2015 NBHA Futurity and Jerry D. Kilgore Puppy Classic
The 2015 NBHA Futurity and Jerry D. Kilgore Puppy Classic held its annual event on March 27th and 28th at the Whetstone Quail Demonstration Area at Williamsburg, Missouri. This is the third year being held at this location in central Missouri. The Leadership and Organizational team of this event is key to the success of the event. Trial Co-Chairmen, Kevin Western and Tim Penn, lay the groundwork for the event throughout the year while team members Larry Carpenter, Joe Zimmer, and Chris Gephardt help with all the details during the event. It is folks like this that help make a successful trial like we have.
Anyone who has put on a trial knows that to make the event successful a lot of things have to come together just right. We were fortunate to have the winning combination of good grounds, good birds, and good judges. Trial Chairman Kevin Western and Co chairman Tim Penn started laying the ground work for this trial immediately after last year�s Futurity. They began the daunting task of securing grounds, birds, judges, and finalizing all the little details that make for a successful trial.
We were fortunate to have two of the finest Gentlemen available as this year�s judges, Gailen Cooper of Oak Grove, Missouri and Dr. John Niebrueggee, of Kirksville, Missouri. Gailen is a Purina Rep that has been involved with bird dogs and field trialing for a number of years. Dr. John Niebrueggee is no stranger to the field trial game when he competed fiercely in the 80�s and 90�s with his successful string of dogs. John was our returning judge for this year�s event. Both men rode attentively and when it was all said and done the announcements were well received.
I cannot say enough about the grounds and the Whetstone WMA at Williamsburg, MO. Nicky Walker, Wildlife Biologist, and her team had these grounds looking as good as they ever have. They have did some grooming to allow for the back of the coarse to be more fluid and I think their willingness to assist us we will continue to make strides in improving an already great venue. Their hard work and attention to detail of the grooming of the grounds was amazing. Those in attendance would agree that these grounds will allow for a dog to show but he still has to hunt and handle. We are thankful to have the cooperation of Missouri Department of Conservation and Nicky Walkers team. The only thing that judges and participants alike had to deal with was mud! Mid Missouri received a good soaking right before our event that created for a little bit of a rough go for handlers, dogs, and horses. Bobby Taylor reminded me that the course �was the same for everyone�.
The National Bird Hunters are blessed to have amazing sponsors. Purina provides dog food to the winners as well as samples and hats to the trial participants. Gailen Cooper served double duty as one of our judges as well as answering any Purina Questions. Garmin/Tri-Tronics provides one of their new shock collars to the winner of the Futurity and Puppy Classic. Christie Saddles and Gun Dog Supply provide gift certificates to the winners and trial participants. We could not have a successful trial without the support of these sponsors. Their participation and sponsorship of the NBHA is much appreciated.
Tim Cavanaugh, owner of last year�s Futurity winner, Hog Hill Katie and Larry Carpenter, owner of last year�s Puppy Classic winner, Carpenter�s Island Girl sponsored the Friday evening fish fry which was enjoyed by all. This is turning into a tradition that I think we will continue to do. The futurity team was able to present Garry Malzone, accepting for Tim Cavanaugh, a custom painted portrait of his handsome looking pointer Hog Hill Katie. There were several donated items raffled off and a good time was had by all.
2015 NBHA FUTURITY
Sand Mountain Will, liver and white strongly built pointer male is owned by Mike Otinger of Horten, AL with Bruce Mercer being the breeder of record. Will was expertly handled by Oscar Whitt. Will not only succeeded in impressing the judges with is ground application his bird work was impeccable, both in the qualifying series as well as the finals. I was braced with Will during the finals and when my dog was lost I got to see firsthand how nice of a dog this really is. I believe the team of Otinger/Whitt and Will have a very nice future.
Dr. Bill Wright handled his white and orange setter male, Milomix Orb to second place honors. Orb�s litter was bred by Dr. Wright. I had the opportunity to visit with the one of the judges about this dog and he stated that for the first ten minutes in the qualifying series Orb was just leisurely strolling around and after he found his first bird he kicked it in overdrive and put on a nice show. Bill always brings a great string of dogs and this is not the last time we will hear from this handsome setter.
Taking third was Indian Creek Zatch Bell. Zatch is owned by Kenneth Jackobson of Flanders, NJ. Garry Malzone handled this strong, white and orange, setter male. Gary is also the breeder of record. Zatch ran on the very last day as one of the standby dogs. Gary was the handler of both of the standby dogs and on Saturday we ran out of daylight. We ran Zatch on Sunday morning to finish the trial and that is when he put down his third place finish. He had a great race with two finds. This will not be the last time we hear from Indian Creek Zatch Bell.
