The 2025 National Championship Nominated Dogs, Handlers, and Owners
For field trial and bird dog enthusiasts, the National Championship is more than a competition—it’s a celebration of tradition, community, and the exceptional bond between handlers, owners, and their dogs. The 2025 National Championship promises to be a thrilling event this year, featuring notable updates to leadership, qualifications, and processes that shape this iconic field trial competition. Here’s a closer look at what’s ahead.
The 126th National Championship will officially begin on Monday, February 10, 2025. The running order draw will take place two days earlier, on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Bryan Hall at the Ames Plantation.
This year’s judges includes Rich Robertson, Jr. (Payette, ID), Greg Bain (Moulton, AL), and Bill Mason (Moundville, AL). They will evaluate competitors according to the Amesian Standard, a time-honored framework established by Mr. Hobart Ames, who presided over the National Championship for more than two decades. This enduring standard remains the benchmark for selecting the prestigious title of "National Champion."
For handlers and owners, changes to the qualification process are undoubtedly the most talked-about updates. The NCFTA unveiled these new criteria on social media, sparking widespread discussion within the community. If you missed the updates here is a run down of the updated qualification standards for the 2025 Championship:
First-Place Finish: Any dog with a first-place finish in any qualifying event, throughout its lifetime, is qualified to compete.
Two Placements: Any dog with at least two placements in any qualifying events, again spanning its lifetime, can compete.
Lifetime Qualification for Champions: All previous National Champions are automatically qualified for the life of the dog.
As our writer, Steeple Bell, mentioned in his 2025 Almanac article, the qualifier trials themselves remain unchanged. However, these modifications significantly broaden the field, ushering in an era of inclusivity. For the first time in history, two German Shorthaired Pointers will contend alongside the Pointers and Setters. With these updated standards, the Championships have become more attainable for a wider variety of dogs and their teams. It’s a step that reflects a deep understanding of the hard work and dedication displayed across the field trialing community.
The NCFTA has stated that these updates apply to the 2025 Championship only, with plans to revisit the standards during the 2025 February board meeting. It's a thoughtful approach—balancing openness with strategic oversight to ensure the integrity of the competition remains intact.
The 2025 National Championship Contenders
With the updated qualifications now in place, the doors to the Championship “dance hall” have been flung wide open according to Steeple, welcoming a diverse and talented roster. An impressive 56 dogs have been nominated for the 2025 National Championship. Each of these dogs represents hard work, resilience, and the unwavering commitment of their handlers and owners.
Here are the 2025 Nominations for the National Field Trial and Bird Dog Championships:
Name of Dog | Breed | Sex | Handler | Owner |
Ramblin Rivers Unplugged | Pointer | F S | Brian Gingrich | Bill Stapleton & Mike Northwood |
Miller’s Heat Advisory | Pointer | M | Judd Carlton | John Mathys |
Erin’s High Note | Pointer | M | Judd Carlton | Mike Sweet |
Erin’s Happy Hour | Pointer | M | Judd Carlton | Mike Sweet |
Game Heir | Pointer | M | Fred Corder | Fred Corder |
Game Surge | Pointer | M | Fred Corder | Fred Corder |
Game Star | Pointer | F | Fred Corder | Fred Corder |
BMB's Freeloader | German Shorthair Pointer | M | Brandon Blum | Jennifer & Brandon Blum |
BMB's Free Ride | German Shorthair Pointer | M | Brandon Blum | Brandon Blum |
