Result: Minnesota Grouse Dog Association

Location: Mora, Minnesota

Post Date: Jun 2, 2025

Submitted By: Eric Saetre & Ben Brettingen

Open Shooting Dog (l-r): Ben Brettingen (judge), Tim Kaufman with Lake Effect Ali, and Kyle Peterson (judge).

March in Minnesota can certainly be unpredictable, but after a fairly mild winter, the Minnesota Grouse Dog Association was able to host our first trial of the season. The MGDA would like to thank Purina and OnX, our sponsors. We would also like to thank the club members who helped get a new course laid out, flagged, and cut just in time for the trial, as we lost some courses over the winter. Just over 60 dogs were drawn across three stakes. First up, the 28-dog Shooting Dog stake.

Open Shooting Dog
First-place Lake Effect Ali, owned and handled by Tim Kaufman, hit the ground for the third brace Friday morning on Course 2. Ali's run was consistently forward and stylish, while hitting prime cover out of the gate. At the 21-minute mark, she had a non-productive. At 42, Ali went on point 75 yards off the trail, and Kaufman went in to flush two woodcock. After releasing her, the orange and white female setter's bell fell silent again at 46, and Kaufman found her standing a woodcock. As Ali approached the hour mark, she pushed forward to the end of a wooded peninsula, surrounded by a lowland marsh. Two grouse were produced, as Ali stood staunch to flush and shot. A few tense minutes followed as the setter finished out the hour.
Second-place Planet Queen ("Rhonda") was handled by Scott Anderson in the 13th brace, on the south course, Saturday. Rhonda laid down a forward and fluid race that pushed the course with confidence and style. She handled kindly for Anderson, showing a natural connection and responsiveness throughout her bid. Her birdwork came at the 12 mark, where she stopped with intensity. Anderson approached and produced a grouse with crisp flush, while Rhonda stood tall and composed through the entire sequence, demonstrating both grit and manners on game. Her finish was forward and determined, showing no signs of let-up as time was called.
Third-place Freyja Kendra, a quick and stylish orange and white setter handled by Ryan Bjerke, delivered a forward and energetic race on Course 6 in the fifth brace. From breakaway, she hit likely cover with purpose, putting herself in all the right places and hunting with intelligence. Her ground effort was fluid and determined, marked by great speed and a sharp pattern that consistently pressed the front. At the 23-minute mark, Freyja was found standing with intensity. Bjerke approached, and a grouse was produced cleanly, with Freyja showing poise and polished manners throughout the sequence. She finished her hour with drive still in the tank, never fading in application or focus. It was a strong and mature performance that made a lasting impression.

Open Derby
Determining the winners in any coverdog trial takes into consideration many factors. This year's Minnesota Grouse Dog Association spring trial was no exception. The Derby faced its own set of challenges, including intermittent waves of inclement weather. Throughout the day, braces faced mixed rain, sleet, and snow, all of which was made more difficult by a crusty layer of ice left on the forest floor from the previous night. The combination proved to be an arduous test for both dogs and participants alike. The field consisted of 28 entries, and it might have been reasonable to expect that the weather conditions alone would cause many to scratch. However, the resilience of the stake managers and their team, along with a hearty gallery, handlers, and, most importantly, the dogs, resulted in 26 of the 28 starting the trial. Due to the circumstances, the stake was run on a single course, giving spectators the opportunity to observe the young dogs showcasing their race, style, and application.
To win within a large draw, the dog has to set themselves apart from the rest. That was the case in this stake, as a number of the dogs, both placed and otherwise, stood out to both judges. Such parity at scale with derby-aged dogs speaks volumes for the future. The results of many pairings resembled the look and feel of a shooting dog's performance. Brace #3 exemplified this dynamic, featuring both the first and third place winners.
Northwoods Tyler, owned and handled by Josh Matel, earned every bit of his first-place finish. Tyler is a striking young pointer, mostly white with a liver mask and a unique diamond-shaped marking on his forehead. He was braced with Clover Valley's Evans ("Evy"), a female English setter owned and handled by Jerry Furnish. She finished the brace strong, earning her a third-place ribbon. The two were paired in the third brace, and despite light falling snowflakes, they put together a run that was as stylish and graceful as it was powerful and bold. Their performance kept the gallery warm, pushing the limits of their bells at a manageable pace, showcasing a combination of range, purpose, and class.
Tyler moved effortlessly throughout the course, staying well ahead of the gallery and only checking in with his handler on occasion, when needed. They demonstrated a strong connection throughout the entire 30-minute run, and he hunted with purpose in every likely cover. Evy also displayed strength in her performance, consistently returning to the course and moving forward with determination. While there were times when she veered laterally to the course, she often found herself clinging to a nearby large swamp made up of prime bird cover. Both dogs and handlers made the challenging conditions appear almost easy.
Second-place Willow Creek's Northwoods Nugget ("Nuggy"), a white male pointer with orange markings, in the sixth brace, displayed a forward-running, smooth, and powerful gait under the handling of owner Chad Hines. Nuggy's bell was heard faintly and frequently ahead of his handler, and when spotted, he was comfortably crossing the trail at a considerable distance. He ran with purpose and maturity, putting together the type of performance one would hope to see from a shooting dog. Interestingly, Tyler and Nuggy are littermates, and he, too, displays the same unique diamond mark on his forehead. The consistency in their outstanding performances is certainly not coincidental.

