Event: New England Amateur Woodcock Classic
Result: South County Field Trial Club

Location: Exeter, Rhode Island

Post Date: May 8, 2023

Submitted By: John Stolgitis

New England Amateur Woodcock Classic: Eric Rizza (judge), Bruce Mueller, with Doodle Ridge Elroy, John Olfson (judge), Mike Flewelling with Sunkhaze Vera Masardis, and John Stolgitis.

Over a hundred years ago, there were wild bird field trials in Arcadia, and that tradition continues today. We are not suggesting they have been there continuously over the years, but as of March 2023, they are undoubtedly alive and stronger than ever. Running in the spring on wild birds can sometimes be worrisome, relying on the spring migration of woodcock; although it is believed there are birds in Arcadia year round, we rely strongly on the migration, and this year worked out great!

The South County Field Trial Club has long supported New England Amateur trials in Arcadia, twice being the host grounds for the National Amateur Woodcock Championship. After last year's perceived lack of support for New England amateurs by the parent organization, the club elected to go in a new direction. The club felt the Amateur has long supported the open trials and the profit for many trials while getting very little for their entry fees.

The South County Field Trial Club decided to change that this year with the inaugural running of the New England Amateur Woodcock Classic. Trying to keep the sport affordable, the club had a modest $75 entry fee and, something not seen in quite some time, a purse in an amateur event. We were starting with a $1,000 purse, but as word spread, requests to donate came pouring in, and the purse quickly grew to $1,800 (more than the purse in the Open Championship).

The club provided keeper plaques rivaling those of larger events and two rotating silver plaques for the winner and runner-up donated by Tim Kisieleski in honor of two of his past champions, Chasehill Little Thudd and Wild Apple Calvados. We had product support from Nestl Purina, thanks to Greg Blair. Purina and Greg have been long-time supporters of wild bird trials, and their support helps us dramatically. Jill Stolgitis once again opened her home to the New England amateurs for nightly dinners.

The big one on Saturday night, attended by roughly 30 people, consisted of cold appetizers of cheese, soppressata, homemade capicola, and various dips. Then to hot appetizers of fresh scallops wrapped in bacon provided by Russell Ogilvie and fresh Maine steamers donated by Mike Flewelling. The main course was Caesar salad, black angus prime rib, and Lighthouse potatoes. Not to turn this into a food article, but Lighthouse potatoes are Maine potatoes boiled in a half-gallon heavy cream, a pound of butter, and then baked with bread crumbs and a pound of Pecorino Romano cheese; don't skip your cholesterol medicine!

Many others donated toward the event and helped with the logistics of making this trial a success, including, but not limited to, Alan Raiano, Joe Dahl, Bob Little, Doug Forgraves, Karen Unsworth, Mike Flewelling, Russell Ogilvie, and many others.

The trial drew extremely well and filled up early due to only being able to run for two days; 26 dogs were drawn. Tasked with choosing the winners were John Olfson and Eric Rizza, two die-hard, committed New England amateurs. Both men have judged multiple championships and would have run dogs in this event had they not decided to help the sport by judging, and the club and sport give them our thanks! That being said, these two certainly had their work cut out for them. As referenced earlier, the bird numbers were solid. On the first day, 11 out of 14 dogs finished with clean bird work. Think about that; 11 clean dogs on wild birds!
Unprecedented! Eighteen dogs finished clean. Birds on every course and brace throughout the trial proved Arcadia to be the country's premiere spring wild bird grounds. The trial was well attended with some of the biggest galleries I have seen in the woods, with one brace having 26 walkers join to watch the action!

The judges noted that most championships they have judged were much easier than this one. Doodle Ridge Elroy bested the field for his proud owner, Bruce Mueller from Bedford, Pa. Roy ran on the "bridge course" and was in the brace No. 6. He had a powerful forward race always at the edge of his bell punctuated by two very stylish finds and finished very strongly, taking home the $1,000 prize. Second place went to long-time New England amateur field trialer Mike Flewelling and his derby, Sunkhaze Vera Masardis. Mike has been absent from the trial scene for several years, and after this week, many wished he had stayed that way. Coming off her recent placement in the Woodcock Futurity, Vera also ran on the bridge course. She had a fast-forward race with five well-spaced finds to bring home the $500 second prize. (Vera also won the Southern New England Woodcock Championship and companion Joel Collier Open Derby Classic; quite a week for Mike and Vera). Just so you know how competitive this stake was, third place and $300 was awarded to reigning Grand National Champion Spring Brook Maximus and his owner Russell Ogilvie. Max ran on everyone's favorite course, the 'cemetery.' Max had two finds, one in the green briar jungle where no other dog dared to go.

