About Us
Founded in 1995, The National Bird Dog Challenge Association (N.B.D.C.A.) was formed by local Iowa game farm owners to provide their members an opportunity to draw to an end the grillroom debate of who in fact owned “the best upland hunting dog”. That year 23 competitors attended their inaugural championship and the game was started.
By the year 2000 word had spread and 50 tournaments were needed to meet the growing popularity of the game. 650 members joined the N.B.D.C.A. and attempted to qualify for the National Championship where that year 220 competitive runs were scheduled. In 2003 new owners purchased the organization and embarked on an aggressive growth campaign that included a qualifying point system to allow accurate recordings of dog and competitor. This enabled them to best track competitor’s performance at various qualifying competitions. In doing such, Regions were created and a system of control was in place that identified the game’s best players. The reception was overwhelming and soon they were able to implement benchmarks and titles that would insure a player’s legacy in the sport – dog and human alike. A Champions Club Dog Registry was formed, World Rankings for both Dog and Competitor created and The Hall of Fame recognizing a dog’s lifetime achievements was born.
The game’s popularity and growing reputation among upland game hunters created even greater opportunity for visibility and recognition for the competitors. A national television audience had become bored with its limited exposure to quality hunting programs. Dominated by big game hunts that often featured exclusive game in regions only accessible to those of wealth; a yearning existed for the common hunter. Specifically, upland game hunters had little if any opportunity to pass their off seasons watching programs that showcased their passion. The Bird Dog Challenge Series (BDC) began broadcasting on The Outdoor Channel in 2005, anchoring their Thursday Night Flights segment. Achieving an impressive Nielsen Rating, it became very successful in a short amount of time. The program went off the air in 2008 due to escalating costs.
In 2009 an Advisory Board was created with representatives from each region of the country including Players, Tournament Directors and Game Farm owners to assist in guiding the organization in all aspects of the company. This first group was responsible for a significant re-write of the rule book, development of the new One Dog stake and a focus on core values of the organization to maximize the enjoyment of competitors and their family members.
In March of 2011 the ownership of Bird Dog Challenge changed and the new organization was named the National Bird Dog Circuit. The new management team along with the Advisory Board is made up of volunteers. There are no paid staff; including employees, principles or associated persons in these positions. New management has committed to grow the operation and in conjunction with the Advisory Board, created a mission statement to guide decision making. The mission statement is below:
NATIONAL BIRD DOG CIRCUIT MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the National Bird Dog Circuit is to offer the finest competition bird dog hunting experience throughout the United States. We will do this by providing fair, fun, family friendly and professionally managed events. Competitors of all ages and skill levels can test their abilities, showcase their exceptional dogs and receive recognition for their accomplishments. We stress safety, integrity, courtesy, professionalism and respect. We will balance cost and awards to make the BDC experience widely and affordably available.
The National Bird Dog Circuit has a broad scope and appeal. This is true whether discussing the divisions offered at our tournaments; youth to Masters, our geography; upstate New York to Southern California, the number of states where our members reside; 27 plus 2 Canadian Provinces or simply the number of states where tournaments are hosted; 24. The National Bird Dog Circuit has something for everyone. It is “The Ultimate Challenge”.
National Bird Dog Circuit Executive Committee
Bing Wesner – President
Tom Glynn – Vice President
Bob Garrity – Treasurer
Mike Pyle – Secretary
National Bird Dog Circuit Advisory Board
Holly Busboom-Tompkins
Jeff Foster
Bob Garrity
Mark Krieg
Shawn McElroy
Mike Pyle
Mark Sweeney
Jon Tuma
Bing Wesner