Result: Ontario Grouse Dog Championship

Location: Philipsburg, Pennsylvania

Post Date: Jul 7, 2026

Submitted By: David A. Fletcher

Ontario Open Grouse Championship (l-r): Bill Bonnetti (judge), Russ Fazio with Hypointe Monarch Express, Eric Munden (Ontario Director), Scott Forman with Grouse Hill Princess, Joe Cammisa (Ontario Secretary), and Larry Guild (judge).

The Ontario Grouse Dog Championship held its 34th renewal over the Black Moshannon State Forest grounds near Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania, March 30--a four-day titular event featuring an entry of 30 pointers and 22 setters. The Venango Club, sponsors of the Ontario Grouse Dog Championship, also ran their long-standing Venango Derby with an entry of 13 pointers and seven setters.

Thirty-four years ago, Canadian field trialers Tim Tufts, Bill McClure, Dan Mansell, and Jack Clark wanted something a little better than the released-bird one-course trials then in existence in their native Ontario, and they began a wild bird grouse and woodcock event that became the Ontario Grouse Championship. Scribe was invited to judge a beginning event, joined the Club, and with his close relationship with William F. Brown, American Field Editor and owner, helped the Ontario club secure a Grouse Championship. The event was held at the Copeland Forest near Barrie, Ontario, for several years, but the supporting group of trialers waned among the Ontario Club members, and a helping hand was offered by the Pennsylvania and New York Grouse Clubs to run on their venues. Tim Tufts managed the Ontario Club for many renewals, basically on his own, and his demise several years ago left the championship in the Venango Club's hands.

The team staging this 34th renewal is headed by Joe Cammisa, Secretary; Steve Chiappini, Treasurer; your scribe as President along with Dr. Tim Perschke, and Eric Munden as Club Directors, but some of the hardest workers at this event were Jeff Keller, marshaling nearly every brace, and Dick Brenneman working diligently with the road crossings and gallery move-ups. Our thanks for the support of Purina and Greg Blair. They are perennially helping the Venango Club. Lunches were again catered for the gallery tailgates under the management of the Cammisa and Munden team. Scribe was Dave Fletcher, with wonderful help from judge Bill Bonneti.

The Winners and Others
The new champion, Hypointe Monarch Express, a 3-year-old pointer female, was handled by her owner Russ Fazio, of Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania. Performance-wise, "Tess" was highly rated by the judges as a very smooth-gaited, consistently forward hunter that listened to her handler, stayed to the course objectives, and finished strongly. Her bird work was stylish, her woodcock well located, and her manners at flush well done. This is Tess's 15th placement and her first championship. Her record shows eight Derby wins in Cover Dog events and a first in the USC Futurity. As an adult, Tess has added three Shooting Dog placements, one All-Age win, and a runner-up title in the USC Amateur Invitational Championship.

Runner-up was Grouse Hill Princess, a setter female handled by Scott Forman for owner John Cappoci of Richfield, Connecticut. Princess was very focused on hunting, moving ahead to every good-looking covert. Her range was comfortable but not in any way restricted, and when she showed, was right out front. Princess stood nicely on a woodcock at 48, all in perfect order for the flush, and logged an unproductive at 52. This was her first runner-up title after 12 wins as a youngster, in Puppy and Derby stakes, many of which came in the Michigan Grousewoods.
This was not a stake of multiple performances that would rate championship accolades, yet it was a stake with a host of good hunting cover dogs. One thing that could possibly have been a factor was that it was nesting season, and many hens were possibly on the nest incubating eggs, and not out on the course. A bird count of the four days of Championship running disclosed only three grouse, one where the bell had stopped, and before getting to the dog, the bird flew, and the remaining two grouse seen by the gallery, wild flushed. Judges did give complimentary comments on several dogs; among them were Ralphy's Chasehill Rip, handled by Brian Ralph; Mia Star, handled by Robert Ecker; One Acre Wood Flash, handled by Bill Rector; Millers Dusty Version, handled by Dave Hughes; and bracemate Higby Arcade Fire, handled by John Stolgitis.