First Spring Puppy Stake
The MGDA Puppy stake is always a fun stake that we look forward to each spring. While this was a smaller draw, all these puppies have a bright future in trialing, and we look forward to seeing them progress into derbies soon! The weather for this stake was challenging even for the more experienced dogs. Wind, snow, and ice made for tough conditions for dogs and handlers alike.
Claiming the blue ribbon was Kenzie's Cookies & Cream ("CC"), owned and handled by Brian Vander Maazen. CC really stretched out the last half of the brace and hit all the right covers along the course, especially working a long swamp edge. Combine that with her strong race, and CC stood out as a dog with a bright future.
In second place was Rueger's Maekin' Easy Money, owned by Joseph Maciej and handled by Kyle Peterson. Rueger ran hard and fast through the course while also showing a desire to hunt and search out game in likely covers.
Third place went to Majestic's Chasin' Harley Quinn, owned and handled by Mason Modjeski. Quinn showed a strong connection with her handler and had a confident run while hitting appropriate spots.

Mora, Minn., March 28
Judges: Ben Brettingen and Kyle Peterson
OPEN SHOOTING DOG [One-Hour Heats] - 7 Pointers and 21 Setters
1st-LAKE EFFECT ALI, F1688438, setter female, by Northern Lights Sirius-Lake Effect Tilly. Tim Kaufman, owner and handler.
2d-PLANET QUEEN, F1702708, setter female, by Rufus Del Fuego-Stumbo's Scarlet. Scott Anderson, owner and handler.
3d-FREYJA KENDRA, F1701728, setter female, by Ponderosa Mac-Centerfold Sioux. Ryan Bjerke, owner and handler.

Open Derby (l-r): Josh Matel with Northwoods Tyler, Jeremy Moore (judge), Jerry Kolter (judge), and Chad Hines with Willow Creek's Northwoods Nugget.

Judges: Jerry Kolter and Jeremy Moore
OPEN DERBY - 8 Pointers, 17 Setters, and 1 German Shorthair
1st-NORTHWOODS TYLER, unreg., pointer male, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Northwoods Comet. Josh Matel, owner and handler.
2d-WILLOW CREEK'S NORTHWOODS NUGGET, F1712154, pointer male, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Northwoods Comet. Chad & Tracy Hines, owners; Chad Hines, handler.
3d-CLOVER VALLEY'S EVANS, F1705659, setter female, by Northwoods Atlas-Clover Valley's Millie. Jerry Furnish, owner and handler.

Judges: Tim Callahan and Hannah Peterson
OPEN PUPPY - 2 Pointers, 3 Setters, and 1 Brittany
1st-KENZIE'S COOKIES AND CREAM, unreg., pointer female, by Bluestem's Blackhawk Frank-Lee's Yellow Rose. Brian Vander Maazen, owner and handler.
2d-RUEGER'S MAEKIN' EASY MONEY, F1714651, setter male, by I'm Easy Money-Berg's Mae Belle. Joe Maciej, owner and handler.
3d-MAJESTIC'S CHASIN' HARLEY QUINN, F1720033, setter female, by Northwoods Big G Firestorm-Majestics Summer Breeze. Mason Modjeski, owner and handler.

Open Puppy (l-r): Hannah Peterson (judge), Brian Vander Maazen with Kenzie's Cookies & Cream, Kyle Peterson with Rueger's Maekin' Easy Money, and Mason Modjeski with Majestic's Chasin' Harley Quinn.