New Englander wins again in New Jersey

Front from left, Casey Foster with Great River Magnum,
Brian Sanchez with Great River Class, and Jennifer Braman
with The Jazz Singer. Rear from left, judges Joe Cincotta and Paul Pollock.

ANOTHER WIN
FOR JENNIFER BRAMAN
AND "THE JAZZ SINGER''

Several weeks ago, Jennifer Braman of Monson, Mass., made the trek down to Greenwood Forest in New Jersey to run her pointer, The Jazz Singer (Sam). Jennifer and Sam took first place that weekend at Sussex Field Trial's Amateur Shooting Dog stake.

This past weekend, the two went back to the same grounds and won third place in the one-hour Garden State Amateur Shooting Dog Classic. Taking first and second placements, respectively, was honorary New Englander Brian Sanchez and his two pointers, Great River Magnum and Great River Class.

Judges for the stake were Joe Cincotta and Paul Pollock.

Nice job Jennifer AND Brian!

Southern New England Woodcock Championship

Front, from left, Mike Flewelling with RU Ch. Chasehill Little Bud, and John Stolgitis with Ch. Chasehill Molly. Rear, judges Joe Rovinski and Ray Gorman.

CHASEHILL POINTERS TAKE CHAMPION AND RUNNER-UP SPOTS AT SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WOODCOCK CHAMPIONSHIP

EXETER, RI - Chasehill Molly was named champion and kennelmate Chasehill Little Bud was named runner-up at the 2010 Southern New England Woodcock Championship held Saturday, Sunday and Monday, March 20-22, at Arcadia State Management Area. Both dogs are owned and handled by John Stolgitis of Ashaway, RI.

Thirty-four of the top woodcock dogs from around the Northeast were entered in the championship. Running took place Saturday and Sunday under sunny skies and warm temperatures. The event concluded Monday under overcast skies, cooler temperatures and light drizzle. Weather didn't affect the birds, however, which were plentiful.

Judges for the event were Joe Rovinski and Ray Gorman.

Jennifer Braman Wins N.J. Shooting Dog Stake

Photo by Joe Cincotta

Debby McElwain, Jennifer Braman, right,

and The Jazz Singer, at pickup

JENNIFER BRAMAN WINS
SHOOTING DOG STAKE

Jennifer Braman, of Monson, Mass., handled The Jazz Singer, PM, to a first-place win in the Amateur Shooting Dog stake at the Sussex Field Trial at Greenwood Forest in New Jersey. Debby McElwain scouted the dog.

Nice job, Jennifer and Debby (and Sam) !

Southern New England Woodcock Championship Derby Winners

From left, Scott Foreman with Chip's Charlie Brown, judges Elias Richardson and Sarah Conyngham, Gus Piperis with High Desert Dream, Jim Kilrain, Joel Collier, John Stolgitis with Currahee, and John Kilrain.

WINNERS NAMED
IN JOEL COLLIER
DERBY STAKE

EXETER, RI - Currahee, a pointer male owned by Jim Kilrain and his grandson, John, both of Massachusetts, earned the first place ribbon in the Joel Collier Derby Stake, the companion stake to this weekend's Southern New England Woodcock Championship, held at Arcadia State Management Area on Friday, March 19, 2010. Currahee was handled by John Stolgitis.

Second place went to High Desert Dream, a pointer female owned by Gus Piperis of New York, and handled by Scott Foreman.

Third place went to Chip's Charlie Brown, a setter male owned by Mike Reeves of Pennsylvania and Steve Chiappini of Georgia. Charlie was also handled by Scott Foreman.

Judges were Sarah Conyngham of Rhode Island and Elias Richardson of Massachusetts.

Judges Sarah Conyngham and Elias Richardson.

South County Field Trial secretary Bob Fleury was on hand to make the announcements.

Bob Fleury with his 4-wheeler, loaded up and ready to go!

Fourteen dogs were drawn for the one-day event. The weather was gorgeous with sunny, blue skies and temperatures in the mid-60s by noontime.

Birds were more than plentiful all over the course.

The Woodcock Championship starts tomorrow (Saturday, March 20) at 8 a.m.