Thanks to all who made this trial such a success! Plans are underway for next year's event, and sponsors are lining up to support the New England amateurs.

Exeter, R. I., March 18
Judges: John Olfson and Eric Rizza
NEW ENGLAND AMATEUR WOODCOCK CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 17 Pointers, 8 Setters and 1 Brittany
1st--DOODLE RIDGE ELROY, 1679540, setter male, by Grouse Ridge Reroy-Doodle Ridge Mia. Bruce Mueller, owner and handler.
2d--SUNKHAZE VERA MASARDIS, 1699121, pointer female, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Mike Flewelling, owner and handler.
3d--SPRINGBROOK MAXIMUS, 1657296, pointer male, by Chasehill Little Bud-Riley's Rowdy Shadow. Russell Ogilvie, owner and handler.

SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WOODCOCK CHAMPIONSHIP
The Southern New England Woodcock Championship began on March 20. We are always a little nervous about bird numbers in the spring, but even more so after 44 dogs have been run on the courses the previous three days. We need not worry because bird numbers continued to be extremely strong and consistent with birds on every course and brace.

The club wishes to thank the State of Rhode Island for supporting wild bird trials in Arcadia. Once again, a huge thanks to Greg Blair and Nestl Purina for their generous and continued support of the club and wild bird trials. Thanks to Jill Stolgitis, who continued to open her home nightly for dinners for all in attendance six nights in a row.

The trial was well-supported, with five pros in attendance and 35 dogs drawn at Saturday evening's banquet. Judges for this year's renewal were Doug Dix and Kris Norby, two avid New England amateurs, and avid wild bird hunters who brought their knowledge and unquestionable integrity to the line.

Derby phenom Sunkhaze Vera Masardis emerged as the winner of a highly talented and competitive field for owner/handler Mike Flewelling. Vera had placed second in the Northern American Woodcock Futurity and second in the New England Amateur Woodcock Classic. She is on a roll! Vera ran on the 'cemetery' course, which can be challenging in spots. Vera's bell fell silent at 10 in the thick laurels. She was located by the scout, and on handlers and judges approach, a bird lifted but was missed by the judge in the thick, and Vera was collared away with no further flushing attempt. She then navigated her way to the front, gliding through the extremely thick briars, and was rewarded in the top section looking breathtakingly high and tight on both ends throughout the flushing attempt and flight of the doodle. Across the road we went, where the conditions were much more open, showcasing Vera's foot speed and flowing forward pattern. Unbelievably she pointed in the wide-open mature timber, and another woodcock was put to flight. Now, as they say, after two finds, show me the race!
Vera did not disappoint, filling the country at the edge of her bell to score the Championship.
Judge Dix commented that it was the best ground performance he had ever seen! Vera is the product of Chasehill Kennels out of the wildly successful Ch. Panola Bacon/Chasehill Little Izzy cross. She is out of the second cross-breeding, which produced three out of the four winners in both the Grouse and Woodcock Futurities. The first litter of this cross produced four different open champions. Mike has done a great job with Vera.

This year's runner-up in the Southern New England Woodcock Championship is Vera's full sister, Champion Chasehill Poison Ivy. Allen Raiano of Newton, Conn., owns Ivy; this is her fifth championship title, and she just turned three! Ivy ran in brace No. 9, and the course had been run on eight times in the previous four days. Surely the birds would be getting hard to point and handle by now. Ivy went out and had a bird-finding extravaganza with seven perfectly well-spread-out woodcock finds and a flowing forward race just shy of her younger sister.
Thanks to all who supported and helped make this year's Championship a success.

