NBHA

National Amateur Championship 12-5-24 results

National Amateur Championship; by Jim Ogle

Pictured is Runner-up Champion Glover's Flintstone

This year's NBHA National Amateur Championship started December 5th at Grove Springs Missouri at the Sportsman's Association grounds. Hosted by the Missouri Bird Hunter's Association.

The main thought this year was enjoy our fellow competitors and get to know each other more. We all leave family at home to do this so it's nice to hear about everyone's families My biggest thought is with some venues slowing down we need to focus on friendships and build strong bonds with the competitors because at the end of the day these will be friends forever. I think we differently accomplished this. Thank you Lord for putting these people in my life. I believe this is why we have 36 entries in this Amateur Championship.

Friends supporting each other. Mr. Jack Glover took care of breakfast every morning cooking biscuits and gravy mostly with the coffee ready to go also. Steve Fuess and Rob Warner supplied bacon and eggs one morning. The bunkhouse was full every night so we had plenty of people. The friendships would build in the evenings with a few drinks and some bird dog stories. Reminiscing about old field trialers and the dogs from the past. Besides the throw together dinners, Steve Fuess and Rob Warner supplied the best honey glazed ham and lasagna. Billy Creason brought in homemade cookies by his wife and they were awesome. Mike Fox would throw some doughnuts on the truck for the morning braces. Joe Zimmer and Kevin Western did a great job hustling around dogs and handlers in the dog wagon. Not a better guy in the
state for getting dogs on the line than Randy Zimmer. Trials with this many entries need to go smooth and it's pretty darn easy when this team is hosting. Thank you, Missouri Bird Association.

Before the Championship event started the Bob Catlett Open Shooting Dog companion stake ran with Jim Lawless and Tim Penn providing the judicial duties.
Nine dogs were drawn to run and the grounds were manicured to perfection and the coveys were plentiful.

First place is Snow's Home Again Katie. She is owned by Jerry Snow and ran by Kenny Snow. Katie ran in the last brace of the day and put on a show for judges and gallery. Katie broke away at 1:59 without a bracemate. Katie was fast and on a mission. 18 minutes in she was standing near a down limb. Kenny kicked and kicked finally producing a single. Katie hit the edges of every field for the next 20 minutes. Her next find was a single near the cemetery. Still going strong her next find was across the road from the new corrals and kennels. Katie finished strong ready to go for another hour with class and style.

Our second place dog Wynona's Nickelback Mickey was ran in the first brace. Mickey is owned and handled by Kenny Snow his first find was in Breakaway bottoms. After no birds were produced and a relocation they moved on. At 33 minutes Mickey had a find in a small field near the Little Vine loop. Kenny kicked up 2 quail. 4 minutes later Mickey would be found standing again. Kenny stepped in front and flushed a huge covey all in order.

The Championship

With 17 Champions out of the 36 entries this would not be an easy win. Birds were not our usual single or double but nearly a covey every brace. This National Amateur Championship would have to be picked apart and details would decide our Champion.

This year's judges Jim Lawless from Sparta Illinois and Kenny Snow from Moudrow Oklahoma. These two gentlemen took on the task of picking the best two dogs. This year we had multiple dogs that could have been called champions but all can't have this title. Thank you, two gentlemen for enduring the freezing temperatures to name our two champion dogs. Another thing we don't talk about is trust, please trust your judges because these two see it all. We pick our guys because they are honest upstanding Men and Women.

This year's 2024 National Amateur Champion is Bandit Hill Bess. Bess beat a
field of 36 entries which included 17 previous champions. Bess was whelped on June of 2023. Her sire Touch's Smooth Rider, her dam West's Lucy. She is owned and handled by Klaus Schmidt. Bess ran in the 10th brace against Penrosa Forbidden Eve owned and handled by Tim Penn. Breakaway brace number 10 2:16 p.m. with birds plentiful on the course and Bess would only take 3 minutes for her to be standing in breakaway bottoms. Multiple birds were put in the air by handler Klaus Schmidt. At 7 she would be standing by the cemetery. Bess was standing tall as Klaus flushed a pair of these wild flying birds. 4 minutes later Bess was standing in the bottoms along the feeder strip. Birds were produced with all in order. Nearing the 20 minute mark Bess would have her fourth find by the pond east of the road crossing. After crossing the road, she would take the north side. She would slam point by the feeder strip by the big chute. By this time the gallery is setting up to see this girl run. 26 she is standing near the ditch crossing in Sycamore bottoms. Two birds produced there with Bess standing tall. 33 Bess was standing again in Sycamore bottoms. A single flushed and they moved on. At 45 Bess would have her seventh find in feeder strip before going into the little vine loop. The small covey was flushed and she finished her hour.

