2009 Region 1 Amateur All-Age Championship pictures and report

Front, from left, Elias Richardson, Erin Stolgitis and Stacey Goodie with Ch. Chasehill Little Bud, reporter Janice Gregory, Brian Sanchez with RU Ch. Great River Magnum, Elizabeth Malone and Aidan Malone. Rear, from left, Mike Flewelling, Bill Hyland, John Stolgitis, Tony Forte, John Malone, judge Dave O'Brien, and judge Jeff Smith.

CHASEHILL LITTLE BUD
WINS 2009 REGION 1
AMATEUR ALL-AGE CHAMPIONSHIP;
RUNNERUP GOES TO GREAT RIVER MAGNUM

GLASTONBURY, Conn. - Chalk up another championship for Chasehill Little Bud.

Above, Chasehill Little Bud points while Elias Richardson flushes the birds.

From a small but elite field of pointers and setters, the 4-year-old pointer earned the blue ribbon in the 2009 Region 1 Amateur All-Age Championship held Sunday, Nov. 22, at The Meadows. Bud is owned by John Stolgitis of Ashaway, RI, and was handled by Elias Richardson of Uxbridge, Mass.

Runnerup honors in the amateur championship went to Great River Magnum, a pointer male owned and handled by Brian Sanchez of Central Islip, NY. Out of the field of 12, judges felt these two pointers best exemplified the kind of race and style an all-age dog should have.

Above, Brian Sanchez and John Malone water a dog
while the field party takes a breather.

Last year, Bud earned the runnerup title in this championship. His race then was only slightly marred by his overwhelming instinct to hunt out every objective. Well, in the off season Bud must have read the rule book on what's required of an all-age dog because this year, he was spot on. His race was impeccable. He ran like an all-age dog. He hunted like an all-age dog. He obviously takes each experience and learns and builds on it and each time he's put on the ground to run, he has improved. He was flashy, he stuck his edges, was polished on his game and always ran to the front. At pickup time, he was still motoring and had gas to spare.

And the runnerup was no slouch either. A handsome white and orange pointer, Magnum knew what the deal was and hit this course running. He had four nice finds and a huge all-age race. Magnum was making a bid for the champion position when he suffered a slight bobble that caught him coming up from behind near the end of his hour. It would be the runnerup ribbon instead for him.

Honorable mention went to John Malone's pointer, East Coast Slick.

Above, judges were Jeff Smith of Loudon, NH, right,
and Dave O'Brien of Marlborough, CT.

THE RUNNING

In the first brace of the championship, East Coast Sadie, last year's winner, owned and handled by John Malone, and Ironstone Jungle King, owned and handled by Elias Richardson, broke away in mid-30s temperatures. The slight frost on the ground made the footing in the cut cornfield just a bit greasy. It was an inauspicious start to the championship. Both dogs flew from the breakaway and little was seen of them thereafter. Both were eventually roped for not pleasing their owners.

John Fino saddled up and ready to run Southbound Strech.

In the second brace, Ironstone Clyde (Richardson) was braced with Southbound Strech (Fino). Strech made a nice cast off the breakaway, running with head and tail high, down the right side of the big field. Clyde was also spotted hunting along the edge, checking out the objectives. Strech stopped at 15 on point. When no bird could be produced, he was sent on to relocate. Still no bird could be found and he took an unproductive. At the 30 minute mark, Clyde was found pointing but his tail was uncharacteristically low. However, a single bird was produced and he was sent on. Clyde was again found on point but his handler elected to pick him up citing limber tail as the cause of his poor stance. Point was called for Strech, who had made a loop. A single bird was produced for the intense dog. Another find for Strech at the back of the cornfield leading back to the parking lot. Again the dog stood intensely, but the handler couldn't produce a bird. He was sent on but moved cautiously and stopped again, not far from his first stand. Again he was sent on and this time the bird flew up from under heavy cover and Strech took credit for a stop-to-flush.

