The Purina Top Coverdog of the Year Award   

 and it's

    Companion Derby Award  

                                                                 In Honor of                               

        William Harnden Foster             

Awarded Annually to the Top Dog In Grouse and Woodcock Trials

 

 

Grand National Grouse & Woodcock Invitational

 

Champion - Hard Driving Bev - PF - McCarl

RU - Houston's Belle - SF - Kolter

  

                                       Hard Driving Bev                                                                                        Houston's Belle

 

The first brace each day will break away at 7 a.m. at Lamonaville #1. The afternoon braces will be on the Loleta courses.

Here is the drawing for the first day:

1. Long Gone Nixon - Hughes
1. Emmy's Apple Jack - Siemer

2. Centerfold Rose - Holmes
2. Sky's Blue Belle - Steve Groy

3. Feather's Fatman - Minard
3. Regal Blue - Schipellite

4. Sunkhaze Fast Break - Flewelling
4. Bloom's Molly - Bloom

5. Taz - Ecker
5. Pennstar - Hughes/Brenneman

6. Serial Thriller - Gellhaus
6. Analyze This - Hughes

7. Keystone Red Ryder - Ecker
7. Hard Driving Bev - McCarl

8. Can't Go Wrong - Hughes
8. Houston's Belle - Kolter

 

Summary of Day 1

 

The first day's running of the Invitational Championship concluded under tough, wintry conditions, with Sky's Blue Belle (Steve Groy)being named "Day Dog" based on a strong race and a very good find on a single grouse.

Three other dogs finished the day with bird work: Hard Driving Bev (Joe McCarl) had a find on a single grouse; Keystone Red Ryder (Robert Ecker) had a find on two grouse, with a third bird blowing out behind her; and Houston's Belle (Jerry Kolter) had a find on a single grouse.

In the eight braces that concluded, eight grouse were moved. No woodcock were seen

Lamonaville #2 and 3 had one grouse apiece; Loleta #3 had four grouse; and Loleta #4 had one grouse.

The breakaway at 7 a.m. saw 25-degree temperatures, and four inches of wet snow had fallen overnight. Temperatures slowly climbed to about 30, and there was light snow and occasionally gusty winds off and on during the day.

Day 2

Here is the second day's draw, and the running also will start on Lamonaville #1:

1. Pennstar - Hughes/Brenneman
1. Taz - Ecker

2. Serial Thriller - Gellhaus
2. Keystone's Red Ryder - Ecker

3. Can't Go Wrong - Hughes
3. Houston's Belle - Kolter

4. Hard Driving Bev - McCarl
4. Analyze This - Hughes

5. Emmy's Apple Jack - Siemer
5. Long Gone Nixon - Hughes

6. Regal Blue - Schipellite
6. Bloom's Molly - Bloom

7. Centerfold Rose - Holmes
7. Sky's Blue Belle - Steve Groy

8. Feather's Fatman - Minard
8. Sunkhaze Fast Break - Flewelling

The third day's running is at the discretion of the judges. I will try to post the running order on this site Thursday evening.

 

Day 2 Summary

Judges George Johnson and Tim Perschke name Hard Driving Bev (Joe McCarl) as day dog for the second day of the Invitational.

Day Three will conclude the event, with two braces of dogs called back:

1. 7:30 a.m. - Loleta #4
Hard Driving Bev (Joe McCarl)
Can't Go Wrong (Dave Hughes)

2. Second Brace - Loleta #1
Houston's Belle (Jerry Kolter)
Sunkhaze Fast Break (Mike Flewelling)

In Thursday's running, 11 grouse and four woodcock were moved in eight braces. Every course had at least one bird on it.

Finishing the day with clean bird work were Can't Go Wrong (Hughes), Hard Driving Bev (McCarl), Centerfold Rose (Harold Holmes) and Sunkhaze Fast Break (Flewelling).

The day started at 30 degrees with cloudy skies and good humidity levels, but began to clear up and warmed into the 50's for most of the afternoon, and to sunny skies and 60 for the last brace.