Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2016), on right, was named Runner-Up in the National Derby Championship.
The spring field trial season is now history. Reports have come in from all over the country—from the northwest to the southeast, from wooded venues to open—about performances and winners. Whether handled from horseback or foot, whether setter or pointer, dogs from our kennel have the talent to win at the highest levels. Even though Jerry and I don’t compete anymore, it is both thrilling and humbling to see such success.
Congratulations to owners, handlers and dogs!
Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2016), owned and handled by Sean Derrig, won Runner-Up in the prestigious National Derby Championship. This is an all age, horseback stake of 90-minute braces (for derbies!). Another cool aspect about Shamrock’s placement? He was the only setter in the stake. Conducted on the Panther Creek Field Trial Grounds near Fitzpatrick, Ala., the venue offers big fields with long edges which showcase a dog with independence and desire.
RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Erin’s Skydancer), owned by John Mathys and handled by pro Doug Ray, won Runner-Up in The Masters Open Shooting Dog Championship. This is another esteemed horseback trial run on three private wild quail plantations near Albany, Ga. The grounds are classically groomed piney woods where a dog has to handle to win. Eighty-one dogs competed in one-hour braces.
The sire of both Hidden Shamrock and Prometheus is CH Ridge Creek Cody, who was co-bred by Paul Hauge and Jerry and me. Cody died in a tragic accident at a young age but has become a prominent sire of high caliber setters that can win in pointer-dominated competition.
Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016), in middle, placed second in the National Bird Hunters Association Northeast Regional Derby.
Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016), owned and handled by Ben McKean, won second place at the National Bird Hunters Association Northeast Regional Derby, held at the Pine Island grounds near Portage, Wis. Gordon also placed first in the Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Derby held near Moose Junction, Wis. In both trials, the dogs were handled from foot. Pine Island consists of open fields with some mixed woodlands while the Moose Junction grounds are heavily wooded, typical grouse habitat. Gordon did extremely well especially considering he is such a young derby.
Northwoods Rolls Royce (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013), in middle, placed second in the Red Hills Field Trial.
Northwoods Rolls Royce (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013), owned by Bob Senkler and handled by Jerry, placed second in the Red Hills Field Trial held on the Osceola Plantation near Thomasville, Ga. The grounds are the quintessential bobwhite habitat of piney woods. The goal of this trial is to choose winners that are the ideal plantation horseback hunting dog. The stake is limited to one dog per handler so the 24 handlers brought their best to compete for bragging rights.
The trial is held in the spring after the winter quail hunting season so the birds present quite a challenge. Royce was perfect, though, and beautifully pointed three coveys during his 30-minute brace.
Tian Elhew Verbena (CH Elhew G Force X Northwoods Vixen, 2013) had a winning spring. This beautiful pointer won the Pacific Coast Open Shooting Dog Championship and Runner-Up in the National Chukar Open Shooting Dog Championship. Bena was produced out of our first breeding of Vixen to G Force. She is owned by Angela Schillereff and handled by husband Tim to both wins. These trials were held on the Anderson Ranch near Sunnyside, Wash. The terrain is vast and expansive with very little ground cover and the dogs can be seen for great distances.
CH Northwoods Charles (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013) won Runner Up in the 2018 Region 11 Amateur All Age Championship held in Reno Nev. Bridget Ledington handled Charles to this win with 31 starters. Charles is a 2X CH and 4X RU-CH for his owner Bill Owen.
Northwoods Manhattan ((Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2012), on right, placed third in the AG Preserve Field Trial.
Northwoods Manhattan (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2012) won third in the AG Preserve Field Trial held near Glenwood, Ga. He was handled by Daryl Thomas, Jr., for owner James Edenfield. This was a one-course trial held under the auspices of the National Bird Hunters Association.
Finally, the Minnesota Grouse Dog Association held a trial at the Four Brooks Wildlife Management Area north of Milaca, Minn., in mid June. Four Brooks consists of open fields mixed with small woodlots. In one of two open derby stakes, High Prairie Gypsy (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2016), owned and handled by Chad Hanson, won first place. In the same stake, Northwoods Blitzen (CH Elhew G Force X Northwoods Vixen, 2016), handled by Ben McKean for Jerry and me, placed third.
CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Erin’s Skydancer)
Puppies and young dogs bred by Northwoods Bird Dogs are sold to various types of owners scattered across the country. The vast majority are serious upland bird hunters who spend many days and weeks in the woods and fields. Some owners are professional guides who need to put on a top-notch show for their clients. Still other owners have the field trial bug and compete their dogs at different venues.