Southern New England Woodcock Championship: Mike Flewelling with Sunkhae Vera Masardis and John Stolgitis Chasehill Poison Ivy.

Judges: Doug Dix and Kris Nordby
SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WOODCOCK CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 25 Pointers and 10 Setters
Winner--SUSNKHAZE VERA MASARDIS, 1699121, pointer female, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Mike Flewelling, owner and handler.
Runner-Up--CHASEHILL POISON IVY, 1694453, pointer male, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Alan Raiano, owner; John Stolgitis, handler.

Joel Collier Open Derby Classic
After six days of running on wild birds, the trial moved to the John A. Stolgitis Dog Training Area for the Joel Collier Open Derby Classic and Coverdog Puppy Classic. The John A. Stolgitis training area consists of 800 acres in the middle of Arcadia for trialing and dog training year-round. It was named after my father, longtime Chief of Fish and Wildlife, John A. Stolgitis. It is the only state land open year-round for the training of bird dogs. This area was established long before I even considered attending a field trial. My father recognized the importance of bird dogs and sportsmen, and upon his retirement, the Governor officially named it after him. They are New England's premier walking field trial grounds, and the State of Rhode Island has the grounds looking great.

Sunkhaze Vera Masardis continued her winning ways for owner/handler Mike Flewelling, showing she could handle the open edges and walking released quail. Judges Jamie Nee and Bill Bonnetti named her the winner with her beautiful three-find performance. New Hampshire pro Adam Dubiske, with North Country's Soda Pop, took home the runner-up plaque. Soda Pop also had a three-find performance and looked great with advanced manners on her game.

Joel Collier Derby Classic: Mike Flewelling Sunkhaze Vera Masardis and Adam Dubriske with North Country's Soda Pop.

Judges: Bill Bonnetti and Jamie Nee
JOEL COLLIER OPEN DERBY CLASSIC - 13 Entries
1st--SUNKHAZE VERA MASARDIS, 1699121, pointer female, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Mike Flewelling, owner and handler.
2d--NORTH COUNTRY'S SODA POP, 1694744, setter male, by Ponderosa Mac-Hunter's Flight Risk. Nick Hamel, owner; Adam Dubriski, handler.

Coverdog Puppy Classic
All-Age comes to the Puppy Classic. Lanny Dellinger and Richie Rogers looked over a talented field of youngsters. Mohawk Mill Double E, owned by Ellen Clements and Erin Stolgitis, was named the winner. "Bo Derek" is from the heart of Gary Winall's all-age breeding program. She is a powerfully built physical specimen and hopefully has a bright future.

Second place was awarded to Sunkhaze Orange Gerry, also from the kennels of Gary Winall, for her new owner and handler, Mike Flewelling (this was Mike's first time running her). This well-built orange bitch is out of Gary's champion, Mohawk Mill Trail Warrior. Gary sent these two dogs North to the woods to show that if a dog has a brain, it can compete in any venue.
Third went to Chasehill Snoop Dog, owned by Erin Stolgitis. Snoop is a tall, leggy male out of the third cross between Champion Panola Bacon and Champion Chasehill Little Izzy. We can only hope that he shares some of the successes his brothers and sisters have had.

Judges: Lanny Dellinger and Richie Rogers
COVERDOG PUPPY CLASSIC - 6 Pointers, 2 Setters and 1 Irish Setter
1st--MOHAWK MILL DOUBLE E, 1703688, pointer female, by Mohawk Mill Big Stuff-Mohawk Mill Dolly. Ellen Clements & Erin Stolgitis, owners; John Stolgitis, handler.
2d--SUNKHAZE ORANGE BERRY, unreg., pointer female, by Mohawk Mill Trail Warrior-Raging Redd Lady. Mike Flewelling, owner and handler.
3d--CHASEHILL SNOOP DOG, 1703110, pointer male, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Erin Stolgitis, owner; John Stolgitis, handler.

It was a fun-filled, sometimes stressful, seven days, and we will do it all again next year...God-willing!

Coverdog Puppy Classic: John Stolgitis with Mohawk Mill Double E, Mike Flewelling with Sunkhaze Orange Gerry, and Rich Giuliano with Chasehill Snoop Dog.