NBHA Free-For-All Championship 3-12-25 results
NBHA National Free For All Championship
Winners of the 2025 NBHA Free For All
Ch Perfection’s Huckleberry-Jon Hann,
RU Uptown’s West Mountain Boone- Jon Smith
By Josh Pool and Tim Thornton
The NBHA. National Free For All Championship was held on the grounds of
Croton Creek Guest Ranch and Wing Shooting Lodge near Cheyenne
Oklahoma. This was the second year in a row that the trial was held on this
venue and the action didn’t disappoint. Thanks to generous sponsorships from
Charger Systems, Mayfield Kennels, CUDD Pressure Control and Croton Creek
Ranch the trial had an impressive payout of over $15,800. Security State Bank
of Cheyenne Sponsored the Ronnie Crawford Award for Enthusiasm. Croton
Creek Ranch sponsored the Sportsman of the Year Award. Meals were served
daily in the 7,200 sq ft. Event Center called the Social Barn. Field Trials can’t
take place without a lot of support and help and a huge thank you goes out to
the kitchen staff, bird planters, dog wagon drivers, reporters, photographers,
spectators and competitors for making this an awesome event. A big thank you
goes out to Stan Wint and Ryan Mulcahy who expertly judged the
Championship. Both were road warriors as Stan was just returning from a 21
day tour of duty at the National Championship at the Ames Plantation and Ryan
was returning home to Idaho after a season of guiding wild quail hunts in Texas.
The drawing took place Friday March 7th. The public was encouraged to attend
and 6 people took time out of their busy schedules to be in attendance.
The Free For All is a 2 series trial. 30 dogs competed in the 1 hour first series.
The judges narrowed the field to 4 call back dogs and 2 standby dogs for the
second series. Due to our generous sponsors every dog that made it to the call
back received a payout. The top Qualifying dog received an additional $500.
First Series Running as Reported by Josh Pool
First brace:
The morning started cool but warmed up quickly. Mayfield’s Storm Charger
started the trial off with a find at the base of the first ridge on the right side of the
course at :05. On the other side of the ridge A Horse With No Name was
standing and Mayfield’s Storm Charger backed. This ended up being an
unproductive. After that, Mayfield’s Storm Charger went on to have another find,
and another one after that, and then an unproductive. Later on, A Horse with No
Name chased a bird which ended up being a stop to flush for Mayfield’s Storm
Charger, thus ending the brace for A Horse With No Name. Mayfield’s Storm
Charger went on to have another unproductive, where a pile of feathers were
displayed, and another find. He finished the one-hour brace.
Second brace:
Rendrag’s Red Line Finnley and Webster’s Elhew Dutton started out the brace
with an unproductive each at the bottom of the first ridge. Handlers displayed
feathers. Once over the ridge, and through the first timbered draw, Webster’s
Elhew Dutton had a find and Rendrag’s Red Line Finnley backed. Further on
across the same stretch of ground, Rendrag’s Red Line Finley had a find and
Webster’s Elhew Dutton backed. It was some time and a few more timbered
draws, ridges, and turns before the next dog was on point. This was Webster’s
Elhew Dutton with another unproductive - handler displayed feathers. After this,
both dogs went on to have a split find at the top of a bald outcrop and another
split find in the bottom of a brushy draw. Both dogs finished the full hour.
Third brace:
Deep Creek Mason and RR’s Blue Grass Unbridled broke away with Mason
making a strong move to Willie’s Ridge where he pointed on the left side of the
course at apron. :05. Bird was produced and all in order. Next, Mason pointed
on the left side of the course at :20 in a plumb thicket about halfway down the
long grassy chute again all in order. He would have one more find before the
end of his hour. RR’s Bluegrass Unbridled had her first find at about :40 right
after crossing back over Willie’s Ridge on the right side of course. She finished
with 2 finds.
Fourth Brace:
Jane’s Atlantic Way started out the brace with a find halfway up the first ridge.
