2012 National Amateur Championship
NBHA National Amateur Championship - Du’more Back in Black named Champion, Jayhawk Runner Up
The Missouri Bird Hunters hosted the NBHA National Amateur Championship on a return visit to the Whetstone Wildlife Management area some thirty-five miles east of Columbia, MO the weekend of February 10-12. After a very mild winter, we faced some of the first really cold temperatures of winter making riding uncomfortable and footing really tough at times. The father and son team of Rich and Jay Lewis were in the saddles and these men brought years of experience and good nature to the event. We thank them for their time and toughness in looking at our dogs. We had entries from Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma with at least half the field competing owning championship placements. Three of the four finalists named for the second hour were already champions in their own right.
Du’more Back in Black, four year old white and black pointer female scored twice in the first series running in the 11th brace of the trial. Her finds were out front with scout finding her along a creek edge and the second at 58 requiring a relocation into the woods to nail running birds. Her race had been solid and Back in Black was the only dog to make the final group of four that ran on Saturday. Her race in the second series was not as bold as the first hour but her single find was clean and the performance stood up. Jayhawk, white and black pointer stylist was ambitious in both hours but generally returned to the front on his own after wide swings. His single find in the first series came early and he looked a little unsure of the bird’s exact location although other dogs were struggling with scent the whole day. He had an excellent find in the second series to get the nod for runner-up. Gailen’s Lotto Kipp and Mississippi Dan had both done excellent jobs in the first hour and were braced together for the finals. Kipp was counted out when he failed to back Dan’s second find and Dan was later lost at the end of the hour and not returned under judgment or he likely would have changed things.
Chairmen Chris Gebhardt and Tim Penn did an excellent job in hosting the event which requires many hours of preparation and hard work on the weekend to keep everything running. Good birds were planted and the course laid out, provided a great opportunity for dogs to show the kind of search and bird finding befitting a national championship title. Many volunteered to drive the dog wagon including John Hortin, Tony King, Larry Carpenter and Danny Martin and those riding pitched in to help when scouts were needed. Purina representative Steve Grossman was on the grounds to support the trial and brought Pro Plan samples and hats along with the generous supply of Pro Plan Performance for the winners. TriTronics provided a Pro 500 model e-collar to the new champion and Christie’s Saddlery sent gift certificates for both winners. Gun Dog Supply also donated gift certificates and these were drawn at the trial among all participants. The club also conducted a raffle for a big smoked ham from Western’s Meats in Greentop, MO donated by Kevin Western to help defray to cost of lunches on the grounds. Thanks to everyone for a long weekend of great dog trialing.
The Running
Greypointe Gladiador (D. Meyer) with White Powder Boy (K. Foreman). The morning was cool with a light southwest breeze as Chairman Chris Gebhardt made the announcements. Later, a cold front would come thru and a bitter north wind would carry snow flurries. These two were away and once untracked started making good swings to likely places. Gladiador pointed along a north south fence row with Boy backing. The stand proved unproductive. Further along this same fence row, Gladiador stood again with Boy again backing the stand. Feathers from a song bird kill were all that was found ending Gladiadors morning at 20. Boy continued and scored twice on birds before being lost.
Mississippi Dan (D. Martin) with Hortin’s Sir Arthur Eaton (LG Barnard). These two were fast and powerful early with Dan scoring first along a fence row with Sir Arthur cautioned to a back. All was in order as Danny Martin easily lifted the birds. At 19, Sir Arthur stood in along an edge with Dam backing stylishly at distant. LG Barnard put the birds in the air and Sir Arthur and Dan both showed good manners. At 21, Sir Arthur was found deep in a tangled wind row with Dan spotting him at a distance and backing on his own. At flush, Sir Arthur moved too much and he was up. Dan scored at 36 along a weedy edge and then made a very nice move to be found on point left of the course at 39. A nice find after a logical bird hunting cast. Dan finished his hour strongly after making a big forward swing.
Hobb’s Silver Belle (Foreman) with Easy Attitude Buddy (G. Mandernach). Two nice dogs that are both champions were ready to rock. Buddy was a handful for most of the brace taking deep forays into cover and making us wonder if he would return in time. Belle meanwhile was also ambitious but checked back at reasonable periods. Belle scored prettily at 15 and had an unproductive at 27 facing an island cover area. A nice find at 37 was followed by a second unproductive right before time ending her bid. Buddy meanwhile backed at 15 and scored his single find at 33 along a weedy edge. His finish was strong.
