At the banquet preceding the 82nd running of The Grand National Grouse Championship held in early November in the Eau Claire County Forest near Eau Claire, Wis., our 4X CH/4X RU-CH Blue Streak was named this year’s Legends of Coverdog.
Legends of Coverdog is a special award given by The Grand to dogs “that have had a profound impact on the sport of coverdog field trials.” Streak joins only six other bird dogs to earn this award. Jerry and I were shown a commemorative plaque that will be hung in the National Bird Dog Museum in Grand Junction, Tenn.
It was an evening we’ll never forget. We were, at once, honored, thrilled and humbled for Streak to have achieved such distinction.
Blue Streak (Spring Garden Tollway x Finder’s Keeper, 1995) was a setter female Jerry and I bred and owned her entire life. We called her Little because she was the smallest in her litter. But apart from her 36-lb. frame, everything else about her was big—her heart, her drive, her fire and her bird finding.
“She is independent, adaptable and has bottomless guts. What great qualities!” ~Craig Peters, reporter, 2001 Pennsylvania Grouse Championship
Streak’s 22-win career spanned 10 years. She was handled by Jerry and scouted by me. Her first derby placement was in 1996 and, as a 10½-year-old, her final field trial was the 2005 Grand National Grouse Championship where she was named Runner-up Champion.
“Her considerable effort, featuring a pair of good grouse finds added to by a woodcock find, stood up for the runner-up position despite the challenge of 80 other contenders.” ~Dave A. Fletcher and Ryan Frame, reporters, 2005 Grand National Grouse Championship
Streak’s breakout year was 2001. She was entered in six cover dog championships and placed in five: Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational (RU); Pennsylvania Grouse Championship (CH); Minnesota Grouse Championship (RU); Wisconsin Cover Dog Championship (CH); National Amateur Grouse Championship (RU).
Based on that “streak,” Streak won two prestigious awards in 2002: the Michael Seminatore English Setter Award and the William Harnden Foster Award. In addition, she won the Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Shooting Dog of the Year award in 2002 and 2003.
“Streak finished this brace to the front and hauling the mail. It is seldom that I witness an hour I will never forget, but this will be one that is stamped in my memory. Fantastic!” ~Steve Studer, reporter, 2002 Minnesota Grouse Dog Championship
Although bred only twice, Streak left her mark by producing eight field trial winners including CH Bobby Blue and Blue Silk. Blue Silk won the 2001 Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Derby of the Year and produced winners CH I’m Blue Gert and CH Satin From Silk.
Of prime significance, Blue Silk’s sons, Blue Shaquille and NorthwoodsBlue Ox, are foundation sires for our setter breeding program. Through these grandsons, Blue Streak’s legacy continues in 5X CH/5X RU-CH NorthwoodsCharles, CH/RU-CH Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock, CH/RU-CH NorthwoodsSir Gordon, RU-CH Northwoods Atlas, CH/RU-CH Northwoods Cedar, RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana and RU-CH Cody’s Sadie Bell.
“In her hour, Blue Streak showed us bird savvy, style, race, endurance and excellent manners.” ~Brett Edstrom, reporter, 1999 Region 19 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship
“She had two grouse finds, four woodcock and a back. Combined with a strong, forward easy handling race, it truly was a championship performance.” ~Rod Lein, reporter, 2001 Wisconsin Cover Dog Championship
A personal note from Jerry: Blue Streak challenged me more than any dog before or since. Her tremendous desire to hunt game—whether feathers or fur—along along with her endless stamina would sometimes get the best of her. In the days before GPS tracking, this led to her spending a night or two alone in the woods! Streak gave me the highest highs and the lowest lows, but she also taught me important lessons. If you believe in your dog, forge a bond and put in the effort, you can go farther than you ever imagined. In fact, it can change your life.
From Betsy: From the beginning, Little was destined. I remember our first puppy walk with her. Instinctively, right out of the dog topper, Little was off. She charged into the woods, independent but hunting, and she didn’t want to stop. A lifetime of memories also come to mind but my final time with her was especially poignant. More than ten years later when Little had serious lung complications, I stayed up with her all night as she struggled to breathe. Her big heart simply would not quit.
Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017) strikes a stunning pose for owner and handler Greg Johnson. They had just won the Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Shooting Dog Classic.
