2022 NGSPA PHEASANT CHAMPIONSHIP
November 4-11, 2022
By Anthony Rusciano
The NGSPA Pheasant Championship started on Friday, November 4, 2022, at the NRMA on Wye Island, MD. This marked the 49th year for this Championship and the 29th year running on the beautiful grounds at Wye Island. This year we could not have asked for better weather, sunny fall weather, and only one brief rain shower throughout the week. There were ample areas of switch grass and cover this year to hold our 300 pheasants planted by Mr. Wes Williams who did an outstanding job and his attention to wind direction, cover, and his bird dog wisdom resulted in multiple pheasant finds. Wes your hard work was greatly appreciated and the Pheasant board couldn’t thank you enough for your assistance. This year we opened up a new course that broke away from the parking area, through a new field across the road, then on to the two designer fields, past the holly tree field, and if the dogs made it the hour concluded in the field that we broke away from in the prior years. This new course added almost one full hour of running. Every year this championship is very fortunate that it attracts participants from across the country. Many of the attendees travel hundreds of miles to compete with their dogs and try to pin down a few pheasant finds. While the competition against some of the top GSP’s is worth the trip alone, you cannot overlook the great company of the fellow field trialers, the beautiful scenery of the changing of the leaves on the island, some of the best seafood that Maryland has to offer, or the hospitality and social events held at the clubhouse. A lot of planning and time goes into running the Pheasant Championship and we are very appreciative of all of our professionals and amateurs that select this championship to attend and support.
Whether it was taking entries, planting birds, driving the dog wagon, assisting in the kitchen, being a stake manager, or jumping in where needed, this championship would not be a successful event without a team effort. Thank you to everyone that volunteered their time to make this championship an enjoyable one for all of our attendees. We are grateful to all the participants (friends) that return every year and we welcome the newcomers that joined us this year. A very special thanks goes to our judges for taking the time out of their busy schedules and away from their families to look at our dogs. We would also like to thank Jen Goodall for taking the entries and stepping in to assist where needed. I cannot thank Kirk Loftin and Sherri Tangsrud enough for bringing extra horses to supply our judges with a safe, comfortable ride. Purina Pro Plan has sponsored the NGSPA Pheasant championship for many years and we would like to let Purina and Greg Blair know that we are grateful for all that they do for our sport. We would also like to thank the Wye Island NRMA employees, especially Martin Callahan who took time away from his schedule to mow some areas of fields for us to use and help run the event smoothly. Lastly, we would like to thank the NGSPA board for trusting us to run this event.
Next year in 2023 will mark the 50th year of the running of the NGSPA Pheasant Championship and the 30th year at Wye Island, MD. My hope as president is that we can have a huge support of attendees to celebrate it. If you have not had the opportunity to travel to the scenic grounds at Wye Island, MD or have not joined us in the past few years please consider attending in 2023. We are not certain as to how long we may be allowed to continue to hold our championship on these grounds and it would be great to share the experience with our field trial friends.
Congratulations to all of the 2022 Champions and Runner-Up Champions.
Derby Classic
On Friday, November 4, 2022, the Pheasant Championship kicked off the event with Anthony Rusciano, Newfield, NJ, and Dayna Rusciano, Newfield, NJ judging the Derby Classic. The course that we ran was an out-and-back, starting at the Boy Scout camp area and only using the left-hand side of the island. There was plenty of excitement watching the 10 derby dogs run and handle the open grounds, some encountering their first-ever pheasant find.
First place went to Three Z’s Sunrise “Ruby” owned by Steve Zozzaro and handled by Mike Mullineaux. Ruby had some nice reaching casts and ran mostly shooting range. Ruby didn’t hesitate to jump into cover to hunt and was awarded with two pheasant finds. She demonstrated that she has the potential to be a big running, forward-moving dog when she matures.
Second place went to Hi-N’s Laying it Down “Sally” owned and handled by Barry Bollinger. Sally ran a solid shooting dog race. Although she made some immature moves she handled kindly and complemented the 1st-place dog.
Third place went to M’s Free Ride “Rumor” owned by Cheney Matarrese and handled by Joe Orndorff. This young dog had a good forward shooting dog race while working the edges and cover. Showed some signs of immaturity but has excellent potential.
Congratulations to all the derby owners and handlers on your up-and-coming dogs. These juvenile dogs are on track to have an outstanding field trial career and we look forward to reading about all of their accomplishments in the future.
The Pheasant Championship would like to sincerely thank all those that participated in this stake.
AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG
The judges for the running of the 2022 NGSPA Pheasant Amateur Shooting Dog Championship were Helmut Schoen from Pennsylvania and Peter Coppens from Illinois. Both judges are experienced German Shorthaired Pointer owners and handlers. The weather for the three-day stake was a little warmer than usual this time of year but the sun was shining so we couldn’t complain. The majority of the 31 dogs that entered in this stake were able to find and produce a good number of pheasants, making it a very competitive and exciting stake to watch.
Champion, “Woody” – HighStanding Cuttin Edge, came out of the third day in brace 14B. Woody is owned by Anthony and Dayna Rusciano and was handled by owner Anthony and scouted by Dayna. The breakaway was in a tough spot being that the previous brace didn’t make it the hour. We were starting by heading into the first field on the right-hand side of the designer field on the new course. Woody starts forward and was found standing at 8 but this resulted in a non-productive when the handler, unfortunately, could not produce the pheasant in the thick thorny brush. Woody was sent on and was found standing with impeccable style at 17 in the far back-reaching corner of the designer field. Woody was once again rewarded with a find at 32, with style and manners. Woody made an incredibly finishing cast to time around the entire edge of the tree line of the large back field to the left of where the white fence starts the private property. Woody was an all-around powerful dog for the hour, he consistently handled kindly for Anthony and was a pleasure to judge.
