Event: Garden State Shooting Dog Classics
Result: English Setter Club of America

Location: Lacey Township, New Jersey

Post Date: Jun 28, 2023

Submitted By: Lloyd Miller

Garden State Open Shooting Dog Classic Winners (front, l-r): Melissa Basilone, Matt Basilone with Triple Nickel Carbon Copy, Joe Lordi with Navajo Cody, and Julie Crowling with West Wind's Blue Image. (Behind): Marcus Ramseur, Miranda Basilone, Joe Buchan (judge) with daughter, Josh Ruiter (judge), and Mike Mullineaux.

The English Setter Club of America Garden State Shooting Dog Classic program started Friday, March 24, and concluded Sunday, April 2. The weather was great except for a planned stoppage in the running on Saturday afternoon, March 25, where there were to be some dangerous thunderstorms and possible tornados passing through the area. They did not form, but the precaution was taken anyway.

The Club would like to thank SBHA this year for supporting this event. It was most appreciated. Next, I would like to thank Joseph Cincotta, our trial chairman, and Joe Lordi, the trial co-chair and secretary, who did most of the work in putting this event together. Others who did much of the work during the event were Matt and Norman Basilone and your scribe with the bird planting, and Bob Brooks, who did a yeoman job with the dog truck all week. A trial is not a success without these very vital tasks. We would also thank those who made the runs to get lunches for the judges daily and others.

Our judges this year were Josh Ruiter of Philadelphia. Pa., Joseph Buchanan of Brick, N. J. Dan Jolly of nearby Chatsworth, N. J., Mike Mullineaux of Atlantic, Va. John Frank of Medford, NJ, Marc Janiec of Cranbury, N. J., and Joseph Cincotta of Stockton, N. J. We thank them all for their time in the saddle and attentiveness throughout. Their decisions were well received.

This year we utilized a new layout for these grounds due to the state having burned hard the north side of Cable Road, leaving not a desirable option for bird planting. We started with our usual counterclockwise course for the hour stake, taking in the extreme southern limits of the grounds, switching to the inner south loop and reversing clockwise on the outer south, and finishing on the inner south loop before starting over on a continuous course layout. It provided a nice flow for dogs and handlers and plenty of bird work utilizing potions of fields not used normally, providing plenty of cover for birds and excellent bird work during the running.

The Garden State Open Shooting Classic had a very good entry of 22 top shooting dogs. Emerging as the winner was Triple Nickel Carbon Copy, a white and orange pointer male, owned by Robert and Linda Bergen of Vineland, N. J., and ably handled by Matt Basilone. He ran in brace No. 2 Friday afternoon and scored on four perfectly mannered and stylish quail finds and one back of bracemate. His race was always forward with good range to best the field this day.
Taking the second spot was Navajo Cody, a 7-year-old pointer male owned by Camille Masiello and Sal Morelli of White Plains N. Y. Cody, handled by Joe Lordi, ran in brace No. 1 Saturday morning (5th overall) and also did a great job. He had five really good stands with two backs in his hour. He ran a good forward-searching race. Third place went to West Wind's Blues Image, a German Shorthair pointer male, owned by Lance Fargo and handled by Mike Mullineaux of Atlantic, Va. Blaze ran in brace No. 3 Friday and had three nice and stylish quail finds coupled with a big searching race. Others that were close to the winners were Smoke N Mirrors, a pointer female, who ran in the first brace Friday and scored with five nice finds and a good race. Also, Ravenwood Throwing Smoke, a pointer male, in the last brace, No. 11, finished with three finds and a back. Matt Basilone handled both.

The Open Derby ran Sunday afternoon. Taking the first-place spot was Tee's Sweet Emotion, a white and liver pointer male owned by Great River Kennels of Central Islip, N. Y., and capably handled by Brian Sanchez. Tee had one standout quail find and a big, forward, classy race. Second went to Double A's Axle Rhoads, a young white and liver German Shorthair pointer male owned by Alexandra Frank and Alec Rhoads and handled by John Frank. Axle also had one nice piece of bird work and a strong searching race. Third went to Westwind's Royal Cut, a German Shorthair male owned by Julie Crowling of Virginia. Gonads scored with one piece of bird work with a good hunting race. Mike Mullineaux ably handled him.

The 30-minute Open Shooting Dog stake ran Monday. Taking the blue ribbon was Iron Will's True Grit, a white and liver pointer male. Grit had two standout quail finds on the outer south and a big, forward, classy race.
Second went to Monica's Little Lizzy, a German Shorthair female owned by Charles Monica and handled by Mike Mullineaux. Lizzy had one nice find at the southeast corner of the course and a good classy forward race.
Third went to Iron Will's Raging Bull, a white and liver pointer male. Baz had one good find at the Cable Road crossing near time and a good searching race. The first and third-place dogs are owned by Robert and Lisa Brooks of Hammonton, N. J., and were ably handled by Matt Basilone.

In the Amateur Shooting Dog Classic and taking the top spot with an excellent performance this week was Great River Yellowstone, handled by Brian Sanchez. Yellowstone had eight standout finds and a stop-to-flush with a big forward-searching race--a great job by the handler showing off a strong running and fast dog.
Second place went to All American Honky Rock, a white and orange setter male owned by Lenny Puchliakow and handled by Bo Mamounis of Newfield, N. J. Hank showed off his great nose, scoring eight times with a great forward race.
Third place was Harbor City Sure Shot, a white and liver pointer female, owned by Richard Gillis and Karen Lordi and handled by Marcus Ramseur. Sadie ran in brace No. 10 and scored nine times, with great style and class, to get the final spot. It was a great stake with a good field of 31 top shooting dogs.

