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Kentucky bird dog field trials, dates and placings
3 club trials ahead and 9 American Field reports from Kevil, Berea and Dixon, 2025 and 2026: 20 placings for pointers and setters.
Photo: ilouque (CC BY 2.0)
Kentucky bird dog trials at a glance
American Field reported 9 Kentucky trials in 2025 and 2026, run by regional championships, the NBHA and ABHA and local bird dog clubs.
8 setters and 12 pointers placed; 6 of the dogs were females. 3 dates ahead, held at Berea.
Next Kentucky field trial dates
Club and championship trials, soonest first.
| Set for | Event | Host | Where held | Fine print | Next | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 6, 2026 | NBHA National Amateur Championship 2026 (bird dog field trial) | Listing | Source | |||
| Dec 11–13, 2026 | East Kentucky Field Trial Club UKC Field Trial (UKC bird dog trial) | Listing | Source | |||
| Mar 5–7, 2027 | Buck Tuck Field Trial Club Bird Dog Field Trial (horseback bird dog trial) | Listing | Source |
Times, seats, ages and fees as the hosts printed them on November 9, 2026; call the host before you drive. Times are on local clock time: Central Time in the western 41 counties, Eastern Time elsewhere.
Kentucky placings in one table
Copied from the reports with nothing added.
| Start | Event | Town | Stake and result | Dog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 2026 | Region 4 Amateur All-Age Championship 2026 (report of April 20, 2026) | Kevil | first | Dialed Again |
| Mar 22, 2026 | Region 4 Amateur All-Age Championship 2026 (report of April 20, 2026) | Kevil | runner-up | Imagine |
| Dec 19, 2025 | West Kentucky Field Trial Club, NBHA Kentucky State Classic 2025 (report of February 26, 2026) | Kevil | first | Foxy Lady Sadie |
| Dec 19, 2025 | West Kentucky Field Trial Club, NBHA Kentucky State Classic 2025 (report of February 26, 2026) | Kevil | runner-up | Cates Rocket Girl |
| Nov 29, 2025 | Quail Championship Invitational 2025 (report of May 4, 2026) | Kevil | first | Erin's Code Of Honor |
| Nov 29, 2025 | Quail Championship Invitational 2025 (report of May 4, 2026) | Kevil | runner-up | Lester's War Bird |
| Nov 6, 2025 | ABHA National Championship 2025 (report of December 10, 2025) | Berea | first | Tenacee Franklin |
| Nov 6, 2025 | ABHA National Championship 2025 (report of December 10, 2025) | Berea | runner-up | Mohawk Mill Shake Up |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Kentucky Open Shooting Dog Championship 2025 (report of December 5, 2025) | Berea | first | Fort River's Lucky Charm |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Kentucky Open Shooting Dog Championship 2025 (report of December 5, 2025) | Berea | runner-up | Smoke'n'mirrors |
| Oct 11, 2025 | Plain Fields Bird Dog Club 2025 (report of October 29, 2025) | Berea | first | Smith's Blackfork Uno |
| Oct 11, 2025 | Plain Fields Bird Dog Club 2025 (report of October 29, 2025) | Berea | runner-up | Knight's Rebel Renegade |
| Apr 11, 2025 | West Kentucky NBHA Spring Trial 2025 (report of May 15, 2025) | Dixon | first | Vitali Grouseringer Pappy |
| Apr 11, 2025 | West Kentucky NBHA Spring Trial 2025 (report of May 15, 2025) | Dixon | runner-up | Snyder's Hank |
| Apr 11, 2025 | West Kentucky NBHA Spring Trial 2025 (report of May 15, 2025) | Dixon | first | Crouse's Grouse Feather |
| Apr 11, 2025 | West Kentucky NBHA Spring Trial 2025 (report of May 15, 2025) | Dixon | first | Pb John The Baptist |
| Mar 24, 2025 | Bear Pond Field Trial Club, Bear Pond Shooting Dog Classic 2025 (report of April 28, 2025) | Kevil | first | Bryant's Give It A Rip |
| Mar 24, 2025 | Bear Pond Field Trial Club, Bear Pond Shooting Dog Classic 2025 (report of April 28, 2025) | Kevil | runner-up | High Enchantress |
| Mar 22, 2025 | Region 4 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship 2025 (report of May 5, 2025) | Berea | first | Bryant's Silver Lining |
| Mar 22, 2025 | Region 4 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship 2025 (report of May 5, 2025) | Berea | runner-up | Calico's Country Strong |
American Field results reports (americanfield.com), read November 9, 2026; first running day as each report gives it; breed, sex, owners and handlers as printed.
