Result: NBHA Western Regional Championship

Location: Alvord, Texas

Post Date: Mar 3, 2026

Submitted By: Ken Sauer

NBHA Western Regional Open Shooting Dog Championship (l-r): Matthew Puckett, Rillie Pool, Josh Pool, Jake Davis, Rob Warner, and Mike Taylor (behind). K C's Next Gen with Ken Sauer, Alex Martinez, Chris Cornman (judge), Chuck Maxson, Dustin Huggins with Blazin Cora of Dixie, Jason Gallager, Jason Super (judge), Ty Seybert (bird planter), Trey Baer, Bunny Snyder, Robert Jones, and Connor Erickson.

We always start by thanking our gracious sponsors. Purina Pro Plan, Park Cities Quail Coalition for the grants to improve the trial grounds over the last two years, the USFS for allowing us to have these events and make improvements, Garmin for the continued support over many years, Mule Brand Clothing, Gun Dog Supply, OnX Hunt, and Gun Dog Central. And I can't forget Lary Cox of Christie Saddlery for the really nice leather roading harnesses for the Derby and Puppy winners and Champions Choice Silver for the handsome buckles to the champion and runner-up.

The courses are very conducive to trials. They're not the perceived "edge" country, but do have edges in some of the more open parts of the pasture. There are a lot of objective-type spots that have birds. There are plenty of ponds and stock tanks about every 10-15 minutes of the course. This makes it great for warm-weather events. These watering holes make it great to keep dogs from overheating.

The folks who helped us hold this event are critical to pull off any event. Our judges were Dr. Chris Cornman and Jason Super, two really good dog men. Your time in the saddle was greatly appreciated. Thank you to Larry Seybert Sr. and Ty Seybert, who manned the bird planting duties and the dog wagon. My dear wife, Melissa Sauer, for lunches and preparing evening meals for the Judges was a huge help. She was also scouting my dogs when I ran.

We had some new folks come out to see the action and lend their helping hand. Abel Rodriguez, Alex Martinez, and Steve Engle. We all got to see Brady Elmore and his wife, Samantha, coming back to some trials. A special thanks to Matthew Puckett for scouting dogs when folks didn't have scouts, for my moral support, and for doing the AI-generated draw. Can't forget Trey Baer for helping us with some bird planting, putting out some pre-released coveys, setting up feeders, and feeding the birds early in the week after some of the snow and ice melted. He was also instrumental in all the work we've done over two summers with clearing and mulching on the trial grounds. We also had folks from Montana (Connor Erickson), Wyoming (Robert Jones), Illinois (Rob Warner), Kansas (Chuck Maxson), Missouri (Justin Crook), Arkansas (Dustin Huggins), and Oklahoma. Jake Davis of Midland, Texas, also brought some really nice dogs. Abel Rodriguez and Alex Martinez of Texas came out for their first field trial experience.

So the week before the trial, we had 8" of sleet, snow, and freezing rain. It looked like it was going to be a cold, muddy mess. As it turned out, the weather gradually warmed up and somewhat dried up the course. As the Texas weather does, temperatures warmed up, with some cooler mornings. Still got warm (OK, hot would be a better analogy). The Championship started on Friday morning and concluded around lunchtime on Saturday. The Championship drew 22 Open Shooting dogs. The Derbies drew 13 dogs, and the Puppies drew 10 dogs. Many breeds were represented.

A week before the trial, I developed a pretty bad sinus infection. Two weeks later, as I'm writing this, I still don't feel well. I just had to figure out a way to play hurt. Matthew Puckett was instrumental in keeping me motivated and helping out.

I didn't hire a reporter for this event and should have. Detailed reporting is a big deal for me, so everyone can visualize a picture of all the happenings. If I had felt better, I would have ridden every brace, but I couldn't do it. My apologies. I'll recap the highlights and winners below, for which I do have some records.

Western Regional Championship
There were many dogs with only one or two finds. There were a lot of birds out there. For some reason, scenting conditions were tough, even in the cooler morning braces. It even got tougher as temperatures rose.

Champion: KC's Next Gen ("Ben"); Ken Sauer, Owner/Handler.
Ben drew out in the fifth brace with temperatures in the low 80s. He scored his first find at 9 on a pair of birds with all in order. The second bird contact at 25 on a covey of birds at the hairpin turn. His third find came on yet another covey near a stock tank in heavy cover. His fourth find was on a single out in the heavy grass cover. Ben won this Western Regional back in 2023 in Inola, Oklahoma. His sire, K C's Shrimpboot, had won it many years earlier.

Runner-up Champion: Blazin Cora of Dixie ("Cora"); Dustin Huggins, Owner/Handler.
Cora drew out in the last brace of the Championship. Here again, it was just after lunch, and warm. At 19, Cora had a stop. Her handler couldn't produce the bird, but when collared, the bird was flushed by the judge's horse. Again at 33 at the hairpin turn, Cora was standing again. All the handler could produce was a pile of feathers. At 49, she had a stop-to-flush in heavy cover. Cora scored a find at 54 on the back side of the course with multiple birds getting up. Heading back towards the breakaway, there was a straggler bird on bare cover that flushed, and she carded another stop to flush. Cora is a nice-moving German shorthaired pointer and has lots of manners on her game.

