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Result: Central Connecticut Bird Dog Club

Location: East Windsor, Connecticut

Post Date: Jun 9, 2025

Submitted By: Tom Gates

Central Conn Milo WilkinsonS25

Milo Wilkinson Amateur Shooting Dog (l-r): Gary Tavares with Fort River's Lucky Charm, Brayden and Tiffini Smith with Calico's Country Strong, and Alex Smith with Calico's Over the Top.

The Central Connecticut Bird Dog Club staged its annual spring event May 17-19, 2025, at the popular Dr. John Flaherty Field Trial Area in East Windsor, Connecticut. Established in 1961, the Central Connecticut club has run class bird dog field trials for 64 consecutive years. The five-stake event was again chaired by Gene Casale Jr., with dogs from up and down the Eastern United States competing.

As usual, Gene Casale managed the trial with perfection. Every detail was meticulously executed in true professional "Casale" style. I guarantee that everyone has a great time at a trial run by Gene! He will be hosting the Northeastern Championship in October on these grounds.

Pam Casale, Gene's wife, managed the kitchen, offering several lunch choices, and again put on the club's famous Saturday night Handlers' Dinner--fried chicken and all the fixins. Thank you, Pam!

Having seasoned judges always makes a great trial, and we had some of the best! The club sincerely thanks Kevin Stuart, John Olfson, Kevin Joyce, and John Stolgitis for their fine judicial work. Their decisions were applauded by all attending. John Olfson and Amilcar Pereira were true warriors, planting birds and helping with the trial! Thank you all!

The Running
The Open Shooting Dog started the trial with an exceptional field of competitors. The weather was still cool, and the grass was very wet, making for great scenting conditions. Mike Tracy took the blue with Cool Hand Luke. This pointer male was outstanding! He ran the limits of the course, finding quail at four locations. Luke runs with a very animated, happy gait. A high-cracking tail and very fast attack on the ground were certainly unbeatable. A very intense stance was rewarded with multiple birds lifting over the motionless dog at each find. Very nice dog!

Matt Basilone was a close second with Birdpatch General Lee. This setter ran the limits and looked good doing it! Two picture-perfect covey finds made him a sure bet! Very nice dog!
The Scotty Creel Open Derby remembers a club member who was a true-life hero. A Waterbury, Connecticut, fireman, Scotty, was honored several times for heroic acts that left him injured while saving people from burning buildings. First one in and the last one out, Scotty put others ahead of his own safety.

Cour's Open Fire took the blue for Mike Tracy. This is a dog to ride! He is an eyecatcher on the ground; fast, forward, and deliberate. Trading ends twice and being found standing once, his manners are perfect. Expect big things from this dog!
Mike carded second with a thrilling half hour for Geronimo Joe. This pointer is a true bird dog, exciting and completely in tune with the handler. Joe locked up twice on the right edge with birds well located. He scored an off-course find on a big covey and finished like a rocket. Great job!
Mike also carded third with Bryant's Silver Surfer. Another powerful Tracy charge, "Jay," was a fun dog to watch. He is extremely stylish going with a great tail and powerful gait. This pointer also scored three times on quail. Watch this one, as you will see him many times in the future!

The Guard Rail Open Shooting Dog stake honors Eugene Casale's Hall of Fame pointer, who competed on these grounds many times. This stake is a coveted placement for anyone's dog! This year, 20 top dogs from up and down the East Coast competed for the chance to add a "Guard Rail" placement to their resum .
Trumped won this stake last year and was back to take the blue again this year! The Allen Linder pointer male was handled by Mike Tracy. This dog is a thrill to watch. He ran the limits of the grounds. A hard-driving effort was rewarded on three occasions, with covey birds being flown over a picturesque stance. "Tom" had plenty of bottom, finishing strong on the left edge. A thrill to watch!
Matt Basilone was a very close second with Mohawk Mill Lady Justice. Owners Ed and Megan McKay rode the brace to see her score twice on singles with admirable style, pointing. Justice was then found standing a large covey of birds perfectly located. This ground race was a true hunting effort that could not be beaten. A great driving finish made her a sure bet.
John Stolgitis carded third with Chasehill Snoop Dog. This first-year shooting dog won the Open Derby stake at this trial last year and placed in the Open Derby the year before as a puppy! He ran a championship-caliber race with a lofty pointing style on two big covey finds this day. Ride this dog if you get the chance. Wow, real nice dog!
Megan McKay took the blue in the Amateur Derby with Mohawk Mill Lady Justice. She was unbeatable. After taking second in the Guard Rail stake, Lady was fast and powerful. Megan flushed covey birds on two occasions over a statue-like stance and logged a single near the end. Great job by a young derby!
Kevin Joyce piloted Hightailing Cindy to second. Impressive on the ground, Cindy was a bird finder. This female pointer scored three quail finds and had a very strong finish. Expect big things from this dog in the future. She certainly has all the class to become a champion.
Ruby gained third for handler Ed McKay. Big going and classy to watch, this Rail Dancer offspring is going places in the future! She traded ends three times with perfect manners and has an abundance of style.

