Champion and 2x Runner Up Champion Fricke N Coco

New residents of Iowa

Well we just recently moved to the Iowa City area for a 3 year term in which my wife Erin is doing a hi risk OB fellowship at the university hospital. We found a nice little farm house a couple miles out of town on 4 or 5 acres with a barn and our landlord is great in letting us have the hounds here. Due to my inability to get to many grouse trials, I left Coco with Robert Ecker before I left. I do however hope to get a pigeon coup set up as I have a male pup coming from Scott Berg in Minnesota out of Frank Lanassa's Northwoods Nirvanna dog and a nice female Scott owns, and possibly another pup as well. We are planning on probably breeding Coco one more time, most likely next winter or possibly this winter, but less likely (sort of depends on if she makes the invitational, as she has a decent amount of points from her Runner-up championship this spring). Right now I am looking at either this Northwoods Nirvanna dog my pup is coming from or Sean Derrig's nice young male Erin's Hidden Shamrock who I have heard great things about. Both dogs are related, the first out of Houston's Blackjack, and the latter out of his littermate Ridgcreek Cody, who he himself is also an option. Waiting to see all of these dogs a little more and see who complements her the best. In the meantime I am staying with the kids and am looking forward to start a young dog or two. In other news I have also been asked to judge the Wisconsin Grouse Championship this fall and accepted, so will be spending the first weekend in October up there looking at the best the area has to offer in grouse dogs.

Coco named Runner Up Champion at Southern New England Woodcock Championship!

Got the call from Robert Ecker yesterday that Fricke N Coco was RU at this trial after a 4 woodcock find and 1 back performance along with a strong hour on the ground. Named Champion was Chasehill's Little Bud who was over 30 CH/RU combined,  and a tough dog to beat in his back yard. I was thrilled to hear the news, this is her second title in as many months after winning a US Complete Championship in North Carolina last month.

Coco gets 2nd in Sandland Field Trial in North Carolina

Coco followed up her Championship win last week with a nice 2nd place finish in the Sandland Field Trial last weekend in North Carolina with a strong field of 34 shooting dogs. I think Robert said it depended on weather so it might be a little while before the next trial, most likely in early March somewhere. We are in the lull of winter here in Michigan hoping spring speeds its way up.

Fricke N Coco wins US Complete Southeast Regional Championship

Got the word the other day that Coco won her first Championship with 4 finds and a back, along with a nice forward race. A big thanks to Robert Ecker for carrying on with her after my free time has sort of shriveled up with the kids, and also the judges for the time in the saddle and giving her the look. We are  thrilled to finally have it all come together for her, as she has been so close so many times in the last couple years.

4 in a row

Last weekend Fricke N Coco landed in the top spot getting 1st place at the Mohegan Field Trial Club. Robert Ecker ran her as she is with him for the fall, and he said she did an awesome job and tallied 3 woodcock finds in her half hour at Dave Murphy's farm in PA. This ties a record for Robert, he told me 4 is the most times he has placed a dog in a row, so hopefully she can carry the momentum. Next they are planning on heading to the Arcadia FTC in Rhode Island, then to Maine for the Northeastern Grouse Championship, then to Michigan for the month of October. Thanks for reading, Johnathon

3 in a row

Coco was in the winners circle again this weekend at the  inaugural Bear's Head Trial in PA, getting 2nd place in the open shooting dog. This makes them 3 for 3 in placements this season so far, having a total of 8 finds in an hour and a half on the ground in trials. Thanks to Robert for running her and having her ready for the fall, hoping they can continue the success into the fall championships.