Result: Lake States Field Trial Club

Location: Meredith, Michigan

Post Date: Apr 17, 2025

Submitted By: Denise Peters

John Hadaway Cover Dog Classic: Moss Meadow Seeker with Ken Moss (owner/handler) and Shane Haskin (judge). [Not pictured: Marc Dozeman (judge), Meridith Grade Corky with Tammy Chaffee (handler), and Springpond Rockin Gibby with Lonnie Rademacher (owner/handler).

On March 28 and 29, the Lake States Field Trial Club hosted its 2025 spring trial. This event, sponsored by Purina, kicked off Saturday morning with rain looming in the forecast for the weekend. Both days were soggy, and the temperature hovered around 33 degrees, making it much cooler than we had hoped. This year, we drew 64 dogs, with all stakes running like a well-oiled tool, thanks to all the directors, members, and participants pitching in to get all the necessary work done.

Commencing on Saturday morning as early as we could start, the John Hadaway Cover Dog Classic was run and judged by Shane Haskin and Marc Dozeman. Both judges endured the wet weather, not missing a beat. Both judges said it was a joy to judge such a great field of dogs, and never once did it get boring. We concluded Sunday morning, and with some scratches, we went from having three braces to go down to just one brace left. First place was awarded to Moss Meadow Seeker, owned and handled by Ken Moss. Seeker had a run with purpose, always forward and biddable on course 8. He hit the cover with authority, slamming onto a statuesque point of a woodcock with his head and tail held high. Meridith Grade Corky, owned by Dennis Keysor and handled by Tammy Chaffee, came in second with a nice forward race. Corky has a bounce and quickness, not normally seen in larger setters. Corky pinned his woodcock in some pretty thick cover on course 15. Corky also backed a woodcock pointed by his bracemate.
Coming in third was Springpond Rockin Gibby, owned and handled by Lonnie Rademacher. At the beginning of course 16, Gibby took full advantage to showcase his powerful gait. When the cover changed, Gibby dove into it to point a woodcock. Standing tall while the shot was fired, he then proudly healed out of the tangle of aspen. Gibby also had a nice stop to flush on a grouse during his run.

Saturday morning, we also hosted the Bryan Wood Open Puppy Classic at the puppy course on the north edge of the grounds. Leeann Parnell and Frank Illijanic had the opportunity to watch 13 of this year's finest new contenders. With Bryan Wood in attendance, he was able to announce this year's winners at our lunch break. White Indian Outlaw, owned and handled by Thomas Butler, took home the blue ribbon. "Wyatt" filled the course and was fast and powerful on the ground while hanging out just inside of bell range. Second place was awarded to Heartbreaker Bud Light, owned by Tom Butts and handled by Tammy Chaffee. Bud ran a smooth, classy, forward race. He was receptive to the handler and hunted the whole brace without an absence. White Moby's Essex took third place, owned and handled by a newcomer, Dan Gehring. Moby was fast and smooth, working well with his handler. He made some really impressive moves to the front, placing him in the stake. A big thank you to our VP Bob Leet, who came to stake manage this event.

On Sunday morning, we faced more rain. Northern Michigan had been hit with a most severe ice storm. At the conclusion of the Open Shooting Dog stake, we began the Dell Todd Open Derby Classic. Judges for another wet encounter were Chris Wasserman and Dave Heavlin. Dave had a pretty rough trip getting to the grounds, but being the dedicated man that he is, coming from the north, he made it safely. Running course 10, Dunrovens Rolling Stone, owned by Mark and Tom Fernandez and handled by Richard Hollister, stood out front and took first place. Stone ran a mature forward race with a nice point on a grouse. Scott Chaffee handled Meadowink Rae of Sunshine, owned by William Yant III, to a second-place finish. Sunshine also ran a mature race but not quite as well as the first-place finisher. Sunshine scored on a woodcock on course 12. Third place went to Hypointe Sharpshooter, owned by Nicholas Mellon and handled by Scott Chaffee. Running on course 15, at the end of the day, he had a strong fast run with not quite the reach that the first and second place dogs had, performing well enough to get him on the podium.

