Result: ABHA National Free-for-All Championship

Location: Lavergne, Tennessee

Post Date: Jun 9, 2026

Submitted By: William Rogers

ABHA National Free-for-All Championship (bottom, l-r): J. D. Waters with My Way Little Bud, Tony Bingham with Smoke Rise Jake, Aaron McAfee with Crow Creek Bud, Terry Boatright with Santee River Pawley Girl, and Ronnie Rogers with The Treasure Chest. (Back row): Dustin Huggins with Blazin Cora of Dixie, Tom McCluskey with Snowy River's Set Fire Suzie, Sherri Tangsrud (judge), Kirk Loftin (judge), Zack Erne with Cates Rocket Girl, Mike Fox with Foxy Lady Sadie, and James Kleve with Warjam's Big Mac Daddy.

A great time was had in middle Tennessee, and good people with great bird dogs put on a show. The weather was good for January, and the scenting conditions with plenty of birds made for an outstanding national-level championship! The format of a Free-For-All makes for interesting happenings with everyone trying to make a callback during the initial series. The finals are a new trial with the previous winner thrown in the mix to obtain the best of the best! Mark your calendar for the second week in January 2027 and join us. Good food, good people, plenty of birds, and great dogs!

Our judges this year were prominent Shorthair trialers, who just left Hell Creek with a National Invitational Championship win! Congratulations, Sherri Tangsrud, and Kirk Loftin! These two are well-respected judges who made every effort to watch every entry. We enjoyed being around them. They rode hard and in the end made great choices. Thanks!

We want to thank Purina for their support, with dog food for the winners and gifts for the judges. Purina's support of field trials really helps. A special thanks to Donna Boatright for helping with all meals; they were great. Thanks to Lisa Monroe for driving the dog wagon and helping plant birds. Also, to Mike Griffin for helping in that role. Everyone there pitched in and helped make the trial a huge success. ABHA is growing fast, and that is attributed to the people involved, so come on, get on board, we'd be glad to have you!

After a couple of days of hotly contested preliminary braces, the judges had their dogs for Sunday set. Cates Rocket Girl, a setter female handled by Zack Erne, and Crow Creek Redbud, a pointer female handled by Aaron McAfee, were previous winners and automatic for the callback. North Carolina handler Tony Bingham had three in the callback: a pointer female, Santee River Pawley Girl, and pointer males, My Way Little Bud, and Smoke Rise Jake. Dustin Huggins put two Shorthairs in the finals, Blazin Cora of Dixie, and Snowy River's Set Fire Suzie. Another North Carolina handler, Cliff Monroe, ably got pointer male, The Treasure Chest, to Sunday. Finishing out the callback, James Cleve handled his big running pointer, Warjam's Big Mac Daddy, to the finals. This made for a great Sunday contest.

Sunday came, and there was tension in the air. The dogs did not disappoint! Every dog competed hard and proved to everyone why they were there. Smoke Rise Jake in the third brace set a standard for this Sunday's trial and for Sundays to come in this Championship! He carded seven finds, all to the front and with perfect manners. A multiple champion, he showed why! Runner-up went to Aaron McAfee and previous winner, Crow Creek Redbud. This female had a huge race with four great finds. Two more dogs that pushed for recognition were Cliff Monroe with The Treasure Chest, who had a great race, unfortunately, with a long absence. The Erne boys' multiple champion, Cates Rocket Girl, had five great finds and, unfortunately, a bird contact that left judges with questions. Again, a great trial! Can't wait for next year's championship!

LaVergne, Tenn., January 8
Judges: Dr. Kirk A. Loftin and Sherri L. Tangsrud
ABHA NATIONAL FREE-FOR-ALL CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] - 23 Pointers, 11 Setters, 1 Irish Setter, and 2 German Shorthairs
Winner-SMOKE RISE JAKE, F1684876, pointer male, by Stoney Run's Buddy-Smoke Rise Mariah. P. F. Rose, owner; Tony Bingham, handler.
Runner-Up-CROW CREEK REDBUD, F1697119, pointer female, by Walker's Legacy-Redbud's Country Girl. Aaron McAfee, owner and handler.

ABHA OPEN DERBY - 4 Pointers, 2 Setters, and 1 German Shorthair
1st-SMOKE RISE ROCK, F1716094, pointer male, by Smoke Rise Jake-Hasty's Dolly Parton. Fred Rose, owner and handler.
2d-CROUSE'S GROUSE FEATHER, F1713380, setter male, by Shagtime Max-GF Southern Belle. Mary Sue Schalk & M. D. Crouse, owners; Mary Sue Schalk, handler.
3d-MOHAWK MILL RITZY LADY, F1716175, pointer female, by Rocky River Halo-Mohawk Mill Lady Justice. J. D. Waters & Caren Mansfield, owners; J. D. Waters, handler.

ABHA OPEN PUPPY - 6 Pointers, 1 Setter, and 2 Irish Setters
1st-MUSCLE SHOALS RIPTIDE, F1724940, pointer male, by Sma's Stormy Boss-Honky Tonk Sally. Mark Hester, owner and handler.
2d-REDBUD'S JJ, F1720050, pointer male, by Smoke Rise Jake-The Lady Ex. Aaron McAfee, owner and handler.
3d-BOATRIGHT'S RUBY RED, F1721927, Irish setter female, by S C Simply Irresistable-Keep On Shining. Donna Boatright, owner; Terry Boatright, handler.