No matter the buyer, Betsy and I are dedicated to breeding outstanding dogs that have the physical and mental ability to do whatever the owner chooses.
Though we don’t compete in field trials any longer, we are extremely proud to have dogs with Northwoods blood campaigned. Congratulations to these owners for their time, effort and expense to showcase their dogs in public competition.
Merimac’s Westerly Gail (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2009)
Merimac’s Westerly Gail (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2009) placed first for owner/handler Don McKean in the Grand Valley Field Trial walking stake held at Ionia, Mich. Not only is Don a retired Michigan veterinarian, grouse hunter and avid bird dog connoisseur but he’s also the father of our good friend and client, Ben McKean.
CH Northwoods Charles (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013) is posed by handler Travis Gelhaus for owner Bill Owen in green hat.
CH Northwoods Charles (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013) continues his winning ways for owner Bill Owen of California. Charles was named RU-CH at the Pacific Northwest Open Shooting Dog Championship in Condon, Ore. This placement, along with other wins, qualified him to run in the National Shooting Dog Championship (the foremost field trial for shooting dogs) held this spring on the Sedgefield plantation near Midway, Ala.
Sean Derrig of Illinois is a successful trainer and handler on the horseback all age field trial circuit with many championships. He primarily breeds and competes with his pointers but currently has two setters in his string. The eldest is CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock (photo at top), a male sired by CH Ridge Creek Cody, a dog we co-bred with Paul Hauge, out of Erin’s Skydancer.
Shamrock racked up impressive wins last fall. He won the United States Open Championship held in Alabama and was named RU-CH in the International Pheasant Championship held in Ohio. These wins re-qualified him for the 2018 National Championship (he also qualified and ran in 2017) on the Ames Plantation in Grand Junction, Tenn. This is the foremost all age field trial in the country and requires entrants to compete in three-hour braces.
Sean Derrig, on left, poses his derby winner Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay).
Sean also campaigns Shamrock’s son by Northwoods Chardonnay, Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock. Three Leaf placed first in the Arlin Nolen Open Derby Classic, held in Booneville, Ark., a one-hour stake judged by all age standards.
CH Ludy’s Northwoods Jack Pot (CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2014)
Chuck Ludolph of Minnesota competes his setters in National Shoot to Retrieve (NSTRA) trials. CH Ludy’s Northwoods Jack Pot (CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2014) placed sixth in a field of 192 dogs at the 2017 NSTRA Dog of the Year trial. In addition, Jack Pot recently earned his first NSTRA champion title.
Northwoods Gucci (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2015)
Northwoods Gucci is the co-winner of the 2017 Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Derby of the Year. Her point total equaled that of Opie, a setter male owned and handled by Sig Degitz. In just three starts in trials this spring, Gucci placed in each one.
Gucci was whelped on April 15, 2015, out of Northwoods Chardonnay by CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock. Betsy and I, together with Paul Hauge, co-bred the litter. Paul owned Gucci and entrusted her development, training and handling to us.
Northwoods Chardonnay (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2009)
Gucci comes from a long line of females winning this award. Consider this:
Dam: Northwoods Chardonnay, 2011
Great grand-dam: CH Houston’s Belle (owned by Paul Hauge), 2003
Great grand-dam: Blue Silk, 2001
Great great grand-dam: CH Blue Streak, Runner-up, 1997
Houston’s Belle’s Choice, one of Gucci’s grand-dams, didn’t win the award herself but produced, in addition to Chardonnay, Northwoods Highclass Kate (owned by Barry Frieler) who won in 2012. Gucci’s grand-sire, CH Ridge Creek Cody (owned by Larry Brutger), won the Bill Conlin Setter Shooting Dog Derby award in 2010.
Recently Gucci was bought from Paul so she’ll now spend her falls hunting birds in Montana. Betsy and I will still have her with us in Georgia during the winter. In 2018, we plan to breed her to the outstanding Northwoods Grits.
Northwoods Highclass Kate (Northwoods Blue Ox x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2010)
CH Houston’s Belle (Houston x Forest Ridge Jewel, 2001)
Blue Silk (CH First Rate x CH Blue Streak, 1999)
CH Blue Streak (Spring Garden Tollway x Finder’s Keeper, 1995)
A. J. Kalupa, flanked by Rochel and Dave Moore, happily poses after an open shooting dog placement with I’m Blue Skye.
The spring field trial season is winding down across the country and here are some dogs out of our kennel that placed.