A big thank you to all who helped us keep the wheels turning at this trial. The weather was wet, but the conditions weren't the worst we have had here in northern Michigan in the spring. Thanks to Purina for being our sponsor; to Richard Hollister who again wrangled the best horses in the grouse woods; to the Singletons, who make sure we have snacks and food for lunches; to our VP Bryan Wood who helped wrangle the rodeo on Saturday; and to Dennis Keysor, who was kind enough to pick up our pizzas for lunch on Saturday! We here at Gladwin are truly blessed to have such a great field trial community! Congratulations to all who handled the monsoons of Michigan.

Another note: Congratulations to the Butlers, who, at our trial last spring trial, tied the knot. Happy Anniversary!

Meredith, Mich., March 29
Judges: Marc Dozeman and Shane Haskin
JOHN HADAWAY COVER DOG CLASSIC - 11 Pointers, 20 Setters, and 1 Brittany
1st-MOSS MEADOW SEEKER, F1676726, setter male, by Moss Meadow Rambler-Moss Meadow Maggie. Ken Moss, owner and handler.
2d-MERIDITH GRADE CORKY, F1681353, setter male, by Ponderosa Mac-Call Me Maggie. Dennis Keysor, owner; Tammy Chaffee, handler.
3d-SPRINGPOND ROCKIN GIBBY, F1685618, setter male, by Springpond Rockin Autumn-Tailsup Olive. Lonnie J. Rademacher, owner and handler.

Bryan Wood Open Puppy Classic (back row): Rachel Butler, Bryan Wood, Frank Illijanic (judge), Leeann Parnell (judge), Roger Johnson, and Brent Peters. (Front row): White Indian Outlaw with Thomas Butler (owner/handler), Heartbreaker Bud Light with Tammy Chaffee (handler), and White Moby's Essex with Dan Gehring (owner/handler).

Judges: Frank Illijanic and Leann Parnell
BRYAN WOOD OPEN PUPPY CLASSIC - 10 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-WHITE INDIAN OUTLAW, F1709779, pointer male, by Light of Day-Perkins Beautiful Disaster. Thomas Butler, owner and handler.
2d-HEARTBREAKER BUD LIGHT, F1710620, pointer male, by Toth's Tornado Reloaded-Grouse Trails Warrior Cat. Tom Butts, owner; Tammy Chaffee, handler.
3d-WHITE MOBY'S ESSEX, F1709780, pointer male, by Light of Day-Perkins Beautiful Disaster. Dan Gehring, owner and handler.

Judges: Dave Heavlin and Chris Wasserman
DELL TODD OPEN DERBY CLASSIC - 7 Pointers, 11 Setters, and 1 Brittany
1st-DUNROVENS ROLLING STONE, F1705028, pointer male, by Crosswind Jim-Highbank's Down'n'Dirty. Mark & Tom Fernandez, owners; Richard Hollister, handler.
2d-MEADOWINK RAE OF SUNSHINE, F1705287, setter female, by Dun Rovens Zip-Castle Rock's Autumn Breeze. William P. Yant III, owner; Scott Chaffee, handler.
3d-HYPOINTE SHARPSHOOTER, F1706315, setter male, by Dun Rovens Zip-Castle Rock's Autumn Breeze. Nicholas Mellon Jr., owner; Scott Chaffee, handler.

Dell Todd Open Derby Classic: Dunrovens Rolling Stone with Rich Hollister (handler), Chris Wasserman (judge), Meadowink Rae of Sunshine with handler Scott Chaffee (handler), Dave Heavlin (judge), and Hypointe Sharpshooter with Russ Fazio (handled by Scott Chaffee), and Brent Peters.