March 9, 2019 - Top Gun Competition Wrap Up Report
Fifteen entries of one-man-one dog and two-man-one dog teams braved high winds and late winter temperatures to enter our fourth annual Top Gun Competition. While the event is billed as a competition, all the handlers are in it for the fun and camaraderie.
Event organizers Frank Susi, Dave Wolfe and Chuck Horvath again called upon the youth of our club; recruiting Nathan Selep to judge the two-man and Matthew Dlugie to judge the one-man divisions. The young men held up admirably under the winter conditions giving our entrants a fair shake while the rest of us huddled in the warmth of the check station.
The top teams in the two-man division were:
1. Rosie – Andy Caron and Patrick Parker
2. Lanka – Dave Wolfe and Larry Lubbs
3. Dodger – Perry Dlugie and Matthew Dlugie
Rounding out the rest of the field were Dakota – Connie Susi and Frank Susi, Maggie – Tony Mattingly and Phil Truty, Jazz – Frank Susi and Connie Susi, Levi – Kate Keenan and George Noffs and Seamus – Patrick Parker and Andy Caron.
The top teams in the one-man division were:
1. Suree – Christiam Messmacher
2. Ronny – Ivan Bivolarov
3. Otto – Joe Krawisz
Rounding out the rest of the field were Rosie – Andy Caron, Belle – Mike Smith and Reese – Chuck Thomas.
While the morning may have been a bit chilly, the fields were dry and birds were quick. Many of us found the combination of the small quail and high winds quite a challenge after a fall of pheasant hunting. All the rounds were completed and our participants (and judges) were in the check station warming up over pizza and excuses well before the afternoon rain began.
Thanks also to Randi O’Neill, John DiMonte, Christian Messmacher, Andy Caron, Ivan Bivolarov and Perry Dlugie for their help with the event.