Congratulations to dogs, owners and handlers!
A special combination of dogs/owner/handler is happening on the western field trial circuit. Bill Owen campaigns two dogs he bought from us as puppies—one setter and one pointer. Bill handles them in amateur stakes but has entrusted Travis Gelhaus to handle them in open stakes.
Handler Travis Gelhaus poses with first place derby Northwoods Blackhawk Sage (first dog on the right). Sage is owned by Bill Owen, the guy in the cowboy hat on Travis’ left.
Northwoods Blackhawk Sage (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015), a big, handsome liver-and-white male, won the National Chukar Derby Classic. Bill’s setter, Northwoods Charles (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013), was named champion in the National Chukar Shooting Dog Championship. The stakes were held in Sunnyside, Wash.
Newly crowned champion Northwoods Charles is posed by handler Travis Gelhaus while owner Bill Owen, in the green hat behind Travis, wears a nice smile.
In Wisconsin, I’m Blue Skye (Northwoods Grits x CH I’m Blue Gert, 2014) placed third in a Chippewa Valley Grouse Dog Association open shooting dog for A. J. Kalupa, her new owner. A. J. had recently bought Skye from Dave and Rochel Moore, who also own Skye’s dam, CH I’m Blue Gert. Amazingly, this trial was the first A. J. had entered.
Winners pose after a Moose River Grouse Dog Club open derby stake held in Wisconsin. From left: Rod Lein with his third place setter, Jerry with second place Northwoods Gucci and Sig Digetz with his winning setter.
Northwoods Gucci (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2015), owned by Paul Hauge, had never competed in a field trial. But this spring, Paul thought she was ready so I handled her in three open derby stakes in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She won one and placed second in two. In those outings she earned enough points to share the derby of the year award with Sig Digetz’ setter Opie.
Northwoods Nirvana (CH Houston’s Blackjack x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2011) continues to produce winners. The latest is Phillips Spitting Image, owned by Matt Phillips, who placed fourth in the U.S. Complete Shooting Dog Futurity.
Left to right, Rod Lein with his dog, Joe Byers with Roxy (Northwoods Grits x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2014), Dave Moore with Bette (Northwoods Grits x CH I’m Blue Gert, 2014).
The goal of the breeding program at Northwoods Bird Dogs is to produce grouse dogs that have it all—personality, conformation and hunting ability. Of prime importance to Betsy and me is that our puppies and started and trained dogs go to buyers who will give them ample hunting opportunities.
But, too, since we come from a field trial background, it is both gratifying and valuable to know when given a chance, many of our dogs have the fire, style, focus and tenacity to compete and place in field trials.
On behalf of very proud owners, we want to recognize puppies, derbies and shooting dogs that have placed in grouse, walking and horseback field trials held by clubs around the country.
In 2014 we bred Northwoods Grits (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, 2011), an outstanding grouse dog owned by Bob Senkler, to two proven females.
Center, Ellie (Northwoods Grits x CH I’m Blue Gert, 2014) owned by Tom Beauchamp and handled by Rich Hollister.
CH I’m Blue Gert, owned by Dave and Rochel Moore of Minnesota, to Grits produced three females and all became winners. Ellie, owned by Tom Beauchamp of Indiana, placed second in the 2015 Grand National Grouse Puppy Classic. She followed that with several derby placements on grouse and woodcock in Michigan.
Dave and Rochel own the other two females, Skye and Bette, and both dogs placed in grouse trials. Skye won the Moose River Grouse Dog Club (MRGDC) derby last fall while this spring Bette won a derby stake held by the Minnesota Grouse Dog Association (MGDA).
On left, Dave Moore and Jim Tande with Skye (Northwoods Grits x CH I’m Blue Gert, 2014) and, on right, Jeff Hintz with Cooper (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015).
Grits’ other 2014 breeding was to Houston’s Belle’s Choice. The lone female of the litter went to Joe Byers of Illinois. Not only did Roxy place second in a 2016 MGDA derby stake (beaten by her half-sister Bette) but she received her certification for use in woodcock banding at less than two years of age.
