Result: Wolverine Field Trial Club

Location: Highland, Michigan

Post Date: May 20, 2026

Submitted By: David A. Fletcher

Dave Fletcher Open Walking Shooting Dog Classic (from left): Dave Fletcher, Mark Hughes with Millers Dusty Version, Erik Munden, Krysta Munden with Wildland Wild Man, Dave Heavelin (judge), Robert Ellis with Ponderosa's Copper Penny, Bruce Barlow, and Brian Wood.

Mother's Day weekend has always been the spring trial date for Michigan's Wolverine Club; this year, with a total entry of 61 dogs, it came on May 8-10. Three walking and two horseback stakes were offered: Open Walking Puppy, Open Walking Derby, and the Dave Fletcher Open Walking Shooting Dog Classic, with 28 entries, this season its 17th running, along with Open and Amateur Horseback Shooting Dog stakes. The event featured great weather, no rain or strong wind to hinder scenting, an entirely pleasant weekend, and trial completion came Saturday, leaving Sunday, Mother's Day, for family matters. Many handlers related that the cover this spring season was ideal. The Michigan DNR's Prairie Grass Restoration Program's spring grasses were about 10 inches high, ideal for the liberated Bobwhites to rest in, and easy for them to take flight from. The relatively low cover was also ideal for handlers to see their dogs easily, and not too thick for the dogs to search. As always, there is the grounds' brushy edge cover that the dogs instinctively follow.

The team that makes this important spring event in Michigan run smoothly consists of President Jim Cipponeri, who lays out the courses, does the drawing with help from his wife Connie, liberates quail, and tends to every feature of the trial that needs attention. Secretary/Treasurer Dave Fletcher prepares the ad, collects entry fees, writes the checks, furnishes running order sheets, and serves as trial reporter. He also sends the initial brace of the Dave Fletcher Open Walking Shooting Dog stake away with judge introductions, a bit of history of the stake, and best wishes for this year's 17th event. Bird releasing was accomplished by "every year" helpers such as Paul Tutro, Tom Vanecek, Bill Branham, Jim Cipponeri, and Evan Toutant. Paul Tutro also brings donuts each morning and also furnished some of the judges' horses. Rich Hollister brings his rental horses, exceptionally good mounts for field trial judges. Brian Wood got the dogs and handlers to the starting line and read the names of the dogs being turned loose in each brace. Rob Ellis helped by taking pictures of each stake's winning group.

Judges for the Fletcher Classic were Bruce Barlow and Dave Heavlin, with Bruce having a management position with the Michigan DNR at the Gladwin Field Trial Area near Meredith, Michigan. He has also competed his dogs in cover dog events over the past decade. His partner was Dave Heavlin of the Clare, Michigan area, who has also been developing his field trial dogs and competing in the Michigan field trials, both open country and Cover Dog. The judging ranks also featured Evan Toutant, Christy Helmes, Paul Tutro, Ron Sposita, Bill Branham, and Mike Zack. Another thank you to Greg Blair and the Purina organization. Their help each season is highly appreciated.

Open Walking Puppy
"Babe," an attractive pointer female, topped the stake with a great hunting effort, handled by Christy Helmes. A close second came from "Mercy," also a pointer female handled by Ken DeLong. Mike Bandos took third with his setter, a dog with energy and purpose to his search. Every puppy in this stake had purpose to their search, and in most cases, eagerness to go with all the speed they could muster.

Open Walking Puppy (from left): Dave Fletcher, Christy Helmes with Bonita Babe, Mike Bandos with Banditos Whatsup Doc, and Brian Wood. [Not pictured: Ken DeLong and Lucy's Just Have Mercy].

Highland, Mich., May 8
OPEN WALKING PUPPY - 2 Pointers, 4 Setters, and 2 Brittanys
1st-BONITA BABE, F1719653, pointer female, by The Treasure Chest-Sinbad's Little Lady. Les Bressler, owner; Christy Helmes, handler.
2d-LUCY'S JUST HAVE MERCY, F1723542, pointer female, by Highbanks Final Justice-Highbanks Diamond Lucy. Kenric DeLong, owner and handler.
3d-BANDITOS WHATSUP DOC, F1722732, setter male, by Grouse Hill Bullet Proof-Shady Hills Panda Bear. Michael Bandos, owner and handler.

