Result: Moose River Grouse Dog Club

Location: Moose Junction, Wisconsin

Post Date: May 18, 2026

Submitted By: Greg Johnson

Moose Classic Open Shooting Dog: Ben Brettingen (judge), Mark Fouts, and Josh Matel with Northwoods Fallset Hope, Ed Graddy with North Slopes Allie, Joe Landowski (judge), Lindsey Saetre with Northwoods Cedar Edge, and Eric Saetre (co-owner) with the Moose Classic Trophy.

This year's Moose Classic was well attended and a fun way to end our spring season. Untimely rains before the event made for wet courses, but great scenting conditions, and birds were plentiful. In all, 59 dogs were run, and great sportsmanship was witnessed all weekend long.
The Moose River Grouse Dog Club would also like to thank the following for another successful event: Judges Ben Brettingen, Joe Landowski, Jerry Kolter, Mitch Anderson, Lindsey Saetre, and Rachel Furnish; To all club members who helped clear courses, helped with prep work leading up to the trial, and those who helped during the trial, including Tucker Johnson, Greg Johnson, Bill Frahm, Hunter Frahm, Tim Kaufman, Brad Holt, Jeff Marek, Colin and Walker Peterson, Sig Degitz, Eric and Lindsey Saetre and Ben Mergens; Douglas County Forestry Department for their cooperation in allowing us to hold our event on county forest land; Purina for sponsoring and providing awards; Trent Sprague at Moose Junction Lounge for the wonderful lunches, fantastic campground facilities, and a great place to serve as our trial headquarters; and to everyone who participated and entered dogs, the Moose River Grouse Dog Club is extremely grateful. Congratulations to all placed winners.

Classic Results as seen by judge Ben Brettingen
The Moose River Classic remains a highly anticipated renewal for both Minnesota and Wisconsin clubs, due in large part to the club's hospitality and the consistently bird-rich grounds. This year's running drew a strong entry across all three stakes, with approximately 60 dogs competing.

The Shooting Dog stake proved especially competitive, with 10 dogs recording bird work, a testament to both the quality of the grounds and the caliber of the entries. Judges are not often presented with that volume of productive performances, which made for a particularly challenging decision. Morning conditions throughout the trial were favorable: cool, damp starts gave way to warmer afternoons, which seemed to limit bird movement. Sunday brought a change, with cloud cover and overnight rain producing improved scenting conditions and more active birds. Judge Joe Landowski summed it up well, stating, "It's fun to judge a trial where there are so many quality bird dogs, and dogs that can consistently find and handle their birds."
In first place was Northwoods Cedar Edge ("Enni"), a setter female owned and handled by Lindsey Saetre.
Sunday morning broke over northwest Wisconsin with 38-degree temperatures and a steady cold drizzle, making for a damp 8 a.m. breakaway. Enni's bracemate was scratched, leaving her to negotiate the Beaver Dam course alone.
From the outset, the classy tri-colored setter demonstrated a forward, intelligent race, showing consistently to the front at the outer edge of bell range. She required little to no handling from Saetre, maintaining a polished and connected effort throughout. Judge Joe Landowski remarked on her performance, noting her "unique ability to always show to the front with extremely little handling," adding that "it made for one of the nicest races I've watched."
At approximately 40, Enni made a strong move along the edge of a swamp, eventually carrying her bell out of earshot. With nearly 2 inches of rain having fallen over the weekend, the ground was saturated, but Saetre pressed through the alder bottom to locate Enni standing stylishly, facing into a blowdown. The bird was produced cleanly, and Enni handled the situation with composure and precision.
Judges were unanimous in their praise of Enni's natural forward application and her keen ability to remain connected with her handler. As Judge Ben Brettingen noted, "It was difficult to even nit-pick a fault in her performance."
A standout effort secured Enni the top placement in this year's Moose River Classic.
In second place was North Slopes Allie ("Allie"), a setter female owned and handled by Ed Graddy.
Allie has been no stranger to the podium this spring, and her Sunday effort proved worthy of a second-place finish. The snappy orange and white setter broke away on the Spruce Course and quickly made strong moves to the front.
As her race developed, Allie settled into a purposeful pattern, applying herself to likely objectives with intelligence and consistency. Her application was impressive throughout, clearly illustrating her bird-finding ability. Midway through the brace, she crossed a snowmobile trail and came to a solid point. A bird was produced, and Allie stood statuesque through flush.
With approximately 12 minutes remaining, she moved into a pocket of cover some 75 yards off course and again came to point. A bird was observed running some 15 feet off her nose. The bird ultimately produced well out in front after an exhaustive effort, but Allie remained steady and composed throughout the entire sequence.
It was a mature and composed performance that reflected both her experience and her proven ability to locate and handle birds, earning her a second-place finish.
In third was Northwoods Fallset Hope ("Hope"), a pointer female owned by Mark Fouts and handled by Josh Matel.
Hope broke away on New Course, and her snappy speed was immediately evident. The petite pointer showed a light, effortless way of going, gliding to the front with a fluid, ground-covering stride while maintaining a consistent forward presence.
She hunted with purpose, reaching for objectives and showing good judgment in her application, never straying far from the course while continuing to hit the edges with intent. Matel handled her with a quiet hand, allowing her to show on her own terms, requiring little in the way of handling.
At 42, her bell fell silent, prompting Matel to turn toward the judges with a knowing smile. She was found to the left of the course, standing with a poker-straight tail and striking composure. Matel moved in confidently and produced a grouse cleanly, with Hope remaining steady throughout.
Hope's animated race, forward application, and stylish finish earned her the third placement in the Moose River Classic.