The Milo Wilkenson Amateur Shooting Dog stake is named for one of the club's founding members. Milo was instrumental in acquiring grounds, establishing clubs, and helping the New England Association. Gary Tavares took first with Fort River's Lucky Charm. This was Gary's first time handling Charm, but they looked like they had run together for several years! Charm is an exciting setter to watch and was a handful at times for Gary. He carded three evenly spaced finds in perfect form. The style of pointing can only be described as intense. A statue at flush; he was untouchable.

In my 55+ years of bird dog field trialing, I have never been so impressed as I was watching Brayden Smith handle Calico's Country Strong to second and Calico's Over the Top to third! At 9 years old, Brayden handled like a 20-year veteran! Country Strong was fast, deliberate, and focused. Brayden flushed covey birds twice over a high and tight stance. He added a single to the tally near the end. Nice job by the dog and handler!
Over the Top swapped ends before the pond with a single, taking wing. He added two very stylish finds with multiple birds lifting on each. A strong driving finish was very impressive! He certainly made Brayden's parents, Alex and Tiffani Smith, proud this day. Great job, Brayden!

East Windsor, Conn., May 9 - One Course
Judges: Kevin Joyce and John Stolgitis
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 5 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-COOL HAND LUKE, F1714223, pointer male, by Southpoint's Speedy G-Lone Tree Last Snow. Robert Bergen, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.
2d-BIRDPATCH GENERAL LEE, F1705914, setter male, by Bozeann's Rex-Knitone Pearl Too. W. Snoot Carter Jr., owner; Matt Basilone, handler.

SCOTTY CREEL OPEN DERBY - 9 Pointers and 1 Setter
1st-COUR'S OPEN FIRE, F1715844, pointer male, by Touch's Fire Away-Rawhide's Primal Shockwave. Mike Cour, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.
2d-GERONIMO JOE, F1714946, pointer male, by Cheyenne Jack-Hightailing Maggie. Adrian Gubbay, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.
3d-BRYANT'S SILVER SURFER, F1708719, pointer male, by Haney's Silver Dollar-Bluemound's Charged Up. Kenton Bryant, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.

Judges: John Olfson and Kevin Stuart
GUARD RAIL OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 17 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-TRUMPED, F1690083, pointer male, by Mohawk Mill Image-Bevy's Cadillac Jukebox. Allen Linder, owner; Mike Tracy, handler.
2d-MOHAWK MILL LADY JUSTICE, F1706908, pointer female, by Imagine-Mohawk Mill Dolly. Megan & Ed McCay, owners; Matt Basilone, handler.
3d-CHASEHILL SNOOP DOG, F1703110, pointer male, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. John Stolgitis, owner and handler.

AMATEUR DERBY - 7 Pointers
1st-MOHAWK MILL LADY JUSTICE, F1706908, pointer female, by Imagine-Mohawk Mill Dolly. Megan & Ed McCay, owners; Matt Basilone, handler.
2d-HIGHTAILING CINDY, F1714947, pointer female, by Cheyenne Jack-Hightailing Maggie. Kevin Joyce, owner and handler.
3d-GEMMED RUBY WOO, F1705996, pointer female, by Rail Dancer-Stolen Gem. Megan & Ed McCay, owners; Ed McCay, handler.

Judges: Kevin Joyce and Kevin Stuart
MILO MILKENSON AMATEUR SHOOTING DOG - 8 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-FORT RIVER'S LUCKY CHARM, F1681132, setter male, by Mohawk Mill Lucky Charm-Fort River Jackie. Gary Tavares, owner and handler.
2d-CALICO'S COUNTRY STRONG, F1679850, pointer female, by Waybetter Rocky-Calico's Touch of Class. Calico Kennels & Alex & Tiffani Smith, owners; Brayden Smith, handler.
3d-CALICO'S OVER THE TOP, F1692315, pointer male, by Dominator's Rebel Heir-Calico's Country Strong. Calico Kennels & Alex & Tiffani Smith, owners; Brayden Smith, handler.