This ended up being a dead bird and she was moved on. Once past this, the
two dogs crested the first ridge and Perfections Razzleberry was not seen for
some time, eventually the handler asked for her tracker. Jane’s Atlantic Way
went on to have a find in open country, and then it was little while before she
stopped again. This ended up being a back, as Perfections Razzleberry was
held up pointed and it was assumed that she had been that way for quite some
time. As Perfections Razzleberry’s handler had already called for the tracker,
Jane’s Atlantic Way was taken on and released by herself. Jane’s Atlantic Way
went on to have an unproductive in a big pile of timber and brush, and another
find. She finished the full hour.
Fifth brace:
The afternoon braces started at 80 degrees. Lady Luck’s Revenge carried a bird
back to its handler from halfway up the first ridge and was picked up. Uptown’s
West Mountain Boone was found standing in the general area of where Lady
Luck’s Revenge came from with the bird, and so his handler elected to take him
on without flushing. Uptown’s West Mountain Boone went on to have a stop to flush under a leafless tree and a find halfway up a ridge about halfway through
his brace. He finished the full hour with a lot of run.
6th brace:
The 6th brace started off with an early point by Erin’s Gypsy Lady. This ended up
being a dead bird. After that, both dogs opened up well and there was a find by
each dog before the first ridge. Once over the ridge and through the timbered
draw, Charlie’s Perfect Angle had a find in a woody mott and then Erin’s Gypsy
Lady had a find at the top of a small rise. Both dogs went on to have another
find, and then Erin’s Gypsy Lady had a third find in the last few minutes of the
brace. Both dogs finished the full hour.
7th brace:
The 7th brace began with a find by Iron and White and a back by TD Sugar
Show, well before the dogs reached the first ridge. Then the next find happened
on the other side of the first ridge, and across the wooded draw, by Iron and
White, with TD Sugar Show backing. TD Sugar Show had a find after this and
then both dogs moved over the country and held off into it with Iron and White
disappearing over a ridge and not being seen for quite some time. The last bit of
bird work happened to the end of the race with both dogs breaking on the flush
and both dogs being picked up.
8th brace:
The morning started cool. White Knuckle pointed well before the first ridge. He
proceeded to pursue and catch his bird in a dogged display of athleticism and
mouth eye coordination. Flint Ridge Annie had a find well after the first ridge,
and then another find after that. On down the course, on the backside, Flint
Ridge Annie had an unproductive. Flint Ridge Annie finished the full hour.
9th brace:
Both dogs topped the first ridge early in the brace. Mayfield’s Miss Kitty was
picked up on bird work further on into the run, and Rendrag’s Lucky Piper was
picked up without bird work halfway through.
10h brace:
The 10th brace started with the first bit of heat for the day. Reed’s Super Spirit
had a find in a thicket and Haney’s I.B. Fancy backed. Reed’s Super Spirit
followed this with another find and then a third find where she was picked up on
bird work. Haney’s I.B. Fancy was picked up without bird work.
11th brace:
With the heat in full swing, Bromance and Perfection Huckleberry split off in
different directions before the first ridge, with a find each. Then, once over the
ridge, Bromance had another find. In the meantime, Perfection Huckleberry had
a stop to flush and another find before catching up with Bromance after the first
ridge. Bromance went missing to the front and the handler asked for the tracker.
Perfection Huckleberry had an unproductive at forty minutes and another find
soon after. He finished the full hour.
12th brace
KC’s Next Gen ran alone. He had a find before the first ridge and an
unproductive after that. He went on to have another find just before the end of
the brace. The heat seemed to take a toll on the dog. He finished the full hour.
13th brace
One Eyed Willie ran big and finished strong. Pointed feathers at the end and
finished the full hour. Flint Ridge Oakley ran nice with three finds, and then had
an unproductive and another unproductive. She was picked up by her owner.
14th brace
Shadow’s Bootlegger and Ty Onone went a long time without bird work. Then Ty
was called on point, and the handler opted to flush. It ended up being an
unproductive, and most agreed that the dog was backing a piece of equipment.