The Running
Weather was cooperative with this five-day trial. No rain or wind, but during the late afternoon of the second day, heat became a problem with the stamina of the competing dogs.

Chasehill Snoop Dog (Stolgitis)-Backwoods Dine & Dash (Hughes). Snoop was blessed with a super gait, lots of determination to hunt the full hour, but was birdless. Dine & Dash was a trifle moderate in range at times, but had a great woodcock find and kept hunting until the hour ended.

Timberdoodle Farms Sal (M. Forman)-Debs Jane (Ecker). Sal hunted well, a bit erratic in pattern, and was taken up after two unproductives. Jane, shortly after the breakaway, established point but moved on and was also leashed.
Super Storm Cliff (Dubriske)-Doodle Ridge Elroy (Mueller). Cliff hunted well but suffered a pair of unproductives and was taken up. Elroy also had an unproductive at 40, but the tracker was a necessity at the 50-minute mark.

Mulberry Fields Molly (Hughes)-Mohawk Mill Miss You (Stolgitis). Both were a treat to the eye in motion and hunted hard. Molly scored nicely on a woodcock at 26 but had two unproductive stands in the following minutes. Miss You accomplished two backs but was not able to find a bird.

Blue Ribbon River (Ecker)- Hitail Roxy Afield (Fazio). Heat was a factor in the final braces on Monday. Neither dog seemed to let the hot conditions bother their attention to hunting. Both went to good-looking places and handled well. Late in the hour, River made some wide flings and had some short absences. Roxy hunted well, attractive in motion and scored nicely on woodcock at 45. She finished the hour hunting with determination.

Tucker (Short)-Double Deuce Jack (Hughes). Tucker, from the breakaway, headed for the far places and was not near the gallery. Jack hunted, took good edges, but suffered unproductives and was taken up.

Grouse Hill Mac (S. Forman)-Lucy's Pride (Dubriske). Both dogs hunted well; Mac taken up on a pair of unproductives, and Pride still looking hard for birds at the hour mark but was birdless.

Saddled Up Sadie (Hughes)-Resin (M. Forman). Sadie pointed a grouse at the 15-minute mark. It flew during the relocation, and Sadie stopped to flush. Resin had an unproductive at 37, but his hunting effort was good the full hour.

One Acre Wood Bandit (Rector)-Grouse Trails Bathilda (McKellop). Both hunted the course in great fashion, but they were birdless.

War Bird Farm Girl (Ecker)-Fireside Sally Forth (Dubriske). Despite the handler's effort, Girl got out of touch and never got to where the gallery could witness her hunting effort. Sally Forth was hunting hard at bell-hearing range, then slowed her effort later. She scored a nice Woodcock find at the 28-minute mark.

Miller's Hopped Up Version (Hughes)-Hypointe Monarch Express (Fazio). Express had a smooth gait and a happy tail as she took edge after edge, working forwardly with plenty of desire to find a bird. At 32, she absolutely nailed a woodcock, lots of style and intensity on point, manners at flush, and she had that bird perfectly located. Her finish at 60 minutes was strong and ongoing, just like she started. Hopped Up hunted every minute, handled, and logged a back of bracemate.

Buck of Piney Woods (Ecker)-Ryn (Keller). Temperatures had been climbing all afternoon, and this brace, the last brace of the day, was the hottest hour of the day. Both hunted well, especially the first half hour, but both were taken up before the 60-minute mark.

Mia Star (Ecker)-Ralphy's Chasehill Rip (Ralph). Initial brace of Tuesday. An exceptionally good brace of dogs. They hunted hard, each scoring separately on woodcock with pointing style and good manners. They may have made the judge's
"carried" list.

Mohawk Mill Fired Up (Stolgitis)-Double Deuce Zeke (Hughes). Fired Up had a pair of great woodcock finds and an hour of great hunting. Zeke had a good woodcock find almost on the breakaway with plenty of style and manners, and a stronger finish would likely have helped his cause.

