2022 NGSPA REGION 3 CHAMPIONSHIP
November 12-15, 2022
By Anthony Rusciano
This year’s NGSPA Region III Championship started on Saturday, November 12, 2022, following the NGSPA Pheasant Championship. The championship was run on the scenic grounds of Wye Island, Maryland. After the long week of the Pheasant Championship, many participants left to get back home to work or their families, and the parking lot slowly emptied. Region 3 is grateful for those that were able to stay and support the event. We were thankful that the weather although getting colder it was dry for the entire championship. With an abundance of pheasant still on the grounds from the prior championship and with over 250 quail utilized throughout the event the dogs had plenty of opportunities to point game. Wes Williams our expert bird planter stayed and made sure every brace was planted.
Special thanks to Dayna Rusciano and Dina Lewis for helping behind the scenes and making sure we were fed. Kirk Loftin and Sherri Tangsrud thank you for supplying comfortable horses for the judges. Purina Pro Plan and Greg Blair the Board would like to express our sincere gratitude and “Thank You” for your years of sponsorship, it is greatly appreciated. To our judges Lance Felty, Marcus Ramseur, Roger Dvorak, and Darren Boyer, thank you for taking time away from your busy schedules to watch our dogs, we appreciate your time. Thank you to professionals Dan DiMambro, Barry Bollinger, and Rich Robertson for staying and supporting Region 3, as well as to the handful of amateur owners.
Region 3 decided to cancel the ASD stake due to many of the same dogs and handlers having participated throughout both events and avoiding injury to dogs and horses.
ALL AGE
A total of 16 dogs competed in the All Age stake that started on Saturday afternoon November 12, 2022. Three braces ran after lunch on Saturday and the remaining five braces concluded on Sunday. Our judges were Marcus Ramseur from New Jersey and Lance Felty from Ohio. Both gentlemen have spent time in the saddle judging and handling pointing dogs. Marcus is an English Pointer owner/handler and Lance is a GSP owner/handler, both judges actively campaign their dogs.
Our Champion Hi-N’s Allison Miranda “Allie” owned and handled by Kirk Loftin has had a successful trip here on the East Coast. In the Pheasant Championship, she was RU Champion in the All-Age and the OSD Champion. She left a great impression on the Region 3 All-Age judges coming out of the last brace (8A). Allie filled the huge lines on the Wye Island grounds and stayed in the pocket. She checked in several times after short absences running the lines, swinging in the deep pockets, ducking in, and using the wind, while the handler pointed her out. She scored several finds throughout the hour, all with style and manners. One find happened to be a Pheasant in which the judges noted her intensity was impeccable. Her performance earned her the Championship title.
Runner-Up Champion Uodibars Robbi Jo “Robbi” was in the third brace (3B) on the first day. Robbi is owned and scouted by Sherri Tangsrud and handled by Kirk Loftin. Robbi started off the hour with a strong forward cast using the wind in her favor. She ran a strong all-age race around the island in search of game. She was found to the front standing on all of her finds. She stood her birds with great style and manners and was able to pin down a moving Pheasant. Judges noted that she was a pleasure to watch on the ground. She handled kindly and finished to the front. Robbi is a classy, stylish bird dog that complemented the champion nicely.
OPEN SHOOTING DOG
It was a great day to be in the saddle for our Open Shooting Dog judges Daren Boyer from Granthorn, PA and Roger Dvorak from Elkton, MD. We had an exciting full day and a morning of the following day of watching the shooting dogs compete. Out of the 14 contenders most dogs ran the entire hour and only a few dogs this year out ran the course or were in breach of manners. Due to the added cover this year it increased our quail planting areas thus providing extra opportunities for the dogs to encounter game.
Hi-N’s Curtain Call “Charlie” owned and handled by Hank Lewis and scouted by Dina Lewis coming out of brace 1B was named the Champion. Charlie broke away very strong and immediately went on point in the back corner of the breakaway field. He had good style and manners throughout this small convey find. Charlie stuck to the edges and showed well in the big fields. Charlie and his bracemate went around the course having multiple finds and backs until his bracemate was picked up at 40 for breach of manners. Charlie responded well to the handler and required little scouting. He finished with plenty of fuel left in his tank. A first rate shooting dog performance earned Charlie the Championship win.
Runner Up Champion was awarded to Stoney Hills Pinnacle Dee “Dee”, (brace 2B) owned and handled by Kirk Loftin and scouted by Sherri Tangsrud. Dee had a strong forward big shooting dog race and responded well to the handler. She had several spaced-out finds and all was in order with good style. Dee finished as strong as she started and completed the hour with ease. A well-deserved placement for Kirk Loftin and Dee.
DERBY CLASSIC
The last stake of the Region 3 Championship was the Derby Classic ran on Tuesday afternoon, November 15th. Judges Daren Boyer and Roger Dvorak enjoyed watching these young prospects run around the island in search of game. The course that we ran was an out and back, starting at the Breakaway field on the right hand side of the island and only using the right hand side of the island out and back.
1st place was awarded to Hi-Ns Laying It Down Sally “Sally” owned and handled by Barry Bollinger. Sally was a pleasure to watch on the ground, she had a strong, fast run and hunted the course hard. She stayed forward most of the time and had wide range. Her ground speed awarded her first place.
Second place went to brace HighStandings Finger on the Trigger “Trigg” owned and handled by Anthony Rusciano. Trigg was consistent to the first place dog, he broke away strong and fast to the front. He quickly settled in and responded to the handler. Trigg held the edges and finished the brace as hard as he started with plenty of go left in him.
Third place was awarded to BDK’s Ragin Roo “Roo” who is owned by Cameron Bell and Darcy Calder and was handled by Barry Bollinger. This young dog made nice casts and ran a consistent race. Roo stayed to the front but was a little erratic at times. Roo finished strong and forward.
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.