Northern New England Woodcock Championship
From the report in the American Field November 23, 2019
Day Number 5. Luck of the draw, the weather changed overnight leaving the morning’s first brace a damp cooler run. Both Wild Apple Calvados (Doherty) and Suemac’s Sashay (Hughes) handled and hunted the entire (Lonesome Ridge) course. Calvado’s ground race was more forward and reaching. Both dogs finished clean with (separate) grouse finds at 50. Sashay’s find started four minutes earlier. Her cast was bringing her back to the trail in front of the handlers from the left. She stopped just short of the trail and looked good. Craig (Doherty) kept moving with his dog ahead. Dave (Hughes) attempted to flush and then sent her to relocate. Anthony (Matthews, the judge) Craig and Calvados were now disappearing down the trail. Sashay crossed the trail to the right and re-established point after a 30-yard move into the ferns. Dave attempted to flush again and muttered “Once more” as he sent her on one more time. Sashay swung just below a stand of pines to catch the wind and eased into the stand of trees, stopping midway through. As Dave approached, the grouse blew out in front of him and the dog. Dave’s shot was almost identical to Craig’s shot farther up the course. The winner’s find, from what I understand, was two grouse. Very impressed with Calvados’ bird work and her ground race clearly gave her the nod for winner.