Northwoods Vixen’s 2015 litter was produced using frozen semen of multiple champion and Hall of Fame pointer Rock Acre Blackhawk. Impressive attributes of Vixen puppies is their innate intelligence and a willingness to please. Whether the offspring are hunted on grouse, woodcock, bobwhite and other quail, pheasants or chukar and no matter what state, all adapted to birds, terrain and handler.
Robby Graham (on left) with Maddie (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015).
Three earned placements in derby stakes while still puppies. In Maine, Robby Graham’s Maddie placed in two derby stakes and Arizonan Jeff Hintz’s Cooper placed in a grouse trial derby stake last fall. Bill Owen of California handled his male puppy Sage to several derby placements and first place in a puppy classic.
On left, Bill Owen and Sage (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015).
Betsy and I were so pleased with a 2013 litter of Vixen by CH Elhew G Force that we bred her dam, Northwoods Prancer, to him in 2015. Mark Fouts of Wisconsin got a female he hunted extensively on grouse and woodcock. Jordy’s experience showed this spring when on a nasty, rainy, sloppy, 38-degree day, she placed in the MRGDC derby stake.
On right, Mark Fouts with Jordy (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Prancer, 2015).
Finally, Ian MacTavish of Minnesota won all three placements in a stake at Minnesota’s St. Croix Valley Brittany Club’s trial this spring. Ian had the foresight to buy two females from a litter we co-bred with Paul Hauge out of our Blue Shaquille to his multiple champion Houston’s Belle. One Ian named Pearl became not only a consistent winner in AKC field trials but also quite a producer.
Ian MacTavish with left to right: Kevin (CH Shadow Oak Bo x Cold Creek Pearl), Pearl (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle), Maggie (CH Can’t Go Wrong x Cold Creek Pearl).
Placing first in the stake was Pearl’s son out of CH Shadow Oak Bo; second was Pearl; and third place went to a CH Can’t Go Wrong x Pearl daughter.
Northwoods Blackhawk Sage (on left) CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015 1st Pacific Northwest Open Derby, Oregon Owner: Bill Owen, California
Fall is the ultimate season for bird dog owners whether they choose to hunt in the woods or on the prairies or to compete against the best other owners bring to the line.
Three young dogs bred by Northwoods Bird Dogs won impressively at recent field trials. A seven-month-old pointer male won a derby and a pointer female—as the youngest dog entered—was named champion of the stake. And a two-year-old setter female placed in both open and amateur stakes at a national venue.
Congratulations to these talented dogs and their proud owners!!
Ridge Creek Pied Piper CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013 1st AKC English Setter Nationals, Nebraska, amateur stake 3rd AKC English Setter Nationals, Nebraska, open stake Owner: Chuck Brandes, Minnesota
Tian Elhew Verbena CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013 1st American Pointer Club National Amateur Championship, Ohio Owner: Angela Schillereff, Sauvie Island Kennels, Oregon
Winners and others gather after the Moose Rive Grouse Dog Club Open Derby stake. From left: Tim Kaufman, Jerry with First Place Northwoods Rolls Royce, Judge Sig Degitz, Mr. Bjerke with Second Place Sadie, Judge Jason Gooding, Bill Frahm, Ben McKean and an unidentified youngster.
The final spring field trial held on ruffed grouse was hosted by the Moose River Grouse Dog Club (MRGDC) on April 25 and 26 in the Douglas County Forest of western Wisconsin. At 14 entries, the Open Derby was the largest derby stake of the 2014-2015 season and perhaps the most competitive. The field included several dogs that had placed in previous derbies, in addition to the eventual winner of the Minnesota /Wisconsin Derby of the Year award.
Northwoods Rolls Royce placed first, followed by Sadie in second and Coulee in third place. Sadie is also out of our breeding—CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay in 2013.
Royce is owned by Bob Senkler; I handled him.
Royce ran a mature hunting race and had a grouse find on which he was steady to shot. This was Royce’s second placement in three starts. Last spring, he placed first in the Minnesota Grouse Dog Association (MGDA) Open Puppy where he staunchly pointed a woodcock.
Royce’s placements prove that he matured early in his hunting application and his ability to point wild birds. He had extensive exposure, too, which helps. As a puppy, Royce was worked on wild bobwhite quail in Georgia and last fall he was hunted hard on grouse and woodcock. I used Royce often on guided quail hunts this past winter in Georgia.
Royce is out of the outstanding nick of Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice (also owned by Bob Senkler) and joins a long list of siblings that have placed as puppies and derbies in grouse trials.
