Winners from 2018 spring field trials
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.