Derby Results As seen by judges Jerry Kolter and Mitch Anderson
"The Derby stake was extremely competitive, with several dogs exhibiting the potential to win in future trials. None of the dogs had derby-level work on birds; all placements were earned on race." - Kolter
"This Derby stake featured a promising group of young dogs. While bird contact was limited, the field was evaluated on application, forward race, and overall potential. Throughout the stake, several dogs demonstrated the potential to find success at the next level." - Anderson
In first place was Caterpillar The Great ("Pillar"), a pointer male owned and handled by Jordan Pharris.
"His light handle and determined hunting effort through punishing cover put him on top. He wasn't done at the end either, taking a few minutes to round him up at time." - Kolter
"During the brace, he showed great forward race and consistent application throughout the course. Pillar hunted with purpose, showed excellent use of the ground, and maintained the right balance of independence while staying responsive. The effort was steady, confident, and convincing from start to finish." - Anderson
In second place was Kenzie's Cookies & Cream ("CC"), a pointer female owned and handled by Brian Vander Maazen.
"This was a competitive and well-earned placement from CC, who covered ground effectively while remaining engaged over the course. The dog showed good range and forward movement, with a great flow to the brace." - Anderson
"Kenzie's Cookies & Cream is a classy moving dog who also handled easily, hitting likely objectives as they were presented. She finished strong to the front." - Kolter
In third was Northwoods Tyler ("Tyler"), a pointer male owned and handled by Josh Matel.
"Tyler placed third with his lofty carriage and smooth hunting effort. He hunted close in the young cut and moved out in the mature timber." - Kolter
"Tyler turned in a solid effort, handling the course with determination. The race showed good range and forward progress, paired with good application. Though slightly less consistent, the dog showed persistence and a genuine desire to hunt." - Anderson
Honorable Mention went to Clover Valley's Nothing But Grace ("Gracie"), a setter female owned and handled by Jordan Pharris, and Northwoods Mick ("Mickey"), a setter male owned and handled by Jordan Pharris.
"Both dogs caught the attention of the judges as well." - Kolter

Puppy Results as seen by judges Lindsey Saetre and Rachel Furnish
In first place was Aspens Edge More Than Dandy ("Andi"), a setter female owned and handled by Lillian Moore. Andi had a strong forward run, hitting objectives and responding to handler Moore with enthusiasm. *At 7 years old, Lillian is well on her way to a stellar career as a cover dog handler. Well done, Lillian!
In second place was Layla at First Light ("Layla"), a setter female owned and handled by Andy Kuehnel. Layla moved gracefully, stayed out, and hit all the appropriate cover, needing minimal handling.
In third was Lake Effect Sage ("Sage"), a setter female owned and handled by Tim Kaufman. Sage hunted in cover with intensity and was quick to respond to handler Kaufman.
*Reporter's note

Moose Junction, Wis., April 24
Judges: Ben Brettingen and Joe Landowski
OPEN SOHOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 9 Pointers and 25 Setters
1st-NORTHWOODS CEDAR EDGE, F1703153, setter female, by Snyder's Pioneer Scout-Northwoods Cedar. Eric & Lindsey Saetre, owners; Lindsey Saetre, handler.
2d-NORTH SLOPES ALLIE, F1683547, setter female, by A Keystone Kid-Signature Ridge Cody. Ed Graddy, owner and handler.
3d-NORTHWOODS FALLSET HOPE, F1694804, pointer female, by True Confidence-Northwoods Comet. Mark Fouts, owner; Josh Matel, handler.

Open Derby: Northwoods Tyler with Josh Matel, Mitch Anderson (judge), Kenzie's Cookies & Cream with Brian Vander Maazen, Jerry Kolter (judge), and Caterpillar The Great with Jordan Pharris.

Judges: Mitch Anderson and Jerry Kolter
OPEN DERBY - 7 Pointers, 10 Setters, and 1 Irish Setter
1st-CATERPILLAR THE GREAT, F1724273, pointer male, by Southern Breeze-Birdogn True Confidence. Jordan Pharris, owner and handler.
2d-KENZIE'S COOKIES & CREAM, F1717431, pointer female, by Bluestem's Blackhawk Frank-Lee's Yellow Rose. Brian Vander Mazen, owner and handler.
3d-NORTHWOODS TYLER, F1712151, pointer male, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Northwoods Comet. Josh Matel, owner and handler.

Judges: Rachel Furnish and Lindsey Saetre
OPEN PUPPY - 2 Pointers and 6 Setters
1st-ASPENS EDGE MOORE THAN DANDY, F1723295, setter female, by Northwoods Homer-North Star Ash. Jeremy Moore, owner and handler.
2d-LAYLA AT FIRST LIGHT, F1727915, setter female, by Kuehnels Rough Ryder-Kuehnel's Spice. Andy Kuehnel, owner and handler.
3d-LAKE EFFECT SAGE, F1726268, setter female, by Moss Meadow Seeker-Lake Effect Ali. Tim Kaufman, owner and handler.

Open Puppy: Rachel Furnish (judge), Lake Effect Sage with Tim Kaufman, Aspens Edge More Than Dandy with Lillian Moore, Jeremy Moore (co-owner), and Lindsey Saetre (judge). [Not pictured: Layla at First Light].