Cover dog field trials in Minnesota and Wisconsin are thriving. The number of dogs entered at spring trials often reached 30 dogs. Many handlers of those dogs are relatively new, as are spectators walking in the gallery. These newcomers are grouse and woodcock hunters and they come not only to watch good dogs perform but to enjoy the camaraderie of others who share their passion.
Cover dog trials are run on ruffed grouse and woodcock. Two handlers, followed by two judges, two scouts for the handlers and the gallery, walk on pre-determined courses through native habitat of aspen forests, thick hazel understory and lowland edges. The handlers’ two dogs search the course for birds—similar to a hunting situation—and the dogs are judged on how they respond to their handler, how they move through the cover, how they interact with their bracemate and, ultimately, how they find and point birds. The dogs are run with only a bell to track their movement; no GPS collars, beepers, or e-collars are allowed.
There are three levels of competition based on ages: Puppy, Derby and Shooting Dog. Different standards exist for different levels but all levels must have the drive and desire to hunt through punishing cover in search of a bird. Then, while focused on hunting, the dog must keep track of its handler so that when it finds a bird and points, the handler can find the dog. When pointed, the dog should exhibit poise, confidence and accurate location of the bird.
A dog that competes at the shooting dog level must be steady-to-wing-and-shot and, if the opportunity arises, back its bracemate. In addition, the dog should move and point in a manner that excites and do it with minimum direction from its handler.
In short, the winners of shooting dog stakes are very high-class bird dogs—with physicality, stamina, focus, bird-finding, style and verve. In other words, most serious bird hunters would be proud to own these winning dogs.
To win in field trials, though, takes more than a talented dog. It takes an extremely committed owner willing to start with a young prospect and wear out several pairs of boots in the dog’s development, training and competition. The owner must be dedicated to spend time in the field to bring that prospect to its full potential—and that time isn’t counted in days or months but rather in years.
It’s always fun to see the group photo after a weekend of trials. Pictured with Greg Johnson and Northwoods Atlas are judges, handlers, other participants and spectators.
When it all comes together, though, and the handler’s name and dog are announced as winners, the feeling of exhilaration and of accomplishment render most handlers speechless and all that time is forgotten.
Listed below are winners of field trials in Minnesota and Wisconsin this spring. Congratulations to our clients and their dogs who have put in the effort and felt the thrill of winning.
2X RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017), owned and handled by Greg Johnson. • 1st place Chippewa Valley Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Shooting Dog stake • RU-CH Region 19 Amateur Walking Shooting Dog Championship, sponsored by Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. • 1st place Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Shooting Dog Classic • Winner of Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Open and Amateur Shooting Dog of the Year
Eric and Lindsey Saetre, owners and handlers of Northwoods Cedar Edge (CH Snyders Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), and Edge’s silver trophy as Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Amateur Derby of the Year.
Northwoods Cedar Edge (CH Snyders Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), owned and handled by Eric and Lindsey Saetre. • 3rd place North Country Bird Hunters Assoc. Open Derby • 3rd place Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Derby • 2nd place Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Shooting Dog • Winner of Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Amateur Derby of the Year
Northwoods Cedar (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019), owned and handled by Eric and Lindsey Saetre. • 1st place North Country Bird Hunters Assoc. Open Shooting Dog
Ruffed Country Sweet Lily (Northwoods Rob Roy x Northwoods Minerva, 2018), owned and handled by Jordan Pharris. • 2nd place North Country Bird Hunters Assoc. Open Shooting Dog
Northwoods Paco (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023), owned and handled by Josh Matel. • 2nd place Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Derby
CH/RU-CH Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019), owned and handled by Ben McKean. • 1st place Midwest Field Trial Assoc. Open Shooting Dog
Northwoods Eddie Setter (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023), owned and handled by Ben McKean. • 2nd place Midwest Field Trial Assoc. Open Derby
Pretty cool for first-time trialers Mitch Anderson, on right, and Brad Gudenkauf, center, to place first and second, respectively. Even cooler, the two derby-aged dogs are littermates.