Honorable Mention
Jane's Atlantic Way ("Jane"); Josh Pool, Owner/Handler.
Jane drew the first brace of Saturday. She's a very nice setter and easy on the eyes. She scored bird work at 14, 20, a stop-to-flush at 30, finds at 37, 40, at 47, pointed a rabbit that came out, another find at 50, and 57. There was a situation in which the handler put his hands on the dog prior to flushing, which removed her from the competition.
Texas Frostbite ("Frost"); Matthew Puckett, Owner/Handler.
Frost ran in Brace 9 on Saturday. At 25, she suffered an unproductive at the hairpin turn. She scored on game at 40 and 46 with nice style and manners. At 52, she had a stop-to-flush with all in order. Frost is a first-year shooting dog and really, really nice. She will be one to reckon with for many years.
Heaven Scent's Red Raider (Raider"); Cary Waterhouse, Owner/Handler.
Raider made game three times, at 20, 50, and 53 on a bird she previously pointed.

Alvord, Tex., February 6
Judges: Chris Cornman and Jason Super
NBHA WESTERN REGIONAL OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 22 Entries
Winner-K C'S NEXT GEN, F1699316, pointer male, by K C's Shrimpboot-K C's Beth Hart. Ken Sauer, owner and handler.
Runner-Up-BLAZIN CORA OF DIXIE, F1717161, German Shorthair female, by Ringneck's Nightmare On the Prairie-Blazin Duchess of Dixie. Dustin Huggins, owner and handler.

Western Regional Open Derby
First Place: Jones' Blazing Star ("Phoebe"); Robert Jones, Owner/Handler.
Phoebe scored game on multiple occasions, at 5, 14, 23, and 25. At 28, she suffered an unproductive.
Second Place: HPK Chaos ("Buck"); Trey Baer and Melissa Sauer, Owners; Trey Baer, Handler.
Buck scored game at 25. He's a nice moving front-running pointer. Yes, you read that right, Trey Baer owns a Pointer.
Third Place: Lil Elhew Chief Snakefeather ("Chief"); Mike Taylor, Owner/Handler.
Chief is no stranger to the winner's circle, even since he was a puppy. He scored game on 5, 11, and 16. Again at 29, he was found, but only feathers were produced.

NBHA Open Derby (l-r): Ailyn Martinez, Alex Martinez, Rob Warner, Jones' Blazing Star with Robert Jones, Chuck Maxson, Jason Super (judge), HPK Chaos with Trey Baer, Chris Cornman (judge), Ty Seybert, Lil Elhew Chief Snakefeather with Mike Taylor, Jennifer Taylor, Adrian Jackson behind the scenes, Brady Elmore, Samantha Elmore, Ken Sauer, Amber Cornman, Aziliz Martinez, Johnny Martinez, Bunny Snyder, and Connor Erickson.

NBHA OPEN DERBY- 13 Entries
1st-JONES' BLAZING STAR, F1716431, setter female, by Highground Toby-Southwind Joy's Resurgence. Robert Jones, owner and handler.
2d-HPK CHAOS, F1722398, pointer male, by K C's Tye Oneon-Rock Acre Margarita. Trey Bear & Melissa Sauer, owners; Trey Baer, handler.
3d-LIL ELHEW CHIEF SNAKEFEATHER, F1709748, pointer male, by Hackberry's Elhew Chief-Hackberry's Elhew Ashlee. Mike Taylor, owner and handler.

NBHA Open Puppy (l-r): Ailyn Martinez, Alex Martinez, Rob Warner, Connor Erickson with Quail Hawks Busy Bee The Baby Boykin, Chris Cornman (judge), Chuck Maxson with Live Wire, Jason Super (judge), Ken Sauer, Mike Taylor with Huckleberry's Snake Lady McGee, Ty Seybert, Trey Baer, Jennifer Taylor, Brady Elmore, Samantha Elmore, Aziliz Martinez, Amber Cornman, Adrian Jackson (Behind the scene), Bunny Snyder, and Johnny Martinez.

NBHA OPEN PUPPY - 2 Pointers and 8 Setters
1st-QUAIL HAWKS BUSY BEE THE BABY BOYKIN, unreg., setter female, by Skedaddle's Crockett-Quail Hawk's Gamora. Nick Kashko, owner; Connor Erickson, handler.
2d-LIVE WIRE, F1721474, setter female, by LMD's Cant' Touch This-Pretty Packaging. Chuck Maxson, owner and handler.
3d-HACKBERRY'S SNAKE LADY MCGEE, F1721939, pointer female, by Elhew Snakemaster-Hackberry's Elhew Leve. Michial Taylor, owner and handler.

Wow, what a nice gallery for our NBHA Western Regional Championship. LBJ Grasslands, Alvord, TX, first creek crossing.

We can't thank Purina Pro Plan Enough for the continued support of our events. You guys are the GREATEST!