Result: Greensburg Pointer and Setter Club

Location: Rochester, Pennsylvania

Post Date: Oct 15, 2025

Submitted By: Mike Husenits

Open Shooting Dog (l-r): Backcountry Bruiser with Chris Catanzarite, Backcountry Champagnesupernova with Reese Carroll, and Miller's Special Upgrade with Mark Hughes.

The fall 2025 running of the Greensburg Pointer & Setter Club field trial took place September 12-14 at grounds owned by the Beaver Valley Pointer and Setter Club located near Rochester, Pennsylvania. Conditions for the event were less than ideal for dogs and horses, with a near drought-like climate prevailing across the entire region, plus warm temperatures surpassing 80 degrees every day, creating high levels of dust in the air.

Credit for the large entry of 84 dogs goes to Justin Mason and Nick Lasica for their thoughtful planning and implementation of their plan. The trial concluded without one hitch or complaint. Immense credit and sincere thanks are extended to Giannia Lasica and Karah Thatcher for providing food every day. Special thanks to Deb Fazenbaker for preparing a large pot of delicious chili and for the scrumptious homemade desserts. The trial kicked off on Friday morning, with all participants enjoying a bountiful breakfast of fresh eggs from Karah's henhouse, pounds of bacon, toast, pastries, and hot coffee.

Continuous sponsorship support from Purina and Greg Blair is one true reason this club, plus numerous others, can survive and thrive. All winners were awarded discount coupons for Purina dog food. Additionally, Lion Country Supply donated gift certificates for the judges. Thanks for the generous support.

Others making significant contributions by providing help wherever needed included Bob Smith, Reese Carroll, Grayson Fox, Norm Meeder, and Dave Hughes, who shared such duties as planting birds, hauling water, transporting dogs and people, plus any other tasks that required attention.

Of special note, Al and Deb Fazenbaker celebrated their 40th anniversary on Saturday. Al bought a special celebratory cake and surprised Deb. Both Al and Deb contribute an immense amount of their time and effort to ensure the Pennsylvania Walking Association, National Walking Futurity, Ohio Red Setter, and National trials are top-quality events. Deb also does a fantastic job of creating and publishing the annual brochure for The National Walking Shooting Dog Futurity. Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to the Fazenbakers.

The all-important judging assignments were handled professionally and fairly by a panel of active field trial patrons, namely Paul Tipping, Al Fazenbaker, Tim McClurg, Dave Park, Nick Lasica, Reese Carroll, and Justin Mason.

The program kicked off on Friday with the Open Horseback Shooting Dog. The winner was multiple-champion Backcountry Bruiser, owned and handled by Chris Catanzarite. Bruiser ran forward and to the extreme in range, found on pointing at 15 near island thicket just off the main trail. Bruiser held high and tight throughout the flush and shot, then sped well forward to a strong finish. Second was also owned and handled by Chris Catanzarite. Backcountry Fearless ("Flex") ran a superior forever forward race, showing far ahead, crossing the front, and hunting the cover. Flex was found standing royally near the island thicket and displayed polished manners for the flush and shot, finishing well ahead, still going strong. Third went to Miller's Special Upgrade ("Penny"), owned by Carlos Escalante and handled by Mark Hughes. Penny's ground race was quite like the second-placed dog, well forward, hunting the cover, and handling kindly. Her lone find was handled with a high, rigid pointing style, fine manners, and her finish was strong and far-reaching.

Saturday's running started with the Open Walking Puppy and revealed winners that appear to have the potential needed for rewarding futures. First went to "Tater," a classy pointer male, second to "Stormie," a setter female, and third to a setter called "Breeze." All three winners demonstrated the characteristics necessary to compete in future top-flight events.

First in the Open Walking Derby went to "Dixie," a pointer female handled by Russ Fazio, in a far-ranging ground race and one find near the end of her run, with Dixie showing excellent style and intensity plus more than acceptable fail derby manners. Second went to "Blue," a pointer male handled by Mark Hughes, on the merits of a medium-range, hard-hunting effort and one find. Mark also handled the third-place pointer female named "Charlie," who ran a very stylish ground race but unfortunately couldn't come up with a bird.

The Open Walking Shooting Dog stake was highly competitive, with a field of 20; over half are multiple winners or champions. Saddled Up Sadie took home the blue ribbon for owner Joe Cammisa and handler Mark Hughes, with a consistent, wide-ranging forward race, with Sadie showing and handling kindly to handlers' directions when asked. In other words, she had the "go factor" combined with the "come back factor" necessary to win in top-flight competition. Her two finds at 10 and 20 were both handled with style and manners, leaving nothing to be desired. Second was Miller's Upgraded Version, a pointer female owned by Carlos Escalante, also handled by Mark Hughes, who won her second placement in the trial. Penny's effort revealed a front-running, wide-ranging ground race, found pointing at 16 to the left of the trail at the hilltop thicket located prior to the steep hill, mannerly for the flush. Sent ahead, Penny was found standing at 28 along the top hedgerow, again perfect deportment for the flush and shot. Mark Hughes accomplished a clean sweep by taking third with Backwoods Wild Fire Blaze, a stylish black marked pointer owned by Justin Mason. Blaze hunted the heavy cover with enthusiasm at medium to wide range and was rewarded with a pair of finds handled with polished manners. Hot on the heels of the winner came Bodie, Coach, Dusty, and Spec; all had bird work and acceptable ground races.

Sunday morning kicked off bright and early with the Amateur Derby. Hitail Rolling Dixie continued her winning ways by taking her second blue ribbon of the weekend with a stylish forward ever hustling ground race combined with perfect fall derby bird work. Second went to a stylish moving pointer male named Heartbreaker Bud Light for owner/handler Tom Butts. Bud covers the ground with speed and points his birds with style and intensity. Third-placed Millie Thyme Rye was a bit shorter in range than the higher-placed dogs, but nonetheless demonstrated plenty of potential for the future.