Elizabeth Malone gets ready to ride
to watch her dad's dog, East Coast Pete

Chasehill Little Bud (Richardson) and East Coast Pete (Malone). Bud logged a find at the back of the big field. The dog stood like a statue, head high and tail rail straight as a single bird was flown. He was released and minutes later was found standing on the opposite side of the gully, with, again, a single bird being produced. Pete joined back up with the field trial party at this point and both dogs were cast off. The two pointers motored up and around the bowl, Pete stopping on point and Bud backing, in an area between the bowl and horse pasture. Both dogs had an extremely stylish way of going.

Mike Flewelling, left, getting some advice
from his scout, Elias Richardson.

East Coast Slick (Malone) and Sunkhaze Fast Break (Flewelling). In all the many years Mike Flewelling's been running dogs, he's never run a dog in a horseback stake, never mind an All-Age championship. On this day, he rectified both issues and ran Fast Break in the first All-Age Championship for both handler and owner. It's hard enough running a dog off foot, but it's doubly hard to control a horse, keep yourself in the saddle and keep an eye on your dog when you're running in a horseback stake. For a first-timer, Mike did it quite capably and with good humor. After the breakaway, both dogs grabbed the right edge of green field. About three-quarters of the way down, Slick snapped onto point. It was a pretty picture, with Fast Break taking the back. Both dogs stood high and tight as a bird was flushed. Fast Break had another find along the back of the course at the river and the dogs shared a divided find at the gully with a covey of quail being flown. Slick was found pointing between the bowl and horse pasture with Fast Break backing. A single bird was flushed and all was in good order. Slick had another find at the end of the cornfield going back to the parking lot with a single bird being flown. Slick logged his final find back on the right edge of the green field. And it was at that point that Fast Break decided he didn't want to back any more and didn't. He was picked up.

Breaking away another brace.

Great River Magnum (Sanchez) and Sweet Pea (Flewelling). The dogs stood staunchly as they logged a divided find at the river after the breakaway. Birds were found and the pointers were taken on. Magnum logged a find at the gully with Sweet Pea backing. The intensity in both dogs was obvious. Between the bowl and horse pasture, both dogs were found standing about 20 yards apart. Handlers found birds for each dog and all was in order. Magnum had a find at the back of the cornfield with a single bird flown. The tracker was called for a missing Sweet Pea with about 15 minutes left.

From left, John Fino, judge Jeff Smith and Dick Bembenek.

Silver Hill Suzie Q (Malone) and Chasehill Molly Mae (Richardson). In this last brace of the day and of the championship, Ed Marin was riding to watch his Suzie Q dog. Suzie swapped onto point at the end of the big field with Molly taking the back. The dogs went on for a divided find at the gully with both handlers firing. Both dogs stopped between the bowl and horse pasture, each about 20 yards apart. Birds were produced for each and they were taken on. Molly had another find at the back of the cornfield. Suzie was picked up for not backing and Molly's hour was also over early as judges advised the handler that she wasn't beating the top two dogs.

SIDELIGHTS

A lunchtime cocktail party was hosted by John Malone, winner of last year's All-Age with East Coast Sadie. Plenty of beer, wine and snacks were available to all.

Norma Bembenek, left, and Suzanne Malone.

No field trial runs on its own and Region 1 is lucky to have some very valuable helpers. Bill Hyland, Ed Marin and Aidan Malone spent the day planting birds, Eli Richardson loaned out his horses and lunch was prepared and served by the culinary duo of Suzanne Malone and Tony Forte.

Chairman of the event was Elias Richardson, assisted by John Malone.

Above, chef extraordinaire Tony Forte wielding a mean spatula :-)

The running of the Amateur All-Age Championship concludes the season of field trialing for Region 1.

Need to board a dog or looking for doggie daycare in Connecticut?

Get in touch with Dave O'Brien, center. He can help you out! :-)