Joel Collier, above right, making a point to Joe Dahl.

Waiting for the announcements.

Tom Honecker: Obituary, funeral services

REGION 1 MOURNS DEATH
OF OHIO'S TOM HONECKER

Tom Honecker of Findlay, Ohio, a long-time field trialer and AFTCA Region 4 trustee, died Thursday, March 4, 2010, after suffering a heart attack. He was 61.

AFTCA Region 1 trustee Elias Richardson was deeply saddened by Tom's death, saying that the field trial world has "suffered a great loss.''

Tom was born March 25, 1948 to Ken and Ethel (Beltz) Honecker. He was preceded in death by his mother, Ethel (Beltz) Honecker, and an infant brother Danny.

Tom leaves behind his wife, Mary (Schelby) Honecker, son Curt (Stephanie) Honecker of New Philadelphia, OH, daughter Nicole (Jeff) Beach of Norton, OH and four grandchildren, Cole and Nolan Honecker and Schelby and Gavin Beach; his father, Ken and a sister Debra (Tom) Poole and numerous friends.

Tom was a 1966 graduate of Arlington High School and a 1970 graduate of The Ohio State University, graduating with a Bachelors of Animal Science degree. Tom owned and operated his primary business K-T Equipment Rental in Findlay, OH which was established in 1970, with his father Ken. He was also a member of the Ohio Equipment Dealers Association and The American Rental Association. Tom was an avid outdoorsman and had a lifelong love of field trials. Tom served as a past-president and trustee of the Amateur Field Trial Clubs of America.

Tom was the current president of the Associated Bird Dog Clubs of Ohio and The International Pheasant Championship Club.

Because of Tom's love for training his birddogs, in 1995 he established CedarOak Plantation in Holly Springs, MS, fulfilling his lifelong dream of owning enough land to host his own field trials. Tom served as president of the CedarOak Field Trial Club in Holly Springs, MS.

Involved in wildlife conservation in Ohio and especially in Mississippi, Tom diligently worked for the propagation of Bobwhite Quail. Tom worked hand in hand with The State of Ohio Wildlife Committee in an effort to preserve and sustain field trials at Killdeer Plains Conservation Area. Tom's love for Killdeer Plains was so deep that in 1993 he purchased a farm now known as CedarOak Farm adjacent to Killdeer Plains, in Wyandot County, Ohio. This purchase opened additional training grounds to support the sport he loved.

Tom participated in field trials throughout his entire life winning his first event at 9 years of age. Tom went on to win over 60 major championships including the "superbowl" of field trials, The National Championship, in 1998 with his beloved dog CedarOak Kate.

In 2002, Tom partnered with his son Dr. Curt Honecker and Dr. Rodney Tienarend to establish Valley View Animal Hospital in Dover, OH. Tom served as a sheriff deputy in Holly Springs, MS under his friend Sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

Tom also loved the sport of open-wheeled sprint car racing. With that love he co-owned and sponsored Honecker Jacobs Motorsports for several years.

Tom's latest endeavor was the opening of The LaRue Horse Sale which is held the last Saturday of every month at the CedarOak Equestrian Center in LaRue, Ohio.

Tom was a son, husband, father, grandfather, loyal friend and a larger than life personality. His absence has created a large vacuum in many of our lives. He has always been an excellent advisor and mentor to many in times of crisis and could be counted on to deliver when he had committed to accomplish any task. He was undeniably an impeccable businessman, entrepreneur and field trialer. There is no question that Tom will be missed by all who loved him.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, March 8, 2010 at COLDREN-CRATES FUNERAL HOME, Findlay, where visitation will be held from 2-4 and 6-8 PM on Sunday, March 7, 2010. Pastor Harry W. Scott will officiate and burial will follow in Maple Grove Cemetery. Memorials can be made in his memory to the Amateur Field Trial Club of America designated Century 21 Fund. Online condolences can be made via www.coldrencrates.com.

