Result: Lehigh Valley Pointer And Setter Club

Location: Petersburg, Pennsylvania

Post Date: Apr 9, 2021

Submitted By: Ernie Saniga

The Lehigh Club ran its spring trial April 9-14 at the Keystone Trust grounds near Petersburg, Pa. We enjoyed 107 entries in the five stakes.

Rain appeared from time to time but overall moderate temperatures prevailed.

It has been a very sad year for the Middle Atlantic region of field trials. Four great contributors to the sport, personal friends of all of us, left us far too early.

First, COVID claimed Merv Eisenhart who single handedly ran the York Club's two trials each year for 55 years and chaired the Indiantown Gap Club for the past 31 years. He also judged many championships and weekend trials over his six decades in the sport.

Then it was Dr. Hunter Wilcox, a most deserving member of the Hall of Fame for his work in soliciting and helping to develop what are arguably the premier grounds in the region -- Greenwood Forest-- along with a host of efforts in other areas too numerous to mention.

The day after this trial ended COVID took Pete Deangelis, who successfully campaigned his own pointers and setters as an amateur and later as a professional and subsequently become the trainer of many world class champion Brittanys and trained their owners to handle them in competition.

The last was Paul Pollock, another Brittany enthusiast, who provided his time and finances in many places. The gaps these four men left will be very hard to fill. Our condolences go to Arlene Eisenhart, Louise Wilcox, Bambi Deangelis and Lisa Pollock.

Our judges were Darren and his son Gunner Boyer for the open half-hour stakes, R. B Powell and Mark Hughes for the Amateur Shooting Dog; Mark and Matt Basilone for the Amateur Derby, and Mark and R. B. for the hour Open Shooting Dog Stake. We all thank them for their effort.

Steve Boyer and Ted Foust did all of the bird planting with Steve's brand new Can Am 4x4. George Tracy manned the dog wagon while his wife Mary cooked three meals a day, free to everyone. Karen Saniga hosted a turkey dinner while Ted Foust bought pizza and wings for everyone the last night.

OPEN STAKES WINNERS

We had five pros in the half hour Open Shooting Dog stake which had 38 entries. Mike Tracy won first and second with Rocky RIver Showmaster and Suemac's Tiger Rose, respectively. Showmaster had a good forward race and five finds nicely handled. Roger McPherson was here to watch his Rose win second with a good edge-hugging race and five sharp finds. Bella Bulli had a fast race with three finds to win third for this reporter

Winner of the Open Derby was Miller's Upgrading the Ante with a three-find, classy effort. Second, also with three finds, was Miller's Million Dollar Penny and a strong effort as well. Matt Basilone won third with Limbsmoke Urban Lullaby, which had a single finished find to go with a very good race. All three are pointer females

Petersburg, Pa., April 9 -- One Course

Judges: Darren Boyer and Gunner Boyer

OPEN SHOOTING DOG -- 30 Pointers and 8 Setters

1st--ROCKY RIVER SHOWMASTER, 1685680, pointer male, by Broken Halo--Backwoods Tennessee Honey. Casey Hollander, Jim & Theresa Morrell, owners; Mike Tracy, handler.

2d--SUEMAC'S TIGER ROSE, 1676338, pointer female, by Bail Me Out--Gun Runner Ruby Ted. Roger McPherson, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.

3d--BELLA BULLI, 1674898, pointer female, by Bully Bragg--Bullerina. Ernie & Karen Saniga, owners; Ernie Saniga, handler.

OPEN DERBY -- 15 Pointers and 1 Setter

1st--MILLER'S UPGRADING THE ANTE, 1690200, pointer female, by Miller's Upgraded Version--Erin's Little Rose. Allen Linder, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.

2d--MILLER'S MILLION DOLLAR PENNY, 1690149, pointer female, by Miller's Upgraded Version--Erin's Cedar. Bill & Muriel Primm, owners; Mike Tracy, handler.

3d--LIMBSMOKE URBAN LULLABY, 1688113, pointer female, by Urban Fantasy--diane Lane. Lloyd Miller, owner; Matt Basilone, handler.