Painted Owyhee Toad | Pointer | M | Bridget Ledington | Bridget & Jim Ledington |
Miller's Blindsider | Pointer | M | Jamie Daniels | Nick Berrong |
Westfall's True Grit | Pointer | M | Andy Daughtery | Ryan Westfall |
Westfall's Mandalay | Pointer | M | Andy Daughtery | Jim Santarelli |
Westfall's Pioneer Pete | Pointer | M | Andy Daughtery | Bill & Ryan Westfall |
Mauck's Wyeast Owyee Dallee | Setter | F S | Alex Mauck | Alex Mauck |
Southern Thunder | Pointer | M | Tom Shenker | Chris Campbell |
Late Hit | Pointer | M | Tom Shenker | Chris Campbell |
Mayfield Storm Charger | Pointer | M | Allen Vincent | Jake Davis & Scott Mason |
Dunn's True Reign | Pointer | M | Allen Vincent | Norris Sims |
Barshoe Forget Me Not | Pointer | M | Allen Vincent | Robert Gum & Lee West |
I'm Gallant | Pointer | M | Allen Vincent | Jay McKenzie |
Touch's Midnight Rider | Pointer | M | Mark McLean | John Milton |
Haney's All In | Pointer | M | Mark McLean | Steve & Stacey Croy |
Bandit's Hill Avenger | Pointer | M | Mark McLean | Ann Forrester |
Touch's Breakaway Fred | Pointer | M | Mark McLean | Bruce & Karen Norton / Gary Futch |
Woodville's Yukon Cornelius | Setter | M | Mark McLean | Carl Owens |
Touch's Malcolm Story | Pointer | M | Mark McLean | Alex & Bryana Rickert |
Touch's Shadow Rider | Pointer | M | Mark McLean | Dr. Rueben Richardson / Bruce & Karen Norton |
World Class Instigator | Pointer | M | Matt Cochran | Michael Marietta |
Lester's Warbird | Pointer | M | Gary Lester | Tommy & Bonnie Hamilton |
Miller's King Poast | Pointer | M | Gary Lester | Al Bryson |
Lester's Shockwave | Pointer | M | Gary Lester | Tommy & Bonnie Hamilton |
Lester's Storm Surge | Pointer | M | Gary lester | Tommy & Bonnie Hamilton |
Misty Morning Masked Man | Pointer | M | Joey McAlexander | Joey McAlexander |
Miller's Speed Dial | Pointer | M | Randy Anderson | Michael Marietta |
Touch's Fire Away | Pointer | M | Randy Anderson | Greg and Carmen Adams |
Bonner's Bulletproof | Pointer | M | Randy Anderson | Chris Corman |
Southwind Joy's Resurgence | Setter | F | Lori Steinshouer | Michael Eades |
Highground Toby | Setter | M | Lori Steinshouer | Lori Auckenthaler Charles & Kara Kunde and Jef Gilbertson |
Highground Gidget | Setter | F | Lori Steinshouer | Lori Steinshouer and Lynn & Teresa Stinson |
Rebel Cause | Pointer | M | David Williams | David Williams |
Erin's Code of Honor | Pointer | M | Luke Eisenhart | Allen Linder |
Erin's Perfect Storm | Pointer | M | Luke Eisenhart | Brad Woodie |
Resters Johnny Ringo | Pointer | M | Luke Eisenhart | Dr. Rueben Richardson / Cecil Rester |
Nighthawk Rebel | Pointer | M | Tracy Swearingen | Rick Leverich / Sheree Lucero |
Lester's Storm Chaser | Pointer | M | Robert "Lefty" Henry | John Ivester |
Haney's Storm Warning | Pointer | M | Chris Cagle Sr | Chris Cagle Sr. & Chris Cagle Jr. |
Haney's Silver Dollar | Pointer | M | Chris Cagle Sr | Chris Cagle Sr. & Chris Cagle Jr. |
Como Thunder | Pointer | M | David Russell | David Russell |
Haney's Hurricane Seeker | Pointer | M | David Russell | David Russell |
Whippoorwill Vette | Pointer | M | Larry Huffman | Dale Bush |
Lester's Front Porch | Pointer | M | Patrick Siebels | John Kampeter |
Bonner's Hot Rize | Pointer | M | Korry Rinehart | Jannie Chapman |
Superstition's Jake | Pointer | M | Brody Byrd | Richard Peterson |
Como Rain | Pointer | M | Brody Byrd | Richard Peterson |
Coldwater Odyssey | Pointer | M | Weldon Bennett | Debbie and Andy Agnew |
Hunt & Field will publish the 126th National Championship special edition. We will profile each contender, handler and owner. If you have a dog running in the championship please email a photo to info@huntandfieldmag.com. Steeple Bell will be writing the profiles so be sure to connect with Steeple before February 10th.
If you would like to order a copy of this year's 126th National Championship Special Edition please order it below.
