Trumped (PM/M. Tracy) with Miller's Little Duce Coupe (PF/G. Tracy). This brace was covered above.

Brace No. 2: Erin's Envy (PM/M. Tracy) with Miller's Special Cinderella (PF/G. Tracy). Nice running pair! Unfortunately, they got into a foot race and were lost, not returning within time.

Brace No.3: Miller's Extreme Heat (PF/M. Tracy). Bye-dog. Stylish, hard-running dog. She was perfect on a quail covey at 9. Heat scored again out back in the Dearborn property at 42, logging two birds taking flight. Strong finish!

Brace No.4: Jolene Jolene (PF/M. Tracy) with Miller's Lock and Loaded (PM/G. Tracy). Jolene was a bullet off the breakaway. She took a right at 3 to the Dearborn property, not to return under contention. Loaded found the big covey at 7 with plenty of style on point. He locked up at 13 with a pair of Bobwhites bursting out as George flushed. Loaded added another single at the Tobacco Barn area. Nice moving dog!

Brace No. 5: Ramey's Elhew Independence (PM/G. Tracy) with Faithful (PF/M. Tracy). These two Pointers were big going and eventually lost to the front. Too bad, as they both looked great running!

Brace No. 6: Steel Valley Raven (PF/M. Tracy) with R Q's Saddle (PM/G. Tracy). Saddle was fast and stylish. She ran bigger and bigger, eventually being lost to the front. Raven pinned the big covey at 7 with more than adequate style. Nice tail! She logged a single at 13 behind Fox Hill and a three-bird covey at 16. Her last find was near the clubhouse at 28, with a hard-to-flush single finally taking flight.

Brace No. 8: Calico's Sky's The Limit (PF/G. Tracy) with Mo's Curtain Call (PF/M. Tracy). Curtain Call scored first with the big covey at 7. Limit backed stylishly from 30 feet. Roles reversed at 14 with Limit pointing a big covey and Curtain Call backing. Limit is a pretty pointing dog! Also, quite a bird finder. She logged a single at 19 and another single near the clubhouse at 23. Carding another find at 40, Limit had everyone's attention! Unfortunately, she was lost to the front, not returning within time. This dog would have been a sure pick!

Brace No. 9: Erin's Big Casino (ESM/M. Tracy) with Miller's Strolling For Gold (PF/G. Tracy). After a road race off the breakaway, Gold dived into the deep cover for an extended period. We found Big Casino standing pretty at 23 behind Fox Hill. A feisty quail took wing after a prolonged flush with manners perfect. Very nice running and pointing dog!

Brace No. 10: Miller's Automatic Upgrade (PM/G. Tracy) with Waybetter Rebel (PM/M. Tracy). A hard-charging pair of male pointers! Upgrade had the covey at 7 with Rebel stylishly backing from 40 feet away. Repeat at 13 with Upgrade standing and Rebel backing again. A divided find was recorded at 45 out to the Dearborn property. All in order with each dog on the opposite side of the hedgerow. Nice running dogs!

Brace No. 11: Backcountry Snake Eyes (PF/M. Tracy) with Great River Bella (PF/A. Pereira). Frank Scarpinato was down from Saratoga, New York, to see his attractive first-year shooting dog (Specs) run for Mike. Specs pinned the big covey at 8, standing high and proud. Bella was out of control, knocking the birds as Specs remained a statue. Specs was nice going and locked up on a covey again at 17. Bella returned from a runaway absence and knocked this covey also. Bella was finally taken up. Specs has a brilliant future, hopefully with a good bracemate!

Brace No. 12: Miller's Southern Gossip (PF/G. Tracy) with Triple Nickel Carbon Copy (PM/M. Tracy). Both dogs were nice going and very fast on the ground. Gossip was pretty pointing on a single at 7. Copy locked up at 7 on the other side of the dirt road, but no bird could be produced. Gossip added another single behind Fox Hill at 16. Nice find! She added a third find at 46 out to the Dearborn property.

Brace No. 13: Bully Rock (PM/M. Tracy) with Raag's Rich and Rare (PM/G. Tracy). Bully Rock looked like a picture on a big covey at 10. High and tight at flush. Raag's disappeared off the breakaway, not to be seen again under contention. Bully Rock added a great find at 35, swapping ends for a nice big quail covey.

Brace No. 14: Miller's High Heat Index (PM/M. Tracy). This brace was covered.

Brace No. 15: Pine Straw Hot Chocolate (ESF/M. Tracy) with Miller's Heat Seeker (PM/G. Tracy).

The final brace was bold and determined with a show of class, speed, and style! The Setter scored first at 7 with the big covey. Heat Seeker backed stylishly from about 30 feet. All in order. At 18, both dogs were found standing birds together. Nice, divided find! In the back of the Dearborn property, Heat Seeker was found standing a single with Chocolate backing nicely. Nice brace!

East Windsor, Conn., October 14
Judges: Chris Catanzarite and John Malone
66TH NORTHEASTERN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 25 Pointers and 2 Setters
Winner-TRUMPED, F1690083, pointer male, by Mohawk Mill Image-Bevy's Cadillac Jukebox. Allen Linder, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.
Runner-Up-MILLER'S HIGH HEAT INDEX, F1685674, pointer male, by Just Irresistible-Miller's Bring The Heat. Allen Linder & Casey Hollander, owners; Mike Tracy, handler.