A season of 'Sporting Classics'

The fall hunting and trial season is over and it was a fun one, we could almost say a classic. Whenver we were able to get out the birds always seemed to be there and by most accounts from others it was a good overall year for birds. Hopefully the winter does not bring a lot of foul weather, we all can still get out to find more birds, and they go into the spring healthy.

The trial season ended well. We ran in the Region 2 walking CH in Petersburg, DE on what are some terrific grounds to work a walking dog. It was a very nice trial and Peacedale Duke showed his stuff for Richie Frisella with 8 great finds and a stop-to-flush in his hour to take home the championship in a very nice stake. The ideal cover of this venue is well suited for a sensible bird dog and made for a lot of fun watching Duke perform. The attached picture is from one of his finds during the trial.





The following weekend we attended the Delaware horseback event on the same grounds. On Saturday it was for the Open Horseback stake with Keystone's Red Rage and we ended up doing a little more training than trialing as it sometimes goes. But Ernie Saniga ran him in the Sunday Amateur Horseback stake and took 3rd. An interesting placement in a horseback stake for 'Mickey' with an amateur handling him for the first time.

The season ended with a phone call from a stranger asking about the dogs and referrencing an article in the Nov/Dec 2008 issue of 'Sporting Classics'. After digging up the issue we found writer Tom Davis was waxing a bit about his new female pup out of Chip's Torquato and Keystone's Red Ryder. Tom has been sending us some fantastic reports of the bird finding abilities of his pup 'Tina' throughout the fall! Attached is picture of her from the magazine article. Tina has successfully pointed and has had shot over her points sharptails, wild pheasants and even was nailing covies of wild huns for the gun in North and South Dakota at 9 months of age and less. Sounds like a true winner! Sig Degitz also has been reporting great grouse handling prowess with his littermate female 'Marley' in WI as she has been pointing and handling grouse all through the fall. With the female we still have from the litter it sounds like the females were the hit from this repeated cross.

Another Good Trip to WI in 2008

As always we had another good trip to WI. The grouse numbers seem to be holding steady. Not getting cooperative hatching seasons has kept a lid on the expected cyclic peak. We found plenty of grouse to keep us busy but not the bumper crops we are waiting to see. The woodcock did let us down as it appeared local birds had moved and the flight birds had yet to arrive during our visit and the birds may have taken a good hit this spring with foul nesting weather. Overall, Mother Nature was a little strange this year. Irregardless the people and the place never seem to let us down.

The brightest point of the trip was of course adding another champion and two more National Championship placements to the kennel operation. Keystone’s Red Rage (‘Mickey’) was named Champion in the National Amateur Grouse Championship held in Wisconsin, while his half brother Montera’s Rock (‘Rock’) was named RU-Champion for Bill Henke. It was a great entry including many champions and quite a few dogs (at least 11) finishing with clean work on grouse or woodcock. Both ‘Mickey’ and ‘Rock’ had big, forward, driving races. ‘Mickey’ finished with one sharply executed find working and pinning a running grouse to go with two forward limb finds on woodcock in one of the best performances we have witnessed on these WI grounds. ‘Rock’ had one excellent dug up grouse find with a big, mature and determined forward run as professional Joe McCarl had him ready to go after a summer on the prairies. These were two great wins that were thrilling to be a part of! And it was a clean sweep for Keystone’s Red Ryder as she is the dam of both males out of different sires (Chip’s Torquato and High Definition). It would be hard to name a setter female alive today that could top her combined win and production record. She is a three time champion, two time national champion, producing two champion setter males and one runner-up champion setter male with five championship placements that include two national championship placements. There is no doubt we would be nowhere without her.

The attached picture is RU-CH Monter's Rock being posed by reporter Mary Beth Esser and judge Rich Boumeister after being named RU in the 2008 National Amateur Grouse Championship in Wisconsin.

It's a New Season!

Fall into early winter is the time that most field trial puppy litters are planned! See 'Puppy News' to the left for information on puppies or give us a call.