Northwoods Homer (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), owned and handled by Mitch Anderson. (These were the first field trials for both Mitch and Homer.) • 2nd place Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Derby • 1st place Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Derby
Northwoods Pied Piper (CH Snyders Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), owned and handled by Brad Gudenkauf. (This was Brad and Rigby’s first field trial, too.) • 2nd place Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Derby
And in other parts of the country…
Riley Crumbie, on left, and Pine Fair Lady (Northwoods Parmigiano x Northwoods Rum Rickey, 2014).
Pine Fair Lady (Northwoods Parmigiano x Northwoods Rum Rickey, 2014) owned by Pine Fair Plantation and handled by Riley Cumbie. • 1st place Georgia/Florida Hunting Dog Invitational, Aucilla Plantation, Thomasville, Ga.
Northwoods Sunny Day (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023), owned and handled by Tom Keiffer. • 3rd place Black Moshannon Field Trial Club Open Puppy, Philipsburg, Pa.
CH Charlie’s Zip Tie, sired by CH Northwoods Charles (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013), is owned and handled by Bill Owen of Santa Barbara, Calif. • 3rd place Cahaba Bend Field Trial Club Amateur Shooting Dog Classic, Greensboro, Ala. • RU-CH California Open Shooting Dog Championship
In addition, it’s worth noting that winning carries on when dogs out of our breeding are crossed with other dogs.
An impressive father/son duo: Jordan Pharris, on right, is owner/handler of Big Big Energy and Greg Johnson, on left, is owner/handler of Northwoods Atlas, and Energy’s sire.
Big Big Energy (sired by RU-CH Northwoods Atlas) is owned and handled by Jordan Pharris. Call name “Lotto” won the Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Open Derby of the Year. Amazing fact #1: Lotto is the first puppy-age dog to win the Derby of the Year Award in its 34-year history. Amazing fact #2: This is the first time in the Shooting Dog/Derby of the Year that a father/son won.
Over The Hill Morgan (sired by JTH Cooper (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015)), is owned and handled by Rod Lein. She won 3rd place in the Chippewa Valley Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Shooting Dog.
Kona’s Blue Sky (sired by CH Northwoods Sir Gordon) is owned and handled by A. J. Kalupa. Sky placed 3rd in the Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Shooting Dog.
Note: Scroll down to a post written by Betsy, dated May 1, 2024, for an in-depth piece on the Dog of the Year awards.
2X RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel) is owned and handled by Greg Johnson of Superior, Wis.
Something extraordinary occurred when the Minnesota/Wisconsin Dog of the Year trophies for open shooting dogs and derbies were announced on Sunday, April 28, in Moose Junction, Wis.
A father/son duo won their respective awards.
2X RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel) won what is officially called the Purina Pro Plan Cover Dog of the Year Award/Shooting Dog. Atlas (call name Jet) is owned and handled by Greg Johnson of Superior, Wis.
Big Big Energy (Northwoods Atlas x Clover Valley’s Millie) is owned and handled by Jordan Pharris of Brainerd, Minn.
Big Big Energy (Northwoods Atlas x Clover Valley’s Millie) won the Purina Pro Plan Dog of the Year Award/Derby. Big (call name Lotto) is owned and handled by Jordan Pharris of Brainerd, Minn. Lotto was bred by Jerry Furnish of Two Harbors, Minn. and whelped in April 2023, and so is truly a puppy.
Both awards, sponsored by the Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. and the Chippewa Valley Grouse Dog Assoc., honor a winning body of work spanning months. Beginning last fall and including this spring, points for trial placements in open and amateur stakes held in Minnesota and Wisconsin are recorded and tallied.
Jerry and I are extremely proud not only of Jet but of Greg’s handling of him. Jet is a son of Northwoods Grits—a product of Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, one of our best nicks. Grits inherited the best from both parents and was renowned for his stamina, desire, bird finding and, yes, grit.
Jet’s dam, Northwoods Nickel, is a daughter of our most prolific producer of field trial winners, Northwoods Chardonnay. Chardonnay herself was no slouch. She was out of another of our top nicks—Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice—and won the Dog of the Year Award/Derby in 2011. Nickel’s sire was CH Shadow Oak Bo, the only setter to win back-to-back National Championships. Nickel offers intelligence, coolness and a long, strong, graceful gait.
Besides the honor of winning, Greg and Jordan received traveling trophies that I think are among the classiest in the world of cover dog field trials. Stunning pieces of etched glass slide into chunky walnut bases where the winning dogs and handlers’ names are engraved.