Others that had good efforts during their hour in order of appearances are as follows:
Calico's Guns N Roses with Alex Smith (brace No. 1) had five finds at 5, 7, 36, 43, and 50, with an unproductive at 48. A 14-minute absence in the middle hurt his chances.
Tin Man's Heart with Alene LeVasseur (brace No. 2) had a good run scoring eight times at 8, 16, 24, 30, 40, 48, 54, and 58--a nice consistent forward-hunting effort.
Backcountry Bruiser with Tim Catanzarite (brace No. 3) had eight finds and four backs of bracemate--a good competitive brace with bracemate (back and forth finds).
Fluid Drive with Joe Lordi (brace No. 4) had a nine-find effort and a good forward race.
Waybetter Bobby with Robert Verderosa (brace No. 8) scored seven times at 3, 10, 17, 26, 34, 40, and 41.

The final stake, the Amateur Derby, ran Sunday afternoon, April 2. The winner was L H Coach, a white and liver pointer male. Coach showed off a great nose with three stylish finds (one was a nice size covey). His race was strong and forward. It was a nice performance. He is owned and handled by Tom Tracy of Lebanon, Conn.
Second was Backcountry Pure Gold, a pointer female with Chris Catanzarite at the helm. Gold scored with one nice stand and a good race.
Third was Iron Will's Raging Bull, a white and liver pointer male. Baz had two finds and a good hunting race. Marcus Ramseur of Newfield, N. J., handled him.

Lacey Twp, N. J., March 24 - One Course
Judges: Joe Buchan and Josh Ruiter
GARDEN STATE OPEN SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 16 Pointers, 2 Setters and 4 German Shorthairs
1st--TRIPLE NICKEL CARBON COPY, 1692617, pointer male, by Miller's Hennessy-Jamback's Amazing Grace. Robert & Linda Bergen, owners; Matt Basilone, handler.
2d--NAVAJO CODY, 1668520, pointer male, by Great River Ice-Blaze's Isis. Camille Masiello & Sal Morelli, owners; Joe E. Lordi, handler.
3d--WEST WIND'S BLUES IMAGE, 1663716, German Shorthair male, by Dress Blues-West Wind's High Dollar. Lance Fargo, owner; Mike Mullineaux, handler.
Judges: Mark Janiec and Josh Ruiter
OPEN DERBY - 6 Pointers and 6 Setters
1st--TEE'S SWEET EMOTION, 1699148, pointer male, by Touch's Red Rider-Tee's Funseekin Belle. Great River Kennels, owner; Brian Sanchez, handler.
2d--DOUBLE A'S AXLE RHOADS, unreg., German Shorthair male, by Keg Creek Mc's Big Lick-Monica's Quail Point Black River. Alexander Frank & Alex Rhoads, owners; John Frank, handler.
3d--WESTWIND'S ROYAL CUT, unreg., German Shorthair male, by Keg Creek Mc's Big Lick-Monica's Quail Point Black River. Julie Crowling, owner; Mike Mullineaux, handler.
Judges: Dan Jolly and Josh Ruiter
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 5 Pointers, 1 Setter and 5 German Shorthairs
1st--IRON WILL'S TRUE GRIT, 1697739, pointer male, by Hyhope Chipper-Iron Will Suzie. Robert & Lisa Brooks, owner; Matt Basilone, handler.
2d--MONICA'S LITTLE LIZZY, 1687182, German Shorthair female, by Uodibar's Lights Out-Monica's Bye Bye Smokin Sally. Charles Monica, owner; Mike Mullineaux, handler.
3d--IRON WILL'S RAGING BULL, 1697738, pointer male, by Hyhope Chipper-Iron Will Suzie. Robert & Lisa Brooks, owners; Matt Basilone, handler.
Judges: John Frank and Mike Mullineaux
GARDEN STATE AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 25 Pointers, 5 Setters and 1 German Shorthair
1st--GREAT RIVER YELLOWSTONE, 1688796, pointer male, by Fast Forward's B K Gunner-Wiggins Miss Stella. Great River Kennels, owner; Brian Sanchez, handler.
2d--ALL AMERICAN HONKY ROCK, 1678475, setter male, by All American Rockster-Minerva of Paradise. Lenny Puchliakow, owner; George Mamounis, handler.
3d--HARBOR CITY SHOT, 1668549, pointer female, by R J's Long Shot-Harbor City Sugar. Richard Gillis & Karen Lordi, owners; Marcus Ramseur, handler.

Garden State Amateur Shooting Dog Classic Winners (front, l-r): Melissa Basilone and Mia Basilone. (Behind): John Frank (judge), Brian Sanchez with Great River Yellowstone, Bo Mamounis with All American Honky Rock, Marcus Ramseur with Harbor City Sure Shot, and Mike Mullineaux (judge).

Judges: Joe Cincotta and Mike Mullineaux
AMATEUR DERBY - 9 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st--L H COACH, 1699305, pointer male, by Mohawk Mill Trail Warrior-Steel Valley Wardance. Tom Tracy, owner and handler.
2d--BACKCOUNTRY PURE GOLD, 1694791, pointer female, by Springflow's Backcountry P-Backcountry Tornado. Chris Catanzarite, owner and handler.
3d--IRON WILL'S RAGING BULL, 1697738, pointer male, by Hyhope Chipper-Iron Will Suzie. Robert & Lisa Brooks, owners; Marcus Ramseur, handler.

Amateur Derby Winners (front, l-r): Robert Verderosa and Miranda Basilone. (Behind): Mike Mullineaux (judge), Joe Cincotta (judge), Tom Tracy with L H Coach, Chris Catanzarite with Back Country Pure Gold, Marcus Ramseur with Iron Will's Raging Bull, and Robert Brooks.