Author: janetbob

    

 

All In, our 15-month-old male, won the North American Woodcock Futurity in Canada on October 1, 2011.  “Chance” is sired by Ch. Lilley Hill’s Secret Stash ex our Grand National Grouse Champion Full Tilt.  “Chance” was handled by amateur Mike Spotts of Bloomsburg, PA who was in New England on a judging assignment and took “Chance” along for some hunting and a crack at this futurity. 

“Chance” is a thrilling dog to watch operate.  He’s fast, very quick and light on his feet and he’s exceptionally stylish and intense on point.  We have high hopes that “Chance” will be a difference maker and have a positive impact on the breed.

Carry On, owned by Roger Marin,  Michter’s Rock ‘N Rye owned by Jared Specht and Ghost Train Cody owned by Tom Fruchey are littermates to “Chance” who have already won in open derby competition despite their still being eligible for puppy stakes.  Each has the class of their mother and the strength of their father, Stash.

 

 

Wintergreen Max, Mickey Fancher’s son of Pennstar, won the Minnesota Grouse Dog Championship, October 2011.  “Max” continued right where he left off last spring when he claimed the coveted Grouse and Woodcock Invitational Championship.  This is Max’s third championship title.  Handled by his amateur owner, Max reinforced his reputation as a strong dog on the ground as well as a consummate bird finder in this event.

 

Photo taken 10/2011.  Both photo and “Rock” are untouched.

5X Ch. Pennstar is still in great shape and going strong at 11 years of age.   As in the very recent photo above, “Rock” continues to exhibit the straight high-tailed look on point that he and his offspring are known for.  You can almost feel the extreme intensity coming through the picture that “Rock” displayed throughout his 8 year competitive career that included 5 wild bird Championships and 1 Runner-Up Championship title.  “Rock” continues to sire pups and build his leading living sire production record.  His latest litter was whelped in September 2011 to a Grouse Ridge bred female in NY.  “Rock” remains available to the public at stud.

 

 

Pepper Upper, son of Pennstar ex George Johnson’s Stella Doro, won 1st at the West Branch Grouse Trial Club, Open Derby on October 9, 2011.  The cover on much of the course was very heavy and the 80 degree day challenged all the dogs but “Pepper” dug into the cover and kept hard at it.  When the course opened up, “Pepper” took advantage and moved over the ground with speed, lightness-of-foot and crack.  “Pepper” is a big dog who looks good on the move.  He was steady-to-wing and shot on his birdwork.

Rock Hard, Grindstone ex Barnburner, passed away at the age of 13 this fall.  “Tac” and his litter brother, Topseed, were a pair of contenders for us in the early years of this century.  Topseed won the Flanagan Award but we kept his brother “Tac” as he was more bird dog.  He found more birds and wanted to point and stand them.  Topseed was harder driving and more rangy.  “Tac” has a nice list of wins to his credit, the best was being Runner-Up in the Fruchey Classic (44 dogs), an all-age stake in Michigan with Dave Hughes doing the handling.  My favorite recollection of “Tac” was out pheasant hunting with him as a derby and finding him standing on the other side of a creek high on the other bank with a cockbird pinned.   He had been standing there a long time and I was able to call in my hunting pal to show him the breathtaking style and exceptional intensity that “Tac” displayed. 

When “Tac’s” trial days were over he went to live and hunt with the Tom Morris family in western PA.  Tom’s boys were in high school and loved to hunt.  It was a race between the boys getting home from school and Dad getting home from work to see who would be the first to get “Tac” out hunting that day.  At “Tac’s” passing Tom wrote Dick and me a moving letter recalling the enjoyment “Tac” brought the family.  One son wrote separately to second Dad’s praise and appreciation for being able to have a super bird dog while growing up.

 

Impact Player, son of Pennstar ex Joe Dahl’s Magic Mist’s Bandit, won the DuBois-Beaver Meadows Amateur Shooting dog in this his first season as an all-age.  Tall and strong, “Joe” flashed around the course at DuBois with eye-catching style.  At the 20 mark, he pointed a running bird which he had relocated twice before his handler, Dick Brenneman, put it to wing.  “Joe” finished off with a find as the clock ticked down.  His style was arresting and some in the gallery commented, “breathtaking”.  We are enthusiastic about this tri-color and believe he can make a mark in all-age grouse competition in the coming seasons.

Full Blast, son of Pennstar ex Walnut Hill Cracklin Patch, won the DuBois-Beaver Meadows Open Derby over a field of 14 on September 3, 2011.  “Jeb” was handled by Dick Brenneman to a three-find performance in his first derby start.  “Jeb” was steady-to-wing and shot on all his finds.  Even though “Jeb” is one of the largest dogs we have ever campaigned, he moves smoothly over the ground and has the crack and eye appeal that Pennstar progeny are known for.

Veteran daughters of Pennstar scored second and third respectively at the West Branch Grouse Trial, Open All-
Age, October 9, 2011.  Jumpstart is owned and handled by Mike Spotts of Bloomsburg, PA and Spark’s Fly is owned by Gardner Stoker of Mifflinburg, PA.  While temperatures were in the 80s, both showed their determination in hunting the heavy cover of “The Barrens” outside State College, PA.  Both of these females have mulitple wins on these grouse grounds over the years.  It’s satisfying to see dogs handled and trained by amateurs do well in open grouse dog competition.  Jumpstart had just returned from NY where she, according to the judges, laid out the best race of the Region 2 Amateur Championship run in grouse cover.

All In & Full Blast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been “blessed” (?) with four male pups of high quality.

• All In, whelped June 4, 2010.  By Ch. Lilleyhills Secret Stash x Grand National Grouse Ch. Full Tilt
• PepperUpper, whelped January, 2010.  By 5x Ch. Pennstar ex Stella Doro
• Navistar, whelped Feb. 11, 2010.  By 5xCh. Pennstar ex Starlite Jessy
• Full Blast, whelped March 5, 2010.  By 5x Ch. Pennstar ex Walnut Hills Cracklin Patch

Each of these pups has placed in puppy stakes.  Typically by this age we would have been able to see that some of the pups we are carrying don’t have Championship characteristics.  Dave Hughes is working three of these pups this summer and so far he says they are “‘all keepers”.   They all look good on game and are progressing well in standing steady to wing and shot.  They all look exciting running hard with cracking tails.  They all look exciting on point with straight tails.

Ten years ago we would have been thrilled to have just one pup who looked as good as any of these do.  The quality of  the setters we are seeing has been elevated over time as we have stuck to our philosophy as to the type of dog we want to produce and develop.  We are now in our thirtieth year and 7th generation of dogs we have produce and campaigned.  Sticking with a plan over these decades is paying off.  We can’t keep them all and eventually we will pick out the dog(s) we like best from this crop.  It’s been an exciting year working these pups and seeing them develop as bird dogs.

Straight Forward, by Keystone Red Rage x Quixstar, ended her derby career with a 2nd at the DuBois–Beaver Meadow open derby.  “Cracker” ran hard and ahead throughout the half-hour heat.  In the open areas she reached and in the woods cover she adjusted her range.  She was clearly applying herself to hunting and her efforts were rewarded with four finds.  She stood each with her characteristic high tail and excellent intensity.  She was steady on some finds.  At the 30 minute mark she was still driving and showing off her merry, cracking running style.