Open Walking Derby
"Ruby" was the winner for Frank Ilijanic, a nice moving pointer female. She had two great derby quail finds. Attractive in motion, Ruby hunted widely on the course and finished well. Second was "Juni," a pointer female handled by her owner, Steve McKalko. Juni was birdless, but hunted the course with great desire. Bud, a pointer male, took third place for Mark Hughes, also birdless, but his hunting effort stood out. There were many dogs in the stake that hunted hard without results. It may have been the gusting wind interfering with scenting.

Open Walking Derby (from left): Frank Ilijanic with Northwoods Wanderlust, Brian Wood, Steve McKalko with Juni Jones, Dave Fletcher, and Mark Hughes with Heartbreaker Bud Light.

Judges Ron Sposita and Christy Helmes
OPEN WALKING DERBY - 8 Pointers and 5 Setters
1st-NORTHWOODS WANDERLUST, F1722885, pointer female, by Confident Nation-Northwoods Comet. Frank Ilijanic, owner and handler.
2d-JUNI JONES, F1714645, pointer female, by Hifives Rolling Stone-Speed Dialing Kaia. John Paul Jones, owner; Steve McKalko, handler.
3d-HEARTBREAKER BUD LIGHT, F1710620, pointer male, by Toth's Tornado Reloaded-Grouse Trails Warrior Cat. Thomas Butts, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.

Dave Fletcher Open Walking Shooting Dog Classic
A quality stake with 18 entries made the running very interesting. Millers Dusty Version, a 4-year-old pointer male handled by Mark Hughes, was the winner, and from the initial breakaway, this dog served notice he was on a mission to win this stake. Good reaching casts to good-looking cover; turns in his effort to the front of course were happening, and noticeable. His two finds were solidly done with style, good location of his birds, lofty in stance, and mannerly at flush. Dusty is owned by Mike Husenits, a very well-known owner, judge, and reporter of major trials.

Wildland Wild Man, a 5-year-old Pointer male owned by Eric Munden, took second place, handled by Krysta Munden. "Wayne" scored three finds and ran one of the better hunting efforts in the stake. This dog was always along the good cover edges and hunted eagerly every minute down. In third place, Robert Ellis handled Ponderosa's Copper Penny, a hard-going setter female. Penny hunted forwardly, going to one birdy edge every cast, and finished well. She pointed a dead quail during the brace. The final brace of the stake featured "Winston," a Hughes entry, and "Chuck," handled by Eric Munden. Both appeared to challenge for a placement, but Winston had a bit of an error on his second bird, and Chuck simply remained as a close challenger.

The Running
A sunny morning, coolish to start, but in the mid-50s most of the day. Occasional wind gusts from all directions were likely the cause of relatively poor scenting.

"Penny" (Hughes) and "Stone" (Hollister). Penny offered a good hunting effort, highlighted by a nice find, but on this occasion did not hold a lofty posture. Penny finished the heat hunting the edges up front. Stone gave the impression he could do a little more, and handler leashed his charge near halftime.

"Cece" (Munden) and "Stone" (McKalko). Cece hunted well from the breakaway but was taken up relatively early in the heat. Stone was a clever and hard-working hunting dog this time down, but could have reached a little more.

"Freedom" (DeLong) and "Dash" (Hughes). Freedom hunted with purpose but barked as he made his casts. He scored two finds, mannerly, but twitched a touch each time he though his quail was about to take wing. Dash put down a fine hunting effort, backed bracemate, but was taken up near time.

"Gunner" (Toutant) and Mia Star (McKalko). Gunner, our first Britt of the day, was pleasant to the eye as he hit the far places and hunted hard. He also scored a mannerly quail find. Mia hunted extremely well, added a pair of quail finds, and handled easily. She was doing her best to challenge for a placement.

"Sadie" (Hughes) and "Cash" (Hollister). Handler Hughes called for the tracking collar at halftime. Cash was taken up near time.

