Author: janetbob

 

 

Twenty-nine of the country’s top young cover dog prospects produced in 2014 went to the starting line at the 68th Grand National Puppy Classic held in the Allegheny National Forest, April 10, 2015.  After each pup had 30 minutes to demonstrate their potential to make a championship calibre cover dog, the judges selected four dogs for placement.  Three of the four winners were sired by Ch. Full Blast out of breeder Dave D’Hulster’s, Springfield Showgirl.  It is a first in the long history of this premiere stake that three dogs from the same litter placed in the Grand National Puppy Classic.  This bears testimony to the strength and consistency of the genetics that produced these bright young prospects.

Specifically, the winners from the Full Blast x Springfield’s Showgirl mating are: 1st- Springfield’s Side Kick; 3rd-Willwoods Squig (Chris D’Matteo/owner; 4th- Springfield Dark Knight.  The first and fourth placed dogs are owned by Dave D’Hulster.

Additionally, in the days following the Grand National several other Full Blast pups placed in other Puppy Classics across the country including The Venango Puppy Classic, the Bob Doran Puppy Classic and The Michigan Puppy Classic.  Judged on potential to become cover dog champions, these youngsters are proving that Ch. Full Blast is a dog you can go to to get a dog that can hunt and compete at the top of the game.

Michigan Puppy Classic

Meredith’s Traveling Blast, daughter of Ch. Full Blast and owned by Dennis Keysor and handled by Scott Chaffee, won 2nd in the Michigan Puppy Classic held in mid-April, 2015, at the Gladwin preserve.  “Quinn” bested a strong field of the top young dogs from the region and beyond.  Michiganer Ken Moss is the breeder of Quinn.  Ken bred a daughter of his Grand National Grouse Champion Moss Meadow Traveler ex a Ch. Pennstar female to Full Blast–note the line breeding to Pennstar.  Another pup from this litter won at the Venango Puppy Classic in PA.

Lake States Open Puppy

 

Brian Ralph’s young setter male, Ralphys Darkside, son of Ch. Full Blast,  placed 3rd in the Bob Doran Puppy Classic, April, 2015.  He was handled by trainer Scott Chaffee.  “Stone” is ex a daughter of PA Grouse Ch.Doodleridge Jiggs.   “Stone” was a pick of the litter stud fee pup that we were impressed with as a young dog when we worked with him over the summer of 2014.  He was acquired by Brian last fall and “Stone” sharpened his hunting skills by spending the winter in Texas with Russ Richardson.  Big, strong, quick, athletic and classy, “Stone” has a bright future.

 

All Out, young male setter owned and handled by Thor Kain of Carbondale PA won the time honored Venango Puppy Classic at Marienville, PA in a field of 30 pups.  “Nick” is sired by shooting dog winner, All In (Ch. Lilleyhill’s Secret Stash ex Grand National Grouse Ch. Full Tilt). who was originally owned by our kennel.  Jim Chambers Unionville, PA, is the breeder of “Nick” whose dam is a littermate to our 2X Ch. Full Blast.  Jim is also the breeder of Full Blast.  Nick, a June pup, benefited from wild bird exposure in Thor’s northeastern PA covers, pheasant hunting with Bob Watts,  as well as a month hunting quail in TX this past winter.  Nick is a classy, fast, hard driving youngster who has come on strong both in pointing wild birds and hunting with drive and desire in the last few months.

Garnering third in the Venango Puppy Classic was another pup with connections to Full Blast as his son, Blast Off. owned and handled by Justin Evans of Duncannon, PA, put down an eye appealing ground effort that featured a forward and hard hunting effort.  Sired by 2X Ch. Full Blast ex Moss Meadow Rose, Michigan breeder Ken Moss has reason to be pleased with the results of this mating “Sam’s” littermates are also showing promise and winning in important juvenile stakes

 

Missions Point Man won the Chester Halley Amateur Derby Classic in April over the famed Gladwin grounds in MI for owner/handler Del Johnson.   “Mickey” scorched the course to distinguish himself from the field in the first derby event of the spring season.  “Mickey” is sire by Ch. Keystone Red Rage ex our Grand National Grouse Ch. Full Tilt.  A couple of weeks later his littersister, Full Rage, owned by Steve Snyder won 3rd in the Ruffed Grouse Field Trial Club Open Derby in a large, strong field.  “Libby” had a nice woodcock find to go with her hunting race.  This is Libby’s fourth derby win.  Steve purchased “Libby” from us just a week earlier so we take special satisfaction in her win.  These two winners bring to 11 the number of  winners produced in three small litters by Full Tilt who is enjoying retirement on our couch.  She’s eleven years old.

Champion Full Blast has made history as the only dog to ever win all the cover dog derby awards and all the cover dog all-age awards.  Consistently winning multiple derby stakes led to “Jeb” earning the honor of being both the winner of the Thomas Flanagan Award (top setter derby) and the William Harnden Foster Award (top derby of any breed) in the 2012-2013 season.  At the recent Grand National Grouse Championship banquet, Full Blast received both the Michael Seminatore Award (top all-age setter) and another William Harnden Foster Award (top all-age dog of any breed) for his string of quality wins in the 2013-2014 season.