The Amateur Shooting Dog stake was highly competitive with several performances worthy of note. Winning first was Hackberry's Elhew Rubee, a pointer female owned and handled by Deb Hronek, to a far-reaching ground race with Rubee hunting all likely objectives, plus superior bird work and a strong finish. Second and third places are both owned and handled by one of the region's top amateur handlers, Doug McMillen. Double Deuce Sage won second, and Double Deuce Jack third. Both displayed front-running ground efforts and solid bird work.

The final stake was the Open "Gun Dog" Shooting Dog, which seeks to award recognition to dogs that handle kindly and provide their handlers opportunities like real hunting situations. Valley View Bear's Cassity was first on the merits of a hard hunting effort combined with a pair of mannerly finds. Second went to a German Shorthaired Pointer called "Rip," who covered the ground with sweeping casts, scoring two finds. Meadowink Spot On Molly took third for owner/handler Bill Yant with an eager forward ground effort and one well-handled find.

Rochester, Pa., September 12
Judges: Al Fazenbaker and Paul Tipping
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 17 Pointers
1st-BACKCOUNTRY BRUISER, F1672645, pointer male, by Erin's War Creek-Backcountry Tornado. Chris Catanzarite, owner and handler.
2d-BACKCOUNTRY CHAMPAGNESUPERNOVA, F1701699, pointer female, by Dragonfly-Apple Annie's Sweet Delight. Chris Catanzarite, owner and handler.
3d-MILLER'S SPECIAL UPGRADE, F1695107, pointer female, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Miller's Special Edition. Carlos Escalante, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.

Judges: Reese Carroll and Nick Lasica
OPEN PUPPY - 1 Pointer, 2 Setters, and 3 Irish Setters
1st-LET HER RIP TATER CHIP, F1718083, pointer female, by Bryan's Damascus Jack-Nelson's Jazz. Jesse Burkert, owner; Joanna Sampson, handler.
2d-HITAIL PERFECT STORM, F1720599, setter female, by Dun Rovens Zip-Castle Rock's Autumn Breeze. Russell Fazio, owner and handler.
3d-HYPOINTE GONE WITH THE WIND, F1720598, setter female, by Dun Rovens Zip-Castle Rock's Autumn Breeze. Pietro Leone, owner; Russell Fazio, handler.

Judges: Nick Lasica and Dave Park
OPEN DERBY - 4 Pointers
1st-HITAIL ROLLING DIXIE, F1714644, pointer female, by Hifives Rolling Stone-Speed Dialing Kaia. Russell Fazio, owner and handler.
2d-BLUE, unreg., pointer male, breeding not given. Mark Hughes, handler.

Open Shooting Dog (l-r): Saddled Up Sadie with Justin Mason, Miller's Special Upgrade with Mark Hughes, and Backwoods Wild Fire Blaze with Kara Thatcher, joined by the Lasica and Mason/Thatcher children.

Judges: Tim McClurg and Dave Park
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 15 Pointers, 1 Setter, and 4 Irish Setters
1st-SADDLED UP SADIE, F1699757, pointer female, by Double Deuce Zeke-Beaver Meadow Rose. Joe Cammisa, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.
2d-MILLER'S SPECIAL UPGRADE, F1695107, pointer female, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Miller's Special Edition. Carlos Escalante, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.
3d-BACKWOODS WILD FIRE BLAZE, F1691395, pointer male, by Erin's Wild Justice-Hollywood Hot'n'tot. Justin Mason, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.

Judges: Nick Lasica and Paul Tipping
AMATEUR DERBY - 8 Pointers
1st-HITAIL ROLLING DIXIE, F1714644, pointer female, by Hifives Rolling Stone-Speed Dialing Kaia. Russell Fazio, owner and handler.
2d-HEARTBREAKER BUD LIGHT, F1710620, pointer male, by Toth's Tornado Reloaded-Grouse Trails Warrior Cat. Tom Butts, owner and handler.
3d-MILLIE THYME RYE, F1713588, pointer female, by Cal Peak Hundredth Meridian-Double Deuce Sage. Joanna Sampson, owner and handler.

AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG - 9 Pointers and 3 Irish Setters
1st-HACKBERRY'S ELHEW RUBEE, F1704631, pointer female, by Hackberry's Elhew Falco-Hackberry's Addie Blackhawk. Deborah J. Hronek, owner and handler.
2d-DOUBLE DEUCE SAGE, F1673986, pointer female, by Double Deuce Peter-Funseeker's Holiday. Douglas E. McMillen Jr., owner and handler.
3d-DOUBLE DEUCE JACK, F1691404, pointer male, by Cal Peak Hundredth Meridian-Double Deuce Molly. Douglas E. McMillen Jr., owner and handler.

Judges: Al Fazenbaker and Justin Mason
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 8 Pointers, 4 Setters, 1 Brittany, 3 German Shorthairs, and 1 Vizsla
1st-VALLEY VIEW BEAR'S CASSITY, F1706375, pointer female, by Skeet's Barshoe Bear-Valley View Sissy. Deborah J. Hronek, owner and handler.
2d-RIP, unreg., German Shorthair male, breeding not given. Dave Riley, owner and handler.
3d-MEADOWWINK SPOT ON MOLLY, F1695379, Llewellin setter female, by Royal Bondhu Maxwell-Royal Dashing Abigail. William P. Yant III, owner and handler.

Al and Deb Fazenbaker with their anniversary cake.

Manning the dog wagon (l-r): Dave Hughes and Mike Husenits (reporter).