Result: NGSPA Region 1 Championship

Location: East Falmouth, Massachusetts

Post Date: Oct 19, 2021

Submitted By: Thomas George

It takes a team, and we built a great one!

The 2021 Region 1 NGSPA Championship was sponsored by the Mayflower German Shorthaired Pointer Club and orchestrated by a dedicated group of amateur pointing bird dog enthusiasts that came together and put on probably the best trial I have ever attended or been involved with. That is my opinion and I'll leave it right there.

Our judges panel was fantastic! Michael Ernest of Sterling, Conn., Doug Welsh of New Freedom, Pa., and Audra Jaconetti of North Kingstown R. I. What a team! Thank you judges!

THE WINNERS

All N's Iron Mike, two-year-old liver and white German Shorthair male topped a field of 21 quality starters to capture this year's Regional Championship title and inaugural at the Crane Wildlife Management Area in East Falmouth, Mass. Mike ran a solid shooting dog hour, applied himself to the ground and cover at hand and laid down an enviable race with four stylish and intense finds to capture the title.

Mike is owned by Larry Cote of Vienna, Va., was ably handled by Joe Orndorff of Wardensville W.Va., and scouted by Shane Sine.

Mike drew brace No. 9 and was paired with Dixielands Saddle Snakebite, owned and handled by Jordan Wells of Tolland, Conn. Both dogs dug in off the breakaway and rocketed through the bear oak cover as if it was a field of clover. Across the ravine under the power line and just into the first woodsline both dogs scored perfect finds at 8 setting the tone for a great brace. At 12, exiting the first stand of hardwood and pitch pine, Mike shook off some distraction from a beagle hound being exercised by a walker and scored another perfect find on a pair of quail. Snake headed west on the course and into open country bordered by pine woods showing well to the front and hitting his objectives.

Mike ran the open cover well, hitting his own objectives with both dogs finding the next stand of pitch pine and low grow cover at nearly the same time. At 30 both dogs were standing on a trail bordered by pine woods on the north and open grass field to the south. In what seemed to happen in an instant birds lifted to the north into the piney woods and Snake relocated himself at the flush and was taken up. [This scenario is the witness of this scribe only as the judges' description was slightly different.] Mike stood motionless and with enviable style, was watered and moved on. Around and through some small grassy fields bordered by pines Mike made his way showing just enough of himself to let handler know he was in contact.

At 45 Mike had a beautiful find to the east edge of the pine bowl with style and intensity that really grabbed this scribes attention. Handler Orndorff had his work cut out for him getting these birds off the ground but he did it with Mike holding tight. Out of the pine bowl, up the hill and into the native grass fields headed northeast and going away at time Mike never had any let down and was going away at the end of his hour.

Without knowing where Mike would stack up in the stake (or really even know his name yet), I made some verbal notes in my recorder that I thought interesting. They went went like this: "This dog is making his scout work hard at times but then checks in just in time to score perfect finds . . . but it's working for him." And work it did! Congratulations Mike, Joe, Shane and Larry!

The runner-up champion drew brace No. 3 on Friday morning. Tulli's Faraway Giddy Up, "Fairgo," is owned and handled by Joe Amatulli of New Hartford. Conn., and was scouted by Audra Jaconetti.

Fairgo broke at 10:25 a.m. digging in hard and covering ground like on a mission. He worked the ravine under the power lines where bird contact looked likely then made his way swiftly to the first treeline cutting into the woods to the east. At 12 scout called point with Fairgo located standing tight near where the course bends north in the first woods. Fairgo's intensity was striking and he held that intensity through a lengthy flushing attempt. Birds were produced well in front of the pointer with all in perfect order.

Out of the first stand of piney woods and Into the open country, Fairgo pushed the limits of contact with handler but made breathtaking moves to objectives and edges of the woods to the north. Keying off handler's direction, Fairgo entered the second woodsline and was guided skillfully through the tighter areas of the course staying just on the edge of contact but always in pocket. Through the pine bowl and exiting the woods to the native grasslands Fairgo again pushed limits of contact with handler finishing strong, flashy and going away well in front of handler and gallery.

An exhilarating brace landed Fairgo and owner-handler Joe Amatulli the runner-up champion title. Nice work, Joe and Audra!

East Falmouth, Mass., September 17 -- One Course

Judges: Michael Ernest and Doug Welsh

NGSPA REGION 1 OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP

[One-Hour Heats] -- 22 German Shorthairs

Winner--ALL N'S IRON MIKE, 1691519, male, by All N's Wild Card--All N's Double Down. Larry Cote, owner; Joe Orndorff, handler.

Runner-Up--TULLI'S FARAWAY GIDDYUP, 1668019, male, by Hi N's Feed Jake--Tulli's Excess. Joseph Amatulli, owner and handler.

