Result: U.S. Complete National Amateur Invitational Championship

Location: East Windsor, Connecticut

Post Date: Dec 8, 2021

Submitted By: Bill Bonnetti

Championship Winners. Left to right: Bill Bonnetti, Pete Labella with Kissamee Grousewoods Tea, John Olfson, Judges Alene Lavasseur and Tom Tracy, and Tim Cavanaugh with Little Miss Bella.

This year's running of the U.S. Complete National Amateur Invitational Championship was held at the Flaherty Field Trial Area in East Windsor, Conn. The grounds and amenities at Flaherty have made it one of the most long-standing venues in the Northeast to hold a quality trial.

This trial started on October 9 with ideal early fall New England weather that would last through the weekend.

The twelve dogs that were invited would need to run the hour for two consecutive days in order to be considered for the title. There is an option for a callback on the third day in this event but the judges would not need to exercise that option this year.

The winner would emerge in Pete Labella's Kissamee Grousewoods Tea and Tim Cavanaugh's Little Miss Bella receiving runner-up laurels. Both dogs were consistent over the two days.

Lineup of invited contenders and their respective owner-handlers.

THE RUNNING

Day 1. A pair of setters, Super Storm (Kain) and Ruff Grouse Lily (Christopher) started things off. Storm laid down a very solid performance, with four finds, a back, an unproductive, and a nice forward race. Lily had three finds of her own with a bit more of a moderate race.

In brace No. 2, we had Backcountry Girlfriend (Catanzarite) and Glassilaun Warpaint (Nee). Girl had two finds, a stop to flush, two unproductives, and a moderate race. Warpaint (callname, Bat) had five finds, a back, and a mostly forward race.

Brace No. 3 would bring multiple champion and perennial winner, Islander (Kazic), and Backcountry Missy (Catanzarite) to the line. Islander, or "Jessie" had two finds, an unproductive, a back, and a decent race, showing his age, and slowing a bit at the end. Missy had a [pair of finds, a back, and a medium race with a couple of absences.

Kissamee Grousewoods Tea (Labella) was down with No Limit (Kain). Tea had four finds, a back, and a strong race. No limit had one find, two backs, and a more moderate race.

In brace No. 5, last year's champion Backcountry Bruiser (Catanzarite) was braced with Long Gone Dequan (Murray). Bruiser had three impeccable finds early on in his hour then had a big absence in the latter part of the hour. Dequan would end up with four finds and two unproductives.

Rounding off the day in the sixth brace were Super Storm Liz (Kain) and Little Miss Bella (Cavanaugh). Liz, a nice young setter female, had four finds, then handler picked up for a delayed chase. Bella had seven finds, an unproductive, and a good race.

Day 2. First brace of the day was Backcountry Bruiser and Little Miss Bella. Bruiser had five finds and a strong race. Bella had five finds, a back, and a strong race.

Long Gone Dequan had two finds, then handler picked up at around the 20-minute mark. Kissamee Grousewoods Tea had six finds and a strong race.

In brace No. 3 were No Limit and Backcountry Girlfriend. No Limit had two finds, then was lost, with handler calling for retrieval device. Girlfriend had a strong second day, appearing more confident on the ground, with a strong race accompanied by six finds.

Islander had four finds, an unproductive, and a good race, actually stronger than the day before. Super Storm went with a bird that flew over his head early in the brace, ending his bid for the title, after a strong effort on day 1.

Brace No. 5 featured Glassilaun Warpaint and Backcountry Missy. Warpaint had four finds, a back, and an overall good race, shortening up in a couple spots towards the end. Missy had two finds, then the retrieval device was called for at about 20 minutes. Handler would locate her on point with retrieval device.

In brace No. 6, Ruff Grouse Lily would run as a bye. She had an unproductive and two finds but took a couple of jumps on her second find and was up.

I would like to thank judges, Tom Tracy and Alene Lavasseur, for helping us out and their attentiveness to all participants while in the saddle.

I would like to personally thank everyone else who made this trial happen, including our National Secretary Mike Spotts for dealing with the invitation process and our corporate sponsors, Purina and Garmin who supplied product to the winners.

I would also like to thank Dick Bembeneck and Bill Whigham for managing the gallery wagon and bird planting duties, and of course, Jayne Fogarty for managing the clubhouse and also providing incredible meals, really making the event special.

Last but most certainly not least, I would like to thank everyone who supports U.S. Complete trials throughout the year.

Kissamee Grousewoods Tea, Winner of the U.S. National Amateur Invitational Championship.

East Windsor, Conn., October 9 -- One Course

Judges: Alene LeVasseur and Tom Tracy

U. S. COMPLETE NATIONAL AMATEUR INVITATIONAL

CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats on Two Consecutive Days] --

6 Pointers and 6 Setters

Winner--KISSAMEE GROUSEWOODS TEA, 1672676, pointer female, by Daddy's Little Boy Butch--Porter Meadow Bette. Peter LaBella, owner and handler.

Runner-Up--LITTLE MISS BELLA, 1664328, pointer female, by Chasehill Little Bud--Shaula. Tim Cavanaugh, owner and handler.

Little Miss Bella, Runner-Up in the U.S. National Amateur Invitational Championship.