NBHA National Amateur Invitational Championship results
Amateur Invitational Championship winner, Greg Isenberg with Champion Tenacee Shelby and Matt Miller with Runner-up Champion Miller Creek's On The Horizon, standing l to r are Robert Warner, Kevin Western, Jack Glover, Matthew Puckett, Judge Tim Penn, Judge Doug Watt, Randy Zimmer, Joe Zimmer, and Jim Ogle.
NBHA National Amateur Invitational Championship was held on December 5th at the Sportsmen’s Association Grounds near Grovespring, MO. Top twelve dogs that ran in NBHA Amateur Shooting Dog stakes during the last field trial season 24-25 were invited to attend this event.
The Missouri Bird Hunters Association was the host club with all of the State Officers present; Jim Ogle, Kevin Western, Jack Glover, Randy Zimmer, and Joe Zimmer, were present to help with this event. These are some of the hardest working guys you will find. Thank you, gentlemen, for being away from your families to make this and enjoyable trial for all.
Judges were Doug Watt from Melbourne, IA and Tim Penn from Edina, MO they evaluated each dog and were in constant communication to select the best individuals to compete on Sunday in the finals for the top honor.
The NBHA Amateur Invitational Championship appreciates the support from the great NBHA Sponsors. They are Purina Pro Plan, Garmin, Gundog Supply, Gun Dog Central, OnX Hunts, and Mule Brand Clothing.
Initial qualifying series started at 8:00 A.M. on Friday, December 5th
Brace 1) Tenacee Shelby, PF (Isenberg) was braced with Sky Hawk’s Little Rascal, SM (Warner). Hawk struck first with a find at 5, he went on and had finds at 13, 25, 37, 40 and at 46. His find at 25 resulted in a good relocation and at 40 was a divided find. Hawk’s race was to the front and handled well for his handler. Shelby had her first find at 13 and a large covey lifted all-around her, and her manners and style was outstanding. She backed her bracemate at 25 all was in order. She had additional finds at 40, 46, and at 54. Her race was smooth and to the front. Her manners on bird work was exceptional, a nice performance.
Brace 2) Dale Creek Janie Bell, PF (Eder) was braced with Bandit Hill Bess, PF (Klause) Bess scored first with a find at 12 and all was in order. She suffered an unproductive at 31, but she went on and finished the hour with finds at 43, 53, and 60 all with good manners and a good forward race, she did a nice job. Janie Bell was working an area that had birds at 13, she went on and had finds at 19, and at 25. She broke out to the front and was not seen again, tracker was called for at 55.
Brace 3) Glover’s Flintstone, SM (Glover) was with Erin’s Gypsy Lady, PF (Puckett) Both dogs scored at 12 at two different locations Flintstone had a covey find along the road while Lady had a pair of birds across the field Flintstone had an additional find at 33 and suffered a nonproductive at 44, he finished the hour. Lady scored on two additional finds at 32 and at 38. Lady had good manners and was forward during her hour.
Brace 4) Miller Creek’s On The Horizon, GSPF (Miller) was with Tenacee Cooper, PM (Isenberg) Cooper ended his bid early in the brace and was picked up. Horizon had three finds at 9, 15, and 43 she suffered a nonproductive at 55. Her manners were good and she was fast on the ground as she traveled forward throughout the course. She finished the hour.
Brace 5) Glover’s Pepper Shaker, SF (Glover) was with K Del’s Eagle Magnum Hotshot, BM (DeLong)
Pepper scored at 24, and at 33 all in order for her. Her last find at 49 resulted in her needing to relocate a running bird in the timber. She did an excellent job. Her race was to the front and was pleasing to watch. Hotshot suffered a nonproductive at 24. At 33 he scored his first find all in order. At 48 he was directed to a cedar tree location that yield a find. Both dogs finished the hour.
Brace 6) Beaucoup Creek Buck, SM (Heisner) was with Raintree Bluemoon, ISM (Lewis) Sent conditions did not appear to be in the dog’s favor on the last brace. Buck had one find at 22 but suffered from two nonproductive at 13 and at 37 ending his bid to finish. Bluemoon had his only find at 17 and was not seen again after this location his bid up at 37.
Call back dogs were
brace 1 Bandit Hill Bess with Miller Creek’s On The Horizon
brace 2 Glover’s Pepper Shaker with Tenacee Shelby
Stand by in needed were Erin’s Gypsy Lady with Glover’s Flintstone
801 breakaway for the Championship was misty and 40°. Both dogs anticipating the breakaway. When the whistle blew it was time for business. Both these dogs were fun to watch. Speed and class were in no shortage. (Reyna) Miller Creek's On The Horizon is a German Shorthair female owned and handled by Matt Miller from Wisconsin and scouted by Jack Glover. (Bess) Bandit Hill Bess is a pointer female owned and handled by Klaus Schmidt from Kansas and scouted by Matthew Puckett. Bess would be first up with a find 300 yards to the front. The drive going to the cemetery would hold a single that flushed right over her head. Holding steady all was good. At 8:16 Bess was standing again with Reyna backing. The walnut strip in breakaway bottoms would contain another single, both dogs stood solid. Handlers gathered their dogs to reset. As they broke away Bess would go to the right side near the briar thicket. She slammed point on the edge. She stood solid as Klaus tried to flush in the thicket. Not being able to produce a bird he went back to relocate Bess. One step in and a tap on the head the bird flew from under her nose. Bess was picked up.
At 8:35 we crossed the road and found Reyna standing on the hill in a briar patch. Matt kicked up a single with all an order. Entering into sycamore bottoms Reyna went up the south hill into the timber. After a very lengthy flushing attempt Matt had to continue on without producing a bird. Reyna's first up. At 8:49 she was pointing a small covey in the dry creek bed. 854 she was pointing on the hill with some scrub oaks. Matt elected to collar her believing there were no birds and move on. Reyna ended the hour hunting hard to the front.
Our second brace was Jack Glover's female setter Glover's Pepper Shaker. She was scouted by Matthew Puckett. Bracemate was Greg Isenberg's pointer female (Shelby) Tenacee Shelby. She was scouted by Matt Miller. They were released from the little vine road. 13 minutes in Shelby was pointing up the hill in the scrub oaks. Greg kicked up a single with all in order. Shelby's next find was in the dry creek bed pointing one of the stragglers from the covey the brace before. At 17 minutes Pepper was pointing on the edge of the CRP grass. Jack kicked up a single and they moved on. 941 Shelby was pointing in a small field in the sycamore bottoms. As Greg got close the birds flush wildly. At 9:50 Pepper was picked up as a covey flushed wild and she didn't stop. 952 Shelby was pointing where the covey flushed. Greg elected not to flush believing all the birds were gone. After crossing the road at the 957-mark Shelby was pointing along the Walnut strip. Greg kicked up a single. Shelby finished the hour to the front hunting the edges.
A special thank you to Doug Watt from Iowa and Tim Penn from Missouri for judging.
Congratulations to this year's National Bird Hunters Association National Invitational Champion Tenacee Shelby sired by Elhew Moneymaker and the dam Cantor's Coco owner and handler Greg Ieisenberg.
Our runner-up Champion Miller Creek's On The Horizon sire Greyrock's Mile Marker
dam Outbak's Purdy Slick owner and handler Matt Miller.
