Event: Rich Tuttle Grouse Dog Classic & Companion Stakes
Result: Venango Grouse Trial Club

Location: Marienville, Pennsylvania

Post Date: Feb 10, 2023

Submitted By: Joe Cammisa

The Venango Grouse Trial Club held its fall 2022 renewal on November 11-13 in The Allegheny National Forest near Marienville, Pa. Bettina's Restaurant in Marienville was host to the trial and supplied lunches and dinner throughout. David Powel wrangled horses with Nittany Trail Rides of State College, Pa.

The Venango club would like to thank Andy Bogar, Dave Kays, Dave Duell, Nick Lasica, and Brian Ralph for their attention to detail and fine judgment skills.

Fifty-two dogs were drawn for the weekend that capped off the fall for the Mid-Atlantic group. Andy and Bob sat in judgment over the all-age group of shooting dogs in the Rich Tuttle Grouse Dog Classic and had an easy time naming Dun Rovens Midnite Ike, a pointer male owned by Dr. Peter Millett and handled by Robert Ecker. Ike had a beautiful grouse find and, with all in order, ran an excellent all-age race to top off his hour. The runner-up was Bud of Piney Woods, who also showed savvy while hitting all his objectives while applying himself to the course. Bud is owned by Rich Warters and was handled by Robert Ecker. Midnight Kennels swept the All-age and had a pretty good weekend.

Nick and Dave looked over a large field of derbies, 18. The derby ran on the Lamonaville Derby course, and once underway, the judges never looked back. Taking the blue, Leslie's Elli Mae, a fancy and nice moving setter female owned and handled by Les Bressler, set the pace and could not be toppled. Second was Parkway, a fast-paced pointer male owned and handled by Mark Hughes. The third-place winner was Ash Creek Tug, a good-looking and well-put-together setter male owned by Gerrard Burke and handled by Robert Ecker.

The Puppy stake rounded out the weekend with Brian Ralph and Nick Lasica sitting in the judicial saddle and overseeing a good group of youngsters. Blue Ribbon River stuck to his name and came in first to make it a matter of fact. She is a fancy and front-running pointer female owned by Marty Festa and handled by Robert Ecker. Christy Helms handled the second and third-place winners for John Capocci. Grouse Hill Mac, a fancy and front-running pointer, gave first-place River a run for the money with a closely contested second place. Third place, Grouse Hill Princess, a very animated and fun-to-watch female pointer, struck her mark by taking home the yellow.

The Venango club would like to thank all who gave their time to help make the Venango fall trial the success that it was. Most importantly, we would like to thank Greg Blair of Nestl Purina for all of the support he brings. I will say again that Purina is a lifeblood for field trialing in "The Pennsylvania Grouse Woods."

Marienville, Pa., November 11
Judges: Andy Bogar and Bob Kays
RICH TUTTLE OPEN ALL-AGE CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 14 Pointers, 12 Setters and 2 Irish Setters
1st--DUN ROVENS MIDNITE IKE, 1685001, setter male, by Ponderosa Mac-Moonshine Cherry. Dr. Peter Millett, owner; R. J. Ecker, handler.
2d--BO OF PINEY WOODS, 1661644, pointer male, by Bud of Piney Woods-Medlin's Dancin Abagail. Richar Warters, owner and handler.

Judges: Dave Duell and Nick Lasica
OPEN DERBY - 12 Pointers, 5 Setters and 1 Brittany
1st--LESLIE'S ELLIE MAE, 1697969, setter female, by Grouse River Rocken Roll-Grouse River Patti Cakes. Les Bressler, owner and handler.
2d--PARKWAY, 1701708, pointer male, by Grouse Trials Tuscarora-Hale Storm. Mark Hughes, owner and handler.
3d--ASH CREEK TUG, 1700419, setter male, by Ash Creek Domino-Ash Creek Cloe. Gerard Burke, owner; R. J. Ecker, handler.
Judges: Nick Lasica and Brian Ralph
OPEN PUPPY - 2 Pointers, 3 Setters and 1 Irish Setter
1st--BLUE RIBBON RIVER, 1701966, pointer female, by Double Deuce Zeke-Huckleberry's Lucky Penny. Martin Festa, owner; R. J. Ecker, handler.
2d--GROUSE HILL MAC, 1702136, setter male, by Grouse Hill Bullet Proof-Spata Seters Sally. Giovanni Capocci, owner; Christy Helms, handler.
3d--GROUSE HILL PRINCESS, 1702135, setter female, by Grouse Hill Bullet Proof-Spata Setters Cloe. Giovanni Capocci, owner; Christy Helms, handler.