What Kentucky allows bird dog owners
Western Zone counties are wildlife districts I and II; the rest of the state is the Eastern Zone.
| County | Zone | Region | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard County | Western | Purchase Region | Kevil |
| Madison County | Eastern | Bluegrass Region | Berea |
| Webster County | Western | Green River Region | Dixon |
| Zone | Dates | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Zone | Nov 1–13, 2026 Nov 16–Jan 31, 2027 | Guide p. 27 |
| Western Zone | Nov 16–Feb 10, 2027 | Guide p. 27 |
The Eastern Zone opens earlier and pauses for the first two days of modern gun deer season.
No dogs for deer or elk or spring turkey; dogs may flush turkeys in fall; bear dogs only in legal seasons with approved breeds; leashed tracking dogs may recover deer, elk and bear; rabbits, foxes, coyotes, raccoons and opossums may be run year-round.
Pen-reared banded quail may be shot for dog training on private land August 15-May 15 (outside quail season) with an application.
Dogs: Guide p. 11 · Quail bag: Guide p. 28 · Small game zones; checked November 10, 2026.
The Kentucky trial map
Berea in the east, Kevil and Dixon in the west.
What to carry to a Kentucky field trial
Chosen with damp Kentucky bottoms and long drives in mind.
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GPS dog collar
Shooting dogs and all-age dogs run big on the grounds at Berea and Kevil; a collar shows where they went.
Further from the Kentucky field trials
Before a mentored hunt or a range day, read the hunter education and youth rules on the youth page.
Northern bobwhite quail standing in dry grassPhoto: Matt Tillett (CC BY 2.0)
Northern bobwhite quailPhoto: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0)
Northern bobwhite quail pair in grass and wildflowersPhoto: cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
What people ask about Kentucky trials
How does Kentucky handle banded training quail?
Pen-reared banded quail may be shot for dog training on private land August 15-May 15 (outside quail season) with an application. Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide
Which WMA hosts Kentucky club trials?
Reports name Kevil (Ballard County), Berea (Madison County) and Dixon (Webster County). KDFWR calendar club trials use Miller Welch-Central Kentucky WMA near Berea.
Which dogs won Kentucky stakes more than once?
No. 11 different dogs took first in the 9 reports.
What Kentucky field trial reports does this page hold?
9 American Field reports from 2025 and 2026, with 20 placings, at Kevil, Berea and Dixon.
What trials are ahead in Kentucky?
NBHA National Amateur Championship 2026: December 6, 2026, Miller Welch-Central Kentucky WMA, Berea, Madison County. East Kentucky Field Trial Club UKC Field Trial: December 11 to December 13, 2026, Miller Welch-Central Kentucky WMA, Berea, Madison County, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM ET. Buck Tuck Field Trial Club Bird Dog Field Trial: March 5 to March 7, 2027, Miller Welch-Central Kentucky WMA, Berea, Madison County, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET.
Which setter won the 2025 Kentucky Open?
Kentucky Open Shooting Dog Championship 2025 (October 31, 2025): first, Fort River's Lucky Charm (setter male); runner-up, Smoke'n'mirrors (pointer female).
Which handlers show up twice in Kentucky?
As printed: Matt Basilone (2) and Kenton Bryant (2).
How do the Kentucky quail zones differ?
Eastern Zone: November 1 to November 13, 2026 and November 16, 2026 to January 31, 2027. Western Zone: November 16, 2026 to February 10, 2027. Bobwhite limits for both zones run 8 daily, 16 possession. Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide
Other photos on this page: Matt Tillett (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0).