2018-2019 Futurity Season
NBHA Futurity Annual Report for 2018-2019 Season
Submitted by Bruce Mercer & Brian Casey
As another field trial season winds down, we are thankful for our breeders, owners, handlers, advertisers, sponsors, support staff and attendees for their continued support of the NBHA Futurity, Jerry Kilgore Puppy Classic and Open Invitational Championship. Our primary goal is to manage overall components for an event with this magnitude, while promoting and encouraging litter nomination. The Futurity and its companion stakes was again the largest NBHA trial of the season, attracting eighty-five (85) total entries, broken down to; twenty-seven (27) Puppy entries, twenty-five (25) Futurity entries and thirty-three (33) Championship entries.
During the running of the 2019 NBHA Futurity and companion stakes, we shattered previous records with a cash and prize payout of over $16,775. Our largest cash payout went to Ed Maroon of Ho Ho Kus, NJ who received $6,000 as owner of Indian Creek Bocephus who won the Open Invitational Championship. Ed qualified for the �owner bonus payout� because Bocephus competed in a previous NBHA Futurity, then went on to win this year�s Open Invitational Championship. As a result of Ed�s win, the �owner bonus payout� will be $2,000 for those eligible during the running of the 2020 Open Invitational Championship.
The NBHA Futurity is currently the ONLY Futurity format that pays dividends in the form of cash to owners of winning dogs. This format was implemented three years ago and has attracted many new participants over the past few years. Longtime field trial supporter, dog owner and handler Jamie Nee attested to the �one of a kind� format. Jamie and Toby Tobiassen traveled twenty (20) hours to compete in the Jerry Kilgore Puppy Classic, Futurity and the Open Invitational Championship. Jamie expressed the format with cash prizes paid to the owner attracted him this year, and vows to continue each year because of the excitement and experience of the event as a whole, and the commitment NBHA Futurity Directors demonstrate.
We recognized Ken Black and Crow Creek Sugarbaby for their back to back wins at the 2017 & 2018 Open Invitational Championship by offering a small token of appreciation; as Ken was presented a beautiful fleece blanket of Sugar at the Futurity banquet. Ken is a longtime supporter of the NBHA Futurity as well as many other NBHA trials throughout the country.
Litter nominations for dogs qualified to enter in the NBHA Futurity and Jerry Kilgore Puppy Classic exceeded previous nominations. Nominations soared, totaling eighty-two (82) litter enrollment nominations. Nominations for the Futurity were generated from thirty-one (31) English Pointer nominations and twenty-one (21) English Setter nominations. Nominations for the Jerry Kilgore Puppy Classic were generated from eighteen (18) English Pointer nominations, eleven (11) English Setter nominations and one (1) Irish Setter nomination.
Much of our funding is derived from ad sales within the Futurity program, donations, auction items, raffle items etc. The full color Futurity program sparkled with high quality advertisement from our supporting sponsors, breeders, and product donors. This year, we included a listing of the breeder, handler and owner of each entry into the Futurity and Puppy Classic, a new twist requested by participants.
Mary McPherson again captured a breathtaking original oil painting of Glassilaun War Paint, winner of the 2018 Futurity. Owner Jamie Nee and handler Toby Tobiassen were on hand to accept this beautiful gift. Toby Tobiassen accepted the original oil painting for Double Dot Com, winner of the Jerry Kilgore Puppy Classic for owner Jim Crawford. We are excited to continue partnership with Mary for her renderings of these beautiful animals.
The location for the 2020 Futurity and companion stakes has been determined in attempt to attract additional walking dogs from other organizations. Rodney Poston, of Pamplico, South Carolina has graciously allowed the use of his manicured grounds for next years running. The trial is scheduled for January 21 � 26, 2020. During the running of the 2020 event, we will begin with the Open Invitational Championship, followed by the initial series of the Futurity starting on Friday morning, January 24th. Saturday, January 25th will kick-off the Jerry Kilgore Puppy Classic and the banquet and auction will follow that evening. Sunday, January 26th will be the call-back for the Futurity finals, which will conclude around lunch, allowing travel time for many Sunday afternoon.
