Author: janetbob

Potential.  Having a young dog with the potential to develop into a bird dog that can win at the top of the game.  This is what most of us are seeking and it’s the reason we have “junior” stakes at field trials.  Puppy and Derby stakes feature youngsters from a variety of matings and lineages.  The placements in these stakes sort out which pup/derbies have the desired traits to go on to win as all-age/championships and which sires and dams are producing offspring with the potential to win in the best of company.

Particularly the Grand National Grouse Club standards have been the goal of our breeding program and the dogs that we campaign.  These standards emphasize hunting intelligence, bird finding, drive and desire, speed, running and pointing style and class.  This is what we are aiming for.

In the last weeks, again,  youngsters sired by Grand National Grouse Champion Full Blast have been judged to have this sought after potential reflected in the Grand National Grouse Club standards.  At the 2017 Grand National Grouse Puppy Classic, Full Blast sired Full Breeze, Asper Hill Pippi and Knob Mountain Mayhem were placed 1, 2, 3.  Previously in the 2016 and 2015 Grand National Puppy Classics, Full Blast pups were 1st and 3rd and 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively.  Eight of the 12 pups placed at The Grand in the last three years were sired by Full Blast.  No setter has ever come close to this record.

And it doesn’t end there.  In just the last couple weeks, other Full Blast offspring have scored in classic events throughout the various cover dog regions.  Youngster, Game Winner, scored in the Jan Zabericki Puppy Classic. Diane Wheelock’s female, Angel’s Envy,  won the Beaverton Derby Classic in a field of 26. Recall Danny Nein’s Parachenee Flight won the 2016 National Derby Classic and White Mountain Derby Classic last year.

In 2015 Blast Off won the Grand National Grouse Futurity and this spring, 2017, his potential was realized as he entered the championship circle for his owner, Justin Evans, at the Ontario Grouse Championship.

There are numerous good setter males available that have done well in competition.  In deciding what dog to breed to, I have learned two lessons in 50 years of breeding setters.  George Eckdahl taught me the first lesson.  You are breeding to a dog for what he produces, not what he has accomplished.  Yeah, Full Blast is the only setter in history to win both setter awards (Flanagan and Seminatore), the Purina Top Cover Dog Derby and Purina Top Cover Dog All-Age and the Grand National Grouse Championship.  This gets him on your radar as a sire.  But you’re obviously getting his progeny, not the sire.  And Full Blast progeny have proven to have the potential we all seek–the ability to win at the top as described in The Grand National Standards.  The second lesson I learned from trial and error and from observing which dogs succeed.  That lesson is to go with the best, the proven, the winner.  Be this in selecting a trainer, a pup or a stud dog–go with the proven best.  At this point, based on the record and keeping these two breeding principles in mind, Full Blast must be considered as a worthy stud dog who produces offspring with the potential you’ve been dreaming of.

Full Breeze

Full Breeze, our daughter of Grand National Grouse Ch. Full Blast ex Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational Ch. Straight Forward, rambled over the thirty minute hunting course in southern NY to best a field of 21 of the nation’s top cover dog pups, April 15, 2017, to win the 70th Grand National Grouse Puppy Classic.  “Bree” was handled by Thor Kain.  The course at Flanagan Farm was an excellent venue featuring a mix of dense hunting cover, field edges, pole timber and open fields.  This variety of cover gave handlers a chance to show off their young charges’ ability to apply themselves, hunt objectives and reach forward when opportunities presented themselves.  Throughout, Bree was forward, very hard driving, determined with no let down to the end.  “Bree” is a 44 lb. powerhouse who has the smoothness of gait as well as the crack and pop that our dogs have become known for and that we have specifically striven to breed into our dogs for generations.  Throughout the fall and winter, “Bree” has had the benefit of access to good woodcock numbers and then a trip to TX in January with Dick gave her plenty of opportunity to learn how to hunt, find birds and get them pointed.  She’s become as exceptional in handling birds as she is in running and hunting for them.  We’re excited about her future.

