02/26/2026
Sorry for the delay in posting this
Fall 2025 New England Open Grouse Championship and Bill Kearns Memorial Derby
Kilkenny National Forest Berlin, NH
September 23-25, 2025
Reported by Jamie Welsh
The 101st running of the Setter Club of New England’s Fall Championship took place during a fall wild bird season that saw drought cause the cancellation of the running of the Maritime Bird Dog Club’s Fall Classic, the traditional start of fall wild bird trials in the Northeast. The continuous running of the North American Woodcock Championship was preserved, in McAdam New Brunswick, as restrictions were lifted just before the Trial ran. Following the North American the fall circuit heads to Fryeburg Maine before making its stop in New Hampshire for this trial and returning to Midcoast Maine to conclude the New England season.
The significant drought that affected the Northeast and Atlantic Canada this past summer also impacted the grounds at Kilkenny. Handlers and judges found the grounds much drier than the notoriously muddy courses can be. While the hills and undulating terrain remained and rain did fall on the Championship, the courses were very dry to start the week.
For the second year running Kelly Hays managed the stake with the support of Tom Jay, David Theroux, and Adam Dubriske. The hard work of running a championship was made to look easy. Courses were well marked and the foresight of the group has led to thoughtful shifts to the three primary courses that the Championship runs on. As a renewed emphasis on cutting in Kilkenny seems to be taking place, the work and efforts of this team will lead to a bright future for the New England Open Grouse Championship. Field trials exist because of the time and effort volunteers take to make them happen and for that we are all grateful.
The Championship was Judged by Billy Bonetti and John Olfson. Both Olfson and Bonetti are no strangers to the grounds at Kilkenny and having judged multiple championships there, they were up to the task of assessing a strong field of 14 Pointers and 10 Setters.
While birds were not abundant, they were present and with good distribution throughout the three Championship courses. The first day proved a stern test with only one dog producing birds, Mohawk Mill Miss Marie Lavaue under the whistle of her owner and handler Owen Comeau, in the first brace of the Championship. Fortunately, the second day saw numerous dogs through with bird work and a clear winner standing out. For the second year in a row, John Stolgitis handled both the Champion and Runner-Up Champion.
Mohawk Mill Good Advice, “Blaze” delivered a commanding performance in the second brace of day two exhibiting a near perfect combination of style, manners, and race that left little doubt for the judges and gallery as to who the Champion would be. Blaze’s bell came to a stop 8 minutes in and he was located to the front, 75 yards off course, standing his first of three grouse finds during the brace. Stolgitis strode confidently to the dog, with a grouse flushing off to the front right observed by judge and reporter. Stolgitis fired, Blaze standing as tall as he had prior to flush with no letdown and great style continued after being released back on course. The bell came to a stop again at 19 minutes. Once again, the find was executed with flawless perfection, high head and tail, never wavering. Stolgitis collared the dog back to the course, watered him, and released him. Making a strong move to the front to the edge of bell range Blaze continued forward handling the rolling terrain. At 32 minutes, Blaze was located after a brief search 70-80 yards off course in a conifer and alder edge standing resolutely, as Stolgitis flushed a grouse exploded. Stolgitis returned to the dog, released him forward where he solidified his performance with a strong forward race to finish, exhibiting no sign of relenting.
Championships are won by a combination of grit, stamina, and style, Mohawk Mill Good Advice exhibited all three. A tight and competitive group of dogs vied for the mantle of Runner Up Champion testing the judges eye to determine the most worthy dog. Strong performances from Dave Theroux’s Neo, Thor Kain’s “Rosie” under John Stolgitis’s whistle, made their bids but neither were quite enough as last year’s champion, Chasehill Snoop Dog delivered a strong performance in the final brace of the Championship. Snoop ran a strong forward race, seeking likely objectives and delivering a woodcock find with exceptional manners at 14 minutes providing the judge, reporter, and scout a clear view of the bird. Never flinching, “Snoop” stood nicely and was released onward in short order. He continued to the front showing well with the style and power that has earned him multiple titles.
