Event: NBHA National Amateur Invitational Championship
Result: Missouri Bird Hunters Association
Location: Grovespring, Missouri
Post Date: Jan 14, 2026
Submitted By: Christian Ogle
NBHA National Amateur Invitational Championship (l-r): (Front row): Greg Isenberg with Tenacee Shelby and Matt Miller with Miller Creek's On The Horizon. (Standing): Rob Warner, Kevin Western, Jack Glover, Matthew Puckett. Judges: Tim Penn (judge), Doug Watt (judge), Randy Zimmer, Joe Zimmer, and Jim Ogle.
This year's Bob Catlett Open Shooting Dog Classic, hosted by the Missouri Bird Hunters Association, was held at the Sportsman's Association Grounds in Grovespring, Missouri, December 3-4. We had cool temperatures on the first day, with a wind chill of 18 . Our dedicated judges were Doug Watt from Iowa and James Ogle from Missouri. It was so nice when they were done to hear people comment on how they watched the dogs so well.
Our third-place finisher was Miller Creek's On The Horizon ("Reyna"), a German Shorthair female. She is owned and handled by Matt Miller of Wisconsin. Reyna was in the second brace on the first day.
Second place was T S Blindside Ransom ("Cye"), owned and handled by Mark Dunlap of Oklahoma. Cye had five well-spaced finds and one UP. Cye hunted the edges well and found all the birds in the right places.
Our 2025 Bob Catlett winner was Kenny Snow's pointer male, Hey Mr. Tin Man. Tin Man ran in the first brace of Day Two. His bracemate was picked up early for an infraction. Tin Man had his first find in the back of the big field across from Andy's. The second find was a pair produced with him standing tall and proud in the field before the road crossing. At 34, he was standing by the big chute in Sycamore Bottoms. His fourth find at 42 was a single before entering the little vine loop. No. 5 would be under a cedar tree on the hill with scrub oaks; No. 6 would be a stop to flush. Tin Man put down a championship performance--race, solid bird work, and style.
Congratulations, Mr. Snow.
Grovespring, Mo., December 3
Judges: James Ogle and Doug Watt
NBHA BOB CATTLETT OPEN SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 18 Entries
1st-HEY MR. TIN MAN, F1680641, pointer male, by Crazy Train-My Lil Whiskey Girl. Kenny Snow, owner and handler.
2d-T S BLINDSIDE RANSOM, F1697449, pointer male, by Texas Cool-Wiggins Super Sin. Mark Dunlap, owner and handler.
3d-MILLER CREEK'S ON THE HORIZON, F1693677, German Shorthair female, by Greyrock's Mile Marker-Outbak's Purdy Slick. Matt Miller, owner and handler.
Larry Carpenter Amateur Derby and Puppy
Kevin Western, Joe Zimmer, Randy Zimmer, and Jack Glover are some of the hardest-working guys you will find. Thank you, gentlemen, for being away from your families to make this an enjoyable trial for all.
These classes, also hosted by the Missouri Bird Hunters Association, were held on Saturday with Doug Watt and Matthew Puckett judging the derbies. We had 13 entries fired up and ready to find birds. Our first-place dog, Red With No Receipts, a pointer male owned and handled by Joshua Pool, showed to have all the tools to be a winner. Joshua also took second with CCR's Captain Show Time, a very nice male pointer owned by Tim Thornton. Third place was Aaron (Travis) Patterson and his young male pointer, Huber's Gut Buster.
Our puppy class was judged by Doug Watt and Tim Penn. We had six entries for this stake. Coming in first was Erin's Cisco of Timbercreek. This pointer male is owned by Chuck Leonard and handled by Aaron Patterson. Second was Chuck Maxson's tricolor setter, Live Wire. Finishing out the class was Huber's Gatling Girl. This little setter female is owned by Aaron Patterson and was handled by Megan Greathouse. With plenty of birds on the course, there was no shortage of action in this stake. Congrats to you all who participated and to the winners.
Judges: Matthew Puckett and Doug Watt
NBHA LARRY CARPENTER AMATEUR DERBY CLASSIC - 7 Pointers and 6 Setters
1st-RED WITH NO RECEIPTS, F1711696, pointer male, by Texas Wild Rex-Hard Rock April Showers. Joshua Pool, owner and handler.
2d-CCR'S CAPTAIN SHOW TIME, F1719957, pointer male, by Wahoo's Black Rail-T D Sugar Show. Tim Thornton, owner; Joshua Pool, handler.
3d-HUBER'S GUT BUSTER, F1717651, pointer male, by I'm Gallant-Huber's Ice Queen. Aaron Patterson, owner and handler.