Those who follow coverdogs recognize that “Bree” is the product of line breeding to our 5xCh. Pennstar.  Pennstar is the sire of Full Blast and Pennstar appears on the dam’s side as well, being the sire of Straight Forward’s mom.  A dose of Keystone’s Red Rage, him being the sire of Straight Forward, was also a key ingredient in giving “Bree” the talents to win at this level.

Blast Off, young setter male owned by Justin Evans of Duncannon, PA, and handled by Mark Forman, was named RU Ch. at the Ontario Grouse Championship on April 9, 2016.  He is sired by Grand National Grouse Ch. Full Blast ex Ken Moss’s daughter of Grand National Grouse Ch. Ch. Moss Meadow Traveler.  Justin used our pick-of-the-litter stud fee pup to select “Sam” and he made a smart choice.  This was “Sam’s” first championship entry in his first year as an all-age.  In running over the Marienville, PA, courses, a dog is challenged to run hard, big and reach for objectives in order to locate woodcock and grouse.  “Sam” is a hard charger and his searching was rewarded with a woodcock handled with the high, tight and intense pointing style that he has exhibited in earlier wins.  Earlier at the Nittany Valley Grouse Trial he placed with a piece of bird work that had the gallery and judges impressed.  Being so young and in such capable hands, we are sure to see more of Blast Off in the winners’ circle.

Knob Mountain Mayhem, Mike Spotts’ male pup bred from two Grand National Grouse champions added some impressive wins to his young resume.  He is sired by Full Blast ex Straight Forward.  This spring “Jax” was first at the Acadia FTC Open Puppy stake after a week earlier putting on what I saw as a ‘near perfect’ performance to win the prestigious Pennsylvania Grouse Trial Open Puppy.   In April, at the Grand National Grouse and Puppy Classic, “Jax” ran a strong, mature, attractive forward hunt for the full thirty minutes, finishing strong.  What Mike likes best about “Jax” isn’t able to be judged in puppy stakes.  “Jax” is magnificent on his birds pointing with extreme intensity with a high head and straight tail.  He literally blows up while he stands with this posture before, during and after the flush.  No question, we’ll be hearing more from “Jax” and Mike.

Game Winner, our male pup, sired by Full Blast ex Springtime Showgirl got his competitive bird dog career off in fine fashion by placing 3rd in the Jan Zabericki Puppy Classic, held in western PA in early April, 2016.   Thor Kain handled “Finn” to his first win.  Born in May, “Finn” is a relatively young pup and was up against a strong field of horseback-bred pointers and setters.  Exceptionally snappy and hard driving pup, “Finn” is the kind of dog our kennel has been focused on producing and campaigning.  In Texas this winter, “Finn” really got his teeth cut on wild quail after a fall of being introduced to woodcock and grouse.  On the last workout in TX, he pointed four covies in thirty minutes, each with straight up style.  “Finn” was bred by Dave D’Hulster at his Springfield Kennel.  This is the third mating of Full Blast to Springtime Showgirl and this mating has proven to be a real niche with pups from the previous litters winning the Grand National Grouse Puppy Classic in 2015 and 2016.

(l-r) Dave Hughes, George Johnson, Dick Brenneman, Bob Watts

At the awards ceremony held in Milan, NH, during the running of the Grand National Grouse Championship, our 7-year old female, Straight Forward, received recognition as the top English setter all-age cover dog for 2015- 2016.  This is the second time that “Cracker” has won the Seminatore Award which is named after Massachusetts native Mike Seminatore who trained and handled many famous cover dogs over a period of decades throughout New England.  “Cracker” previously won the Seminatore Award for her successes during the 2012-2013 cover dog season.

This is the fourth time our kennel has won the Seminatore Award.  Grand National Grouse Champion Body Guard won it for the 1997-1998 season and our multiple champion Full Blast won it for the 2013-2014 cover dog season.  All our Award winners have been handled by Dave Hughes.