For the second year in a row, both the Champion and Runner-up Champion were handled by John Stolgitis, adding to his amassed impressive record at the Championship. Much history was shared by John Stolgitis, Craig Doherty, and Bob Lang of both dogs and Championships past. As we move to the running, thank you to Purina and to all that have and continued to support this staple of New England cover dog field trials.
The Running
Elhew Snakecharm- PM Doherty O/H
Mohwak Mill Miss Marie Levaux- PF Comeau O/H
The Championship commenced at 7:24 AM on the Moosehorn Course with Craig Doherty breaking Elhew Snakewood away alongside Owen Comeau and his young pointer bitch Mohawk Mill Miss Marie Lavaue. It was not to be Snakewood’s day as he started hard his race flattened and in the cool but humid conditions, Doherty elected to pick the dog up at 14 minutes. Comeau’s day began with more excitement. Miss Marie Lavaue’s bell stopped in cover a woodcock or grouse would likely find appealing at 8 minutes. After a reasonable search and effort to flush was made, Comeau elected to move the dog on. At 24, Comeau’s dog stopped abruptly to the flush of a grouse and stood for the shot before being released with the manners of a young dog. At 38 the bell stopped again with the dog located and three grouse flushing in the vicinity. All was in order and the dog was watered, collared and brought forward to finish the hour.
Chasehill Poison Ivy- PF McFadden (O)/ Stolgitis (H)
Mooselook Texas Star- PM McNulty (O)/ Dubriske (H)
The second brace of the Championship began at 8:39 AM on the Ammonoosuc Course which shares a start with the Moosehorn Course. Early in the brace the handlers separated with “Tex” under Dubriske’s whistle moving to the front and Stolgitis working to the left in search of Ivy. Ivy came off the line with power exhibiting the combination of speed and range that has brought her so much success. Unfortunately, this was not her day. Both dogs were picked up prior to the conclusion of the brace.
Wild Apple Siri - PF Rizza O/H
Foxbrook Top Secret- ESF Dubriske (H)
The third brace ran on the Goldenrod course. Trucks, handlers, judges and dogs, moved across the Kilkenny tract and handlers broke their dogs away just after 10:00 AM. Siri, Rizza’s pointer female ran a typical race, handling nicely to the front with a comfortable eye for likely objectives, leaving few of them unsearched. Foxbrook Top Secret made a big and more significant opening cast before settling in to a less ambitious pattern for the remainder of her hour. One Grouse wild flushed from a tree at minute 30. Both dogs finished the hour.
Sunkhaze Veira Masardis-PF Flewelling (O) Stolgitis (H)
Nantic River Ava-ESF Dubriske
Moving back to begin the second cycle through the three championship courses, the fourth brace began at 11:40AM on Moosehorn. Ava a nicely built and graceful running setter established early in the brace for an unproductive at 9 minutes. With no bird produced the dog was moved on. Marsadis began with a powerful cast to the front and while her bell was occasionally picked up, Stolgitis requested the tracker at 21 minutes, thus ending her bid. Ava was also picked up prior to entering the course’s runout.
Wild Apple Pop’s Dorothy-PF Steingraber (O) Doherty (H)
Superstorm Nell- ESF Kain (O) Dubriske (H)
The second look at Ammonoosuc came shortly after lunch. Doherty’s charge, Dot broke away nicely and maintained an elegant race exhibiting the right combination of range and stamina while she moved from likely objective to likely objective. With no bird work entering the final third of the brace, Doherty made the decision to end her effort. Nell, an equally class contender, started her race well showing nicely but coming up from behind several times early in her bid. She settled in nicely during the middle of her run, but like Doherty, with no birds entering the final stretch of the course, Dubriske made the call to also end her day early.
Higby Arcade- PM Stolgitis
Lucy’s Pride- ESF Jay (O) Dubriske (H)
The final brace of the first day returned to the Goldenrod course. Cade had a strong stretching race that did not produce any birds. He is a hard running dog with class. Lucy, a diminutive setter bitch, under Dubriske’s whistle, moved nicely seeking likely cover and running a respectable race. Both dogs finished the hour with no bird work.
