Pictures, story: Region 1 AWSD Championship

CHASEHILL LITTLE BUD EARNS CHAMPIONSHIP NO. 10,
RUNNER-UP IS BLUEBELL SUE Z
AT REGION 1 AMATEUR WALKING SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP

Front from left, John Stolgitis, Mike Flewelling and Ch. Chasehill Little Bud, Bo Mamounis and RU Ch. Bluebell Sue Z, and Steve Failla. Rear from left, Monique Giuliano, Region 1 trustee Elias Richardson, judges Jim Isperduli and Mitch Swierczynski, reporter Janice Gregory, Bill Pellechia and John Bahr.


EXETER, RI — Chasehill Little Bud is quickly and efficiently working his way into the record books.

The 5-year-old pointer earned his 10th championship by taking the top spot at the Region 1 Amateur Walking Shooting Dog Championship on the weekend of April 10-11, 2010.
Bud also earned a hat-trick for himself and his handler, Mike Flewelling, that weekend as they are the first dog and handler pair to earn three consecutive Region 1 AWSD championships – winning twice before in 2008 and 2009.

Bud is owned by John Stolgitis of Ashaway, RI.

"TEAM BUD"

Above rear, from left, Elias Richardson, Chasehill Little Bud's amateur horseback handler; Mike Flewelling, Bud's amateur walking handler; John Stolgitis, Bud's owner and pro handler, and 10-time champion Chasehill Little Bud.

Runnerup in the championship went to Bluebell Sue Z, a spritely setter female owned and handled by Bo Mamounis of Newfield, NJ.

Above, Bo Mamounis and Runnerup Champion Bluebell Sue Z,
with stake manager Richard Giuliano in the background.

Judges for the championship, sponsored by the Arcadia Field Trial Club, were Mitch Swierczynski of Griswold, CT, and Jim Isperduli of Paxton, MA.

Above from left, judges Jim Isperduli and Mitch Swierczynski.

THE WINNERS

With five finds (one on a woodcock) and a race that no other dog could touch, Chasehill Little Bud hit the ground running in the eighth brace on the afternoon of the first day of the championship. He grabbed the right edge off the breakaway and ran it to the extreme, breaking off only when it ended.

He ran as if possessed; never letting down and looked as fresh during the last minutes of his hour as his first. His finds were well-spaced and intense. Bud was always to the front and when he wasn’t visible on an edge, it was because he had ducked into the cover to give it a thorough going over. He had amazing drive and strength and intensity. And in two days of running, there would be no other dog that would come close to beating him.

Named runnerup champion was Bluebell Sue Z, who ran in the second to last brace on a warm Sunday afternoon.

In a brace that was one of the most exciting to watch, Sue Z, a white and orange setter female, ran with such zest that you wondered if her feet were actually touching the ground. She moved like a deer through the woods and down the edges, disappearing here and there to check for birds. She was snappy and pretty to watch and after a long day and a half of pickups, she made the judges sit up in their saddles and take notice. Sue Z had two finds, one back, one nice stop-to-flush and an unproductive.

HONORABLE MENTION

Judges gave honorable mention to Frank Skut’s setter male, Stokely’s Yankie Boy. Judges carried the setter until Bluebell Sue Z ran. Yank did a nice job, running in the third brace on the first day. He logged four finds and had a very methodical, workmanlike race. You knew if you were out hunting with this dog, you would be certain to come home with birds at the end of the day.

Applauding the announcements, above from left,
Elias Richardson, Monique Giuliano and Mike Flewelling.

THE OTHERS

In the first brace of the championship, on a cold and windy Saturday morning, Class Act Liz (Rarich) and Misty Meadow Rosebud (Unsworth) were loosed. Both would be picked up, Liz early, Rose later, for bird infractions.

The second brace featured Slingshot Gracie (O'Brien) and Chasehill Molly (Flewelling). This was the quickest brace of the championship. Molly was picked up off the breakaway for relocating herself on a find; Gracie for a bird infraction after barely five minutes on the ground.

Above, Mike Flewelling hunts for a bird for Chasehill Molly.

In the third brace, Stokeley’s Yankie Boy (Skut) was previously described. Checkpoint Annie (Pellechia) was up early for chasing.

Urban's Wicked Tina (Rarich) and Fox Cobble Jack (Wigham) were paired in the fourth brace. Tina was picked up early for chasing bird. Jack, a nice looking derby who had a lovely way of going, wasn’t having any luck with his birdwork and was picked up at the halfway mark after two unproductives.

