Two of this year’s qualifying dogs for the Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational Championship lost their bids after passing away just before and during the nomination process. I find it to be the exception that we have lost two great dogs that might exemplify what is best in our breeding before the Invitational. Both fairly young dogs, Northwoods Atlas, English Setter Male, owned and trained by Greg Johnson and Shady Hills Zeena, Pointer Female owned and trained by Deb Nihart and Mark Forman were champions of high caliber.

Northwoods Atlas had 15 American Field placements in his 6-year career. He was a two-time Runner Up Champion, once at the 52 dog Wisconsin Cover Dog Championship in 2022 and once at the Minnesota Championship in 2024. Additionally, he was a two-time qualifier for the National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational, once in 2022 (Black Moshannon 2023) and again in 2024 (New York 2025). He was the 2024 Purina Open Cover Dog of the Year for Minnesota and Wisconsin and his son Big Big Energy “Lotto” was the 2024 Purina Open Derby Dog of the Year for Minnesota and Wisconsin, with another son, Clover Valley’s Mulak “Mack” is currently leading the 2025 Purina Derby Dog of the Year for Minnesota and Wisconsin, and his daughter Clover Valley’s Evie is currently in second place for the same award.

Shady Hills Zeena's three championship titles were achieved on wild birds in grouse and woodcock events staged in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York. She won the Lake States Championship in 2021, the New York Grouse Championship, and the Michigan Woodcock Championship, both in 2024. Additionally, Zeena added important wins at the Pennsylvania Grouse Open All-Age and the Hadaway Grouse Classic, plus 15 other placements starting as a puppy in 2016 and continuing consistently through 2024. Zeena was crowned Michigan Cover Dog of the Year for the 2021-2022 season.
Both will be greatly missed by their owners, and both will be certainly missing in the progeny that may have been.
I have said this before and I’ll say it once more, “A good birddog should last 100 years and a good shotgun only 10…”