2010 NBHA NAt'l Free for All Article
From L-R R/U Champions Online's Handsome Jack "Jack" with Doug Hartkee and Champion Raf's El Lobo "Wolf" with Bill Anderson.
2010 NBHA National Free for All Championship
3/12/2010
By: Ken Sauer
The venue for this year was at the wonderful Camp Robinson, AR grounds. As usual these grounds were in great shape thanks to the efforts of the Arkansas Fish & Game. Expansions to the barns, kennels, and RV areas over the past few years add to the ease of hosting the trial at this location. The NBHA has a standing date for a major event every year thanks to the help of Harold Woodard. With our National Open Championship being voted in to rotate left an open weekend at Camp Robinson this year and we didn’t feel jeopardizing loosing this weekend was a wise move. Our Nat’l Open Ch. was slated to be held in South Carolina this year at the H. Cooper Black WMA the week before this event. The Texas Bird Hunters Association (TBHA) felt strongly to hold a prestigious event in place of the usual Nat’l Open Ch. at Camp Robinson. Texas was proud to contribute the effort with EJ Hall, Kim Ochoa-Hall, & Ken & Melissa Sauer’s hard work. The TBHA donated an addition $1,000.00 to the prize pool shared by the winners. There will be another National event at Camp Robinson next year on the same weekend. The event will be decided at our summer meeting the first of August.
We at the NBHA want to thank our National sponsors Black Gold Dog Food for donating the dog feed to the winners and hats to the participants; Tri-Tronics donated a “Pro Series” training color to the winner; Christie Enterprises issued certificates for the winners; the TBHA donated an addition $1,000.00 to the prize pool shared by the winners, embroidered cooler bags for all, and event hats.
We want to thank EJ & Kim for arriving early to make sure everything was ready, planting the birds, and marshalling the event. Ty & Janna Sparks were kind enough to bring their “Mule” to use as a dog pick up wagon and getting all the handlers to the starting line. A special thanks to Harold Woodard from Vilonia, AR and Ronnie Miller from Van Buren, AR for judging this event. They did a wonderful job and their placements were very well received. Great job Judge’s! We also want to thank Janice Stroud for catering the lunches and the TBHA for contributing the Saturday night dinner.
Ken & Melissa Sauer celebrated their 27th anniversary on March 12th the start of the running. We’re not sure if that’s what Melissa had expected for her present. She ran her Jett dog so I think she’s OK for now but let’s not say anymore about it “ever”.
The event drew 27 dogs and had 26 starters. The participation was great for a sport that should have been affected by our wonderful economy and not to mention following the weekend of our Nat’l Open Ch. No companion stakes were held this year at this event, maybe next year.
The weather was wonderful with a steady wind on Saturday. The course had plenty of rain and was a little on the muddy side. Some of the creek crossing were a little high for the walking handlers but didn’t seem to slow their enthusiasm. The course was run in the usual manor starting down below camp and ending up back behind the kennel runs with plenty of course for the 1-hour stake.
The running:
Kate (Hartke) & Gracie (Wright) – Kate was wide at the break away and had an unproductive at 15. Gracie had an unproductive at 6 and a find all in order at 15.
Toby (Hartke) & Jett (Melissa Sauer) – Jett had a find at 9 and Toby had a back. Toby had a find at 16 with Jett coming in for a back. Toby had another find at 25 and was picked up. Jett suffered unproductives at 28 & 38 with Melissa electing to pick him up.
Jack (Farrow) & Rowdy (Anderson) –Jack had a good run going then Rowdy scored a find at 38 and Jack failed to back and was picked up. All was in order with the find. Rowdy scored another find all in order. Rowdy a young 1st year shooting dog did a nice job finishing the hour.
Hoss (Wright) & Jack “Named R/U Champion” (Hartke) – Jack scored a find at 9 to the front. Hoss had a find at 16 with Jack coming in for a back. Hoss scored additional bird work at 28 & 35. Jack scored another find at 38 and had a forward good ground race to match his bird work.
Wolf (Anderson) “Named Champion” & Cruz (Snyder) – Wolf started off with a find at 11 and Cruz came in for the back all in order. Cruz scored a find at 30. Wolf had a covey find at 38 and birds went everywhere. It was going to be tough to get him through the scattered birds but Wolf has singles finds at 39 & 40. Wolf scored another find at 49 topping it off with a stop to flush at 52. Clearly he had the race to beat at this point.
Gladiator (Meyer) & Justice (Hartke) – Justice scored a find at 11 with Gladiator coming in for a back. Justice had a find at 15 and another at 50 but Hartke elected to pick up at 50. Gladiator had a covey find but had too much movement and was picked up.
Tom (Anderson) & Bootie (Wright) – Tom scored a find at 10 with Bootie backing. Bootie had additional finds at 27 & 45 with a good ground race.
Kate (Hartke) & Karl (K. Sauer) – Karl had a find at 10 to the front and another at 15. At 35 he suffered an unproductive. Karl suffered another unproductive at 38 where the gallery saw a bird leave. Sauer elected to pick him up at this point. Kate had bird work at 12 with Karl coming in for a back. At 17 Kate had a find but too much movement and Hartke elected to pick up.
Belle (Foreman) & Shadow (Anderson) – Roc was moved up from the 14th bye position due to Foreman electing to scratch Belle. Roc had a breach of conduct at a wild covey find on 1st find at 30 and was picked up. Shadow has a find at 30 but just seemed to lose his punch. Anderson elected to pick him up at the gravel road.
Knox (Penn) & Fibber (Hartke) – Knox suffered 2 unproductives and seem to bissing the snappy movements we’ve seen from this dog. Penn elected to pick up at 40. Fibber went with a bird (OK flushed a bird) at 30 and was picked up.
Cinch (Wright) & Fandango (Meyer) – Cinch ran well but seemed to be a little hard to handle. Fandango seemed a little unsure on his game suffering too many unproductives. Later we found out he had re-injured his leg that had once been broken and repaired.
Jackson (Cumbie) & Jiggs (Woods) – Jack had 2 early finds and putting the handler far behind. Jack pushed forward to the front with Jiggs. At the hill (30 minutes) Cumbie elected to pick him up after catch a ride on the dog wagon. Jiggs didn’t seem to punch through the wind and Woods elected to pick him up at the hill also.
Rooster (Anderson) & Bud (Hartke) – Rooster ran a good forward race hitting the edges working to the front. His ground game and speed were really good but he just need some bird work. Anderson elected to pick him up at the gravel road at about 40. Bud ran a somewhat short race he too was picked up at the gravel road in need of some early bird work.
Roc (Foreman) w/ Bye – Foreman elected to move Roc up and scratched Belle scratch.
