Result: National Brittany Open Grouse Championship Association

Location: Gladwin, Michigan

Post Date: Jun 12, 2026

Submitted By: Kenny DeLong

Open Puppy (back row): Tammi Jo Savage and Paula Giulitto (judge). (Front): Kenny DeLong with Lucy's Just Have Mercy and John Clough with Clough's Outcast Will.

Our Spring trial was run Friday through Sunday, April 24-26, with great weather and enthusiastic participation. Eighty-two class bird dogs competed in four different stakes over 15 half-hour courses in one of the premier grouse and woodcock venues in the country. As always, we would like to thank Greg Blair and Purina for their ongoing support; the Hollister family for their reliable horses and fine wrangling; our great, attentive, and insightful judges; all those who helped out marshaling, contributing and serving food, moving vehicles (and people); and of course, everyone who entered dogs. It was great to see old friends and new faces!
Friday and Saturday saw Open Shooting Dog judges Dave Heavlin and Mike Brown scrutinizing 43 very competitive canines handling plenty of birds. Lonnie Rademacher's setter "Otto" rearranged Friday's standings with a strong Saturday performance on Course 1, featuring a nice grouse find. Two dogs from early braces on Friday morning had already impressed the judges--Bruce Minard's pointer male "Sunny" took second, and Ken Moss's well-known setter male "Seeker" took third. These dogs ran on Courses 4 and 5, respectively, both carding quality woodcock finds.

The Open Puppy ran Saturday morning on the single course. Judges Tom Fruchey and Paula Giulitto liked Kenny DeLong's diminutive but fancy and energetic female pointer, "Mercy," for her strong, forward, and responsive race that hit all the likely cover for the top spot. Also putting down impressive performances were two setter males, Banditos Whatsup Doc in second place, and John Clough's "Will" with the yellow ribbon.

The Jack Plyler Open Derby Classic was judged by Lonnie Rademacher and Bruce Barlow. We drew 21 dogs and began Saturday afternoon, but it was Sunday morning on the upper courses that produced the winners. Pro Rich Hollister handled the precocious setter Dunroven Hippie Girl to a nice grouse find on Course 15 and first place. Second and third went to setter male bracemates (and littermates!), "Chip" (Tom Fruchey) and "Searcher" (Ken Moss), who traded points and backs on woodcock early on Course 14.

The Restricted Breed Open Shooting Dog featured Irish setters and Brittanys midday Sunday on Courses 6 through 9. Kenny DeLong's veteran Brittany male, "Shooter," put down a strong forward race and demonstrated his experience with multiple relocations before finally pinning a running grouse--a performance good for the blue. Eric Naus brought 3-year-old Brittany "Cooper" over from Canada to find a woodcock on Course 8, taking second. Pro Christy Helmes guided her liver Britt, "Kaylee," to a stick a doodle on Course 9, rounding out the placements.
We give great thanks to God and to all those who helped make this a great trial--club members, volunteers, handlers, judges, and, of course, dogs and birds! Healthy competition, plenty of good food, and lots of fellowship and field trial banter were evident throughout the three-day weekend. We look forward to seeing everyone (including kids!) at our Summer trial on August 22-23, featuring a Junior Handler stake on Sunday.

Gladwin, Mich., April 24
Judges: Mike Brown and Dave Heavlin
OPEN SHOOTING DOG - 10 Pointers, 29 Setters, 2 Brittanys, and 2 Irish Setters
1st-SPRINGPOND'S ADDY'S BOY, F1699904, setter male, by Ponderosa Mac-Springpond's Autumn Adeline. Lonnie Rademacher, owner and handler.
2d-HIFIVE'S SONNY SIDE UP, F1716406, pointer male, by Titanium's Hammer-Hifive's Allisin. Robert Minard, owner; Neal Minard, handler.
3d-MOSS MEADOW SEEKER, F1676726, setter male, by Moss Meadow Rambler-Moss Meadow Maggie. Ken Moss, owner and handler.

Judges: Tom Fruchey and Paul Giulitto
OPEN PUPPY - 3 Pointers and 4 Setters
1st-LUCY'S JUST HAVE MERCY, F1723542, pointer female, by Highbanks Final Justice-Highbanks Diamond Lucy. Ken DeLong, owner and handler.
2d-BANDITOS WHATSUP DOC, F1722732, setter male, by Gross Hill Bullet Proof-Shady Hills Panda Bear. Michael Bandos, owner and handler.
3d-CLOUGH'S OUTCAST WILL, F1721337, setter male, by Boatright's Maverick-Outcast Siren Song. John Clough, owner and handler.

Jack Plyler Open Derby Classic (back row): Lonnie Rademacher (judge) and Bruce Barlow (judge). (Front): Rich Hollister with Dunroven Hippie Girl, Tom Fruchey with Fire-up Chip, and Ken Moss with Moss Meadow Searcher.

Judges: Lonnie Rademacher and Bruce Barlow
JACK PLYLER OPEN DERBY CLASSIC - 12 Pointers, 8 Setters, and 1 Brittany
1st-DUNROVEN HIPPIE GIRL, F1713542, setter female, by Dun Rovens Drifter-Dunrovens Midnight Eve. Richard Hollister, owner and handler.
2d-FIRE-UP CHIP, F1709322, setter male, by Moss Meadow Seeker-Tupelo Honey. Tom Fruchey, owner and handler.
3d-MOSS MEADOW SEARCHER, F1709320, setter male, by Moss Meadow Seeker-Tupelo Honey. Ken Moss, owner and handler.

Judges: Marc Forman and Deb Nihart
OPEN RESTRICTED BREED SHOOTING DOG - 6 Brittanys and 2 Irish Setters
1st-K DEL'S EAGLE MAGNUM HOTSHOT, F1685770, Brittany male, by Magnum High Velocity-K Del's Eagle's Chance To Soar. Kenric J. DeLong, owner and handler.
2d-GLENRAE'S COOPER TOO, F1705703, Brittany male, by Anchor's Lucky Numbers-Maddie May Dogwood. Herman Naus, owner and handler.
3d-CHRISTYS KAYLEE GIRL, R331522, Brittany female, by Bailey's Ramblin Rusty-Bailey's Lil Cody Wink. Christy Helmes, owner and handler.

Restricted Breed Open Shooting Dog (back row): Deb Nihart (judge), Tammi Jo Savage, Josh Bambach, Bob Ackerman, Max Bambach, Chuck Langstaff, Marc Forman (judge...hiding), and Amy Gauthier. (Front): Kenny DeLong with K Del's Eagle Magnum Hotshot, Eric Naus with Glenrae's Cooper Too, and Christy Helmes with Christys Kaylee Girl.

Lunch break at "The Tubes." Food and fellowship.