Anna Lake Sami (Forman)-Glassilaun Parabellum (Ecker). Both started well and took good cover edges. Sami logged a nice woodcock find at 46. Parabellum likely was not putting his best effort forth and was taken up.

Chasehill Wicked Wilma (Stolgitis)-Miller's Special Upgrade (Hughes). At 19, Wilma's bell stopped. A grouse was observed flying from the area, and after an unproductive at 10, Upgrade filled the hour with some creditable hunting.

Mooselook Texas Star (Dubriske)-Ironstone's Shenanigans (Ecker). Star ripped a toenail early and was taken up bleeding. Shenanigans was honest with his hunting but not reaching with spectacular casts.

Chasehill Poison Ivy (Stolgitis)-Grouse Hill Rock (Ecker). Both hunted the full hour fringing the good cover, but neither found a bird.

Grouse Trails Little Bud (McKellop)-One Acre Wood Flash (Rector). This brace was a treat to the eye, both superbly gaited and hitting the cover with lots of purpose. Both had unproductive stands.

Backwoods Wild Fire Blaze (Hughes)-Pool Brook Dobby (Dubriske). Their hunting moves were excellent. Blaze had an unproductive at 15, and his finish was strong. Dobby was taken up early, perhaps not his best effort this time down.

Mohawk Mill Good Advice (Stolgitis)-Gracie Star (Ecker). The former turned in a very good hunting effort, but she cast to the far side of a swampy region and was gone an interval. Gracie Star was taken up early before the swampy terrain. Coming out on a leash, a wild grouse flushed nearby.

Highlander's High Voltage (Hughes)-Niantic River Ana (Dubriske). It was enjoyable watching this pair edge good-looking places. Ana logged two unproductives and was taken up. Voltage had a back and finished well.

Sammy The Rock Star (Ecker)-Grouse Trails Black Knight (McKellop). Star started well but was leashed at half time. Knight was wide, strong afoot, but got behind at times, slow to come up.

Millers Dusty Version (Hughes)-Higby Arcade Fire (Stolgitis). Judges commented on this brace that the pair could not have done any better in a search for birds. They did hunt the course superbly. Both were birdless, but a wild flushing grouse came up near time.

Mojo's Winston Joy (Hughes)-Grouse Hill Rambo (Ecker). Joy stood on point at 30, but nothing could be flushed. She had a second stand at 59 but moved a bit at flush, stopping at command. Rambo also suffered an unproductive at 10, but
finished the hour hunting.

Princess (S. Forman)-Grouse Trails Warrior Cat (McKellop). Princess hunted the cover edges from the opening whistle, and her progression was to the birdy-looking places. She pointed a woodcock at 48, displaying great style and manners. Four minutes later she stood again, a good-looking place, but a relocation failed to produce a bird. Cat also took the good edges and worked forwardly, finishing the hour with lots of steam left. Cat was birdless.

Philipsburg, Pa., March 30
Judges: Bill Bonnetti and Larry Guild
ONTARIO GROUSE CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 30 Pointers and 22 Setters
Winner-HYPOINTE MONARCH EXPRESS, F1704239, pointer female, by Springflow's Backcountry P-Apple Annie's Sweet Delight. Russ Fazio, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-GROUSE HILL PRINCESS, F1702135, setter female, by Grouse Hill Bullet Proof-Spata Setters Sally. Giovanni Capocci, owner; Scott Forman, handler.

VENANGO FIELD TRIAL CLUB

Judges: Eric Munden and Krysta Munden
OPEN DERBY - 13 Pointers and 7 Setters
1st-CHASEHILL BETT YOUR BUNZ, F1713924, pointer female, by Daddy's Little Boy Butch-Mohawk Mill Double E. William & Karen McFadden, owners; John Stolgitis, handler.
2d-GROUSE HILL PATCH, F1710162, pointer female, by Grouse Hill Rambo-All On. Michael Capocci, owner; Marc Forman, handler.
3d-WATCH ME WHIP, F1711113, pointer male, by Cash Van Pioneer Scouts Man-Anna Van Frutchey Ranch. Tim Perschke, owner; Mark Hughes, handler.