• Northwoods Creek (owned by Randy Ott) placed first and second in two MGDA open derby stakes this spring.
• Northwoods Troy McClure (owned by Dale and Jessica Robinson) placed third in the spring 2014 MGDA Open Puppy.
• Northwoods Carly Simon (owned by Betsy and me) placed third in the spring 2012 MRGDC Open Puppy when handled by young Paul Diggan.
• Northwoods Chardonnay (owned by Paul Hauge) placed second in the spring 2010 MGDA Open Derby when she was still a puppy. Chardonnay also placed in two spring derby stakes in 2011, enough to win the 2011 Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Derby of the Year award.
• Northwoods Chablis (owned by Bob Senkler) placed twice in spring derby stakes in 2011 and was second place (by just two points!) to litter sister Chardonnay for the 2011 Cover Dog Derby award.
• Northwoods Lager (owned by Jim Bires), a littermate to Chardonnay and Chablis, placed twice in derby stakes in 2011.
Tom Beauchamp proudly displays the big red ribbon won by Northwoods Iron Maiden (Northwoods Grits x CH I’m Blue Gert, 2014) for her second place finish in the Grand National Grouse Futurity Puppy Classic.
Spring is a welcome season throughout snow-weary, northern parts of the country. It is true for all whether commuters, merchants or gardeners but perhaps it is even more so for sportsmen and women who own bird dogs and like to get them in the woods to match them against others during the spring field trial season.
Even though Jerry and I don’t compete as much, we anxiously await results of the various venues and are thrilled when others place—especially when the puppies, derbies and older dogs are out of our kennel. Equally exciting, though, is when winners are:
• owners who are new to field trials
• dogs that are older, experienced and much wiser
• dogs out of favorite pointer males
Tom Beauchamp of Fishers, Indiana, had never competed in a field trial but was keen to run his nine-month-old female setter puppy out of multiple grouse champion I’m Blue Gert by Northwoods Grits. As a practice run, Tom drove up to the Michigan Amateur Field Trial Club’s stakes held near Gladwin, Michigan, on April 3. It was well worth the effort for he earned an Honorable Mention.
After the conclusion of the 68th running of the Grand National Grouse Futurity Puppy Classic, judges and winning handlers pose with their puppies. From left: Judge Dick Brenneman, Dave Hughes with Springfield’s Side Kick, Tom Beauchamp with Northwoods Iron Maiden, Dave D’Hulster with Willwoods Squig, Mark Hughes with Springfield’s Dark Knight, judge Eric Locher.
That was merely a preamble, though, for the next weekend Tom headed to Marienville, Pennsylvania, where the 68th running of the Grand National Grouse Futurity Puppy Classic was held in the Allegheny National Forest. Eric Locher and top-notch veteran Dick Brenneman judged 28 puppies from which four placements were awarded.
How sensational for Tom and his puppy. He said, “What the hell. I just let her roll.”
2nd Grand National Grouse Futurity Puppy Classic
Northwoods Iron Maiden
(Northwoods Grits x CH I’m Blue Gert, 2014)
Owned and handled by Tom Beauchamp
Randy Ott is proud of Northwoods Creek (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013) and his first place in the Open Derby at a Minnesota Grouse Dog Association spring trial. The rotating silver cup is filled with engraved names of past greats in the grouse woods.
The Minnesota Grouse Dog Association held the first of two weekend field trials beginning April 10. The stakes are always run in the Rum River State Forest near Mora. Several placements are especially noteworthy.
1st Open Derby
Northwoods Creek
(Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013)
Owned and handled by Randy Ott
1st Open Shooting Dog
Merimac’s Adda Girl
(CH Long Gone Nixon x Grouse River Princess, 2006. She’s 9!!)
Owned and handled by Ben McKean
1st Amateur Shooting Dog & 2nd Open Shooting Dog
Goodgoing Hannah Montana
(Dashaway x Goodgoing Elhew Moxie, 2007. She’s 8!!)
Co-owned and handled by Brett Edstrom
2nd Amateur Shooting Dog
Satin From Silk
(I’m Houston’s Image x Blue Silk, 2006. She’s 9, too!!)
Owned and handled by Greg Gress
3rd Open Puppy
Miles
(CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2014)
Owned and handled by Matt Forgit
Matt Forgit and his son happily pose with Miles (CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2014) after his third place finish in the Open Puppy at a Minnesota Grouse Dog Association spring trial.
