Event: Chasehills Wango Tango Wins 46th Renewal
Result: North American Woodcock Futurity

Location: Exeter, Rhode Island

Post Date: May 12, 2023

Submitted By: Robert Little

North American Woodcock Futurity Winners (from left): Tim Cavanagh (judge), Al Raiano, John Stolgitis with Chasehills Wango Tango, Mike Flewelling with Sunkhaze Vera Masardis, Adam Dubriske with North Country's Soda Pop, Jimmy Levesque (judge), Josie Wasserman with Chasehill Wicked Wilma, and Nick Hamel.

Each fall, the North American Woodcock Futurity is normally held in conjunction with the North American Woodcock Championship in New Brunswick, Canada. Last fall, due to the size of the Championship entry and an accommodations crunch, the Futurity was postponed, and a decision was made to hold it in Rhode Island in the spring of 2023.

The Maritime Bird Dog Club wishes to thank the South County Field Trial Club, John and Jill Stolgitis, for all the leg work leading up to the trial and hosting a St. Patrick's Day meal at their home after the trial. Everyone enjoyed an excellent evening of great food and fellowship.

The Futurity was the first trial in a series of wild bird trials at Arcadia Wildlife Management Area, including the New England Amateur Woodcock Classic and the Southern New England Woodcock Championship that followed. We wish to thank Greg Blair and Purina for sponsoring these trials.

All the woodcock trials were blessed with beautiful spring weather and numerous birds on all the courses. The nice weather brought out large galleries to all of the stakes. Thank you to judges Jimmy Levesque of Salem, Mass., and Tim Cavanaugh of East Hampton, Conn., for looking over these young hopefuls and giving each dog their utmost attention.

We also thank and recognize club member Joe Dahl for his efforts as Futurity chairman. Joe has overseen the Futurity for several years and has kept this important wild bird stake viable and in good stead.

The Winners
The second brace of the trial featured littermates Chasehills Wango Tango (PM), owned by Alan Raiano and handled by John Stolgitis, and Sunkhaze Vera Masardis (PF), owned and handled by Mike Flewelling. These two white and liver pointers broke away on Pine Top #2 ahead of a huge gallery, and it didn't take them long to get to work. After crossing the 300-yard field and into the alder run, both dogs stopped in unison to the right of the trail. A woodcock was put to flight, guns were fired, and a divided find was in the books at 3. The dogs continued through the alder run with Tango carding another find at 6. Vera's bell stopped well ahead and slightly right at the end of the alder run as the course breaks left toward the brook. As Mike's gun rang out for Vera's find, Tango had a stop to flush back on course, and John's gun was fired almost simultaneously at 12. With plenty of bird work in the books, both dogs ran hard to the front for the remainder of the brace. Tango was named first, and Vera second. Little did we know at that point what the next six days would hold for Vera and Mike. Let's just say this will be a young dog to watch for. These two dogs were bred by John Stolgitis out of Panola Bacon x Chasehill Little Izzy. This was the second litter out of this pair, with these dogs showing the same winning attributes as the first. A third litter is now winning puppy stakes this spring.

The third-place dog, North Country's Soda Pop, ran in brace No. 4 with Magic Mist LLB. These young setters broke away on Bridge #1 with Adam Dubriske handling Soda Pop and Joe Dahl, owner and handler of LLB. Both dogs handled nicely to the front. At 25, LLB stopped to the left of the course, and nothing could be produced after a flushing attempt and relocation. The young setter was reluctant to move on, and while this was going on, Soda Pop had a woodcock find ahead on course with seconds remaining on the clock. Soda Pop, owned by Nick Hamel, is out of multiple champion Ponderosa Mac x Hunter's Flight Risk. Nick and his wife Emily were on hand to watch her winning performance.

The fourth-place dog, Chasehill Wicked Wilma, ran in brace No. 7 and is owned and handled by John Stolgitis. Wilma was braced with Creekside's Riptide, owned and handled by Chris Wasserman. Back on Pine Top #2, both dogs ran to the front, with Wilma showing greater range. Wilma had a stop to flush on a woodcock at 7. Wilma is also a littermate to the first and second-place dogs.

The Running
Brace 1 paired Lady Lucy Lou, owned by Jonathan Wilkins and handled by Robert Little, and Country Roads Acer, owned and handled by Chris Wasserman, on Pine Top #1. The two setter females stormed the side hill and down into the bottomland. Lucy got under two woodcock along the stream and took them for a ride.

Brace No. 2 was described under "The Winners."

Brace No. 3 paired Snake, owned by Pat Connors and handled by John Stolgitis, and Snuff Mill High Caliber, owned and handled by Lanny Dellinger, on the Cemetery course. Both setters ripped through the plentiful green brier and laurel on this course. Snake stood at 7 with a woodcock flushing in front of him before a flushing attempt could be made and showed derby manners. He also had barren stands at 16 and 27. High Caliber was a magnum on this day, and Dellinger asked for the tracker when he hit the road at 20.

Brace #4 was described under "The Winners."

Brace No. 5 paired Wynot Lottie, owned and handled by Al Robbins, and Partridge Hollow Elrumhew, owned by Giuseppe Papandrea and handled by Adam Dubriske, on Bridge #2. Lottie ran a moderate race to the front with minimal handling and had a stop to flush on woodcock at 20 and 28. Elrumhew was a handful this day, with the handler having a time keeping him to the front.

Brace No. 6 paired Ralphy's Chasehill Molly, owned by Brian Ralph and handled by John Stolgitis, and Pool Brook Dobby, owned by Charles Hulbert and handled by Adam Dubriske, on Pine Top #1. Molly ran strong and animated to the front with an unproductive at 3. At 28, she stopped with purpose along the brook, and after a lengthy flushing attempt, the dog was sent on with a woodcock popping just beyond where the handler had flushed. Dobby ran a moderate race and was birdless.

Brace No. 7 was described under "The Winners."

Brace No. 8 saw bye-dog, Ralphy's Chasehill Rip, owned by Brian Ralph and handled by John Stolgitis, on the Cemetery course. Rip made his way through the brier and laurel with a moderate race and was birdless on this day.
Exeter, R. I., March 17
Judges: Tim Cavanaugh and Jim Levesque
NORTH AMERICAN WOODCOCK FUTURITY - 8 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st--CHASEHILLS WANGO TANGO, 1697813, pointer male, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Alan Raiano, owner; John Stolgitis, handler.
2d--SUNKHAZE VERA MASARDIS, 1699121, pointer female, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Mike Flewelling, owner and handler.
3d--NORTH COUNTRY'S SODA POP, 1694744, setter female, by Ponderosa Mac-Hunter's Flight Risk. Nicholas Hamel, owner; Adam Dubriske, handler.
4th--CHASEHILL WICKED WILMA, 1698454, pointer female, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Harley D. McClung, owner; John Stolgitis, handler.