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Result: North American Woodcock Championship

Location: Mcadam, New Brunswick

Post Date: Oct 15, 2026

Submitted By: Jamie Welsh

North American Woodcock ChF26-

North American Woodcock Championship (front row): Chasehill Wicked Wilma with John Stolgitis and Chasehill Snoop Dog with Mike Flewelling. (Back row, l-r): Judges Russell Olgilvie and Tom Cullen.

Champion Chasehill Wicked Wilma and Runner-up Champion Chasehill Snoop Dog
A special thank you to Robert Little, who graciously passed the reporter's duties to me this season. I made my first trip to New Brunswick 11 years ago while this trial and the preceding weekend stake were hosted at the Palmer Farm and lodging accommodations were at the John Giles Motor Inn, where I met, and have since been fortunate to consider Bob a friend. Robert shared a few of his prior reports with me to ensure that we continue to recognize the history of these championships in the formatter.

In keeping with Bob's traditional opening: "This year's trial represented the 54th running of the North American Woodcock Championship in New Brunswick. For the first number of decades, the trial was held in Havelock, NB, with names like Jack Mayer Sr. and Jr., Bob Buzzell, and, in later years, Mike Jackson and Ian Corbett at the helm. The trial later ran for a few years at Dave Palmer's farm near Nackawic, NB, and since 2016 on courses near McAdam, New Brunswick." I will add for the record that, in this past decade, Robert's contribution of cover, courses, and the foundational relationship with Norm have placed this Championship on firm footing for years to come.

The Maritime Bird Dog Club's leadership, now in their second year fully managing the stake, Donald Henderson and Jonathan Wilkins did a wonderful job managing the logistics and covering the coursework, vehicle movement, meals, and all other aspects of a sound trial. A special thanks to Norm, Flora, and Paulie for graciously continuing to host the field trial community at Hoof and Paw Outfitters. Finally, special thanks to Christopher Clark for sponsoring the pizza dinner on the evening of the draw and Johnathan Wilkins of Piece of Mind Management for sponsoring an excellent steak dinner for handlers on Friday evening.
Thank you also to the sponsors of this year's handler's raffle, whose proceeds support the club's work and the maintenance of the trial grounds: Kyle Price of Feathers and Fins Outfitter, Inukshuk Professional Dog Food, Hoof and Paw Outfitters, the Maritime Bird Dog Club, and Mike Flewelling.

The Winners
In challenging conditions, tough dogs and gritty handlers show what they are made of. Chasehill Wicked Wilma ran a big forward race in the hottest part of the day, with high winds testing the handlers and dogs as they kept track of each other. Braced nicely with a big setter, Fireside Sally Forth, under Adam Dubriske's whistle, Wilma pushed the front, the edge, and everywhere in between to find a woodcock buried in 4-6 foot high grass, prickers, and alders at 44. Standing with a high head and tail and excellent post-flush manners, the dog was collared and brought back, with the handler and judge struggling to get through the cover. The nice setter under Dubriske's whistle made a large cast off the start and was seen going down the power lines at 12 and back with the handler by 17. She ran nicely to the front but was unable to produce a bird. In the preceding brace, Stolgitis handled Chasehill Snoop Dog to two grouse finds in the latter half of the hour (48 and 53), showing exemplary manners on both to cement his position as runner-up. Snoop is a strong dog with plenty of bottom, and he showed it as he concluded the final part of his hour, showing little signs of fatigue. After being released from the second find at 55, he finished strong to the front.

The Running
Brace 1: Sunkhaze Vera Masardis (PF/Mike Flewelling) and Points North Pour Another ("Quila"/PF/Jamie Welsh) broke away nicely on a cool early September morning in New Brunswick to open the trial. Both dogs applied themselves nicely, showing their grace and style on the ground, perhaps a little too frequently for the judge's desire. Vera had two unproductives at 25 and 35, both of which the snappy pointer under Welsh's command backed for upon sight and within nice view of the gallery. After the second, the dogs were sent on Vera, making a large move while the handlers separated, and Flewelling requested the tracker at 39. Quila finished the hour with a stop to flush on a woodcock at 50. She was gathered, brought back to the course, and released. She closed the hour continuing to work to the front but without a strong move. The gallery walked up a clutch of six grouse in the closing 10 minutes, a good omen for following dogs.

Brace 2: Higby Arcade Fire (PM/John Stolgitis) and Super Storm Cliff (ESM/Adam Dubriske). Cliff stopped at 23 with a significant flushing attempt made of the area with nothing produced; the handler elected to move him on. After coming from behind early, the dog settled into a nice forward race. At 44, Cliff was located on point standing a woodcock nicely 15-20 yards off the course in a mix of dense alders; with all in order, the dog was collared back to the course and released to front, where he stayed for the remainder of the hour. Cade exhibited a strong forward presence but was unable to locate a bird during his hour.