So far this season it is the same as last. Dennis Vescuso continues to win with his 'Jake' puppy out of Keystone's Red Rage with 3 derby placements in September. Steve Chiappini placed his female 'Spotty' (Keystone's Red Rage ex Chip's DD) in the derby stake and John Shields placed his male in the puppy stake (Keystone's Red Rage ex Elektra) at the fall DuBois trial. Richie Frisella continues to place his Peacedale Duke puppies with his ugly dog 'Edgar' leading the way.

And the new season sure sounds like it is going to be a great one for birds! The New York Grouse CH showed an abundance of grouse. Keystone's Red Rage finished a strong hour with two grouse finds but a little rough around the edges race kept him from pressing for consideration. Attached below are pictures from Jon Fricke and Dave Terhaar on their recent trip to North Dakota and the UP of Michigan. The orange/wht female is Keystone's Red Reign (Ott), littermate to Keystone's Red Rage and Peacedale Duke, and the tri-color is Dave's pup out of 'Ott' and Terhaar's Elvis with a bucket of North Dakota sharptails.

September is about to end so we are looking forward to heading out to WI in early October for some hunting and a few trials and see old friends. Good luck in your season ahead!

New Partner, New Name.

Yard training is not too exciting but its about the only activity with bird dogs in the summer. But one item of activity; Bill Henke now co-owns Montera's Rock with Phil Gould of Bernardsville, NJ and Rock's name has been changed to Keystone's Red Rock.

Quite often we get asked the question, "where is that High Definition litter?" They are out there doing good in all kinds of conditions across the country. We know Rock and Ted for sure will be showing up at some trials next season. And attached above is a picture of 'Lu' owned by Dale Herndon in MI. 'Lu' is a littermate to Montera's Rock (Keystone's Red Rock) and Mike Spies's Wenaha's High Rider (Ted). Dale has not been field trialing 'Lu' but enjoys training her on birds in the back yard and working her on wild birds around his camp in the northern LP of Michigan and says she is doing great as his hunting dog and has contemplated a try at trialing. Combined, these three littermates have been 'wild' bird hunted on woodcock, grouse, chukar, sharptails, hungarian partridge, pheasant, valley quail, scaled quail and OK/TX bobwhite quail. All wild birds and all with great success in addition to their field trial wins.

The Grinch

‘Lacey’s’ Red Army Marches On; Continued Successes in the Field

The Spring 2008 season has been good.

Tri-State Field Trial Club, RI, 5/24/08:
Dennis Vescuso finished the season with another win on his puppy Chestnut Hill Jake (Keystone's Red Rage ex Iron Maiden - she by CH Grid Iron) for 11 wins on the season. Attached is a picture of 'Jake' working birds preparing for his derby season.

Robert Ecker also placed Spruce Run Rippper for owner Pete Kaczic of NYC. 'Rip' is out of Keystone's Red Rage and Donnie Spencer's Sorber Run Kate (she out of GNGCH Bodyguard). Attached is a picture of 'Ripper' also prepping for his derby year.

We are liking what we hear of RU-CH Keystone's Red Rage's pups and the consistency he is emanating. His oldest pups are only 2 as of the middle of June 2008 but the MO is he is filling them with his run and incredible drive, they like to stick birds and stand tall, and they tear apart the cover and handle grouse. Every litter to date that is old enough to field trial has produced winners.

California, 5/24/08:
Out on the other coast, Mike Spies won the Santa Clara Walking Shooting Dog Stake in CA as his Wenaha High Ryder ('Ted') continues to get better with age.

The Empire Championship at Grouse Ridge, NY, 5/18/08:
CH Peacedale Duke wins again as he takes RU-CH to the new Champion Grouse Ridge Digit. 'Duke', like his mother, keeps showing great consistency in his field trialing that makes a dog a 32 time winner. 'Duke' ran his winning hour Friday and then ran in the Yankee Bird dog Trial half hour stake in CT on Sunday and won that stake. 'Duke' undeniably has an impressive record for a dog that just turned 4 in February. Congratulations to Grouse Ridge Digit and Pete Flanagan and Richie Frisella and handler Robert Ecker.

