Event: Keystone Open Shooting Dog Championship
Result: Indiantown Gap Trial

Location: Petersburg, Pennsylvania

Post Date: Jul 14, 2025

Submitted By: Ernie Saniga

Keystone Open Shooting Dog Championship: R Q's Saddle with Ted Foust, Steel Valley Raven with Hailey Moreland, Mark Hughes, Robert Spillman, Ella Copeland, Mike Tracy, Dan Jolly, George Tracy, Greg Strausbaugh, Stacey Goodie, Karen Saniga, and Ernie Saniga.

The Indiantown Gap Trial was held April 8-14 at the Keystone Bird Dog Club Grounds near Petersburg, Pennsylvania. It rained and rained, and rained some more, in six days of dark grey clouds hanging over the grounds. One afternoon, the sun came out, and scenting was bad. The rest of the time, scenting was good, and many dogs in all three stakes had multiple finds.

Purina supported our trial, and thanks go to them.
Art Hower, an emeritus professor at nearby Penn State University, manages our grounds and finances. Greg Strausbaugh does much work during the trial and throughout the year. So, does Ted Foust.

Mary Tracy cooks breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dinners were provided by the club, by Karen Saniga, R. B. and Brigit Powell, and Sheila Cassidy.
Greg Strausbaugh and Ted Foust drove the dog wagon--a Polaris--and planted birds out of it for all stakes. The Derby was run on one course while the Championship and Amateur Classic were run on a continuous course involving five farms in this big, beautiful valley in central Pennsylvania.

The Open Championship judges were Dan Jolly from New Jersey and Robert Spillman from Virginia. Robert was joined by Stacy Goodie to judge the Derby. In the Amateur, Mike Tracy filled in for our advertised judge, Mark Calder, who had to cancel at the last minute. He judged with Jason Smit from New York. Thanks to all of them.

The championship winner was R Q's Saddle, a pointer male handled by Jeanette Tracy and owned by Ted Foust and Bill and Muriel Primm. Interestingly, the same three own the runner-up, pointer female Steel Valley Raven. Mike Tracy handled her.

This reporter missed the first two days of the running, which included the winner, but got to watch the runner-up, which ran late in the stake. She was strong, smart, classy, and flawless on the ground and her seven finds. I asked Mike Tracy, when he put the rope on her, "Who beat that?" He said, "She was special, but so were a bunch of others."

The judges thought one was better; that was the winner, R Q's Saddle, handled by Jeanette Tracy. They said the dog was very strong, stuck his edges in this edge country, and spaced seven finds perfectly handled. Not a hair separated the dogs according to them. They also said it was an outstanding stake with a dozen good performances, with the closest to the winners being Waybetter Rebel, echoing Mike Tracy's comment.

Jeanette Tracy bred, raised, and trained both winning dogs. She filled in for her dad, George, who now has Saddle on his truck, and Saddle ended up with his first title.

Deena Jet Boyer won the Derby with a very pretty race on these edges and four stylish and finished finds. Owner Darren and his dad Steve Boyer were here to watch her go. Among her wins are the National Shooting Dog Futurity and the New England Futurity. Later, we found out that she was the winner of the Purina Top Open Shooting Dog Derby of the Year Award.
Cool Hand Luke was second. The big dog, the current U.S. Quail Shooting Dog Futurity winner, had seven finds, one or two with a little movement, to go with a strapping race with great hunting sense. Mike Tracy handled both dogs.
Third went to Mojo's Winston Joy, a setter handled by Mark Hughes, also with an intelligent, classy race on these big edges and five stylish finds.

The Amateur Classic was won by Alex Smith with Calico's Country Strong, scouted by Tiffany Henderson Smith. He had a big effort on the ground to go with seven finds and an unproductive. Second went to Joe McHugh and Miller's Extreme Heat with a strong effort on the ground and five finds. Joe Lordi was awarded third with Cheyenne Jack, also with multiple finds and a good forward race.

Petersburg, Ky., April 8
Judges: Dan Jolly and Robert Spillman
KEYSTONE OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 26 Pointers and 2 Setters
Winner-R Q'S SADDLE, F1680847, pointer male, by Waybetter Rocky-Ladywood's Keepsake. Ted Foust & Muriel & Bill Primm, owners; Jeanette Tracy, handler.
Runner-Up-STEEL VALLEY RAVEN, F1696173, pointer female, by Waybetter Rocky-Steel City Karen. Ted Foust & Muriel & Bill Primm, owners; Mike Tracy, handler.

Keystone Yankee Open Derby Classic: Deena Jet Boyer with Hailey Moreland, Cool Hand Luke with Mike Tracy, Mojo's Winston Joy with Joe Lordi, Jason Smit, Joe McHugh, Stacey Goodie, Greg Strausbaugh, George Tracy, Dave and Liz McKay, Ella Copeland, Ted Foust, and Bob Verderosa (behind banner).

Judges: Stacey Goodie and Robert Spillman
KEYSTONE YANKEE OPEN DERBY CLASSIC - 12 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-DEENA JET BOYER, F1718103, pointer female, by Touch's Fire Away-World Class Dialing Out. Stephen & Darren Boyer, owners; Mike Tracy, handler.
2d-COOL HAND LUKE, F1714223, pointer male, by Southpoint's Speedy G-Lone Tree Last Snow. Robert Bergen, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.
3d-MOJO'S WINSTON JOY, F1705340, setter male, by Wayward Flyin Tomato-Doodle Ridge Fern. Renee & Nick Moelders, owners; Mark Hughes, handler.

Judges: Jason Smit and Mike Tracy
AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 15 Pointers and 1 German Shorthair
1st-CALICO'S OVER THE TOP, F1692315, pointer male, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Calico's Country Strong. Calico Kennels & Alex & Tiffany Smith, owners; Alex Smith, handler.
2d-MILLER'S EXTREME HEAT, F1685698, pointer female, by Just Irresistible-Miller's Bring The Heat. Joe McHugh, owner; Joe McHugh, handler.
3d-CHEYENNE JACK, F1668503, pointer male, by Great River Ice-Blaze's Isis. Sal Morelli, owner; Joe Lordi, handler.

Amateur Shooting Dog Classic: Calico's Over The Top with Ella Copeland, Miller's Extreme Heat with Joe McHugh, Cheyenne Jack with Joe Lordi, Jason Smit, Dave and Liz McKay, Stacey Goodie, Greg Strausbaugh, Ted Foust, Mike Tracy, Haley Moreland, and George Tracy.