It was a pleasure to get to meet Steve Heenan of Ponca City, OK. Steve brought his two nice young dogs over and took home fourth place honors with Big Trouble Duke. Duke truly impressed with his polished manors around game. This handsome white and orange pointer male had nice finds in both the qualifying series and the finals. Steve was the breeder of record. We surly have not seen the last of this nice young dog.
The judges also called back for the finals Western�s Emma Sue (Western) and Erin�s Moonshiner (Gebhart) and the other standby dog Texas Free Mason (Malzone). All three dogs have done a lot of winning but this was not their day. Sue and Mason were lost on course and Moonshiner failed to back. it will not be the last you have heard of these three nice young competitors.
Jerry D. Kilgore Puppy Classic
The Jerry Kilgore Puppy Classic was won by Jethrow Tull, good looking and powerful setter male in the ownership of Jack Glover of Shelbyville, MO. Jethro ran in the first brace setting the stage for the rest of the brace. He hunted a mature race contacting birds on multiple occasions.
Carpenter�s November Man, in the ownership of Carpenter�s Kennels, was handled by Larry Carpenter. This big strong orange and white setter male had a strong up front race. Man pressed the winner in his second place finish. Sue Jetta Sue put Jack Glover back in the winner�s circle taking third. This beautiful black and white setter female put together a good race but just fell short of the top two dogs. Milomix Bee, setter female in the ownership of Dr. Bill Wright took home fourth place honors for her proud owner. All four of the winners put down very nice races. It was a tough decision for the judges. There were several nice puppies in this stake which is a good sign for next year�s Futurity.
NBHA Futurity Breeder Winners
NBHA Futurity awarded the Breeders of the NBHA Futurity Nominated litters a cash award for any dog that had placed in this year�s NBHA Futurity and Jerry D. Kilgore Puppy Classic.
Futurity 1st place winner Sand Mountain Will, PM was sired by Elhew G Force x Premier�s Parolee, and was bred by Bruce Mercer, Mcdough, GA; 2nd place was Milomix Orb, SM sired by Shadow Oak Bo x Milomix Ridley, and was bred by Dr. Bill Wright of Bellflower, MO; 3rd place was Indian Creek Zatch Bell, SM was sired by Merrit�s Zackery x Indian Creek Sunrise, and was bred by Garry Malzone of Franklin Lakes, TN; and 4th place was Big Trouble Duke, PM, sired by White Dollar x Recession Proof and was bred by Steve Heenan of Ponca City, OK.
Jerry D. Kilgore Puppy Classic 1st place winner Jethrow Tull, SM was sired by Penorsa Stoneyox x RLT�s Peggy, and was bred by Rich Thorton of Livonia, MO; 2nd place was Carpenter�s November Man, SM was sired by Hytest Sky Hawk x Carpenter�s Last Jett, and was bred by Carpenter�s Kennels, Clarksburg, MO; 3rd place was Sue Jetta Sue, SF was sired by Fallen Oaks Jan x Tomoka Tekoa Angie bred by Jack Glover; and 4th place was Milomix Bee, SF and was sired by Hytest Palladin x Barker�s Blue Horizon, and was bred by Dr. Bill Wright, Bellflower, MO.
NBHA National Open Invitational Breeders Championship is now being held along with the NBHA Futurity. This now opens up the opportunity for breeders of NBHA nominated litters to receive another award for their litter nominations. This opportunity can now continue throughout a dogs competing Shooting Dog career. Breeders will receive a cash award for dogs that are winners of the NBHA Open Invitational Championship provided they are from a NBHA Nominated litter.
Lastly the Missouri Bird Hunters Association sponsored $400.00 toward the NBHA Open Invitational Championship by supporting the NBHA Futurity program. In return the NBHA Futurity is to award $200.00 to the breeder of the champion and another $200.00 to the breeder of the runner-up champion, provided that the winners are from an NBHA Futurity Nominated Litter. This year�s runner up champion, Indian Creek Wingman was nominated in the 26th NBHA Futurity and was bred by Terry Merrit of Pinehurst, NC.
In conclusion nominate your litters!
2015 NBHA Futurity and Jerry D. Kilgore Puppy Classic
By Kevin Western