During the most productive weekend of the spring, 4/13/08:
Keystone’s Red Rage showed well, in spite of his handler, and was awarded Runner-Up Champion at the recent Region 1 Amateur Walking Shooting Dog Championship in Rhode Island. Judges Dave Marshall and Dom Preite enjoyed his six find, one stop-to-flush performance in the warming conditions enough to award him the RU-Championship in a very competitive stake to join frequent winner Mike Flewelling and CH Chasehill Little Bud (John Stolgitis owner) on the podium. ‘Mickey’ spent the winter conditioning from horseback on the plantations of southwest Georgia, finding and pointing the famous Georgia wild quail with Jim Tande, and it really paid off as he ran in the warmest brace of the stake and continued to find birds the entire hour with the same style throughout. On the same weekend Ginny Chiappini handled ‘Spot’ (by Keystone’s Red Rage ex Chip’s DD) to a second in the amateur puppy stake at the PA Amt. trials while the still young Montera’s Rock (by High Definition ex Keystone’s Red Ryder) gained second in the amateur All-Age stake for Bill Henke. While ‘dahn’ in Pittsburgh, Steve Chiappini’s Chip’s Old Hickory (by Keystone’s Red Rage ex Chip’s Peppie Leppew) gained 3rd at the National Walking Shooting Dog Futurity in a great stake with a record 42 entries! Other close calls this same weekend were Richie Frisella and Peace Dale Duke being carried as RU in the Region 1 Amt Walking CH until being knocked out by his own brother ‘Mickey’.

The pictures are from Keystone's Red Rage's performance in the Reg. 1 Amt Walking CH. The bird work is his sixth and final find coming 3 mins after time.

CH Taz Wins again, 4/18/08:
Lacey's brother Taz continues to march on as well. CH Taz added a 7th win in a Championship stake to his record in being named Champion at the Mid-States Walking Shooting Dog Championship for Robert Ecker and Phil Gould! An interesting note, the Runner-Up Thunderbird Punch Buggy handled by Travis Gellhous, is Taz and Lacey's cousin. He sired by T's Gunrunner who would be a full brother to Mountain Magic. The Tekoa Mountain Sunrise ex Lookout Mona cross continues to inject always needed life into today's walking and cover dog setters.

Peacedale Duke continues to produce winning pups. Richie Frisella continues to place 'Tux', 'Rudy', and 'Buck' in puppy stakes this spring and Jerry Kolter has placed his 'Duke' puppies, such as 'Oscar', in the Nittany Valley Open Puppy stake as well as others back home in MN. Attached is a picture of Oscar.

And earlier in the Spring Season, Jan-Feb/2008:
On the Left Coast Mike Spies showed well at the Region 11 Walking Shooting Dog Championship in California with Wenaha’s High Ryder (High Definition ex Keystone’s Red Ryder) and a 3 find, two back performance for this very young dog who will not be three until Memorial Day 2008. ‘Ted’ also placed in a few US Complete Shooting dog events in California over the winter season. The Forman boys continue to show Steve Madeiros’s setter male Starlight Cracker (Keystone’s Red Rage ex Chip’s Peppie Leppew) can find grouse as he finished a strong hour in the National Derby Classic with a grouse find that had him carried deep into a competitive trial. This work goes with his win at the International Cover Dog futurity last fall and his grouse work at the Grand National Grouse Futurity and shows ‘Cracker’ is a natural cover busting dog that digs up birds. Dennis Vescuso continues a hot streak on his setter male ‘Jake’ (Keystone’s Red Rage ex Iron Maiden – she by Grid Iron) with wins in Virginia, Delaware and Massachusetts early in 2008. ‘Jake’s’ record to date is 8 for 8 in puppy stakes all over the North East and Mid-Atlantic and is reported to be an incredible front running pup showing great natural composure around his birds. Richie Frisella continued to do well with Peace Dale Duke gaining more shooting dog wins during his January-February winter training in South Carolina. While there, ‘Duke’ made the final day call backs in the NBHA National Championship. Richie also placed his pup ‘Rudy’ out of ‘Duke’ while in South Carolina and in Massachusetts. Steve Chiappini had also placed Chip’s Old Hickory third in the Amateur Derby at the Armstrong Classic (35 entries) as ‘Smokey’ displayed his impeccable sky kissing pointing style. And although not this spring, last November Joe McCarl handled Bill Henke's Keystone's Best Bette (by Keystone's Red Rage and Keystone's Pale Ryder) to first in the PA Open Puppy stake.

