New York Grouse

Last week we focused on a final tune up for Jack and Ginger for the NY Grouse Championship. Then on Thursday we headed over for the trial. We got lucky with Wild Apple Jack drawn in the fourth brace and Ginger in the 9th. This was the same course that Jack had last year with the same result. He had a strong race and a woodcock find (you need a grouse to win). Ginger ran in the first brace Saturday morning on the number 3 course and also put down a good race with one find. However, there were three grouse in front of her two of which got up as Tony and Matt Mentz (one of the judge's) were still looking for her the third got up when they found her and Matt told Tony to fire his gun. All was in order and the consensus of those on the brace was that Ginger might have "raised the bar" from the dogs that had finished with grouse on Friday. With 31 braces still to go, when we left, there are plenty of dogs still to run that can (and have in the past) hit one out of the park. We won't know until they finish up late Tuesday.

Now, we get a couple of days to work the dogs and then it will be off to Fryeburg on Thursday for the derby stake and the restricted shooting dog, then the championship starts on Friday. It looks like we'll have 60 some dogs to run. Kellie was able to lay out a fourth course at Fiddleheads which is a bird rich as the other three -- should make for lots of action. I'm judging the derby and reporting the Championship so I'll be there for the duration. Hope to see you there.