Result: Northern New England Open Woodcock Championship

Location: Fyeburg, Maine

Post Date: Nov 5, 2026

Submitted By: Deborah Kennedy

Norrthern New England Woodcock Championship (l-r). Bob Paucek, judge Jimmy Levesque, Jerry Burke with Ash Creektug, judge Sam Jackson, Adam Dubriske with Super Storm Cliff and Cliff's owner, Mike Rosano.

Wild bird trials are crap shoots, the term best describing a situation with an unpredictable outcome. Sometimes there are a lot birds, sometimes not so much. Some years it's dry as a desert, some years the heavens deliver blinding rain and tree cracking winds from a hurricane.
This year, despite being a little dry on Saturday and a little wet on Sunday, bird numbers were even overall. Both woodcock and grouse cooperated and showed up on the three courses twice daily. During the two full days of running, twenty-four dogs competed from throughout the Northeast. Participants came from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Vermont, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. We welcomed old hands and new faces. Rich Warters from Connecticut came to watch his pointer, Buck of Pineywood, and ageless Bob Paucek, for whom the championship is dedicated, kept an eye on the proceedings. New faces included Marty Festa from Pennsylvania and Tim Cavanaugh from Connecticut. (Marty's pointer Blue Ribbon Harper won this event three years ago under the whistle of Robert Ecker.)
Purina contributed dog food for this event, a total of twelve bags to the champion and runner-up. Thanks go to Bruce Mueller who handles the vouchers and Purina's Greg Blair who manages this program for cover dog events. Thanks also to Bruce Burnell who accepted entries, volunteered his home for the draw, and provided lunches and snacks both days. Bob Paucek ferried competitors, dogs, and the gallery to and from course three with the help of navigator Kellie Short. Everything was fine until a wasp nest overhanging the lane dumped a load of annoyed stingers on the folks riding in Bob's truck bed. Adam Dubriske was covered in wasps but somehow avoided injury. Tom Jay's setter Lucy (Cavanaugh) got stung which didn't help her mood or, perhaps, her performance. A special thanks to Roy Hargreaves who dispatched the nest forthwith.

The Winners
Taking home the blue ribbon and a nameplate on the beautiful trophy, was Ash Creektug, a five-year-old black and white male setter owned and handled by Jerry Burke. Tug ran on the first day on course one in the afternoon. Both grouse and woodcock were seen on the morning's run on that course, so expectations were high. Tug delivered a strong forward race, two woodcock finds--one was a double-- and a relocation yielding a pair of clucking grouse. Tug was earned his first title this spring in Michigan when he took RU CH in the US Complete Regional Championship on the Highland grounds.
Super Storm Cliff (Dubriske) a six-year-old orange and white setter male, ran in the last brace of the day on Sunday during some serious rain. Cliff's bracemate, Mouse (Cavanaugh) was gone from the get-go, so Cliff ran course three alone, a blistering run according to the judges. His race and two woodcock finds sealed the deal. Cliff was named champion in the Region 2 Pheasant Championship, was RU Inukshuk Dog of the year, and has many other placements throughout New England and the Southeast.
The number of birds and thick cover challenged the dogs and handlers. There were other dogs with clean bird work but had races that didn't please the judges. A few dogs had hard charging races but didn't connect with a bird. Several dogs' owners called for the tracker. David Theroux's setter male Neo was carried as a contender until the last brace when Cliff edged him out. Neo, who previously titled in this championship, and who has survived ACL surgery and a broken tail, thrilled the gallery when he went into overdrive in a stunning run with finds through the ferns on course three.

Fyeburg, Me., September 19
Judges: Sam Jackson and James Levesque
NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND OPEN WOODCOCK CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 11 Pointers and 13 Setter
Winer-ASH CREEKTUG, F1700419, setter male, by Ash Creek Domino-Ash Creek Cloe. Gerard Burke, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-SUPER STORM CLIFF, F1691606, setter male, by Blast Zone-Gold Rush. Michael J. Rosano, owner; Adam Dubriske, handler.