Pine Hill Sandy

1993 to December 2005

     Marty Zukovich of Zukovich Game Birds and Pine Hill Setters had a bad year.  He called the other day to report the death of his second kennel stalwart.  Pine Hill Sandy died at the age of twelve on December 11th.

     Sandy was the originator for Marty, the hook, line and sinker.  Toying with mainly gun dog bred bird dogs, he decided to try a field trial setter after talking with Robert Ecker on his routine trips to the farm to purchase birds.  Bred by Robert, Sandy was sired by CH. Commander's Casey Jones out of Midnight Joy and from there on to the fram she came as an eight-week-old puppy.  The hook was soon set as Marty had his first field trial ribbon, a first place cover dog puppy win at the West Branch trials.  The following season Robert took Sandy to a quail trail where she won the Fillingham Classic as a Derby and another innocent field trialer getting his feet wet was boated to life.

     Sandy went on to have a great field trial career, most notably winning the Armstrong Classic (cover dog) and the Region 2 Amateur Walking Championship to go along with her early win of the Fillingham Classic.  These wins  will pale in comparison, however, to the eye opening learning experiences Marty endured with his first taste of a talented field trial dog.  He learned many things, including patience and the where-with-all to just stick with your prospect and the wins will come.  Marty is not one to give up easily.  And one lesson he now recounts looking back is the amazing intelligence and thought processes these dogs can possess.  On one early training day, Marty had put out some chukars and was working Sandy.  She went along as usual and styled up on a hillside pointing a chukar.  Before Mary could get to her she did what many young dogs do and took 6 or 8 catwalk steps towards the lying bird.  A firm "Whoa!" from Mary followed reminding her of her mistake.  With that she knew the error she had just made and without the slightest movement of head or tail took those 6 or 8 steps backwards that she had just made.  It was as if a rewind moment and Sandy was saying, "Oops. sorry boss."

     I told Marty it would be interesting to do that in a trial, look at the judge and say, "C'mon now, you can't pick me up for that."

     The first ones can be the worst ones, hooking you on this addiction for life.  But guaranteed they will leave you with memories and lessons that will last a lifetime.  Marty has the ribbons, plaques, pictures and memories scattered about the farm to prove it and to keep Sandy around for a very long time.

Craig Peters