“Allie” – Hi-N’s Allison Miranda owned and handled by Kirk Loftin was awarded 2022 ASD Runner-Up Champion. Allie came out of the last brace (6A) on Saturday. Allie started out breaking away in a long cornfield heading towards the Boy Scout camp field and continued holding the edges throughout that side of the island until crossing over into the bean fields. She then went around back towards the designer field and made a big cast with a well-rewarded find at 55. Allie’s manners were all in order and that of a seasoned pointing dog. Allie had a nice all-around shooting dog race and handled well for Kirk.
An interesting fact is that both Woody and Allie were the Champion and Runner Up Champion at the 2022 NGSPA National Amateur Championship. The ASD stake was another great performance by both these dogs and well-earner placements.
The Pheasant Championship would like to sincerely thank all those that participated in this stake.
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Each year the ASD judges name an amateur handler to award the Jerry Albanese sportsmanship award. This award is for the amateur that is out there going above and beyond just showing up and running their dog. They help others by scouting for them or by assisting with running the championship more efficiently, all with a great attitude and as a true sportsman. This year’s recipient is Kirk Loftin. Congratulations Kirk on being named the recipient for the second year in a row, we cannot thank you enough for your overwhelming support of our championship.
ALL AGE
The judges for the running of the 2022 NGSPA Pheasant All-Age Championship were Kevin Joyce from New York and Peter Coppens from Illinois. Kevin is a seasoned veteran on these grounds and has done his share of winning here throughout the years. Peter is a GSP owner and has won his own share of Championships over his years of field trialing. The weather for the entire two-and-a-half days was ideal for running dogs, it was cool but the sun was shining. There were 25 dogs entered in this stake making it a very competitive one. The new course was eliminated for this stake avoiding the possibility of losing these big running dogs.
“Woody” – HighStanding Cuttin Edge owned by Anthony & Dayna Rusciano was in the 2nd brace (9A) on Wednesday morning. Woody was just named the Pheasant ASD Champion and it was now time for handler Dan DiMambro to let Woody stretch out in All Age. Woody broke away at the Boy Scout camp strong, forward, and to the front. As we made our way towards the back of the island Dan rode the side of the road as he pointed Woody out to the judges rimming the edges of the fields. Woody ran hard and fast forward, then as we turned the corner of the field heading towards the corn field before the two back gated fields, Dan and the judges found him standing way out in the back corner of the island, passed the water buffalo pointing on the edge of the field at 18. The Pheasant was produced as Woody stood with manners in order. Woody was released and ran the edges to a second find at 36. Woody handled the Pheasant with style and intensity. Woody finished the hour strong and forward running the edge of the Boy Scout field. This performance earned Woody the 2022 Pheasant Open AA Champion title.
PW Berts Jokes on Us “Bart” owned by Keith and Bobbi Richardson and handled by Rich Robertson is no stranger to the Wye Island grounds and has done some winning here in the past. Bart was in the 1st brace (11B) in the afternoon on Wednesday. Bart was released at the Boy Scout field and wasted no time gaining ground. He was pointed out by Rich to the front at 14. Bart was seen heading to the water buffalo tank parking lot gated fields and as he continued to run the course we found him standing at 35. Bart had the style and manners of a veteran pointing dog. He was released again and off to the front he went. Bart finished the hour as strong as he started and for his performance, he was named the Runner Up Champion of the 2022 Pheasant All Age.
The Pheasant Championship would like to sincerely thank all those that participated in this stake.
OPEN SHOOTING DOG
Things were running smoothly until we received news a few days before the stake that a judge would unfortunately not be able to attend due to a family matter. Thankfully we had a parking lot full of qualified participants that could step in and lend a hand. Lucky Dayna Rusciano did not have a dog in the stake and accepted our invitation to judge the three-day 35-dog stake. Judge Dayna Rusciano is from Newfield, NJ, and as an amateur, she helps campaign her family’s own string of GSPs. The fellow judge is Jeanette Tracy from Glenville, PA. We have been asking Jeanette to join us for many years but as a professional trainer and handler, her schedule has always conflicted. We were honored to have Jeanette join us this year. The weather temperatures dropped over the next couple of days for this stake and the cool overcast days made for excellent conditions.
On the third day of the OSD Championship, came both the champion and runner-up champion for the stake. The second brace (14A) on Saturday owner and handler Kirk Loftin ran Hi-N’s Allison Miranda “Allie” and she caught the judge’s attention with her application on the ground and style and intensity on birds. Allie who was the Runner-Up Champion in the Pheasant ASD stake was all business as she hunted the edges in search of game. Judges stated that Allie was snappy on the ground and had great style on her game. Allie was rewarded with finds at 30 and 58 all in order. At 48 Allie was found pointing but Kirk was unable to find the pheasant. Allie completed the hour moving forward the same as she started it. Allie’s performance earned her the title of OSD Pheasant Champion.
Later in the day after lunch, in brace 16B, Slate Rocks Mountain Heart “Rommel” owned by James Dynkiewicz and handled by Dan Dimambro and scouted by April Raber ran. Rommel had two beautiful pheasant finds at 10 and 58. Rommel also had a back at 15 and stop to flush at 45, all in order. Rommel is another seasoned winner at the Pheasant Championship and as in the past he had an excellent run, was always forward, and stayed consistent for the entire hour brace. Rommel handled kindly and ran with little need of direction from the handler or scout. His performance earned him the ASD Runner-up Champion placement.
The Pheasant Championship would like to thank all those that participated in this stake.
MEMORIES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP
