The ABC Grouse Classic: A Tradition Born in the Northwoods

The American Brittany Club Grouse Classic traces its origins to the post–World War II expansion of organized pointing dog competition in North America. As interest in Brittanys as true wild-bird hunting dogs grew, leaders within the American Brittany Club sought a championship-caliber event that would test dogs under authentic forest grouse conditions rather than on liberated birds.

The First Grouse Classic (1954)

The inaugural Grouse Classic was held October 2–3, 1954, in Gladwin, Michigan, jointly hosted by the Saginaw Valley Brittany Club and the Michigan Brittany Club. Twenty-five dogs were entered, and Pontac’s Hero, owned by Conwell Coy and handled by Jane Thompson, became the first Grouse Classic Champion. The event was documented in The American Brittany magazine in January 1955, marking the beginning of a unique championship tradition for the breed.

Establishing a Premier Wild-Bird Championship

The Grouse Classic was initially run under American Field sanction, reflecting the era’s leading field trial authority for pointing breeds. By 1957, the event was accorded Championship status, affirming its importance within the Brittany field trial community. Around 1960, the Michigan Brittany Grouse Championship Association petitioned the ABC to assume responsibility for running the trial, formally integrating it into the ABC’s suite of national Classics.

During its early years, the Grouse Classic quickly earned a reputation as one of the most challenging Brittany trials in North America. Early winners included Sunday du Lac (1955), Benjji of LaRue (1956 and 1957), L’Etoile de Dingo (1958 and 1959), and Penny’s Happy Pepi (1960). These dogs helped define the breed’s performance standard in forest bird country.

Growth and National Recognition

Throughout the 1960s, the Grouse Classic rotated among host clubs in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and the Central New England region. Entry numbers grew, peaking at 44 dogs in 1969, reflecting the trial’s national prominence.

Champions during this era included Summit Star (1964), Kipewa’s Breton Belle (1966), FC Kaymore’s Dappled Desire (1967), DC Joel’s Copper Jacques (1968), CH Suzabob’s Hum Dinger (1969), and Aud’s Barney Boy (1970). In several years, the championship was withheld, underscoring the rigorous standards required to win on wild grouse.

Hiatus and Revival

Declining entries led to the discontinuation of the original Grouse Classic after 1970, and it was not held from 1971 through 1985. In the mid-1980s, the trial was revived through the efforts of regional clubs and innovators who modernized the format and added woodcock as a named bird species, leading to the Grouse and Woodcock Classic. The renewed Classic was first run again in 1986, and it has continued as a premier wild-bird championship event.

Legacy and Influence

The ABC Grouse Classic remains a landmark in Brittany history. It was one of the first major championships designed specifically to test Brittanys on wild forest birds and helped shape breeding programs, training philosophies, and the reputation of the breed as a versatile and capable hunting dog.

The Classic’s legacy continues in modern ABC Classics and forest-bird trials, reminding us of the breed’s roots in the grouse woods and the vision of the early ABC leaders who sought to prove the Brittany in the most authentic conditions possible.