Day 2:
Mohawk Mill Miss You- PF McFadden (O) Stolgitis (H)
Stillmeadows Little Sunray- ESF Hays (O) Dubriske (H)
The second day began at 7:35 AM with Hays’ young female setter under Dubriske’s whistle and McFadden’s more veteran pointer female under the whistle of Stolgitis. Each dog broke away nicely in the cool rain. At 12 minutes a grouse wild flushed off the edge of the trail, a sign that hopefully birds might be in greater abundance for day 2. At 15 a search ensued for Stolgitis’s dog with handler, scout, judge, and scribe seeking the dog. After a five minute search, the bell was heard and with no fault the dog continued on. Dubriske and Ray worked together with the young setter showing nicely as she came into view of the gallery.
Mohawk Mill Good Advice- PM McFadden (O) Stolgitis (H)
Pod Brook Doby- ESM Dubriske (H)
See winners.
Mohawk Mill Fired Up- PF Kain (O) Stolgitis (H)
Henry’s Suzie Z Dot- ESF Theroux O/H
Moving to Goldenrod for the first look at the course on the second day, judges, reporter, handlers and the gallery now looked to see if a dog could rival Mohawk Mill Good Advice’s strong performance in the prior brace. Theroux’s stylish setter opened up nicely showing speed and seeking the front. Mohawk Mill Fired Up also made a nice move to the front. Fired up is a young powerfully gaited dog that covers ground easily. Theroux’s dog handled with ease showing a nice race and sound stamina. She finished the hour with no birds. Fired Up located a pair of woodcock at minute 14 with appropriate manners for a young dog a slight jingle of the bell and some let down dampened the find. She showed nicely to the front with the power and speed of a dog that will be competitive as she matures.
Hifives Sweet Basil- PF Rizza (O) Stolgitis (H)
Sumps Murphy’s Law- ESF Sumple O/H
Returning to Moosehorn the 10th brace broke away at 12:35 PM. Basil a well-built pointer ran a respectable race but was cursed with a series of unproductives at 12,25,40, and was leashed at 41. Sumple’s young female setter demonstrated a nice combination of race and style. The dog established at 42 with a high head and tail in a likely spot, no bird was produced and the dog worked deeper in. At 45 the dog established again, likely working a running bird. The bird was not produced and the dog was cautiously released, through no fault of the dog a bird got up away from the Murphy. The dog and handler elected to return to the course and not finish the brace.
Mohawk Mill Dreamer- EPF Stolgitis
Neo- ESM Theroux O/H
The 11th brace of the Championship returned to the Ammonoosuc course. With conditions far wetter than the previous day, dogs were cut loose at 1:45 PM. Both dogs started with solid casts to the front. Neo, a Champion showed his strength and durability throughout the brace. Mohawk Mill Dreamer (Tilly) had an unproductive at 23 minutes. Neo’s bell stopped at 26 in a dense alder thicket. Scout, judges, and handlers worked in as Tilly came around to back. The tightly sitting bird held for a flushing attempt before Theroux opted to relocate the dog and Stolgitis opted to collar his dog and move her out. After a successful relocation, Neo established nicely, with his tail slightly flat, to pin the woodcock. The bird was flushed and all was in order. Both dogs were released and moved hard to the front. At 45 minutes Stolgitis called for the tracker and elected to conclude Tilly’s Championship. Neo finished the brace with a gritty performance pushing and seeking up to the hour mark.
Chasehill Snoop Dog- PM E. Stolgitis (O) J. Stolgitis (H)
Superstorm Cliff- ESM Kain (O) Dubriske (H)
See winners.
Bill Kearns Memorial Open Derby Classic:
A quality entry of 10 young dogs provided judges Kelly Hays and Dave Theroux a set of performances to evaluate on a soggy Thursday morning. Deb Sloan’s young pointer HiFives Balevenie was the judges choice running an expansive race the dog worked just enough with handler Adam Dubriske to best Owen Comeau’s Lady and Deb Kennedy’s Rio Brio in tough conditions.