Gailens Lotto Kipp (S. Shields) with Britannia (C. Gebhardt). Snow flurries had started as a cold north wind made riding uncomfortable. Kipp the reigning NBHA National Open Championship backed Britannia at 19. He was standing in a briar thicket where he had pointed when returning from the front. Good find and back. Britannia scored again at 25 with all in order and then backed Kipp at 55. He had a good finish. Kipp had an unproductive at 37 where handler could not get birds airborne from a heavy cover strip. At 41, Kipp had a nice find on a wooded edge and scored again along another thick cover area with all in order. His finish was excellent. Island Grove Threat (K. Black) with Penrosa Stoneyox (T. Penn). Threat had a find at 17 in a fence row and looked good for a time on the ground. He was lost later in the brace. Stoneyox scored at 34 along a fence row and at 39 facing a lone tree in a cultivated field. At 49, he made a good cast to be spied pointing towards a thicket. As judge and gallery approached, Stoneyox was moving as quail were airborne. Treeline Sandra (D. McClellan) with Ace of Sinbad (J. Duncan). Kentucky Bird Hunters President Jim Duncan traveled up from the Bluegrass state to give it a try and Sinbad had his running shoes on early. Sandra was right with him and scouts were out early and often for both. Sandra scored a single find at 19 along a fence row and was stylish throughout with Ace backing this stand. Sandra then headed for the heavy cover and was not seen again. Ace finished the hour without birds. Bittercreek Top Grade (F. Schoenborn) with Southern Comfort Jack (Foreman). The cold continued Saturday morning as we awoke to temperatures in the teens and a raw northwest wind. The ground had frozen the horse tracks overnight making the footing for dogs, handlers and horses very lumpy. Both dogs were pointed at 15 along a fence row on separate birds. Frank Schoenborn flushed the birds back in the briars for Grade who was intense throughout. Shortly thereafter, Foreman flushed for Jack but he went with the birds ending his day. Grade made some nice swings to be observed working scent along a field edge at 35. He seemed unsure as he pointed and birds lifted ending his bid. These birds along this edge would do in other dogs as the day went on. Crow Creek Redbud (Black) with Jayhawk (T. King). These two were wide early and scouted but retuned to the front on their own. At 17, Redbud scored along a fence row with all in order as Ken Black waded into tall weeds to roust the quail. Both dogs continued good deep swings thru the area and Jayhawk was seen making game at 25. He was trying to point along a weedy field border but didn’t tighten completely until Tony King’s approach. A pair of quail were easily lifted and Jayhawk stood steady. At 34, the birds that did in Bittercreek Top Grade proved toxic for Redbud as she pointed and birds flushed. She stood for a time but moved on ending her day. Jayhawk continued his hour making big swings and finished well ahead at time. Lady Victoria (Foreman) with Penrosa Knox (Penn). The sun was shining but it remained bitterly cold. The birds seemed to shut off during this brace as both dogs made the edges searching but no contacts thru the first half. Victoria stood at 46 but moved too much at flush. Knox went the distance without birds. Sir Lancelot Honest Abe (M. Pethan) with Whipporwill Wild Kate (J. Hainline). Kate had a nice find along a field road at 10 with good manners throughout. Both dogs were covering the ground nicely thru the first half and Kate scored twice on birds after good casts and excellent manners. Abe was found on point by scout where we had passed by him at 33. These birds were nearly underneath the dog and Matt Pethan carefully flushed as Abe stood the pressure of their close exit. At 43, Abe nailed birds in thick briars with Kate backing voluntarily. Tim Penn stood by the motionless Kate as Jeff Hainline had not caught the front. Both dogs stood for the long walk to this find and the flush and shot. At 47, Abe scored again but took too many steps at flush. Kate who was working an edge across from Abe at this point was thought to have blinked a back and was picked up ending a solid performance. Du’More Back in Black (Barnard) with Greypointe Hasta Lavista (Meyer). Both dogs hit the south fence line and were quickly out of sight. At 15, scout called point and back on both dogs left of course but as the handlers and judges were making their way to the find, it was waived off. Further along this edge, Hasta Lavista was seen under a bird and was off the ground. Back in Black continued with attractive swings. Her finds came at 31 and at 58 which secured her a spot in the call back series. Carolina Rose (Foreman) was found to be in heat and Keith Foreman scratched his dog ending the first series.
