Event: Annual Spring Trial Held At Dr. John Flaherty Field Trial Area
Result: Central Connecticut Bird Dog Club

Location: East Windsor, Connecticut

Post Date: Jul 27, 2023

Submitted By: Tom Gates

The Central Connecticut Bird Dog Club staged its annual spring event May 19-21 at the popular Dr. John Flaherty Field Trial Area in East Windsor, Conn. Established in 1961, the Central Connecticut Club has run class bird dog field trials for 62 consecutive years. The five-stake event was again chaired by Gene Casale, Jr., with dogs from up and down the Eastern United States competing.

As usual, Gene managed the trial with perfection. Every detail was meticulously executed in true, professional "Casale" style. I guarantee that everyone has a great time at a trial run by Gene! He will be hosting the Northeastern Championship in October on these grounds. The Casale family was well represented; daughters Anna and Heather helped in every detail. Pam Casale, Gene's wife, put on the club's famous Saturday night Handlers' dinner: fried chicken and all the fixings. Unfortunately, club member Tony Forte suffered a bad fall, leaving him hospitalized. Thus, he was unable to prepare his prized fried eggplant for the trial. Best wishes to Tony for a quick recovery! A good time was had by all attending.

Dave O'Brien was a "jack of all trades" this weekend. His dedication to helping in every aspect of the running was an example for us all. Thank you, Dave! Great judges always make a great trial, and we had some of the best! The Club sincerely thanks Kevin Stuart, Dave O'Brien, John Olfson, Tom Tracy, Alene LeVasseur, Anna Casale, and Amilcar Pereira for their fine judicial work. Their decisions were applauded by all attending. Dave O'Brien, Tom Tracy, Anna Casale, and sister Heather were true warriors planting birds all three days. Thank you all!

The Open Shooting Dog started the trial on Friday with an exceptional field of competitors. The weather was still cool, and the grass was very wet, making for great scenting conditions. Mike Tracy took the blue with Miller's Miss Congeniality. This pointer female was outstanding! She ran the limits of the course, finding quail at three locations. She runs with a very animated, happy gait. A high cracking tail and very fast attack on the ground was certainly unbeatable. A very intense stance was rewarded, with multiple birds lifting over the motionless dog at each find. Very nice dog! Suemac's Wicked Sister, second, is another pointer female that makes you look at her hard. This day she scored three times on quail with impeccable manners. When the judges called time, she was a distant dot on the powerline edge. Tango was a close third for John Stolgitis. The pointer male is another dog destined for top shooting dog honors on the major circuit. He is one of the classiest and most stylish young dogs that I have ever seen in a long time. Today he was found standing twice with birds well located and a statue at shot. Very pretty to watch on the ground; Tango also ate up the course finishing far to the front.

The Scotty Creel Open Derby is named for the memory of a friend and club member who put saving others' lives above his own safety. A Waterbury, Connecticut Fireman, Scotty was honored several times for his heroic acts. Although injured many times, he always was the first in and the last out, a real-life hero! As the temperature climbed on Friday, 10 derbies all demonstrated fantastic endurance. Greta took the blue with a show of speed and ambition. The German Shorthair female had a single in fine form and was found standing twice with covey birds well located. Her style on point is impressive. She finished hard in the midday heat.

Gene Casale had Railway Thor for second. You might want to ride this dog; he's really big going but in tune with the handler. A statue on point, Thor carded two covey finds with birds blasting out everywhere on the second find. A single near the end led to a huge finish on the left edge. Nice dog!

John Stolgitis has a sure winner with Chasehill Snoop Dog. This pointer male is a powerhouse. He never slowed down! His ground application was commendable, especially for a young dog. Found standing once, Snoop looked like a picture-- high and tight. He wanted to do another 30 minutes at time. Real nice dog!

The Guard Rail Open Shooting Dog stake honors Eugene Casale's Hall of Fame pointer, who often competed on these grounds. This stake is a coveted placement for anyone's dog. This year, 24 top dogs from up and down the East Coast competed for a chance to add a "Guard Rail" placement to their resume. Southpoint's Hog Wild emerged as the winner. Handled by Mike Tracy, this pointer male is a thrill to watch. "Harley" ran the limits of the grounds. His hard-driving effort was rewarded on three occasions with covey birds flown over a picturesque stance. He had plenty of bottom in the heat, finishing strong on the left edge. A thrill to watch!

Chasehill Poison Ivy was a close second for John Stolgitis in this highly contested stake. Ivy swapped ends in the pines to score a single in perfect form. She was next found standing in a large covey, birds perfectly located. Her third find saw a pair of quail lift over an intense stand. This ground race was a true hunting effort that couldn't be beaten. The great driving finish made Ivy a sure bet.

