Result: Highland Field Trial Club

Location: Highland, Michigan

Post Date: Mar 20, 2021

Submitted By: David A. Fletcher

The Highland Field Trial Club staged its spring trial March 20-21 over snow-free grounds at the Highland Recreation Area Silo course under glorious weather conditions.

The Highland Club's spring date has previously had cancellations because of heavy snow on the course route, but this year Lady Luck shone on us and gave us fabulous conditions to run bird dogs.

Saturday at the 7:41 morning breakaway it was 17 , warming to 59 after the luncheon. Sunday was 21 at the breakaway and well beyond 60 during the afternoon.

Early in the week as a trickle of entries came in, the fear was there would not be enough entries to hold all the stakes in our seven-stake program. Members were urging their dog buddies to enter some dogs and help the event.

By late Tuesday, a day before the drawing, entries were in the twenties, and then 31 entries came from the pro team of Dave and Mark Hughes. As Wednesday wore on our entries continued to climb. At the highest count entries were at 82, but several scratches and the cancellation of the Amateur Walking Derby and the Open Horseback Shooting Dog left us with 75 starters. Seventy- five would challenge the available daylight of our two-day event.

Club founders were there working. President Ron Sposita planting birds, judging and marshalling the course, Tom Vanecek planting birds, Vice-President Mark Beniak judging and filling the bird bags. George Najor was here helping with bird bagging and his finding of quail in the Carolinas and transporting them to the trial were a huge benefit to the club.Birds were again hard to come by, but we eventually got all we needed to put on a good trial birdwise.

Hours of daylight were a problem resulting in a two stake cancellation and on Saturday we barely finished the Open Walking Shooting Dog stake before the daylight vanished. Judging were Richard Hollister, Sr., Frank Ilijanic, Brian Trimmer, Bill Branham, Ron Levitan, Ron Sposita, Mark Beniak, and Jim Cipponeri, the club grateful to each of them for their help.

Ron Sposita and scribe Dave Fletcher attended to the drawing, Dave also posted the running order made out the judges books, paid the purses, took the entry money and reported the trial.

Ron and Maria Sposita brought the lunches both days. Italian sausage and pasta cooked by Ron, for Saturday lunch and for the remainder of the event Little Caesar's hot and ready Pizza. George Najor brought his normal large package of baclava.

Our thanks to Purina and U. S. Complete Association for their help.

OPEN WALKING PUPPY STAKE

Some very promising youngsters in this field of eighteen in the Walking Puppy Stake. Black Creek Augustus had the courage to hunt hard and widely to top the stake. Double Deuce Miles, second, and Tennessee Rye, third, were in the same category and hit the edges nicely to round out the placements.

Highland, Mich., March 20

Judges: Richard Hollister and Frank Ilijanic

OPEN WALKING PUPPY -- 9 Pointers, 7 Setters and 2 Brittanys

1st--BLACK CREEK AUGUSTUS, unreg., Brittany male, by Black Creek Whizki Skip--Black Creek Bell II. John Hall, owner and handler.

2d--DOUBLE DEUCE MILES, 1691405 , pointer male by Double Deuce Zeke--Bucket List Bella. Doug McMillen, owner and handler

3d--NORTH BAY'S TENNESSEE RYE, 1690874, setter male, by Ponderosa Mac--Eldridge's Beauty and Beast. Brandon Short, owner and handler.

OPEN WALKING SHOOTING DOG STAKE

Dun Roven's Drifter topped the 27-dog entry with a fine performance featuring four good finds, a very forward hunting effort and he went to all the good looking places on his course. Second was A Distant Spec with five finds, one a covey of quail, moments later, a very good relocation on a running bird, and she hunted the course with energy and purpose. Double Deuce Zeke was third, starting the heat with a back, then came three great finds all coupled with complete attention to hunting the course on pretty casts.