Meanwhile, beginning April 11, the Minnesota Bird Hunters Association held their spring trial at Four Brooks Field Trials Grounds north of Milaca. Chuck Brandes entered his young female in two stakes and came away with two ribbons.
1st Open Gun Dog & 3rd Open Derby
Ridge Creek Pied Piper
(CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013)
Owned and handled by Chuck Brandes
Pro trainer Luke Eisenhart reaches in to take his derby winner Awsum In Motion out of the area after a find.
On a foggy morning in early March, I drove northwest out of our place to Erin’s Covey Pointe plantation near Sale City, Georgia. I was fortunate to have an opportunity to ride along with professional all-age handler Luke Eisenhart during a morning workout.
Luke is a phenomenon. After his first year of competing on the all-age field trial circuit, he was named the 2011-2012 Purina Top All-Age Handler of the Year. He won the next year, too, 2012-2013. In this year’s standings not only does Luke have a substantial lead over second place but he handles two of the top three dogs for the Purina Top Dog Award, Erin’s Wild Justice and Erin’s Kentucky Gambler.
To keep his string in top condition both physically and mentally, Luke combines roading and field work of 30 – 45 minutes on birds. During these workouts, he doesn’t let the dogs range like they do in a trial; rather he keeps them close and concentrates on handling, finding and pointing birds. He runs dogs in pairs and wants each dog to point several coveys and back the bracemate.
Luke Eisenhart walks back to CH True Confidence after the flush and shot on a nice covey find.
On that day, Luke worked pointer champions Erin’s Dog Soldier, Erin’s Wild Justice, Erin’s Full Throttle and True Confidence, along with setters Houston’s Blackjack and derby winner Awsum In Motion.
Like all good handlers I’ve observed, Luke is smooth, confident and soft spoken around his dogs. It can be forgotten that he is working some of the most powerful, driven dogs found anywhere because he makes handling them look easy. Luke is good because he’s passionate about what he does, works hard on a consistent basis, knows what to do and—and just as importantly—knows what not to do. His timing and execution are precise and he knows each dog thoroughly.
Also exciting for me to see was the dogs themselves. Up close, I saw their physical conformation and disposition and, out in the field, I observed their gait, style and performance.
In the truck on the way back to our place, it became crystal clear to me why Luke and his dogs do so much winning.
I felt fortunate to chat with Robin Gates and to see CH Shadow Oak Bo up close after the morning’s braces at the 2015 Continental All-Age Championship.
Betsy and I were excited to watch two-time National Champion Shadow Oak Bo compete at the 2015 Continental All-Age Championship held at the Dixie Plantation in northern Florida. Though I had watched him before, I couldn’t miss an opportunity for another look.
Bo is handled by professional Robin Gates and co-owned by Butch Housten and John Dorminy.
Bo, who had just turned nine years of age, hunted the course hard and far, yet handled easily as he hunted from one birdy location to another. He had four finds on coveys, one where the birds were unseen by the judges and two that required relocations.
I was very impressed with Bo’s relocations. Both times, he was on point to the front. After thorough flushing attempts, Robin released the dog and Bo was masterful. He moved positively yet cautiously, exuding confidence that he knew his job. After 40 – 75 yard relocations, Bo pinned the coveys. Robin moved in quickly to flush and the birds were right where Bo indicated. Again, in both instances, the quail flushed from a wide area, indicating they were a feeding, moving group—not the kind that are easy to keep on the ground.
Bo finished his hour well, perhaps not as strong as Robin would have liked and not good enough for a placement but clearly showed us why he’s had such a long, successful career. Interestingly, Bo was being treated for a good-sized abscess on the side of his rib cage due possibly caused by a migrating grass awn.
After the morning’s running, Betsy and I walked to the kennel area. Robin handed Bo a treat as he opened the kennel door. We chatted with Robin who then offered to let us see Bo.
Physically, Bo is a specimen—strong and solid. He is a gentle dog with deep, sensitive eyes that convey intelligence and calmness.
If there is one word to describe Bo’s personality, it is calmness. He was calm on the dog wagon; calm prior to his brace when being outfitted with the Garmin; calm after his brace; and calm while we petted him and chatted with Robin. Most importantly, Bo was calm—yet also composed and intense—on point.
We were happy with everything we observed about Bo. It’s easy to see why he’s so outstanding in field trials. We wish him the best.