Runner-up Champion is Glover's Flintstone. Flint is a classy English Setter owned and handled by Jack Glover. Flint was whelped in February of 2020 his sire is Islander and dam is Kodiak Island Bird Dog. Flint ran on day two in brace 13.
After breaking away it took Flint only 4 minutes to find a bird in Breakaway bottoms. Birds had been scattered all day and they were everywhere. 7 minutes in Oakley pointer female own and handled by Paul Ott would be standing tall by the cemetery. A pair of birds produced. From her Oakley would reach in to the bottoms and she was found pointed at 12 with Flint backing. At 14 Oakley ended her bid to continue on. At the 17 minute mark still in the bottoms Flint was standing near one of the many feeder strips. A small covey would be flushed. After the road crossing at 28 he was standing by the big chute in one of the feeder strips, Jack flushed a single. At the 32 minute mark and still in Sycamore bottoms another single would be put in the air for Flint by handler Jack Glover. Watered and released it wouldn't take long for him to be pointed on the west side of the bottoms. With Jack unable to produce a bird he relocated Flint. With a quick search he locked them down. Jack would put a pair in the air. Flints last find would be in the 44 minute mark. Another small covey in the big field before entering a Little Vine loop. Flint finished the hour hunting hard.

Companion Derby and Puppy Stakes

The Larry Carpenter Amateur Derby and Puppy stakes were up next. Larry Carpenter was president of the Missouri Bird Hunters for many years until his passing. He was friend to all and never knew a stranger. He was a bird hunter that love to field trial. He had English setters and bred to the greats of the past. Larry was many things to many people. This is the way we can pay tribute to Larry Carpenter. Larry Carpenter Amateur Derby and Larry Carpenter Amateur puppy. Larry you are always missed my friend.

Mr. Tim Penn and Kenny Snow were our Judges for both classes of Derby and Puppy. Starting with the derbies we drew 12 dogs. We definitely had some standouts. Our top dog was Pancho, this male pointer owned and handled by Clark Leonard did an outstanding job. Always to the front he was fun to watch and perfect on his birds. Second was Jim Smith and his English setter Bennie. Bennie moved great with style and class looking for and finding birds. He will be one to watch as he matures. Third place goes to Gracie this little pointer owned and handled by Dan Crunk is a go-getter, she did a nice job covering the course and finding birds.

The puppy class was super exciting again this year with nervous energy running the course. The standouts always pull everything together. We drew eight competitors this year. Mike Fox's little Irish setter Abby tore up the grounds. She is this year's top winner. This little girl knows how to find birds. Second was newcomer Austin Farley with his little English setter Gracie. Gracie moved nice and came up with her own birds. Third place is Zinnia a pointer owned and handled by Brian Kennedy. Zinnia did a nice job. She adjusted to the ground she's on and finds birds she looks great running and pointing.

In closing I would like to thank everyone involved. Judges Jim Lawless, Kenny Snow, Tim Penn. Missouri Bird Hunter's Association Kevin Western, Jack Glover, Joe Zimmer, Randy Zimmer. The National Bird Hunter's Association for this awesome organization.

The National Bird Hunter's is growing in numbers every year. It's because of our people. Welcoming new people with open arms. Helping them with questions and guiding them. Our sponsorships are growing. Thank you, Purina for the coupons, dog food, all that you do for us. Garmin for the collars for our Champion and runner-up Champion. Gun Dog Supply for the gift certificates. Gundog Central. On X for the yearly membership for our champions. Please support our sponsors when possible. If you're not on this list and would like to be contact me and I will put you in contact with our team thank you all for our awesome trial.

NATIONAL AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP 12-4-24 RESULTS

Amateur Shooting Dog
Champion – Bandit Hill Bess, PF owner / handler, Klause Schmidt
RU-Champion – Gover’s Flintstone, SM owner / handler, Jack Glover

Amateur Derby
1st – Erin’s Poncho Villa, PM owner / handler, Charles Leonard
2nd – Hard Hat’s Been There, SM owner / handler, Jim Smith
3rd – Miss Grace, PF owner / handler, Dan Crunk

Amateur Puppy
1st – Foxy Abragaelic, RSF owner / handler, Mike Fox
2nd – Farley’s Great Gracie, SF owner / handler, Austin Farley
3rd – Hackberry’s Zinna Warrior, PF owner / handler, Brian Kennedy

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