Brace 3: Mohawk Mill Good Advice ("Blaze"/PM/John Stolgitis) and S Southern Belle (ESF/Jonathan Wilkins). "Belle" is an 8-year-old setter female that runs big and shows nicely on the ground. Both dogs started their hour with strong moves to the front, with Belle making a large edge cast down the powerlines, forcing Wilkins and Stolgitis to separate. With some work, Wilkins was able to get the dog back around and to the front. With wind picking up, scouts Donald Henderson (Belle) and Mike Flewelling (Blaze) earned their keep to help each handler keep their dogs going. Belle was located on point at 35; a three-minute effort to flush ensued before the handler elected to relocate the dog, worked the area vigorously, and 75 yards from the initial stop, she established again with a bit of a flat tail, but standing well, a woodcock was produced, shot fired, all in order. Belle was brought back to the course and finished her hour to the front. Blaze was located on point at 45; with nothing produced, he was collared, brought back to the course, and sent on.

Brace 4: Mohawk Mill Miss You (Pearl) (PF/John Stolgitis) and Cairds Dreaming of Jeannie (PF/Robert Little). In the tightest of the four courses, the Old Farm Course has dense young growth almost in its entirety. With windy conditions and big going dogs, it provides a stern test for handlers and scouts. Pearl produced early, standing nicely on a woodcock at 5 and 8. Jeannie had a find at 7 with Little but broke gently on the flush, ending her day quickly. Pearl was found standing again at 11 in the thick and dense young growth. Released on, the dog was hard to pin down until 22 in the thick cover and wind, and back with Stolgitis by 30. Dog was located at 46, standing, with an unproductive recorded, and a non-event at 49. She finished the hour.

Brace 5: Chasehill Snoop Dog (PM/John Stolgitis) and Mooselook Texas Star (PM/Adam Dubriske) (see winners).

Brace 6: Chasehill Wicked Wilma and Fireside Sally Forth (See winners).

Brace 7: Wild Apple Paskungameh Peat (PM/Jamie Welsh) and Paucek's Up For Adventure ("Ellie"/ESF/Trevor London). Both dogs started nicely with a few check-ins, and then Ellie began to show her range. At 13, Jamie Welsh elected to collect and leash his dog, despite a few nice casts punctuated by some hard stops but no standing. London handled Ellie around nicely, with the dog hanging on the edge of the bell and seeking likely edges without showing much of herself. At 55, Ellie had a well-handled woodcock with a nice tail and high head. Opting not to get her back to the course and releasing her close, she seemed to catch the scent of another bird and finished with a few starts and stops but no infractions.

Brace 8: Mohawk Mill Fired Up ("Rosie"/PF/John Stolgitis) and Fox Brook Top Secret ("Maddie"/ESF/Adam Dubriske). Maddie had a hard stop at 6 to start the brace in likely cover, but no bird was produced. She had a low point on a woodcock with good manners at 18 but struggled to get to the front again. She was picked up at 50. Rosie made the hour with a strong race and no birds.

Brace 9: Chasehill Poison Ivy (PF/John Stolgitis) and Niantic River Ava (ESF/Adam Dubriske). Ivy is a strong front-running dog that runs hard to the front and could be the most powerful dog on Stolgitis' string. Ava is a shorter running setter with a snappy gate and a lot of point. At 10, both dogs were found standing in dense cover with Ava in front and Ivy backing; at 13, Ava stopped again, and the handler elected before search to collar the dog, fearing a second unproductive, and return to course. Walking away, a bird got up; an unfortunate break. Ava continued her hour and finished. Ivy was found standing at 30 in incredibly dense cover, with scout Mike Flewelling locating the dog. No bird was produced, and Ivy was brought back to the course and sent on; at 42, Stolgitis requested the tracker.

Brace 10: Highfive's Balvenie ("Bella"/PF/Adam Dubriske) and Cairds Rip It Up ("Timmy"/PM/Robert Little). Timmy and Bella started off into the thick cover of the fourth course. Timmy is a well-built, strong black and white male pointer. His bracemate, Bella, a successful derby and now a promising first-year shooting dog, is a big running dog that exhibits strong independence and range. A quick search for Timmy was made off the line, producing nothing. Both dogs crossed the power lines by 12, and Timmy was located standing at 19. After an extended flushing attempt, a bird was produced, and Timmy returned to the course and moved on. At 25, Timmy, showing his youth and exuberance, went with his second woodcock. Bella's day ended in similar fashion at 27 on a woodcock find.

Brace 11: Sunkhaze Orange Gerri (PF/Mike Flewelling) and Pool Brook Doby (ESM/Adam Dubriske). The final brace of the championship was hot. Doby stayed close off the start but started to open up as time went by. Gerri was found standing at 30 for two grouse that flushed as handler and judge worked to the dog. Gerri was picked up at 45 as the heat proved too much, and Dubriske elected to end Doby's day shortly after.

McAdam, NB, September 11
Judges: Jon Cullen and Russell Ogilvie
NORTH AMERICAN WOODCOCK CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 15 Pointers and 7 Setters
Winner-CHASEHILL WICKED WILMA, F1698454, pointer female, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. Harley D. McClung, owner; John Stolgitis, handler.
Runner-Up-CHASEHILL SNOOP DOG, F1703110, pointer male, by Panola Bacon-Chasehill Little Izzy. William & Karen McFadden, owners; John Stolgitis, handler.