Brace 5: Sunkhaze Fast Break (Flewelling) and Porter Meadow Elwood (Bush). The tracker was called for Elwood at the halfway mark. Fast Break checked in with three finds and an unproductive, then checked out when he chased a bird.

In the sixth brace, Elhew Signature (Kazic) ran as a bye dog as True Patriot (Short) was a scratch. After 40 minutes on the course, Signature was picked up for not pleasing his handler.

The seventh brace featured 2009 runnerup champion Spring House Nelli (Bahr) and Currahee (Fino). Not much would be seen of Nelli this day and the tracker was eventually called for. Jim Kilrain was in the gallery to watch his dog, Currahee, run. He got to watch for about 50 minutes, which included a find for Currahee. The dog then found himself under a bird and the hour was over.

In the eighth brace, Chasehill Little Bud (Flewelling) was braced with Checkpoint Steeler (Pellechia). Bud has already been described. Steeler had three finds and stop-to-flush.

In the ninth brace, the last of the day on Saturday, Peace Dale Duke (Pombrio) was a scratch. Southbound Strech (Fino) was missing off the breakaway and the tracker was eventually called for.

Sunday morning dawned sunny and warmer.

First brace of the day was No. 10, Secret Weapon (Richardson) and Yankie’s Ginnie Girl (Skut). Secret Weapon was picked up at the halfway mark for not pleasing her handler. Ginnie was doing a nice job early on and for a while it looked like she might be beating her dad, Stokely’s Yankie Boy. However, it turned out Ginnie was just a little off this day and was picked up after her second unproductive.

Brace 11: Jeb (Mamounis) and Checkpoint Sport (Pellechia). Neither dog seemed to have its mind on its job today. Jeb logged one find and an unproductive. Sport had two finds. But not much was seen of either dog for the hour.

In the 12th brace was Sorber Run Pop (Capocci) and Bob’s Miller Seal (Bush). Pop was ordered up at halfway mark after an extended absence. Seal, a derby, held herself together quite nicely for the hour. She had two finds, one on a running quail, and she finished her hour going away, hunting through the woods.

In what started as the liveliest brace of the two days, Brace 13 featured Bluebell Sue Z (Mamounis) – already described – and Bog Brook Rigby (Kisieleski). Rigby, a quick moving white and black setter female, had a nice find off the breakaway, which she followed up with an unproductive. Rigby went on to have another find, close to the 30 minute mark, but as the bird was flushed it flew back into the dog’s face and she went with it. Her time was up.

Above left, handler Tim Kisieleski makes an unsuccessful attempt to produce a bird for Bog Brook Rigby, foreground, while Bluebell Sue Z takes the back with handler Bo Mamounis.

The final brace of the championship featured Sunkhaze Spaulding (Flewelling) and Grouse Hill Bullet (Capocci). These dogs were giving the runnerup a run for her money. Their races were good, each having two bang-up finds. This was a brace that was making some money. Until the 40 minute mark, that is, when each dog found itself under a bird. Spaulding chased a woodcock, and Bullet had himself a quail. And that was the end of that.

Above, Mike Flewelling shares his Coors Light with a Bud ;-)

Some pepperoni for the champion ...

... and a well-deserved pat for a good day's work.

SIDELIGHTS

Special thanks and appreciation go to Richard and Monique Giuliano for their attention to detail when putting on a field trial. Food was plentiful, birds were everywhere, and camaraderie was the order of the day.

Twenty-eight dogs were drawn for the two-day event. Despite the catastrophic flooding that had preceded this trial in this area of Rhode Island, the grounds were remarkably dry and well-maintained thanks to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. And after the whipping wind blew away the early morning clouds, it became downright springlike. All-in-all, two beautiful days in which to run a championship.

After the day’s running on Saturday, field trailers were treated to a cocktail party hosted by Mike Flewelling, who handled Bud to last year’s win.

Pounds and pounds of shrimp, crackers, cheese, wine and beer – everything to make a field trialer happy after a day’s running – were on the serving tables. The cocktail party was followed by dinner prepared by Richard and Monique. Steak tips and mushrooms, sausage and peppers, and chicken were piled high and everyone who had worked so hard all day got the chance to sit and socialize and eat as much as they possibly could.

Many thanks go out to the bird planters and marshals, Jeff Smith and John Fino. Elias Richardson kindly provided his horses for the judges’ use.

Above left, Region 1 treasurer Jeff Smith, and George Doyle.

Thanks also go out to Purina for their continued sponsorship of this trial.

10-time champion Chasehill Little Bud.