To open the spring grouse trial season, our female derby Game Changer and Mike Spotts’ male, High Impact, scored first and second respectively in both the West Branch and Venango Grouse Trials. These littermates are from a mating of Impact Player and our Grand National Grouse Ch. Full Tilt. Each has a number of other puppy and derby wins. Their hunting efforts were impressive featuring hard driving and hard hunting, done in an especially eye catching manner. Both are flashy, quick and have cracking tails when they run. Their searching carried them to the limits of hunting range and at West Branch, where they were braced together, some commented it was among the most exciting braces they had ever witnessed.
Full Blast, son of Pennstar, was named Runner-Up Champion at the Pennsylvania Grouse Championship, October 31, 2013. “Jeb” competed in a field of 54 of the best grouse dogs. Congratulations to Dr. Roger McPherson and his pointer Suemac’s Coventry who was named Ch. This is three-year-old “Jeb’s” second trip to the Championship circle this fall as he was Champion at the Michigan Woodcock Championship earlier in the month. He was skillfully handled by Dave Hughes.
Conditions were tough as drought conditions greeted those who competed in the first three days of the four-day event. The dry conditions and relatively warm temperatures were a challenge to the dogs and made grouse spooky and difficult to scent. “Jeb” ran in the last brace of the second day. His first half hour featured a strong, wide hunting effort which big “Jeb” executed with the smooth, snappy gait he has been known for. It’s a pleasure and something of a thrill to watch him go about his work. Through the middle of his heat, “Jeb” was more moderate in his pace, but as the hour ticked on he picked it up and was going strong down the stretch. At 59 the bell stopped. It’s estimated that the walk to “Jeb’s” point took the judges, handler and scout 400+ yards from the path. There he was standing tall, intense, with his tail still at 12 o’clock and the grouse right off his nose. All perfect for the flush and the bark of the .32. An impressive find for such a young dog, but much in the tradition of his earlier win at the Michigan Woodcock Ch. where conditions were especially hot and several of his four finds came later in the hour.
“Rosie”, Full Blast pup owned by Bob Watts
A pup from “Jeb’s” first litter (ex Jumpstart) stepped into the winner’s circle in early October as Thor Kain guided his female, Full Throttle, to a win at the West Branch Open Puppy.
Four derbies ex our Grand National Grouse Ch. Full Tilt continue their winning ways this fall with each of them registering placements in top-quality grouse competition. High Impact (Mike Spotts), Game Changer (Bob Watts/Dick Brenneman), Full Impact (Marty Stoker) and Magic Mist Jack (Joe Dahl) won in cover dog trials from ME to PA. These trials include the DuBois FTC, Maritime Classic, West Branch Grouse Trial, Nittany Valley Grouse Trial, PA Amateur Grouse Trial and the PA Open Grouse Trial. Each of these young dogs has the class running and on point that their Mom was known for, as well as the drive it takes to go on to be career competitors on the circuit. We are especially impressed with how readily each has developed advanced manners on pointed birds. Their sire, Impact Player, like Full Tilt, is sired by Pennstar and “Joe” has had a very positive impact on this litter. Impact Player is now owned by Bill Krazinski and campaigned in Dave Hughes’ string. We have no reservation in recommending Impact Player as a sire based not only on this litter but on other pups of his we have seen.
Ch. Full Blast, young son of Ch. Pennstar, won the 61-dog entry Michigan Woodcock Championship on October 13, 2013, with a convincing grouse find and three woodcock finds. These multiple finds were sprinkled within a powerful, forward and flashy one hour hunting effort in 76 degree weather. In just his second Championship start, “Jeb” lived up to the reputation he has earned by winning the Flanagan Award and Foster Awards for the top cover dog derby. Two shooting dog 1sts over large fields on quail preceded this championship win. Handler Dave Hughes deserves much credit for molding “Jeb” into the exciting bird dog he has become.
Interestingly, back on the PA homefront, “Jeb’s” daughter from his first litter won at the West Branch Grouse Trial. At just 6 mo. of age, Full Throttle, owned and handled by Thor Kain got on the board with a hard driving and tail cracking performance in her first trial.