Minnesota-Wisconsin Amateur Dog of the Year Awards
About 10 years ago, the two clubs began similar awards for amateurs: Minnesota-Wisconsin Amateur Shooting Cover Dog of the Year and Minnesota-Wisconsin Derby Cover Dog of the Year. The trophies for both are big, beautiful, shiny cups.
Jet was a double winner that day. He also won the shooting dog award so Greg had even more hardware to bring home.
Northwoods Cedar Edge (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar) is owned by Eric and Lindsey Saetre of Holyoke, Minn.
The derby trophy was won by Northwoods Cedar Edge (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar). Edge (call name Enni) is owned by Eric and Lindsey Saetre of Holyoke, Minn., and handled by Eric.
Enni has a distinguished pedigree. Her dam is Northwoods Cedar (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon), a talented dog also owned and run in field trials by Eric and Lindsey. Even when Cedar was young, she caught our eye and we knew we wanted to breed her. Cedar is out of a breeding we repeated three times and one of our finest nicks.
When Jerry and I bred Cedar, we chose Scout, owned by Steve Snyder of Ellendale, Minn., as the sire. Scout is a champion grouse dog and Scout’s sire, 8X CH Ponderosa Mac, is the winningest dog ever in grouse trials.
The extraordinary pointer male, CH True Confidence (2009 – 2023), will be awarded a bird dog’s highest honor when he is inducted into the Bird Dog Hall of Fame on February 10, 2024. The prestigious event will take place in Grand Junction, Tenn., home of the National Bird Dog Museum. CH True Confidence, call name Bob, was owned by Frank and Jean LaNasa of Isanti, Minn.
Bob had a distinctive pedigree. He was sired by Two Acre Bulldog, a son of CH Funseeker’s Rebel out of Rester’s Tiny Dancer, a granddaughter of this year’s other elected Hall of Fame dog, CH House’s Rain Cloud, through his son CH House’s Rain Water.
Bob’s dam, Bar P Annex, was sired by Bar P Shadow, bred to Bar P Xena. Xena is the daughter of CH Front N’ Center (another dog Frank and Jean owned) bred to CH Hard Driving Bev, a multiple grouse champion.
In stature, Bob was stunningly handsome with a beautifully shaped head and perfect conformation. He was mostly white with dark orange ears and a distinguished mark on the right side of his muzzle. Bob’s temperament was a 10 and on point, he exuded confidence and poise. Never hardheaded or willful, Bob was, as his pro handler Luke Eisenhart mentioned, “a dog handler’s dream.”
Perhaps, most importantly, Bob had uncanny intelligence—clearly evident in his keen, brown eyes. He adapted to all terrains and cover types and could find and point birds anywhere.
As a two-year-old, Bob won his first runner-up championship placements at the Region 19 Amateur All-Age and National Prairie Chicken Open Shooting Dog trials. His next three placements—two championships and another runner-up—were in shooting dog stakes.
At these trials, Frank handled Bob and Jean scouted. But when Bob was six years old, they decided to give him the best opportunities and, in 2015, placed him on the open all-age circuit with pro handler Luke Eisenhart.
Over the ensuing five years, Luke was phenomenally successful. Bob placed in 11 championship stakes and on five different birds—from prairie birds to bobwhite quail.
Bob’s tally of placements and honors is exceptional.
• 6 Championship wins • 11 Runner-up placements • 2 First Place and 2 Second Place honors in classics • 6 consecutive years qualified for the National Championship • Top qualifier in 2019 and 2020 Continental Championships
One of Frank’s fondest memories was Bob’s last trial. As usual, Bob was part of Frank’s string when he trained on the North Dakota prairie during late summer.
“In 2020, I decided I would run him in one last trial after he had a really good summer. I entered him in the Dr. D.E. Hawthorne Open All-Age Border Classic (held in Columbus, N.D.) and he placed first among 35 contenders at 11½ years of age,” Frank said.
