2012 NBHA Nat'l Free for All Champoinship
Sorry I'm a little late with this posting. Been out of town almost every weekend since the Championship.
Picture(L-R): Jerry Myers OK; Robert Dardenne OK; Bob Caffey OK; Nat'l Ch. Erin's Sweet Alabama w/ Mike Sandifer TX; Steve Schiber TX; R/U Nat'l Ch. Maddie Morgan w/ Oscar Whitt AL; Judge Ronnie Miller AR; Glenn Cumbie AR; Judge Joyce Miley TX; Ken Sauer TX
2012 NBHA National Free for All Champion - Pointer Female Erin's Sweet Alabama Mike Sandifer Owner/Handler Texas
2012 NBHA National Runner-Up Champion - Pointer Female Maddie Morgan Dr. D.K. Lewis Owner & Oscar Whitt Handler Alabama
What a wonderful venue Camp Robinson, AR. From the historical club house to the wonderful rounds. Roger Martin and his staff at the Arkansas Fish & Game Commission have to be commended for their efforts and hospitality. We arrived on Wednesday hoping to avoid a front that was to produce heavy rain. Thursday mid- morning while out on a ride with Ronnie Miller; the temperature dropped some fifteen degrees and the heavy rain soon followed. It seemed to rain most of the day on Thursday making the grounds a little on the muddy side. Our other Judge Joyce Miley had a wheel bearing problem on her trailer on the way up but didn’t seem to be too concerned. Once the rain stopped temperatures of the events running warmed up quickly both Friday & Saturday for the first series and derby braces. The second series had some early morning mist and cooler temperatures. Most of the creek crossings were swollen and the grounds were muddy making it difficult walking for the handlers. This year we ran the normal walking hour course backwards starting just past the finishing creek crossing which was waist deep at starting time on Friday morning.
Our Judges for this year were Ronnie Miller from Van Buren, AR and Joyce Miley of Hempstead, TX have to be commended for their time in the saddle. They are both two very qualified Judges and we all appreciate them coming out supporting the NBHA.
We are all grateful for the NBHA National sponsors. Purina deserves a big applause for their continuing commitment to the walking upland sporting dog trialer’s. The winners received a healthy supply of dog food and dog food for all the handlers and Owners. We can’t thank them enough. Tri-Tronic’s also provided a Pro 500 training collar to the Champion. They too have supported all the NBHA Championships and look forward to a continuing relationship. Our new sponsor Gun Dog Supply provided gift certificated to our winners. The Texas Bird Hunters Assoc. provided Stone Creek weather proof lined jackets for the Judges. Christie Enterprises provided the Champion and R/U Champion trooper saddles for their efforts. Larry and Anne Cox at Christie Enterprises are really good to the NBHA and the Texad Bird Hunters Association (TBHA). We thank them for their support.
We want to thank Glenn Cumbie and the Arkansas bird Hunters for co-hosting this event with the Texas Bird Hunters. Steve Schiber the President of the TBHA for all his help with marshaling and plant birds every morning. Glenn Cumbie also managed the dog wagon every day. We want to thank Jerry & Kenny Snow for all their help and support. Kenny’s Dad Jerry has to go to the ER on Thursday night having an irregular heartbeat. Jerry showed back up on Saturday wanting to get back in the saddle but Kenny told Dad no way! Oscar Whitt came all the way from Alabama with wife Pat and a fine sting of dogs. Jerry Myers, Bob Caffey, & Robert Dardenne also made the haul from Oklahoma bringing their string of setters.
This year’s running drew 22 open shooting dogs and 7 derbies. Keith Foreman scratched three of his entries due to Keith not feeling well and one entry in the derbies didn’t make his starting time. We had participants from Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas.
In the first series most of the bird finding came out of the early braces. The second series open shooting dogs selected to run for the title came out of the third, fifth, and seventh brace of the of the first day and the first brace of the second day.
1st Series Mentions:
Mr. Mac’s Zap (Mike Wheat) had wet cool weather. Zap had 5 finds but didn’t seem to posess the steadiness to get him the nod for the second series. Handler Mike Wheat came all the way from Texas and is a huge asset to field trialers in Texas helping at every event.
Penrosa Knox (Tim Penn) & Redneck Rex (Ken Sauer) ran when tempatures started warming up. Sauer was running Rex for Shawn Rowan from Texas. Know went birdless for his hour and Rex had a really nice forward race handling really nice for Sauer. Rex scored his find at and handled it with style and manners .
Erin’s Sweet Alabama (Mike Sandifer) ran in the fifth brace with temperatures rising. Polly (her call name) put down her usual strong forward race with two space finds and an unproductive near pick up just near the last creek crossing.
KC’s Shrimpboot aka. Karl” (Ken Sauer) & Go For Broke “Pride” (Robert Dardenne) ran late in the day on Friday. Temperatures were really warm but didn’t seem to slow down this pair. Both dogs ran well to the front and handled well for their handlers. Karl last year’s winner just didn’t seem to have his game shoes on and only scored one find at mid point and another point nearing the end of the hour with Sauer unable to move a bird in extremely heavy cover for a flush. Pride had three really nice finds for the Caffey/Dardenne flag. He really put down a good race and handled his game with manners. Pride did a really nice job in his first series. He’s a really nice flashy moving setter and points straight up with lots of style.
Maddie Morgan (Oscar Whitt) ran first thing Saturday morning with cool temperatures cool and damp conditions. Maddie had four evenly space finds and one where her brace mate failed to back. It was obvious that Maddie was going to the next series.
Second Series
The Judges indicated that the dogs selected for the second series were to be run in no special order or pairing didn’t matter.
Go For Broke (Dardenne) & Maddie Morgan (Whitt) ran in the first series on Sunday morning. Temperatures and conditions were good with a slight breeze. Maddie had three really nice finds and a back. Her first series ground pattern was better that this morning but still ran a nice walking shooting dog race and pattern. Pride was really putting on a show in the second series but at about the forty minute mark Maddie was pointed back to the right and Pride was on a stand to the left in a mowed strip at the same time. Both handlers were working the birds and Oscar flushed his bird and shot just about the time Robert was to release Pride on a relocation when Pride took it upon himself to relocate. The bird was up and ended his bid. Based on comments from the Judges Pride was going to be hard to move off the top spot.
Redneck Rex (Sauer) & Erin’s Sweet Alabama (Sandifer) broke away with the sun start to heat things back up. For Sauer Rex just didn’t have his running shoes on and seemed to make game but was just piddling around. Polly had her running shoes on. Scenting conditions were changing and the weather was getting warm. Polly near the mountain was missing when scout was dispatched back towards the long strip of cover. Sandifer kept moving forward on course when scout called point on the covers edge. She handled her game with impeccable manners. By this time Sauer & Rex had got well ahead. It wasn’t long when Polly was back well ahead to the front. At fifty minutes with Polly searching well ahead was seen running an edge and swapped ends. This was a really nice find and Polly’s manners were high and tight again. It was apparent that the winners were ready to be named. Erin’s Sweet Alabama “Polly” was named 2012 NBHA National Free for All Champion for Owner/Handler Mike Sandifer and Maddie Morgan 2012 NBHA R/U National Champion for Owner Dr. LK Lewis and Handler Oscar Whitt. Congratulations to the both of them for their fine effort.
Open Derby
Mistie Lee (Whitt) was named first place showing potential for the next leg of her trial career life as a fine shooting dog. Hill Country’s Sage (Schiber) did a really nice job and was awarded second place she too showing shooting dog talent and a nice ground race. Pinnacle’s Dream (Whitt) was awarded third place in the open derby with a forward flashy race.
