Dateline: Duluth, MN

On December 1st of 2001 the most comprehensive web site dedicated totally to Grouse and Woodcock field trials went live.

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Sunday October 27th, 2002 Dateline: Gladwin, MI LAKE STATES CHAMPIONSHIP Gladwin, MI—The 58th running of the Lake States Championship drew a quality field of 44 dogs to the Gladwin Refuge near Meredith, Mich. After a second series, judges Joe Shangle and Kellie Fogg named Nikki’s Jesse James, seven-year-old setter male owned by Mike Capparell and handled by Bob Ecker, champion. Runner-up honors were bestowed upon Gerald Movelle’s eight-year-old pointer female Movelle’s Gypsy. Both dogs had spectacular bird work on grouse in a second series. Birds were seen throughout the trial but tough to get pointed. A companion Derby and Puppy Stake were also run. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Sunday November 4th, 2001 The championship running completed Sunday at about 11 A.M. Birds were pointed in the last three braces but only Autumn Memory Wildfire would get around with a find. The runner-up was Wycoff Run Sally, setter female owned and handled by Dave Bogle of Dubois, PA. Sally had a terrific limb find ten minutes into the brace, deep to the right. She was forward and handled easily. Sally was sired by Wrong Way out of Wycoff Run Megan. The new Grand National Champion is Beaver Meadow Bette, pointer female, owned by Paul and Aaron Horchen of Dubois, PA and handled by Dave Hughes. Bette's race was on the edge and she rimmed the hill tops and hunted out the valley's. She was scouted at 12 but showed on her own and headed to the front where she pointed. Before the handler arrived, the bracemate took out two birds in front of Bette's stand, but she stood majestically throughout. Her bell faded in and out forward and Hughes let her roll. It stopped again well forward at 32 and she was found several minutes later right on the path where she caught scent while crossing. She was corkscrewed a bit and was looking to her left. The bird was right there. Minutes later she dug into the left, and pointed where a bird was heard leaving moments before. Hughes rolled the dice and flushed but nothing more could be raised. Bette continued big and forward and her bell stopped at 58, and and extensive search located her after time but she had let down and Hughes leashed with no flush. Bette was sired by Blackletter out of Flattery and this was her seventh championship win to go along with two runner-ups. The judges noted that both CH. and R-u, were very stylish in motion and intense on their game. Those who saw the performances saw little disagreement with the judges though some had the placements reversed. It was undoubtedly Bette's powerful race from start to finish that propelled her to the top. Named close to the winners were Springfield's Bluerock B, Centerfold Rose, Skyhigh Sadie, Autumn Memory Wildfire and another one that I can't remember. Congratulations to the winners and congratulations to the northeast region for putting on a top flight event. The Grand National will be in Michigan in 2002.