Besides placements, another measure of a dog’s worth is what it produces. So far, Bob has sired eight champions with a 29-36-164 record. Jerry and I vouch for Bob’s prepotency and our progeny should soon add to those numbers. We bred Northwoods Comet (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen) to Bob in 2021 and to Bob’s son, CH Southern Confidence (call name Big), in 2023. Every puppy of both litters shows the bird-finding, style, poise, intelligence and temperament of the sires. (Interestingly, the sires of both Big and Comet, parents of the 2023 litter, are now in the Hall of Fame.)
Frank and Jean retired Bob from the field trial circuit in 2021. He lived his last years in the house and even though the kennel was about 100 feet from the house, “We could never get him to get near the kennel again!” Frank said.
Congratulations to Frank and Jean on this most prestigious award for your most deserving dog, CH True Confidence.
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What is the Bird Dog Hall of Fame? Bill Brown, long-time editor of The American Field, initiated the idea for a Hall of Fame in 1953 and simple rules were announced one year later. The first year of the awards followed in 1954 when five dogs (must be deceased) and five people (living or deceased) were inducted. Since that initial year, two dogs and two people are inducted.
CH Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016), is owned and handled by Ben McKean.
In the Winter 2024 issue of Gun Dog magazine, Jeremy Moore’s column highlights Ben McKean and CH Northwoods Sir Gordon, Ben’s seven-year-old setter male out of RU-CU Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon.
Jeremy mentions Ben’s decades-long history of grouse hunting but the focus of his piece is field trials and Ben’s championship placement with Gordie in April 2023 at the Region 19 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship.
Jeremy describes several of Gordie’s attributes: “Built long, tall, and rugged…a sight to behold…evenly masked blocky, black head….a powerhouse of a dog with magnificent carriage on point.”
He also writes, “…Gordie arguably runs as well as he has in his career. Maybe better than any dog Ben’s ever owned and competed with before. Their target is on winning field trials…”
Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016), on right, was named RU-CH at the NBHA Sharptail Championship.
On a soggy, humid weekend in late September, the NBHA Sharptail Championship held its Eastern Regional at the Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area near Danbury, Wisc. The trial was hosted by the Chippewa Valley Grouse Dog Association.
In a field of 46 dogs, Northwoods Sir Gordon (call name Gordie), was named RU-CH with three sharptail finds. Gordie is owned and was handled by Ben McKean.
Northwoods Eddie Setter (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023), on left, placed first in the Puppy stake.
Derby and puppy stakes were also held. Ben was called back to the winner’s circle when the placements were announced for the Puppy Stake. Northwoods Eddie Setter placed first with an impressive run and a sharptail flush.
What’s extraordinary is that Eddie is Gordie’s son out of Northwoods Valencia.
Northwoods Dexter (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), on right, is posed by owner and handler Mike Rosario.
In an auspicious start to his field trial career, Northwoods Dexter (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022) won third place in a competitive stake of 17 puppies at the Grand Valley Bird Dog club trial near Ionia, Mich., last spring. Dexter is owned and handled Mike Rosario.
Dexter then went on a tear, continuing his impressive placements at subsequent stakes held on the Gladwin Field Trial Grounds near Gladwin, Mich. • Third place in the Ruffed Grouse Field Trial Club John R. Stuart Derby Open Classic with 23 entries. • Second place in the Ruffed Grouse Field Trial Club Ruth Stuart Open Puppy Classic with 19 entries. • Third place in the Beaverton Grouse Dog Club Eaton Spring Derby Classic with 34 entries.
What made these placements even more thrilling is that Dexter was only eight-months-old. Most of his competition in these stakes were older than him; in case of the derby stakes, up to 18 months older!
Northwoods Cedar Edge (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), is posed by handler Lindsey Saetre, earned a blue ribbon for owners Eric and Lindsey Saetre.
Northwoods Cedar Edge (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), a littermate sister to Dexter, owned and handled by Eric and Lindsey Saetre, also had a winning start. She placed first in the Region 19 Open Puppy stake and third in the Minnesota Grouse Dog Association’s summer quail trial.
Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017), on left, is posed by owner and handler Greg Johnson.
RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017), owned and handled by Greg Johnson, continued his winning ways by placing first in the Northwest Field Association Open Walking Shooting Dog stake. This trial was held using liberated quail at their trial grounds near Hankinson, N.D.
CH Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock. Photo by Chris Mathan.
