Minnesota Grouse Dog Association

Minnesota Grouse Dog Association Est 1978, MGDA has become the premiere cover dog field trial club in the US with over 40 members and multiple champion dogs!

Earlier this week BIRDOGN True Confidence “Sadie,” owned by Ben Fleischacker and handled by Jordan Pharris, was named th...
06/06/2026

Earlier this week BIRDOGN True Confidence “Sadie,” owned by Ben Fleischacker and handled by Jordan Pharris, was named the Purina Cover Dog of the Year! We asked Ben and Jordan to write some words about Sadie and here’s what they had to say.

From an early age, Sadie showed she was something special. With exceptional intelligence and natural bird-finding ability, she was confidently handling grouse and multiple species of wild birds before she was even a year old.

What makes Sadie truly remarkable is her continual growth. Each season, she has returned better than the year before, building on her talent through experience, determination, and an undeniable passion for the game. Whether in the field, at a trial, or at home, she brings the same consistency and character.

When she’s not hunting or competing, she’s one of the easiest and most enjoyable dogs to have around the house.

Over the years, Sadie has earned multiple placements under the handling of Jordan and myself. She is a relentless bird dog with an unmatched desire to find birds, and it is rare for her to finish a trial without producing bird work. Her drive, focus, and love for the game are evident every time she steps up to the starting line.

One of the highlights of her career came when she earned her first championship placement at the Region 19 Championship under my handle, delivering an outstanding performance with multiple bird finds. Jordan adds her run in the Wisconsin Championship last year as well. With him as her handler, Sadie went bird to bird with effortless handle and a total of seven finds. At the Grand National Grouse Championship in New York, Jordan handled Sadie after she patiently waited until the final day for her opportunity to run. When her moment came, she showcased exactly the caliber of dog she is—proving once again why she has been such a special competitor throughout her career.

Sadie’s accomplishments speak for themselves, but those who know her understand that her easy handle, consistency, and love for the sport are what truly set her apart.

Congratulations Ben and Jordan and thank you to for sponsoring this prestigious award!

05/19/2026

In the last few years our Youth Stake has grown bigger and better due to the passion of Jeremy Moore to encourage the next generation. It wouldn’t be what it is without his help and of course the generosity of and Greg Blair. Thank you to these folks for making sure our kids are not only included but poured into every year at this trial. The future of field trialing looks bright!

It’s officially summer break as far as we’re concerned! As usual our Quail Trial weekend at Four Brooks WMA was memorabl...
05/19/2026

It’s officially summer break as far as we’re concerned! As usual our Quail Trial weekend at Four Brooks WMA was memorable! This is an event we look forward to every year. Thank you to everyone who made it happen!

Announcing our winners!

SATURDAY
Open Shooting Dog under judges Ben Berg and Jerry Furnish

1st - Palometa’s Hemingway “Ernie” owned by Hayden Dobbins, handled by Paul Cook
2nd - Baker’s Beignet “Ben” owned and handled by Holden Baker
3rd - Tim’s Setter Meg “Meg” owned by Deb and Tim Callahan, handled by Tim Callahan

Open Derby under judges Jordan Pharris and Chris Bye
1st - Aspen’s Edge Moore than Dandy “Andi” owned and handled by Lillian Moore and Jeremy Moore
2nd - Baker’s Clover Valley Slim “Slim” owned and handled by Holden Baker
3rd - Snyder’s Rita “Rita” owned and handled by Steve Snyder

SUNDAY
Open Derby under judges AJ Kalupa and Josh Matel
1st - SwitchGrass Beccas Lil Rebel “Rebel” owned and handled by Casey Wagner
2nd - Double Deuce Dolly’s Dynasty “Presley” owned and handled by Nick Sisterman
3rd - Orange Crush “Crush” owned and handled by Jordan Pharris

And a massive congratulations to ALL the winners of the youth stake, judged by Katie Cook!

A special thanks to our sponsors and

If you plan to attend our trial this weekend and haven’t been to these grounds before, we want to share this map again.I...
05/14/2026

If you plan to attend our trial this weekend and haven’t been to these grounds before, we want to share this map again.