Matt Basilone had Smoke'N'Mirrors third with an awesome ground effort in the heat. Smoke swapped ends twice with a very intense pointing style. Her manners were impeccable. This is the type of dog that you want to take home with you! She finished driving on the left edge.

The Amateur Derby started things off on Sunday. Gene Casale took the blue with Railway Thor. The fast-moving pointer male has the tools to become a top shooting dog. Thor had a single in fine form this day and then logged a perfect covey find. Near the end, he was found standing a single. He finished way to the front with that high tail cracking all the time. Real classy dog!
Quest grabbed second in this stake for Tom Tracy. I like this dog! The stylish pointer male was big going, trading ends twice with covey finds. High and tight at shot! He also added a single near the end before a long driving finish on the left edge.

Will Dunn took Tim to third. The young pointer male impressed the judges with great speed and enthusiasm. Two picture-perfect quail finds, and a huge ground race made Tim a sure bet.

The Milo Wilkenson Amateur Shooting Dog stake is named for one of the Club's founding members. Milo was instrumental in acquiring grounds and establishing clubs and the New England Association. Will Dunn took first with Dunn's Sneak'n In. Although temperatures were rising rapidly, these shooting dogs ran like it was November! This big pointer was the epitome of class on the ground. He is exciting to watch and a handful at times for Will. He carded three evenly spaced finds in perfect form. His pointing style can only be described as intense. A statue flush; he was untouchable.

Alene LeVasseur took Tin Man's Heart ("Coin") to second. This setter did it all; taking the edges, finding birds four times, and finishing as a dot in the distance. His quail finds were perfect, with birds lifting right over his motionless stance on one occasion. Wow, what a great job!

John Olfson had Harwich Indian Creek Buck in third. Buck is magic on the ground, magic on birds. Two great quail finds in the heat of the day, and a race that got bigger and bigger in the midday heat made him a sure bet.

East Windsor, Conn., May 19 - One Course
Judges: Alene LeVasseur and Tom Tracy
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 9 Pointers and 1 German Shorthair
1st--MILLER'S MISS CONGENIALITY, 1699548, pointer female, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Quail Roost Too. Joseph McHugh, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.
2d--SUEMAC'S WICKED SISTER, 1699012, pointer female, by Miller's Heat Seeker-Dominator's Heir Kate. Roger McPherson, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.
3d--CHASEHILL SNOOP DOG, 1703110, pointer male, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Erin Stolgitis, owner; John Stolgitis, handler.
Judges: David O'Brien and Amilcar Pereira
SCOTTY CREEL OPEN DERBY - 10 Pointers, 2 Setters and 2 German Shorthairs
1st--GREF'S GRETA VON CHICOREE'S, 1698917, German Shorthair female, by Evergreen's Jed-Chicoree's Sparkling Ruby. Paul Grefrath, owner; J. Phelps, handler.
2d--RAILWAY THOR, 1699986, pointer male, by Great River Yellowstone-Guard Rail's Little Annie. Gene Casale, owner and handler.
3d--CHASEHILLS WANGO TANGO, 1697813, pointer male, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Allen Raiano, owner; John Stolgitis, handler.

Judges: John Olfson and Kevin Stuart
GUARD RAIL OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 22 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st--SOUTHPOINT'S HOG WILD, 1686800, pointer male, by Broken Halo-Backwoods Tennessee Honey. Mark Janier, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.
2d--CHASEHILL POISON IVY, 1694453, pointer female, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Allen Raiano, owner; John Stolgitis, handler.
3d--SMOKE'N'MIRRORS, 1679185, pointer female, by Just Irresistible-A Whiskey Lullaby. Richard Gillis & Stacey Goodie, owners; Matt Basilone, handler.
Judges: Anna Casale and David O'Brien
AMATEUR DERBY - 6 Pointers
1st--RAILWAY THOR, 1699986, male, by Great River Yellowstone-Guard Rail's Little Annie. Gene Casale, owner and handler.
2d--CARBONADO'S FINAL QUEST, 1698283, male, by Touch's Diamante-Empire On Line. Tom Tracy, owner and handler.
3d--TIM, unreg., male, breeding not given. Will Dunn, owner and handler.
Judges: Gene Casale and Kevin Stuart
MILO WILKENSON AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG - 4 Pointers and 2 Setters
1st--DUNN'S SNEAK'N IN, 1697090, pointer male, by Dunn's Tried'n True-K F Prairie Storm. Will Dunn, owner and handler.
2d--TIN MAN'S HEART, 1675626, setter male, by Erin's Hidden Shamrock-Waymaker Hello Dolly. Alene LeVasseur, owner and handler.
3d--HARWICH INDIAN CREEK BUCK, 1646614, pointer male, by South Bound Strech-Indian Creek Sugar. John Olfson II, owner and handler.

Harwich Indian Creek Buck, Third in the Milo Wilkenson Amateur Shooting Dog Stake.