In perhaps the biggest award of the year, and for the second year in a row, CH Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2015) is the recipient of the prestigious Elwin G. Smith Award for 2022. This is bestowed on the nation’s winningest English setter in open shooting dog horseback field trials. Shamrock is owned by S. Tucker Johnson and handled by Tracy Swearington.
CH Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016) and owner/handler Ben McKean.
A key element of any field trial is the quality of the judges. They can name worthy winners or they can, by ignorance mainly, screw up it completely. They perhaps are more important than anything else—including weather, venue, dogs or handlers.
In other words, if the judges are good, then the trial will be good.
In early April in the Eau Claire County Forest neat Augusta, Wisc., Ben McKean ran his male setter Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016) at the Region 19 Amateur Walking Shooting Dog Championship. Ben was fortunate for not only were Scott Anderson and Bill Frahm judging but they decided on a bold finish.
Gordie is a leggy male setter, ruggedly built with a reaching gait. He is a powerful dog and ran a strong, mature race, always searching in likely cover. He was marked with an unproductive in heavy tangled alders and ended his hour birdless.
Scott and Bill did have a dog with a find on one woodcock in the first series but they obviously didn’t feel it was a performance deserving of a champion. What do good judges do in a case like this?
Scott and Bill decided on a call back.
Wasting no time, the judges called handlers, dogs and the gallery together. Emotion and excitement were sky high. Scott and Bill chose two call back dogs and two reserve dogs. Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017), owned and handled by Greg Johnson, was a reserve dog while Gordie was their choice to see first on a course known to hold birds.
It took only 12 minutes for Gordie’s bell to stop. Scout Ryan Hough found him on point and when Ben walked in, two woodcock flew. Ben shot his gun and walked back to his dog.
Nothing more was needed. The good judges, by deciding on the call back, had their worthy champion.
CH Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2015), on right, was handled by Tracy Swearington for owner Tucker Johnson in the Masters Open Shooting Dog Championship.
At Northwoods Bird Dogs, Betsy and I strive to breed dogs that possess the talent and ability to win field trials. But winning field trials isn’t the goal—it’s a consequence. It’s a consequence of breeding our own and knowing outside exceptional dogs, of passion, of uncompromising high standards. It’s a consequence of decades of selecting dogs that are intelligent, physically capable and easy to train. It’s a consequence of hunting every generation on wild birds and it’s a consequence of devoted clients who give our dogs the opportunity to reach their genetic potential.
As a consequence, several of our dogs placed in prestigious field trial competition around the country over the past several months.
Greg Johnson, on left, with his runner-up champion setter male Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017).
Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017), owned and handled by Greg Johnson, won Runner-Up Champion in the 52-dog Wisconsin Cover Dog Championship. This win, combined with other placements earned during 2022, qualified Atlas to compete in the Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational Championship. In that event, the previous year’s two winners and 12 top point-earners in 2022 cover dog trials compete for three days to determine a winner. The trial was held in early April near Phillipsburg, Pa.
Cody’s Sadie Belle (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013), on right, with her owner Ryan Bjerke.
Cody’s Sadie Belle (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013) won Runner-Up Champion in the National Amateur Grouse Championship held last October near Moose Junction, Wis. Owner/handler Ryan Bjerke has done a marvelous job with Sadie—his first bird dog.
CH Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2015), handled by Tracy Swearington for owner Tucker Johnson, is having a stellar year. In November, at Burnt Branch Plantation near Ochlocknee Ga., Three Leaf won the 40-dog Blackbelt Open All Age. This setter was also named Runner-Up Champion in the recently completed Masters Open Shooting Dog Championship.
CH Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock photo by Chris Mathan.
The Masters, held on three prestigious wild-quail plantations near Albany Ga., drew a whopping 69 dogs vying for the title. Only six of those competitors were English setters and three of them were either sons, grandsons or great-grandsons of Northwoods Chardonnay (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2009). Four of the six were grandsons of CH Ridge Creek Cody (CH Can’t Go Wrong x CH Houston’s Belle, 2008).
Northwoods Sir Gordon (Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016) placed second in the Minnesota Grouse Dog Championship last October. Owner Ben McKean handled Gordy to his two-grouse-find performance.
Nick Allen, on right, with Northwoods Cosmic Ray (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2019).