OPEN DERBY

The Derby Classic drew a field of ten fine young shorthair prospects looking to make their way into polished adult contenders.

Topping the field was Glenn Allen's Persimmon, "Percy," a fine looking liver roan and white ticked female prospect owned by Jason and Stephanie Coiner and handled by Barry Bollinger of Westminster, Md. Percy ran in brace No. 3 on Sunday morning, hit her objectives nicely and had a forward well handled run. She scored one stunning find mid way through her brace that caught the judges eyes awarding her the win.

Second was All N's Party of One Time, "Tusky," owned by Kathleen and Kevin Malone of Leesburg, Va., and handled by Joe Orndorff. Drawn in the the second brace he ran a well applied race, handled kindly and hit likely objectives scoring three beautiful looking finds that showed style and intensity noted in both judges' books.

Third place was awarded to Blue Storms Sky Line, owned by Mr. Cameron Bell of Hampstead, Va., and handled by Barry Bollinger. "Sky" drew brace one and handled the diverse cover of the Cape enviably, scored one beautiful find and handled kindly.

Judges: Audra Jaconetti and Doug Welsh

NGSPA REGION 1 OPEN DERBY -- 10 German Shorthairs

1st--GLENN ALLEN'S PERSIMMON, unreg., female, by Skyview's Smokin Brown Bullet--Skyview's Scarlet Bandit. Jason & Stephanie Coiner, owners; Barry Bollinger, handler.

2d--ALL N'S PARTY OF ONE TIME, 1696835, German Shorthair male, by B M B's Freeloader--All N's Southern Comfort. Kathleen Malone, owner; Joe Orndorff, handler.

3d--BLUE STORM'S SKYLINE, unreg., female, by Friedelshiem's Freight Train Mason--Scout's Queen Sage. Cameron Bell, owner; Barry Bollinger, handler.

SOME CONCLUDING NOTES OF APPRECIATION

In the early spring of 2021, when the tightrope of the pandemic was loosed just enough to let us all get back to some of the things we loved, our group came together with the idea of keeping the Region 1 NGSPA Championship going. A couple of get-togethers later in the spring and early summer we decided to go for it!

The dates we had drawn in the past in Connecticut always seemed to be affected negatively by poor, to downright lousy early winter weather and other trial conflicts. The move to Crane Wildlife Management Area in Massachusetts worked for us this year although it has been considered to be a bit early due to the possibility of warmer temperatures in mid-September.

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife proved to be refreshingly cooperative and accommodating to us and our wanting to run at Crane. They even asked if we could show them what we needed mowed for our courses and parking area. The department even kept their equipment on site until the seal of approval was stamped! A State Agency that was totally cooperative, that's refreshing!

Mayflower German Shorthaired Pointer Club went out on a limb to sponsor our trial for the first time that I can recall. This was imperative for obvious reasons, the biggest was the insurance carrier. A debt of gratitude is owed to them for their trust in us.

Purina Pro Plan! In an endeavor such as our Championship where our financial margin is razor thin, your support made all the difference! Thank you!

Our group was fantastic! Each one of us took on a meal responsibility, helped with marking the course, putting up barricade fencing, placing water barrels on course, planting/salting the course. We all gave something to make this happen without hesitation.

There is no way we could have run this trial without the Hazels of Rehoboth, Mass. The use of their fine horses, the checking of the grounds, laying courses, securing fencing materials, cleaning the judges house, ordering birds, communications with Mayflower, use of a Jeep for bird planting, Thursday night's dinner, reconciling funds, secretary duty, helping me with this report and I'm sure I left out a bunch. Dennis and Jennifer, as chair of this event I thank you sincerely! Both of you made my title way too easy to fulfill!

There is no way we could have done this without our entire team: Cory Roy for breakfasts and birds and for doing "whatever it takes" without being asked, ever! Audra Jaconetti for filling in to judge the Derby, scouting, donating a steak dinner and adding your always shining positive personality to every situation we encountered. Jeremy Goldsmith for helping with planning, paperwork and positive support. John Lucey for handling our judges' accommodations, preliminary and final proper sanctioning paperwork with all involved entities. Jenn Hazel, mentioned above but especially for staying late after the trial to clean the judges house and putting up with my constant barrage of emails, texts and calls for information post trial.

Alan Welch for lunches, (wild and domestic), courses, birds, fencing, cleanup, scouting, horses and positive "can do" attitude. Stephanie Ellars for last-minute "Hail Mary" hors d'oeuvres. Valerie Mattie-Reis for the beautiful judges gift baskets!

A huge thanks to the model airplane club at Crane for letting us use their water; you folks are the best! And thanks to everyone who supported this trial! We hope you all stay tuned for what we have up our sleeve for next year!