The following is a posting from The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal
http://blogs.commercialappeal.com/outdoors_blog/2010/03/national-champion-field-trialer-honecker-suffers-fatal-heart-attack.html

Sad News from New England

FORMER SECRETARY/TREASURER
OF REGION 1/ANEFTC
PATRICIA FLYNN
SUCCUMBS AT 84

Patricia (Pat) Flynn, of Cranston, RI, died unexpectedly at her home on Thursday, January 21, 2010. She was 84.

Pat was secretary and treasurer of both Region 1 and the Association of New England Field Trial Clubs for many years, retiring in 1998.

She was married to the late Ray Flynn and both of them were fixtures for decades at field trials throughout New England. Ray ran the dogs and Pat kept Ray in line.

The New England Open, especially, would never be the same without the ever-opinionated Ray holding court at the kitchen table and Pat doing everything else, from running the drawing to putting together the cocktail parties, hostessing and keeping track of the running, all the while looking perfectly pulled together with a cigarette dangling from her right hand, her hair coiffed, and wearing the cleanest khaki slacks which always sported a quail in flight on the back pocket.

Pat was an elegant woman. Her kindness and thoughtfulness shone through, and her extremely dry sense of humor and quick wit often came into play, especially when dealing with Ray.

We will miss her very much.

Born in Providence, RI, she was the daughter of the late Edwin A. Barrows Jr. and Mrs. Joy Blair Barrows of Edgewood, RI.

She graduated from Cranston East High School, attended the Rhode Island School of Design, and graduated from TRAPHAGON Fashion Academy in New York City. She was a fashion model and started a career as a fashion coordinator at Gladding's Department Store in Providence.

When they weren't running field trial dogs, Ray and Pat were movie actors. Really.

About 15 years ago, they procured their "SAG'' cards from the Screen Actors Guild. Much to both Ray and Pat's delight, the earned roles as extras in several films shot in Rhode Island, including, 'The Great Gatsby' and 'Meet Joe Black'. Pat also appeared in a number of local television commercials.

An avid bridge player, Pat also loved the ocean and often went deep-sea fishing with her grandsons.

She is survived by her daughter Victoria Renzi-Allen of Orange County, California and grandsons, Nicholas Renzi of Los Angeles, Calif., Ryan Renzi of Edison, N.J., and Neal Renzi of Orange County, Calif., her brother Blair Barrows of Harwick, Mass., and sister Joy Nordquist of North Scituate, RI.

A memorial service will be held at Jones-Walton-Sheridan Funeral Home, 1895 Broad St. at Park Avenue, Cranston, RI, on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010 at 10:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in the name of Patricia Flynn to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure , PO Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309.

For memorial service information and condolences, go to jwsfh.com

January Cabin Fever

Look closely at the thermometer and you'll see the temperature hovering at about 20 degrees - one of the warmer days in a month that has not seen temperatures over freezing.

THE ENDLESS WINTER
OF 2010

As the month of January drags on interminably, here's what field trialers and their dogs do in New England. Not much.

Oh, you have your hearty few way up north who'll strap on the snowshoes and head out for a day of freezing cold fun running dogs, but for the rest of us, well, we'll sit in front of the woodstove waiting for the snow to melt, hoping that darn derby stays broke til spring, and praying that our best field trial dog doesn't come totally unglued over the chickadees and cardinals eating from the birdfeeder.

The kennel dogs are buried deep in straw in their boxes emerging only to empty out or maybe sit in the occasional milky ray of sun. The indoor dogs are sitting with us, next to that woodstove, waiting for that first sign of spring...

ADIOS MAIA, above, a young GSP, heads into the snowy woods
with high hopes ...

RAGGED HILL BONNIE, now 11, makes a slow swing
through the mountain laurel ...

THEN HI-TAILS it for home ...

ONLY TO FIND a patch of bare ground where she stops
to sit in the pine needles and bask - briefly - in the sun :-)

THE HORSES don't stray far from the barn.
Old Flash, now 35 and a heck of a field trial horse in his day,
enjoys a snooze in the sun ...

WHILE HIS BUDDY, Chief, keeps an eye on him.

AND WHAT was Maia able to come up with
during her half-hour outside?

THESE! The only birds that could be found
in this wicked winter weather :-)