After this, Ty caught the front and both dogs were standing on a divided find
next to a water tank and the gravel road. Both dogs stood through the flush.
After this Ty Onone had a find and Shadow’s Bootlegger backed. Both dogs
went on to finish the full hour.
15th brace
Travelin In Perfect Style had a find after the first ridge. She had a lot of race and
another find about halfway through the run. Travelin in Perfect Style went
missing in the last ten minutes and showed up shortly before the end. She
finished the full hour. Flint Ridge Ranger finished the full hour with no finds but
one unproductive.
Call back dogs:
Uptown’s West Mountain Boone- Jon Smith (Top Qualifying Dog)
Rendrag’s Redline Finley-Weldon Gardner
Perfection’s Huckleberry-Jon Hann
Mayfield’s Storm Charger-Josh Pool
Standby:
Charlie’s Perfect Angel- Jon Hann
Erin’s Gypsy Lady-Mathew Puckett
The Call Backs as Reported by Tim Thornton
At the conclusion of the first series the field trial schedule had to be adjusted
slightly as the Oklahoma wind decided to make its presence known. It was
decided to run the derby as scheduled Friday morning before the wind storm
was predicted to start. The Puppy stake was moved to Saturday afternoon
following the callbacks.
The plan seemed solid but the storm had other ideas and with 2 braces left in
the derby the storm started with sustained winds of 30 mph and gusts over 50
mph. In the afternoon gusts would reach over 80 mph. After our wind blown
morning we were happy to be back in the social barn before the sky turned
completely red from the blowing dust!
In spite of the wind the derby stake was very competitive.
Derby Results
1st – Webster’s Texas Ranger, PM owner / handler, Phillip Webster
2nd – Bandit Hill Bess, PF owner / handler, Klaus Schmidt
3rd – Rendrags Hide & Seek, PF owner / handler, Weldon Gardner
A HUGE thanks to Mathew Puckett and Jake Davis for stepping in to judge the
derby stake, flipping their hats around backwards and attentively enduring the
conditions!
Call Backs:
One of the benefits of running at Croton Creek Ranch is the likely hood of
pointing wild coveys of bobwhite quail. During the fall trial 8 wild coveys were
pointed on a single 30 minute course! Curiously absent during the first series of
the Free For All was a wild covey find. The first brace of the Callbacks would
change that trend.
First Brace:
Uptown’s West Mountain Boone owned/handled by Jon Smith was braced with
Perfection’s Huckleberry-Jon Hann. Both dogs broke away well. Each dog
going about their business in their unique way. Boone had been named top call
back dog for Jon Smith who was handling in only his second field trial and his
first walking trial ever! Jon Hann and Huck are an experienced team and very
familiar with being in the winner’s photo.
As both dogs crested Willie’s Ridge both dogs were running well. Hann who
had kept Huck in and ran a more conservative first series strategy, was letting
his charge have his head in the second series. Huck was happy to oblige,
chewing up large chunks of country in his bid to be named Champion.Boone has been wild bird hunted all over the western United States and he was
showing his abilities and talents to look for birds in all the likely places. Both
dogs got their first real taste of field trialing in Western Oklahoma when at :15 a
wild covey of bobwhite quail was seen flushing wild as Boone worked the left
side of the course. Boone stopped to flush as the birds lifted well out in front.
As judges and handlers arrived Huck was also seen standing about 20 yards left
of Boone and a safe distance from where the birds flushed. The work was
scored as a stop to flush by both dogs and all was in order after the shot.