One Hour Finals
The judges named four dogs and directed which should be braced together and redrawn. These were Mississippi Dan with Gailen’s Lotto Kipp and Brittania with Du’more Back in Black. They advised that Easy Attitude Buddy and Jayhawk remain as stand bys. The redraw held Dan and Kipp in the first brace to be started at 8AM Sunday morning. The coldest weather of the trial would be experienced as temperatures were in the single digits for breakaway.
Mississippi Dan (Martin) with Gailen’s Lotto Kipp (Shields). Anticipation was high as these two had done an excellent job in the first series. They were away quickly and point was called for Dan along a foxtail field at nine. He was intense and mannerly as Danny Martin lifted the birds easily from right in front of the stationary pointer. Catching the front, scout spied Dan standing well outside of a westerly fence row at 14. Kipp was being sought at this time with handler calling him to turn from the front. He was later discovered inside the same fence row and Dan was credited with a back. Both dogs were poised for the flush and shot. At 29, Kipp again stood and Dan volunteered a back at distance. At 32, Dan made a nice swing to rim a field edge and Chris Gebhardt called point for him along this edge. Kipp headed down the forward edge of this same field and failed to back by sliding in front of Dan and was lifted. Dan withstood this pressure and was steady for the flush and shot. At 37, Dan was allowed to head deep along field edge west of the course and despite all efforts was never returned to judgment. Britannia (Gebhardt) with Du’more Back in Black (Barnard). At 16, Britannia was found pointed and Back in Black came in to back. All was in order as the birds flew from within the wooded fence row. At 21, Back in Black made a nice cast along an easterly edge to stand facing a willow thicket. L.G. Barnard put these birds in the air with all in order. At 25, Britannia was seen pointing towards a field buffer strip. Gebhardt approached and felt like the dog’s demeanor looked unsure so released him to go forward without flushing. Britannia jumped into the cover and then was taken on with nothing to credit or detract. Both dogs hunted the country ahead with Britannia running a powerful race and Back in Black bird hunting her way forward. At 42, Britannia pointed along woods edge but ultimately lost his manners and was picked up. Back in Black finished ahead still making decent casts at the end of the hour. Jayhawk (King) with Easy Attitude Buddy (Mandernach). With only one clean dog finishing the hour, the judges asked that the standby dogs be released. Both were away quickly and Buddy scored twice at 12 and 15 with excellent manners. He was later lost at 40. Jayhawk was scouring the country just as he had done in the first hour and scored a find at 32. This was very solid bird work, good style and manners as King flew the birds from cover strip. Jayhawk continued to rim the acreage at Whetstone for the hour and his finish was forward and strong to garner the runner up placement.
National Amateur Derby Stake
A small but energetic group of Derbies were sent to the line with Larry Carpenter’s setter female, Carpenter’s Sky Hawk Star taking the blue ribbon after good swings and a single find. “Susan” stood fairly mannerly for an extended flush and later relocation as Larry finally got the birds airborne. Legacy, nice moving pointer male for Jimmy Wirths took second after a strong forward race and big finish. He was braced with Susan. Milomix Sunny, a happy running setter female for Bill Wright got the call for third after some good bird hunting swings and a nice finish. Footing, wind and temperatures made it tough on the dogs, as they met the conditions head on as good Derbies should.
National Amateur Puppy Stake
Six contenders toed the line in the puppy stake which was held Sunday after the final series of the championship. Temperatures had warmed but these puppies were still running in tough conditions, as frozen footing was becoming slick in places. Carpenter’s Blue Blaze, setter female took first place with her forward race and making cast all along the field edges. Second place was Carpenter’s Crimson Tide, setter female; her cast was not as strong as the winner but she maintained and covered the edges nicely. Third place was Carpenter’s Heart Breaker, setter female; her race was very similar to that of the winners which gave her the nod for this place. All three winners were owned by Carpenter’ Kennels and handled by Larry Carpenter. Larry had three entries of the six dogs competing in this stake, which kept him very busy handling those pups.
By Doug Meyer