If you simply search “Four Brooks WMA” or “Four Brooks Dog Training/Testing Grounds” you’ll be brought to a vague area with two entrances. One of these entrances will bring you directly through our course which poses a safety risk to dogs, handlers, and the gallery.

Please look at this map carefully and instead of searching the titles above,

ENTER THESE COORDINATES: 45.9475161, -93.6628877

See the map and street view below to ensure you’re in the correct place. Please still enter carefully as there will be lots of dogs and children around. Please also close the gate behind you, even if it was open when you arrived.

Thank you and we’ll see you this weekend!

Our annual Quail Trail at Four Brooks WMA is taking place THIS WEEKEND. Here’s everything you need to know as a particip...
05/14/2026

Our annual Quail Trail at Four Brooks WMA is taking place THIS WEEKEND. Here’s everything you need to know as a participant or a spectator! We’ll see you there!

Here is the running order for this weekend at Four Brooks WMA! Additional details to come.
05/13/2026

Here is the running order for this weekend at Four Brooks WMA! Additional details to come.

Entries close Tuesday! Get your entries in!
05/09/2026

Entries close Tuesday! Get your entries in!

Entries for Minnesota Grouse Dog Association’s Annual Quail Trial at Four Brooks WMA are now open on Hunt Secretary!

This trial is the ultimate way to end the trial season and kick off Summer! It’s a perfect introduction to our group if you’re new and wanting to learn more. It’s also family friendly and kids of all ages are encouraged to participate in our Youth Event and earn prizes.

Bring a camp chair, a good pair of walking boots, and an appetite as lunch will be served both days, and we’ll have a Fish Fry Saturday night.

A couple important notes:

This year we will be running one Shooting Dog stake on Saturday only. There will be two Derby stakes, one each day, run as separate events.

The Youth Event will take place Saturday afternoon. It is free to participate, all children will earn prizes, and you do not have to register in advance. However, if you are certain your child will be in attendance, registering in advance helps us prepare and would be much appreciated. In order to enter you need to EMAIL Helena with Hunt Secretary (email listed on the ad).

We are looking forward to seeing you all and celebrating the end of another successful trial season!

Each year, two to four dogs are chosen from the Minnesota and Wisconsin groups to be named Amateur and Open Shooting Dog...
05/04/2026

Each year, two to four dogs are chosen from the Minnesota and Wisconsin groups to be named Amateur and Open Shooting Dog of the Year and Amateur and Open Derby of the Year. These dogs earned points throughout the year by taking placements throughout the Fall and Spring trial seasons. Points are counted for each dog they ran against and beat out. These awards are graciously sponsored by

This year we are exceptionally proud to announce that two MGDA club members have earned their places on these trophies.

Join us in congratulating Lindsey Saetre and Chris Bye!

With the Open and Amateur Derby of the Year is Northwoods Peregrine “Poppy” owned by Chris Bye and Roberta Scherf.

Northwoods Cedar Edge “Enni,” who is owned by Lindsey Saetre and her husband Eric, took her place as Amateur and Open Shooting Dog of the Year.

Congratulations to you all!

Entries for Minnesota Grouse Dog Association’s Annual Quail Trial at Four Brooks WMA are now open on Hunt Secretary!This...
04/28/2026

Entries for Minnesota Grouse Dog Association’s Annual Quail Trial at Four Brooks WMA are now open on Hunt Secretary!

This trial is the ultimate way to end the trial season and kick off Summer! It’s a perfect introduction to our group if you’re new and wanting to learn more. It’s also family friendly and kids of all ages are encouraged to participate in our Youth Event and earn prizes.

Bring a camp chair, a good pair of walking boots, and an appetite as lunch will be served both days, and we’ll have a Fish Fry Saturday night.

A couple important notes:

This year we will be running one Shooting Dog stake on Saturday only. There will be two Derby stakes, one each day, run as separate events.

The Youth Event will take place Saturday afternoon. It is free to participate, all children will earn prizes, and you do not have to register in advance. However, if you are certain your child will be in attendance, registering in advance helps us prepare and would be much appreciated. In order to enter you need to EMAIL Helena with Hunt Secretary (email listed on the ad).

We are looking forward to seeing you all and celebrating the end of another successful trial season!

Address

Mora, MN

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