AMATEUR STAKES WINNERS

Dave Mckay won the Amateur Shooting Dog Stake with North Country Girl, the champion he co-owns with Joe McHugh. Girl ran fast to the limits, handled and had three good finds. Second was Bella Bulli with a strong race and four finds. Taydem Boyer handled The Secret to third with a fine effort and four finished finds

The Amateur Derby had handler Dave Mckay winning again, this time with Answered Prayers. The pointer male had a strong race and good birdwork. Taydem Boyer handled Miller's Upgrading the Ante, the winner of the Open Derby, to a fine effort and a finished find. Gunner Boyer's pointer Buck Wild was third with a big race on the edges and a finished find.

Judges: Mark Hughes and R. B. Powell

AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG -- 11 Pointers

1st--NORTH COUNTRY GIRL, 1654212, female, by Great River Ice--Richfield Silver Belle. David McKay & Joe McHugh, owners; Dave McKay, handler.

2d--BELLA BULLI, 1674898, pointer female, by Bully Bragg--Bullerina. Ernie & Karen Saniga, owners; Ernie Saniga, handler.

3d--THE SECRET, 1686192, male, by Waybetter Rocky--Ladywood's Keepsake. Brian Sanchez & Lisa Pollock, owners; Taydem Boyer, handler.

Judges: Matt Basilone and Mark Hughes

AMATEUR DERBY -- 6 Pointers

1st--ANSWERED PRAYERS, 1689233, male, by Broken Halo--Rocky River Snowbird. Allen Linder, Madison McDonald & Casey Hollander, owners; Dave McKay, handler.

2d--MILLER'S UPGRADING THE ANTE, 1690200, pointer female, by Miller's Upgraded Version--Erin's Little Rose. Allen Linder, owner; Taydem Boyer, handler.

3d--BOYER'S RUNNING BUCK WILD, 1693300, male, by Chowan River C Rail--War Paint's Little Birdie. Stephen G. Boyer, owner; Gunner Boyer, handler.

ONE-HOUR OPEN SHOOTING DOG STAKE

R. B. Powell reported the hour stake as follows:

The Open Shooting Dog began in very damp conditions resulting from overnight rains, Judges Mark Hughes and R. B. Powell watching the dogs.

First place was awarded to Miller's Blazing Hot Chick handled by Mike Tracy. She ran in the sixth brace on Monday. Chick ran aggressively ahead with a find at 6 at the edge of the woods at end of the top field. After cruising consistently ahead on the back, bottom fields, and crossing the bottom along Schaeffer's Creek fields, she pointed for her second find going up fenceline on the right. Her third find was at the beginning of Suwack's field. She cruised easily around Suwack's large bottom field. The fourth find was on the top hedge near the ranch house on the way back. Her fifth on top of briar patch hollow at 55 and the sixth on the gully almost to the pickup area at 58. Her Pointin style was excellent and birds were easily located. Her very classy gait was nicely paced, she handled easily, and her hunting attitude was obvious.

Limbsmoke Sheet Rock was handled by Matt Basilone. Running in the seventh brace on Tuesday morning, the tall, athletic setter ran with an attractive and efficient gait and pointed with intensity. He had five finds starting at the stone wall on top and continuing with finds along the hedges in the back fields on the way out and back. His final find was in the briar patch under the apple trees at the top. He handled in a relaxed manner and stayed forward without pushing. He made long cruising casts along the edges of the bottom fields and intelligent application to objectives.

Third was earned by R Q's Saddle running on Tuesday afternoon in the eleventh brace, handled by Jeanette Tracy. Saddle showed superior skill handling difficult birds with two careful and diligent relocations. Saddle was often out of sight but always seem to know the course and was found standing ahead. Finishing with five finds and staying strong with an attractive running style, he was impressive always.

Honorable Mentions, with commendable performances in the order in which they ran, were: Rocky River Showmaster, Hillhavyn's Wild Child, Smoke and Mirrors, and Iron Bully.

Judges: Mark Hughes and R. B. Powell

OPEN SHOOTING DOG [One-Hour Heats] -- 25 Pointers and 11 Setters

1st--MILLER'S BLAZIN HOT CHICK, 1681098, pointer female, by Kiki's Black Diamond--County Lines Elhew Dot. Bill & Muriel Primm, owners; Mike Tracy, handler.

2d--LIMBSMOKE SKEET ROCK, 1663261, setter male, by Grouse Woods Skeeter--Fort River Rockaloo. Lloyd Miller, owner; Matt Basilone, handler.

3d--R Q'S SADDLE, 1680847, pointer male, by Waybetter Rocky--Ladywood's Keepsake. Ted Foust & Muriel Primm, owners; Jeanette Tracy, handler.