Judges: Tim Penn and Doug Watt
NBHA LARRY CARPENTER AMATEUR PUPPY CLASSIC - 3 Pointers and 3 Setters
1st-ERIN'S CISCO OF TIMBERCREEK, F1724380, pointer male, by Erin's Grey Justice-Erin's Miss Daisy. Charles Leonard, owner; Aaron Patterson, handler.
2d-LIVE WIRE, F1721474, setter female, by LMD's Can't Touch This-Pretty Packaging. Chuck Maxson, owner and handler.
3d-HUBER'S GATLING GIRL, F1720922, setter female, by Boatrights Iron Eagle-Boatright's Texas Tornado. Aaron Patterson & Megan Greathouse, owners; Megan Greathouse, handler.
NBHA National Amateur Invitational Championship
We started with 12 invited dogs for this championship, with our callback being run on Sunday morning.
The championship breakaway was at 8:01, misty and 40 . Both dogs were anticipating the breakaway. When the whistle blew, it was time for business. Both of these dogs were fun to watch. Speed and class were in no shortage. Miller Creek's On The Horizon ("Reyna") is a German Shorthair female owned and handled by Matt Miller from Wisconsin and scouted by Jack Glover. Bandit Hill Bess is a pointer female owned and handled by Klaus Schmidt of Kansas and scouted by Matthew Puckett. Bess would be first up with a find 300 yards to the front. The drive going to the cemetery would hold a single that flushed right over her head. Holding steady, all was good. At 8:16, Bess was standing again with Reyna backing. The walnut strip in Breakaway Bottoms would contain another single; both dogs stood solid.
Handlers gathered their dogs to reset. As they broke away, Bess would go to the right side near the briar thicket. She slammed point on the edge. She stood solid as Klaus tried to flush in the thicket. Not being able to produce a bird, he went back to relocate Bess. One step in and a tap on the head, the bird flew from under her nose. Bess was picked up.
At 8:35, we crossed the road and found Reyna standing on the hill in a briar patch. Matt kicked up a single, all an order. Entering Sycamore Bottoms, Reyna went up the south hill into the timber. After a very lengthy flushing attempt, Matt had to continue on without producing a bird. Reyna's first up. At 8:49, she was pointing a small covey in the dry creek bed. At 8:54, she was pointing on the hill with some scrub oaks. Matt elected to collar her, believing there were no birds, and move on. Reyna ended the hour hunting hard to the front.
Our second brace was Jack Glover's female setter, Glover's Pepper Shaker. She was scouted by Matthew Puckett. Bracemate was Greg Isenberg's pointer female, Tenacee Shelby. She was scouted by Matt Miller. They were released from the Little Vine Road.
Thirteen minutes in, Shelby was pointing up the hill in the scrub oaks. Greg kicked up a single with all in order. Shelby's next find was in the dry creek bed, pointing one of the stragglers from the covey the brace before. At 17, Pepper was pointing on the edge of the CRP grass. Jack kicked up a single, and they moved on. At 9:41, Shelby was pointing in a small field in Sycamore Bottoms. As Greg got close, the birds flushed wildly. At 9:50, Pepper was picked up as a covey flushed wild, and she didn't stop. At 9:52, Shelby was pointing where the covey flushed. Greg elected not to flush, believing all the birds were gone. After crossing the road at the 9:57 mark, Shelby was pointing along the Walnut strip. Greg kicked up a single. Shelby finished the hour to the front, hunting the edges.
A special thank you to Doug Watt from Iowa and Tim Penn from Missouri for judging.
Congratulations to this year's National Bird Hunters Association National Invitational Champion, Tenacee Shelby, owned and handled by Greg Isenberg.
And to our runner-up champion, Miller Creek's On The Horizon, owned and handled by Matt Miller.
In closing, please remember to always thank our judges and trial hosts. These people are giving their time to you and expect nothing in return. So, if you forget to pick up your trash or clean a dog pen, muck out your horse stall, these are the people that still have to make sure it's done before they go home.
Please support our sponsors when possible: Purina Pro Plan, Garmin, Gun Dog Supply, Gun Dog Central, OnX, and Mule Brand Clothing. Without the support of these fine organizations, we know we would all struggle. Please support them when you can. Thank you very much.
NBHA NATIONAL AMATEUR INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats]- 12 Entries
Winner-TENACEE SHELBY, F1683044, pointer female, by Elhew Moneymaker-Cantor's Coco. Greg Isenberg, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-MILLER CREEK'S ON THE HORIZON, F1693677, German Shorthair female, by Greyrock's Mile Marker-Outbak's Purdy Slick. Matt Miller, owner and handler.