"Wayne" (Munden) and "Kali" (Helmes). This stake's second-place dog was handled by Krysta, the feminine side of the Munden family. Wayne hunted very well, logged three finds, one with both dogs standing, and was fired over. Kali, another Britt, hunted in good form, reached to good places and finished well....birdless.

"Cricket" (Hughes) and "Jacob" (Najor). Cricket started well, yet handler elected to leash his charge early in the heat. Jacob looked good in motion and hunted well, but his quail find did not have his best posture on display this time down.

"Coach" (Hughes) and "Cooper" (Miotto). Not a vibrant brace for spectators. Both dogs were leashed before time.

"Nick" (Munden) and "Justice" (DeLong). Nick hunted the course in commendable fashion but was not screeching his way along the outer coverts. Cooper was also not pleasing handler and was leashed early.

"Penny" (Ellis) and "Blaze" (Hughes). Penny won this stake last season and this time down, again ran a great, hard-hunting race, always to good places. Penny pointed a dead bird before time. Blaze had a really good effort but came up lame late in the heat.

"Dusty" (Hughes) and "Eli" (Helmes). Dusty won this stake with superb edge hunting of the course and scored two stylish and mannerly finds. Eli, a Brittany, had an admirable hunting effort highlighted by two backs and also had an unproductive.

"Bandit" (Bandos) and "Shooter" (DeLong). Bandit did not reach to any extent and missed a backing opportunity. Shooter made some good-looking casts and pointed with his head tilted vertically...a bird in a tree.

"Hippie" (Hollister) and "Jack" (Hollister). Hippie hunted well and found a quail, but took this bird out. Leashed. Jack hunted one of the best heats in the stake. He had a nice find and an unproductive for his 30-minute effort.

"Winston" (Hughes) and "Chuck" (Munden). The former hunted from the breakaway, came around, and scored two nice quail finds. Winston moved a bit on point on his second find to dim his chances at a placement. Chuck made nice moves forward, looked good doing it, and scored a nice quail find. An enjoyable brace to end the stake.

Judges: Dave Heavlin and Bruce Barlow
DAVE FLETCHER OPEN WALKING SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC - 17 Pointers, 7 Setters, and 4 Brittanys
1st-MILLERS DUSTY VERSION, F1706290, pointer male, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Miller's Special Edition. Mike Husenits, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.
2d-WILDLAND WILD MAN, F1695981, pointer male, by Double Deuce Zeke-Beaver Meadow Rose. Eric Munden, owner; Krysta Munden, handler
3d-PONDEROSA'S COPPER PENNY, F1690593, setter female, by Ponderosa Mac-Eldridge's Beauty and Beast. Robert Ellis, owner and handler.

Open and Amateur Horseback Shooting Dog Stakes
In today's field trial world, especially at smaller club events, horseback trainers are hard to find for the entry list. Keeping horses requires a barn, pasture, trailering, and saddlery equipment that the horseback man usually owns, and this is more difficult than it was a few years ago. This facet of horseback field trialing is fading badly. These two stakes each had six entries. The winning dogs performed well with very good ground searches and good bird work. They were well-mannered field trial bird dogs.

Judges: Bill Branham and Mike Zack
OPEN HORSEBACK SHOOTING DOG - 6 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-HANEY'S HAMMERIN HANK, F1706891, by Haney's All In-Haney's Two Dozen Roses. Jim & Connie Cipponeri, owners; Jim Cipponeri, handler.
2d-DARRS MURPHY BROWN, F1702398, setter male, by Ponderosa Mac-Springpond's Autum Adeline. William Darr, owner and handler.
3d-DUKE'S HOLD MY BEER, F1684677, by Sugarknoll War Paint-Sizzlin Julie. Ron Sposita, owner and handler.

Judges: Bill Branham and Mike Zack
AMATEUR HORSEBACK SHOOTING DOG - 5 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-HANEY'S HAMMERIN HANK, F1706891, by Haney's All In-Haney's Two Dozen Roses. Jim & Connie Cipponeri, owners; Jim Cipponeri, handler.
2d-DARRS MURPHY BROWN, F1702398, setter male, by Ponderosa Mac-Springpond's Autumn Adeline. William Darr, owner and handler.