Magic Mist Jack, sired by Impact Player ex Grand National Grouse Ch. Full Tilt, won the Open Derby at the Maritime Classic in New Brunswick, Canada. Under the whistle of his owner, Joe Dahl, “Jack” scored both a grouse and woodcock find. Hustling, classy and impressive on the move, “Jack” also scored a 2nd place win in September at the International Woodcock Futurity to add to his record. We will be hearing more from Jack as the fall season is young and Jack has already had an impact on the cover dog circuit. “Jack” is the fourth pup from the Impact Player x Full Tilt combination that has won on the cover dog circuit. When the litter was whelped, we sent Joe Dahl a male pup that we thought had strong potential. This was a return favor for Joe having sent us a male pup with strong potential (that pup turned out to be Impact Player by Pennstar ex Joe’s Magic Mist Bandit). In both cases, the pup with strong potential panned out when the owners put in the work and gave the pup with potential the opportunity to shine.
Fernwood Cove’s Bella, daughter of Ch. Pennstar X Magic Mist Bandit, won the Maritime Classic held at McAdam, New Brunswick, Canada in early September 2013. Bella is owned by Jim Gill and was ably handler by her trainer, Joe Dahl. Since her win, with Joe at the helm, of the Grand National Grouse Futurity in 2010, Bella has spent most all her time as a grouse and woodcock hunting dog for her owner and a companion to her family. Fans of class cover dogs are happy to see Bella getting a chance to compete as an all-age finished dog and her effort at the Maritime confirms expectations that she can compete successfully at the highest level. In her appearance in the Maritime, Bella connected on both grouse and woodcock as proof of her versatility. While her trial starts may be rather limited by the hunting season, we look forward to seeing Bella in action at select Championship stakes this fall.
Straight Forward, 4 year old female, came right out of the blocks at the opening grouse championship of the fall cover dog circuit to win Runner-Up honors at the 2013 New York Grouse Championship, Berne, New York, September 14. The field of 44 featured many other champions who each had their shot during the three full days of running. “Cracker’s” hour effort featured a grouse find along with a back. She laid down her usual powerful and forward hunting effort that took her to likely coverts. This was “Cracker’s” first outing since she was named the Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational Champion last spring.
Starting off the fall 2013 season in the same style he ended the spring campaign, Full Blast won the DuBois Open Shooting Dog stake on August 24 with Dave Hughes at the helm. “Jeb” came off his 1st in the Lost Pond OSD (34 entrants) in May to continue showing himself to be a dog that discriminating owners will want to consider in the upcoming breeding season. The DuBois club runs their trial in a mix of woods, brush and open fields. “Jeb” applied himself to the varied cover running a strong forward hunting effort and notching one find. “Jeb” was high and tight through the flush and shot on this encounter. He finished going away in the near 80-degree weather having drawn a middle of the afternoon brace. Particularly impressive was “Jeb’s” smooth, effortless looking, get-over-the-ground coverage with the snappy, cracky style his sire, Pennstar, was known for.
Windstar, Dr. George Najor’s 9 year old setter male won the 34 dog DuBois Open Shooting Dog stake in late May. Windstar, son of Pennstar, had a number of good shooting dog wins this spring under the whistle of pro Robert Ecker. His spring trial season was capped off with the DuBois win over a large and high quality of field of cover dogs and the best of regional walking shooting dogs. Windstar is a classy moving dog and his style of point is straight and high. He scored three finds and left the judges impressed with his hard hunting and eye appeal in everything he did. Windstar seems to be flourishing under the training and handling of Ecker and despite his age we expect Windstar to be a contender in major events this coming season.
Full Blast, our 53 lb. young son of Ch. Pennstar, won the Lost Pond Open Walking Shooting Dog stake besting a strong field of 30 contenders. Pro Dave Hughes, who has campaigned dogs for us for 20 years, came to us recently and suggested that we ought to get “Jeb” started as an all-age dog yet this spring in some quail shooting dog stakes. “Jeb'”, after winning the cover dog derby award (Flanagan Award) last year was making his first open shooting dog start and an impressive beginning it was. A report from one trialer who saw all the braces indicated that “Jeb” set a high mark in the first brace and it was not eclipsed. He hunted particularly hard and drove with class and enthusiasm from one find to the next recording a total of three sharp finds pointed with arresting, straight-up style. “Jeb” recently sired a litter of pups ex Mike Spotts’ winning Pennstar female, Jumpstart. We have high hopes for this breeding.