This closes out the 2007-08 season and speaking of impressive records; Keystone's Red Ryder's production record now stands at 6 winners with 53 wins. To our knowledge of these 6 winners all are multiple winners, two have championship placements, three have classic wins, and of the 53 wins only 4 are puppy placements. More importantly Lacey's pups have been hunted to great satisfaction by their owners on just about every wild game bird in the lower 48 states from Maine to Georgia, North Dakota and Montana to Texas, and Pennsylvania to California. 'Lacey' has more than proven her worth to us in the field and in the whelping box and it is a great feeling to watch her do the setter breed good. We are very much looking forward to watching her latest offspring grow in the field.

Overall a very nice spring season that continues the family trend of success whether trialing or hunting, from the North East to the Southeast, East Coast to West Coast, from foot or horseback, on wild birds or released quail, and always with Class in Purpose, Style in Motion, Power on Point.

The Story Of Mountain Magic and Ravenwood Suzy Wong - One Long Journey!

The story of 3XCH/RU-CH Keystone's Red Ryder (Lacey) and her older brother 4XCH/2XRU-CH Taz is a long one - Literally! Both Lacey and Taz's sire is Mountain Magic or Chad. Chad is out of legondary Hall of Fame A-A setter champion Tekoa Mountain Sunrise ex Lookout Mona. One of the most productive setter crosses in the history of field trials producing at least half a dozen All-Age champions including Tommy B, Pacesetter's Equinox, Mona's Delight, T's Gunrunner and others. Field trialer Phil Gould of NJ bought Chad from Richard Giuliano (of RI and Guard Rail Fame) when he was less than a year old. As Mr. Giuliano told us he obtained Chad from Hall of Famer Gene Cassale (of CT, owner of HOF CH Guard Rail) and in turn Gene had gotten both Chad and a female littermate from Rich Robertson (of HOF Robertson Kennels in Payette, Idaho). As it was, Gene had the two setter pups and a full kennel of pointers so was looking to get rid of the two setter pups and continuing their journey. Thus from one coast to the other, and from one hall of fame kennel to the next it was a long journey for these two precosious pups! Once in the hands of Phil Gould he and Maggie Maier bred Chad to a stocky built setter bitch typical of cover dog breeding sired by Achy Brakey Jakee (he the sire of CH Pioneer Will and CH Centerfold Rose) and her dam by Grouse Ridge Been. The first breeding produced CH Taz. Taz was handed over to handler Robert Ecker of Midnight Kennel where he was deftly developed into a top notch cover dog. After the early returns on the success of CH Taz a repeat litter was achieved and produced CH Keystone's Red Ryder. I was fortunate enough to have friends like Phil and Maggie that gave Lacey to me as a 7 week old pup and Robert Ecker of Midnight Kennel who helped vault her to numerous titles! Oh, and in case you are wondering...... that other female pup sent to Gene Cassale from Rich Robertson was Ravenwood Suzy Wong. She eventually ended up with Pam Peete in Delaware and when bred to Smith setter Thumb's Up became the damn of horseback and Smith Setter Award winner 7XCH Ravenwood Riley, owned by Joe Cincotta and handled by Norm Basilone of NJ. And once again the pattern continued as when this cross was repeated Mr. Basilone won again with 2008 North Carolina Shooting Dog CH Ravenwood Pot O'Gold owned by John May.

So one long journey for two setter pups resulted in quite a record. One sired two multiple cover dog champions –4XCH Taz and 3XCH Keystone’s Red Ryder with 10 cover dog championship placements between them, the Flanagan Setter Derby Award, and a winner of the Grand National Grouse and Walking Futurity. The other was the mother of multiple horseback champions - 7XCH Ravenwood Riley and CH Ravenwood Pot'O Gold with 8 horseback championships between them, the Smith Setter Shooting Dog Award, and numerous other substantial wins. Literally one long journey.