Both dogs continued their strong ground performances down the grassy chute
making the the dog leg right and past the water tank. Huck, nearing the top of
the next ridge pointed on the left side of the course in some shinery. Hann had
an extended flushing effort as Huck stood solid. The murmurs in the gallery
were that the birds had run off as this is a known feeding area for wild covey’s in
the area. Hann trusted his dog and continued to flush. His efforts were
rewarded as a single wild quail flushed near the horses and then 3 more in
popcorn fashion in the area of the dog. Huck had scored a wild covey feeding
and stood with impeccable manners through the shot. This piece of work was
approximately :25 into the brace. Energized by his second encounter with wild
birds in 10 minutes Huck went deep into the country last seen crossing Willies
Ridge to the right of the Course and angling right. Boone had watered at the
blue water tub pryer to Willie’s Ridge and had disappeared over the ridge to the
left. Scouts were sent in different directions to look for both dogs. The course
had turned away from Huck’s last known location while Boone was assumed to
be to the left of course somewhere along Willie’s Ridge. Jon Smith called point
for his dog. Boone was pointed in tough to get to spot in a known wild covey
location. Flushing efforts commenced but without success. Smith took his dog
on. Huck had found the front on his own and now both he and Boone had 15
minutes to show the judges what they had left. Jon Smith, knowing he needed
to make something happen informed the judge he was sending his dog into the
red cliffs though it was a bit left of course. He surmised that he needed a bird
and this area was his best shot as it is known to produce wild covey’s. Boone
made good on Jon’s gamble and point was called well left of course. Initial
extended flushing efforts were futile with Boone standing high and tight. Boone
was relocated and reestablished point. More efforts were made to flush. Birds
were seen lifting well to the front as the running covey had finally had enough
and lifted. Boone was solid and all was in order at the shot.
Huck, staying on course and several hundred yards to the right of where Boone
had his find, pointed in a little wash filled with grass and plumb thickets. Hann
walked in and flushed a single liberated quail, Huck standing with his signature
style and composure. Both dogs finished strong and to the front concluding an
exciting first brace of the call backs. The standby dogs were notified that their
services wouldn’t be needed.
Brace 2
The standard had been set as Weldon Gardner with Rendrag’s Red Line Finnley
and Josh Pool with Mayfield’s Storm Charger walked to the starting line. Finley
and Gardner are no strangers to the Free For All Call Backs. This was Gardner’s
3rd year in a row making the call back. He placed Rendrag’s Lucky Piper Runner
Up 2 year’s ago, he had 2 dog’s including Finnly in the callback’s last year and
they were back to try to win the championship this season.
Mayfield’s Storm Charger was coming off of an excellent bird finding first hour at
the All-Age National Championship at the Ames Plantation just a week prior. He
had shown his bird finding talents and range in the first series for his handler
Josh Pool. Josh and his wife Rilee have become regulars on the NBHA circuit
coming into the sport a year ago, they like many of the new arrivals in the
Oklahoma/Texas areas have shown that though they may be new to trialing they
defiantly know their way around a dog. They’ve hunted wild birds all over the
western united states and their dogs show it. Josh handling Mayfield’s Storm
Charger was a natural fit as the dog who is owned by Jake Davis has been in the
All Age string of Allen Vincent. Josh wishing to gain more knowledge and
experience spent much of summer camp in Allen’s camp and was very familiar
with Storm Charger.
Both dogs broke away well. Finnly staying to the left front and reaching out to
Willie’s Ridge. Storm Charger made a strong move showing his All-Age roots
and went deep into the right front of the course ending up where the course
comes back over Willie’s ridge on the back half of the course. He then swung to
the front on the backside of the ridge and was seen standing pointed to the right
of the course as handlers and judges crested the ridge. Pool caught some bad
luck as he flushed when the bird flew back into and over Storm Chargers head.
It was too much for the amped up dog and he made an effort to catch the bird
as it cleared him. Storm Chargers electric start to his callback performance
ended at :10. Finnly, continued on course watering just below where Storm Charger had his mishap. She was picked up at :35 after her second unproductive. Bringing the
gutsy little Vizlas chances at the championship to an end.
Puppy Results:
1st – Oklahoma Smoke Show, PF owner / handler, Tim Thornton
2nd – Zeke, PM owner / handler, Chris Craighead
3rd – Lil Elhew Chief Snake Feather, PM owner / handler, Mike Taylor
A huge thanks to Jon Smith and Weldon Gardner for judging the puppies!
Thanks to the NBHA and all of our National Sponsors for supporting this event.