Judges: Brian Trimmer and Bill Braham

OPEN WALKING SHOOTING DOG -- 11 Pointers, and 16 Setters

1st--DUN ROVENS DRIFTER, 1655062, setter male, by Dun Roven's Gary--Dun Rovens Bootay. Richard Hollister, Jr., and Jack Harang, owners, Richard Hollister, Jr., handler.

2d--A DISTANT SPEC, 1668665, pointer female by Erin's War Creek--Brave Heart Cassie. Mike Husenits, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.

3d--DOUBLE DEUCE ZEKE, 16739940, pointer male by Double Deuce Peter--Funseeker's Holiday. Doug McMillen, Jr., owner, and handler

OPEN WALKING DERBY

Rockin Sydney was very forward in her search, found birds nicely twice, and added a back. A good first place performance. Redrum Rosie hunted with purpose, had multiple finds and was stylish in motion and on point. Sutter's Backwoods Rumble was third, offering a very creditable hunting effort, a pair of good finds and a good finish.

Judges: Ron Levitan and Ron Sposita

OPEN WALKING DERBY -- 2 Pointers, 5 Setters, and 1 Brittany

1st--SPRINGPOND ROCKIN SYDNEY. 1689212, setter female, by Springpond Rockin Autumn--Tailsup Olive. Leanne Parnell, owner; Mike Brown, handler.

2d--REDRUM ROSIE, 1685596, pointer female, by Erin's Redrum--Brave Heart Cassie. Mike Husenits, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.

3d--SUTTER'S BACKWOODS RUMBLE, 1685619, setter male, by Long Gone Studly--Single Shot Barley. Paula Giulitto, owner; Richard Hollister, Sr., handler.

AMATEUR WALKING SHOOTING DOG STAKE

Wildland Warrior (Lola) was the winner, a very fast moving and eager hunter, finding quail twice. Her smooth and stylish gait carried her to the edge of course and she finished well. Double Deuce Zeke was second, with perhaps the widest range in the stake, a trio of creditable finds and a strong finish. Sunrise Star (Mike), third, had great birdwork, hunted the course with birds on his mind but his ground coverage could not surpass the dogs placed above him.

Judges: Ron Levitan and Mark Beniak

AMATEUR WALKING SHOOTING DOG -- 5 Pointers,

7 Setters and 1 Brittany

1st--WILDLAND WARRIOR, 1676947, pointer female, by Erin's War Creek--Suemac's Coventry. Eric Munden, owner and handler.

2d--DOUBLE DEUCE ZEKE, 1673940, pointer male, by Double Deuce Peter--Funseeker's Holliday. Doug McMillen, Jr., owner and handler.

3d--SUNRISE STAR, 1645029, setter male. by Harbor City Hummer--Sandland Cinnamon Dr. George Najor, owner and handler.

OPEN WALKING SHOOTING DOG QUALIFIER STAKE

The final stake on the Highland Club program brought some keen competition for a placement and some good birdwork. Double Deuce Butters had a good find, a reaching ground effort and very admirable handling, gaining first place. Fireside Aiden (Ed), second, had a pair of good finds, a back and hunted well. Third was Dun Rovens Zip in the Hollister string with no birdwork but a very good front reaching hunting effort.

Judges: Ron Sposita and Jim Cipponeri

OPEN WALKING SHOOTING DOG QUALIFIER --

1 Pointer and 8 Setters

1st--DOUBLE DEUCE BUTTERS, 1677853, pointer male, by Cover Charge Search. Engine--Double Deuce Molly. Doug McMillen, Jr., owner; Mark Hughes, handler.

2d--FIRESIDE AIDAN, 1672601, setter, male by Ponderosa Mac--Rouge River Bogsucker. Dr. Mary Esser, owner; Mike Singleton, handler.

3rd--DUN ROVENS ZIP, 1686123, setter male, by Dun Roven's Drifter--Waymaker Hello Becky. Mark & Tom Fernandez, owners; Richard Hollister, Sr., handler.