No other grouse dog in history has won all of these awards.

FULL BLAST

THE ONLY DOG OF ANY BREED TO WIN ALL FOUR COVER DOG AWARDS!  

 

 

Full Throttle, daughter of Full Blast ex Jumpstart, rambled through the woods at the Gladwin Preserve near Meredith, Michigan, on Nov 2 putting forth  her usual fast, snappy, rangy hunting effort.  Her find in the call-back session exhibited straight up style and intensity earning her second in the Grand National Grouse Futurity.  Ruby is bred, owned and handled by Mike Spotts of Bloomsburg, PA, and her early development was with his friend and hunting pal Thor Kain of Carbondale, PA.

Ruby earlier won the prestigious Venango Puppy Classic for Thor and she has placed as a  fall derby prior to the Futurity running.

Ruby is line-bred to Ch. Pennstar as both her sire Full Blast and her dam Jumpstart are direct offspring of the five-time grouse and woodcock Champion.  Jumpstart. originally owned by our kennel and bred by Michiganer Brian Woods, won the Pennsylvania Grouse Trial Club Open All-Age besting forty contenders with Mike then the owner/handler.  In her first litter, Jumpstart, then owned by Watts/Brenneman produced Ch. Spitfire who won the National Amateur Grouse Championship with Mike, her owner, at the helm.  Jumpstart became known as an excellent bird finder and Ruby follows in the tradition.  Ruby is from Full Blast’s first litter. Seeing young Full Blast’s potential in workouts, Mike selected him as the sire for Jumpstart before Full Blast’s string of Championship wins and awards.

Full Blast has earned Runner-Up honors as the Pennsylvania Open Walking Shooting Dog.   For decades the Pennsylvania Walking Shooting Dog Association has recognized the best walking shooting dogs on the PA circuit.  “Jeb” seldom runs in released bird trials but in 2013 we made an exception and Jeb proved his versatility by winning the 34-dog DuBois–Beaver Meadows open shooting dog stake.  Jeb’s point total was a mere four points from the total of the dog who was named the Winner of the award.  Jeb follows in his sire’s footsteps as 5XCh. Pennstar won the PA Walking Shooting Dog Award in 2004.

For the 2013-2014 cover dog field trial season, Full Blast has been officially named the winner of the Mike Seminatore Award.  This award goes to the top English Setter all-age dog cover dog.  “Jeb” built on his previous win of the Flanagan Award as the top cover dog setter derby by winning the Michigan Woodcock Championship in the fall of 2014.  In the fall he also was named RU Ch. in the Pennsylvania Grouse Championship.  Both these wins were accomplished in hot field trial weather over relatively dry courses.  Jeb rang up finds on grouse in the final minutes of his hour of hunting in both events to prove his toughness and ability to perform in the heat.  Then in the spring season, “Jeb” won the Ontario Grouse Championship again scoring on grouse in the last minute of his brace.  All these events featured large entries, filled with accomplished cover dogs, including more than a dozen champions.  It’s gratifying to have such a special dog to head our kennel.  “Jeb” joins other dogs we have owned, Grand National Grouse Ch. Body Guard and his current kennelmate, Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational Ch. Straight Forward as previous winners of the Seminatore Award.   Not only is “Jeb” a strong competitor but he’s a gentle, quiet, handsome and respectful companion.  Right now, we are preparing him for the upcoming season and he’s looking strong, eager and sharp on his game

At the most prestigious event for puppies in the East, Thor Kain’s setter female, Full Throttle, emerged as the Winner of the Venango Puppy Classic, March 30, 2014.  “Ruby” is sired by multiple Champion Full Blast ex Mike Spotts’ champion producer, Jumpstart.  Ruby additionally won the West Branch Open Puppy in the first grouse trial of the spring season with a spectacular effort over “The Barrens” near State College, PA.  The hard work that Thor has put into Ruby and the opportunities he has given her on wild birds in PA shows in the maturity demonstrated in not only her hard hunting but her intelligent hunting to objectives.  Ruby is extremely animated, fast and very cracky running…she is eye-catching to watch in action.  Much more will be heard from Thor and Ruby down the road.

Ch. Full Blast, son of Ch. Pennstar, bested a field of 44 to be declared the Champion at the 2014 running of the Ontario Grouse Championship run over the challenging cover of the Allegheny National Forest near Marienville, PA, on April 1.  Jeb, running on the #1 course, put forth a powerful, consistently driving effort.  Noted for his smooth gait and snappy, cracking, animated style moving,  Jeb found the clock ticking away in his determined effort.  56, 57, 58 , 59 minutes ticked away in his allotted hour hunt.  Then, with just 30 seconds remaining (judges have stopwatches), Jeb’s bell went silent ahead.  Handler Dave Hughes quickly found Jeb and a well-located grouse blew out with Jeb maintaining his high. straight-tailed and intense demeanor throughout.  A thrilling conclusion and proof that determination pays off.  Note:  Last fall in the PA Grouse Ch. Jeb scored at 59 minutes on a grouse to be named RU Ch.