2016 National Invitational Breeders Championship
NBHA National Invitational Breeders Championship was held for its fourth consecutive year at the Whetstone Creek Conservation Area near Williamsburg, MO on March 17- 18. This year we had 27 Dogs competing for the title as this event has become more and more popular as it has become part of the Futurity with the emphasis on breeding and Defining Champions . Following the conclusion of this Championship the NBHA Futurity and Jerry D. Kilgore Puppy Classic proceeded.
As with any successful event it takes a dedicated team to carry out the task of achieving a quality run venue. This year Futurity Director Kevin Western was chairman of this event and his team was made up of Tim Penn, Larry Carpenter, Joe Zimmer and Jim Ogle.
We can�t say enough for the opportunity to host a trial and run dogs on the grounds at the Whetstone Creek Conservation Area. Area Manager Nicky Walker and her team of dedicated workers have continued to improve the area for quail habitat, thus making for some excellent grounds to run dogs on. Their hard work and attention to detail of grooming of the grounds was amazing. Those in attendance would agree that these grounds will allow a dog to naturally hunt the cover and show the good qualities that judges are looking for in their winners. We are very thankful to the Missouri Department of Conservation and Whetstone Creek CA for this opportunity.
National Bird Hunters Association is blessed to have such generous sponsors. Purina Pro Plan provides dog food to the winners as well as samples and hats to all the trial participants. Garmin provided one of their new Garmin Pro 550 to the winner of the Championship. Christie Enterprises provided gift certificates to the winners to purchase items from Christies Saddlery. Gun Dog Supply provided gift certificates for this event. We could not have a successful trial without the support of these great sponsors. Their participation and sponsorship of the NBHA is much appreciated.
Judges for this year�s event was Jerry Hailey of Buffalo, MO and Tony King of Thompson, MO. Jerry Hailey started running dogs in the NBHA in the mid 1990�s, Jerry won the 10th NBHA Futurity in 1996 with Hailey�s Another Dot. Jerry continued in the NBHA where he won a championship with Hailey�s Another Lady. As Hailey continued to handle client dogs he transitioned into the horseback shooting dog arena where he has been very successful, he won the National Open Shooting Dog Championship in 2008 and numerous other championships throughout the Midwest. Tony King also got his start in the NBHA ranks. King was the NBHA Futurity Director for five years, and competed and won several championships within the NBHA with dogs from his Wild Covey Kennel his most noted winner was Wild Covey Heatwave. King now has transitioned his dogs to the horseback circuit where they have continued to win. King now serves as AFTCA Region 5 trustee for Missouri and he is now the Futurity Director for the Midwest States Shooting Dog Futurity. Both of these gentlemen knowledge and credentials serve them well as their decision was well received.
This year�s Champion is Rocky Hollow Big Time, PM he is owned and bred by Brian and Georgia Casey of Belknap, Il and was handled by Oscar Whitt of Attalla, AL. �Big� ran in the eighth brace which was the first brace on Friday morning he put forth a consistent forward race with six well-spaced finds and showed the broke manners that put him into the top position. Runner � up Champion is Texas Honey Bee, SF she is owned by Kevin Klein of Waterford, PA and was handled by Garry Malzone of Franklin Lake, NJ. �Bee� ran a clean forward race with three finds, her style and manners is what put her next to the winner.
Highlights
Rocky Hollow Big Time, PM (Whitt), �Big� ran in the eight brace of the stake and was the first brace on Friday morning as he was braced with Penrosa Stoneyox, SM �Stone�(Penn). Both dogs quickly left the starting line with Big striking first at 10. Big later backed Stone at 17 where handler Penn elected to take Stone on from this location and not flush. Big now went on to have his second find at 25, as handler Whitt flush and fired and all was good. Nearing the half way point at 29 Stone had his first find with all in order. Now the course turns in to some heavier cover and this didn�t slow Big down as he had finds at 37, and 39 showing good style. Big was found pointing near a plum thicket at 44 where handler could not produce a bird therefore scoring an unproductive. Stone now had his second find at 48 all was in order again yet Stone was not able to keep up with Big, bird for bird today as time was running out. Big was still not done as he had two more finds at 50 and 55 and again the results were with good manners on his game. Stone�s final find came at 58 with Big backing all was good with this stand. Big was cut loose just before time was called and was seen going hard to the front. This was a very exciting brace to watch with both dogs competing to the end. Stone fell short to the winner as his overall performance did not measure up today. Rocky Hollow Big Time was fast through the country and stuck his edges hunting every step. Three of his six finds were dug up and considered dingers. His finish was very good as he was seen covering plenty of ground throughout his hour.
Texas Honey Bee, SF (Malzone) �Bee� ran in the last brace which was listed as having a Bye so she had the course to herself. Bee had three finds with her first one at 13 with flush and shot all in order. Bee went on to have two more finds at 43 and 50. These last two finds were also considered to be off course dingers. Her style and manners were impeccable. Her race was not as extreme or ranging as the winner but her overall performance is what put her next to the winner. Now Bee is no stranger to the NBHA Invitational Breeders Championship. Bee won this event in 2012 when it was a Percy Priest near Nashville, and won this same Championship last year 2015, so she has become a regular to the winners circle.
Other performances to mention that were considered early were 2nd brace Milomix Sunny SF (Wright) �Sunny� put down a solid hour with a well applied application. Sunny had an unproductive at 8 and finds at 26 and an excellent, far to the front, finish and find at 60. Her style and manners around game were also good.
5th brace had Hi Fives Passin Time, PF (Malzone) she started with her first find at 11 all in order she was a handful early but settled in to a nice forward application and quality hour have two more finds at 44 and 55. Her style and manners around game were excellent!
13th brace, Indian Creek Wingman, SM (Malzone) �Lucky� ran a strong, well applied race, with finds at 33 and 43. He was lost at time, but he was very impressive and may have shaken things up if finished.
NBHA National Open Invitational Breeders Championship is a very unique event as there are two ways to be eligible to participate in this event. One way to be eligible is for a dog to have placed in an NBHA trial the previous trial season in either a shooting dog or derby stake. Second way to be eligible is for a dog that has a shooting dog or derby placement that is recognized by the American Field and that it is from an NBHA Futurity nominated litter. With 80 percent of the entries for this event coming from a NBHA Futurity nominated litter, it is showing how breeder support for this event is continuing to grow. With the Futurity linked to this event, this Championship is becoming a class of its own within the organization.
Looking forward and beyond, the NBHA Futurity strives to build a program that will reward a breeder for their efforts, not only with the Puppy Classic, and the Futurity, but the Breeders Championship as well. Once again, the Missouri Bird Hunters Association sponsored $400 toward the NBHA Open Invitational Breeders Championship by supporting the NBHA Futurity program. In return the NBHA Futurity is to award $200 to the breeder of the champion and another $200 to the runner-up, provided that the winners are from an NBHA Futurity nominated litter. This year�s winner Rocky Hollow Big Time, PM; earned $200 for his breeder William B. Casey of Belknap, IL he was nominated in the 25th Futurity that consequently his littermate sister Rocky Hollow Firecracker won.
The NBHA Futurity staff would like to thank the NBHA officers for their support, the management team at the Whetstone Conservation Area, all the trial participants, and anyone else who made this year�s event a successful and memorable event.
See you next year.
