Result: Eastern Open Shooting Dog Championship

Location: Ahoskie, North Carolina

Post Date: Jan 19, 2026

Submitted By: Gene Hogge

Eastern Open Shooting Dog Championship (front): Miller's Heat Seeker with George Tracy and Trumped with Bo Brewer. (First row, l-r): Stevie Graham and Mike Tracy. (Second row, l-r): Worth Lewis, Barbel Fetkoter, Grace Anne Lawson (judge), Frankie Barnes, Kim Maguire, and Rob Maguire (judge).

After a one-year hiatus, the Eastern Open Championship was held over the grounds of the Virginia Amateur Field Trial Club's Cutawhiskie Farm. The farm was left to the Virginia Amateur as a gift from the late Field Trial Hall of Famer, Dr. Aubrey Morgan, whose dream was to have a superb venue to be enjoyed by all who love pointing dogs.

The trial was sponsored by the Association of Virginia Field Trial Clubs and has a long, storied history.

Special thanks go to the Southern Bird Hunters Association and Eukanuba for sponsoring the trial.

The grounds are composed of typical eastern North Carolina terrain. Long field edges and flat piney woods characterize the course. Big running dogs that are mindful of their handlers are tailor-made for the hour here.

The trial would have been impossible to hold without the help of a few dedicated individuals. Tom Stargell, who has a long history with this trial, was instrumental in its relaunch. Not only did he volunteer to hold the drawing, but he also worked behind the scenes to make sure we held on to the championship status during a very difficult time. Stevie Graham took charge of the bird planting and breakfast biscuit duties during the trial and couldn't have done a better job. Frankie Barnes manned the dog wagon and kept the trial running smoothly, so minimum time was lost between braces. And, if not for Barbel Fetkoter, we all would have gone hungry at lunchtime. Her chicken, white bean chili, and Brunswick stew were just what we needed to keep us in the saddle for the afternoon braces.

Our judges, Grace Anne Lawson from Powhatan, Virginia, and Rob Maguire from Suffolk, Virginia, set an example of good judging. They kept a good pace and rode when they had to. Each entry had their undivided attention. Their decision between the champion and runner-up was logical and could only have been made by an astute judiciary.

The champion, Miller's Heat Seeker, a white and orange pointer male, ran in the last brace of Day One. He took every available edge, as one would want, filling up the country in the challenging back fields. He pointed birds at 18, at 26 a divided find with bracemate, Miller's Extreme Heat, then a limb find at 31, a back at 35, a find at 49 by the little pond, and a find at 56, buried in cover near the cemetery, ended his bird work. His finish was exemplary with a big move toward the entry gate at time. Heat Seeker was handled by George Tracy.

Until the eventual champion ran, Trumped, a white and orange pointer male with Virginia roots, was the dog to beat. This stud fee puppy from a litter raised by Tommy Stargell and sired by Gary Winall's Mohawk Mill Image had a strong hour to attract attention. Showing extreme style on point and handling the long edges with sustained drive and energy, Trumped found game five times, three times along the big edges of the back fields; each was a model of intensity and class. He was handled by Mike Tracy.

There were two other dogs with notable performances. Smoke'N'Mirrors, a pointer male handled by Matt Basilone, did his part on the ground in the second brace, impressing with his drive and handling the country as it came. He desperately needed more bird work.
Waybetter Rebel, a pointer male handled by Mike Tracy, was impressive with several stylish finds.

The companion Derby stake was won by Worth Lewis's pointer male, Nomads Moving On Up. This young dog moves with class and looks impressive on point. He found game four times and exhibited nearly finished manners on each one. Fort River Iron Man, a setter male handled by Matt Basilone, ran a classy, easy handling forward race to take second.

Judges Grace Anne Lawson and Rob Maguire.

Ahoskie, N. C., December 10
Judges: Grace Anne Lawson and Rob Maguire
EASTERN OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 21 Pointers and 3 Setters
Winner-MILLER'S HEAT SEEKER, F1674886, pointer male, by Just Irresistible-Miller's Bring The Heat. Bill & Muriel Primm, Jack & Fran Miller & Dennis Hood, owners; George Tracy, handler.
Runner-Up-TRUMPED, F1690083, pointer male, by Mohawk Mill Image-Bevy's Cadillac Jukebox. Allen Linder, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.

OPEN DERBY - 1 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-NOMADS MOVING ON UP, F1711553, pointer male, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Wells Ray of Gold. Worth Lewis, owner and handler.
2d-FORT RIVER IRON MAN, F1714551, setter male, by Fort River's Lucky Charm-Shine Down. Gary Tavares, owner; Matt Basilone, handler.

Open Derby (front, l-r): Worth Lewis (judge) with Nomads Moving On Up and Matt Basilone with Fort River Iron Man. (Second row, l-r): Barbel Fetkoter, Kim Maguire, Rob Maguire (judge), Grace Anne Lawson (judge), Frankie Barnes, and Stevie Graham.
Judges Grace Anne Lawson and Rob Maguire.

Stevie Graham, Barbel Fetkoter, and Frankie Barnes.