Northwoods Cosmic Ray (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2019), owned and handled by Nick Allen, placed second in the Big Sky Field Trial Club Amateur Shooting Dog stake, a U.S. Complete Association Trial held near Barber, Mont. This placement was especially gratifying as it was Nick’s and Ray’s first field trial.
Dave Moore, on left, and his derby-winning pointer, True Ending (CH True Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2021).
True Ending (CH True Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2021), pointer male, owned by Dave and Rochel Moore and handled by Dave, won first place in the Region 19 Open Shooting Dog Derby and third place in the Open All Age Derby. The Region 19 trial was held last October at the Namekagon Barrens near Danbury, Wis. All the dogs were handled from horseback.
Another consequence? Our genetics pass on to the next generation. Here are winners produced by sires and dams we bred.
In Canada Runner-Up Champion in the North American Woodcock Championship in McAdams, New Brunswick, last fall was Wynot Pete, a pointer male handled and owned by Steve Forrest. Pete’s dam is Northwoods Maddie (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015).
On the East Coast Runner-Up Champion in the Northeastern Open Championship held in East Windsor, Conn., was setter male Erin’s Big Casino, owned by Paul Berdiner and handled by Mike Tracy. Casino has several of our dogs in his pedigree; he is sired by CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock whose sire, CH Ridge Creek Cody (CH Can’t Go Wrong x CH Houston’s Belle, 2008), was whelped and started at our kennel. In addition, Casino’s dam, Three Stripe’s Livewire, was sired by RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana (CH Houston’s Blackjack x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2011).
In the Heartland Last fall, two pointers owned and handled by Rod Lein of Chippewa Falls, Wis., and sired by JTH Cooper (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015) placed in derby stakes. Over The Hill Morgan placed first in the 24-dog Wisconsin Cover Dog Championship Open Derby while littermate Over The Hill Try placed second. Try also placed second in the 18-dog Open Derby held in conjunction with the North Country Championship trial.
Out West Near the town of Payette, Idaho, on the Oregon/Idaho border, setter male, Charlie’s Zip Tie, owned and handled by Bill Owen and sired by CH Northwoods Charles (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013), won the Northwest Chukar Open Shooting Dog Championship. In the Larry Brech Memorial Open Derby held during the Chukar Championships, third place winner, Mauck’s Wyest Molly, setter female owned and handled by Alex Mauck, is out of High Prairie Gypsy (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2016).
Congratulations and continued success to all these owners, handlers and trainers!
Greg Johnson, on left, with RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017) and Ken Moss with CH Moss Meadow Seeker. Back row: Tucker Johnson, Judges Ben McKean and Ryan Hough.
Most people involved in wild bird field trial competition acknowledge that it is a game.
Not only must handlers navigate uncontrollable vagaries like running order, weather conditions, bracemate and the often unpredictable behavior of grouse and woodcock but they also must handle their dogs flawlessly around a one-hour course and abide by the rules of the game. Among those rules are that the dogs should: run a strong, forward race; never lose focus; point with style and intensity; be steady to wing and shot; have no unproductive points; honor the bracemate; finish strong. No mistakes are allowed or the dog is “picked up,” i.e., leashed and walked out of the woods by the handler.
To persevere and win trials—especially big championships—competitors must keep paying the entry fees, showing up and running their dogs.
So it is especially sweet and satisfying when everything aligns and the handler and dog win an important stake—especially a big championship.
The Chippewa Valley Grouse Dog Association held its Wisconsin Cover Dog Championship last week in the Eau Claire County Forest, near Augusta, Wisc. A large entry of 52 dogs was under consideration by judges Ben McKean and Ryan Hough.
After five days of running, Moss Meadow Seeker, owned and handled by Ken Moss, was named champion. With three finds and a strong race that often strained the bell’s limit but always stayed within range, Northwoods Atlas, owned and handled by Greg Johnson, was named runner-up champion.
Five-year-old Atlas, call name Jet, is no stranger to the winner’s circle. Throughout his young career, he has consistently placed in 11 field trials. This is his first championship placement.
Jet was whelped in 2017 out of Northwoods Nickel by Northwoods Grits. Grits was infamous for his bird finding and never-give-up attitude while Nickel added an uncommonly strong yet graceful gait.
And that sweet and satisfying part? After it was all over, Greg commented, “I am walking on air right now.”