While earning this award caused us to reflect on “Cracker’s” performances last year, we are currently thrilled with her performances during this new season with her being named the current New England Grouse Champion and earning RU Championships in the New York and Pennsylvania Grouse Championships as well as RU Champion in the MI Woodcock Championship.  These wins have “Cracker” leading the present Seminatore Award competition by a wide margin.

What a blessing to have owned and enjoyed a great dog like “Cracker”.

 

In her fourth start of the 2016 fall cover dog season, Straight Forward won her fourth straight championship placement by being named RU Ch. at the Pennsylvania Grouse Championship, October 26,2016.  “Cracker” ran a hard driving, forward hour in which she recorded two finds of grouse.  Dave Hughes was at the helm.  “Cracker’s” proven herself to be a relentless hunter and a skilled grouse finder. Congratulations to John McKellops and his pointer female, Grouse Trails Pride, named Champion.

These championship grounds are known to demand that a dog reach out to objectives.  It takes serious dog power to get over the relatively open territory on which this championship is run.  Birds are not plentiful as in some other cover dog venues.  A dog has to have great desire, speed and determination to be successful her in the Allegheny National Forest.  “Cracker’s” win this season adds to her record here at the PA Grouse Championship as she was named Champion in 2012 and she was RU Ch. just last year in 2015.

We are amazed with “Cracker’s” remarkable fall campaign.  We cannot recall any dog winning in four consecutive grouse trials, ever.  This win lifts Straight Forward to her tenth open cover dog championship placement.

 

70 pointers and setters vied over a five-day period at the Gladwin Preserve for the MI Woodcock Championship.  Our female, Straight Forward, was named Runner-up Champion.  DunRoven Drifter (Jack Harang,o/Rich Hollister/h,) was named Champion-congrats to that team.  This win is “Cracker’s” third Championship placement out of the three championships she has entered this fall and it is the 9th championship placement overall in her career.

At Gladwin, “Cracker” ran her usual powerful, forward, well-handled, snappy race while racking up two grouse finds and a woodcock find.  Dave Hughes was at the controls.  Birds were available throughout the venue in good numbers and there were many competitors with multiple finds.  “Cracker’s” total concentration on hunting and her “all business” attitude have become her hallmark.  Once scoring a find, she goes immediately back at it full bore.  Her intensity and style on point are above reproach.

Surely, Straight Forward’s record qualifies her to stand among the all-time cover dog greats.

Continuing on her hot start to the fall trial season, Straight Forward, our 7-year old female,  was announced as the winner at the New England Open Grouse Championship, September 23, 2016.  The Kilkenny Management Area of the White Mountain National Forest, NH,  saw 53 pointers and setters vie for the title.  Drawn in the first brace of the event on Monday, “Cracker” went out and put on a display of hard, forward,  intelligent hunting which yielded two sharply executed stylish grouse finds.  At the end of the hour everyone in the gallery knew they had seen a very special bird dog performance.  Indeed the entire field, which featured many grouse notables with multiple finds, did not eclipse “Cracker’s” effort.  Recall “Cracker” was RU Ch. at the NY Grouse Ch. two weeks earlier.  She’s an exceptional bird dog and trainer/handler Dave Hughes has brought out the best in her.

After January 1, 2017 the semen of Grand National Grouse Champion Body Guard (11-27-143), producer of Champions, will no longer be available for purchase by the public.  If you’d like to breed to Body Guard, you can do that through us throughout the fall 2016 breeding season or you can purchase and store Body Guard semen for your use or resale at some future date.

Read more about our 1998 Seminatore Award winner, top setter cover dog, on Body Guard’s webpage on our site under “Our Cover Dogs”.

Body Guard semen is stored near Philadelphia, PA, with Dr. Melissa
Goodman, a national leader in canine reproduction for decades.  You can have your dog bred by her or have Body Guard’s semen shipped to your vet for the process.  You can also purchase Body Guard semen and keep it stored in her facility or you can have it moved to a storage facility of your choosing for later use.

Semen cost:  $750 or a stud fee pup from your litter.