Ringneck Festival & Bird Dog Challenge
November 6-8, 2025, will mark the 28th year of the Huron Ringneck Festival competition and the 23rd year for the Bird Dog Challenge. Up to thirty teams with participants from over 20 states compete in the event. Complete an application today so you don't miss out on this annual weekend event!
Photos from the Ringneck Festival can be found on our Facebook page.
If you have any questions, contact the Huron Chamber and Visitors Bureau:
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Download Your 2025 Ringneck Festival Applications
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Learn More About the Ringneck Festival
2024 Ringneck Festival Results
View Results2024 Bird Dog Challenge Results
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Ringneck Festival Competition Hunt
The Ringneck Festival Competition Hunt consists of six-member teams, attempting to bring back 18 pheasants. Each member is allowed four shells. Limiting the number of shells helps ensure that hunters will take clean shots, reducing the number of injured birds. Each team may have up to two dogs in the field at one time. Two non-partisan scorekeepers randomly drawn will document the hunt for each team. Land is provided for each team to hunt and drawn randomly by landowners. The hunt begins at 10am and ends at 4pm or when all 24 shells have been used, or 18 birds have been harvested. Team captains and scorekeepers must accompany the birds to officially record count and weight. Entry fee is $1800 per team ($300 per hunter) which includes meals, hunt, entertainment, and prizes!
Awards are given to the First, Second, and Third Place Teams and Landowners.
Awards include shotguns for each hunter and gift cards.
Application deadline is August 29, 2025. Teams will be selected and notified by September 19, 2025. Get your application in early - Only 30 teams accepted!
The Ringneck Festival Bird Dog Challenge is the kickoff to the Ringneck Festival as a two-day event on November 6-7, 2025. This exhibition tests the skills of two hunters and one dog. Each hunter is limited to five shells each as the team attempts to retrieve six birds in a 15-minute time period. Points are awarded to each team based on birds harvested, full retrieves, partial retrieves, normal retrieves, shots not takes, and every second remaining on the clock. Contestants may enter multiple times but must change up one element of the team - hunter or dog change. Each entry fee is $175 per team and includes a ticket to Friday night's Ringneck Dinner and Festivities.
Cash prizes are awarded to First through Fifth place teams.
The application deadline is October 4, 2025. Any openings following deadline will be filled first-come basis.
Ringneck Festival and Bird Dog Challenge 2019
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Ringneck Festival Hall of Fame
The RLB's Ringneck Festival Hall of Fame was established in 2009 to honor participants for years spent in the festival who show extraordinary enthusiasm during and outside of the event. This award was created in honor and memory of Roger Bultman and RLB Kennels. Mr. Bultman was Captain for Team RLB Rooster Raiders in the early Ringneck Festival years. His enthusiasm, support, and love for the Festival encouraged many teams to participate. Some still come each year, including his own RLB Rooster Raiders. In his honor, RLB Ringneck Festival Hall of Fame was set up to recognize participants who have given tremendously through event history physically, spiritually, financially, or any other worthy form. Inductees include individual hunters, teams, landowners, scorekeepers, committee members, sponsors, and volunteers. Anyone can submit a nominee. Nominees should possess a tremendous passion for the Ringneck Festival, hunting, and outdoors in general. They should exhibit support and enthusiasm for the event from participating, recruiting, and genuinely enjoying the Ringneck Festival experience. The RLB's Ringneck Festival Hall of Fame will carry on the spirit of this event as each inductee is recognized for their assistance in making the Ringneck Festival what it is today and what it will be for the future.
Nominate a Hall of Fame Inductee2024 Ringneck Festival Hall of Fame Inductee
Ringneck Team - Cock Blockers
We celebrated with a team who has been a true cornerstone of the Ringneck Festival. Their journey with us began back in 2011. While only one was from Huron, Dan Krugman, encouraged his friends to join the fun and travel North to Huron to have some competitive hunting fun. In 2012, one of their own took the plunge and became a committee member. He didn't just join the team; he rolled up his sleeves and dove right into the heart of the action! Talk about commitment! Their team had the brilliant idea of raising funds for scholarships for our landowners, volunteers and scorekeepers' families, which led to the creation of our Silent Auction. Thanks to their efforts, we've been able to support our community in ways we never thought possible. Who knew that bidding on fabulous items could do so much good.
This team has also been instrumental in bringing new teams to the Ringneck Festival. Their enthusiasm is contagious! Let's not forget their contributions to the Bird Dog Challenge! This team has been participating in several runs a year since 2013, racking up some impressive placements along the way. Congratulations to the Cock Blockers and thank you for all you have done to make this festival fun and coming back every year!
Ringneck Volunteer - Paula Mom
Since joining the committee in 2013, she has worked tirelessly helping to secure landowners, scorekeepers and volunteers. She also takes Thursday and Friday off to ensure everything runs smoothly during the Bird Dog Challenge. It's clear that her dedication goes above and beyond. She is the one helping to keep everyone on track during the event. And when scorekeepers are needed, she doesn't hesitate to step in - often recruiting her three sons to help out. They couldn't tell her no.
Every Saturday, sometimes or most times, after very little sleep, she rises early to pack sandwiches for the team lunches, helping set the tone for a great day ahead. Afterwards, she assists with the scorekeeper meetings and heads to the hunt check-in to welcome the teams back. She has a unique talent for making everyone feel welcomed, creating connections that keep participants returning year after year.
Although she recently moved to Minnesota, she made the journey back to help us. We truly hope she will keep reserving these days each year, as her presence is invaluable to our Ringneck Festival. Thank you, Paula, for all your hard work and dedication you have contributed to our festival!
Past Hall of Fame Inductee
Scholarship and Grant
Ringneck Festival and Bird Dog Challenge Volunteer Scholarship
This scholarship was established in 2017 to show appreciation for and encourage continued volunteerism for the Ringneck Festival. The Ringneck Festival weekend would not function without our valued volunteers - Committee Members, Landowners, Scorekeepers, Banquet Help and Behind The Scenes. This scholarship is for volunteers or family members of those who put in extra time and support to the Ringneck Festival. Proceeds for the scholarships are raised through a silent auction during Saturday's banquet. Each Ringneck Festival Competition Hunt Team is encouraged to bring an item or basket for the silent auction.
Download the Volunteer Scholarship ApplicationThe Strassman Fund
The (Stephanie) Strassman Fund was established in 2005 as the result of a tragic accident that occurred to one of the Ringneck Festival Team family members during the Ringneck Festival. Bob Strassman, and his team "Da Boys", had participated in the Ringneck Festival for many years. In 2004, while on the Competition Hunt, Bob Strassman's daughter Stephanie was killed in a motor vehicle accident in Wisconsin. The next year Bob returned to the Ringneck Festival with his team under the new name, "Stephanie's Six Pack". Bob presented the Committee with a shotgun to be auctioned off on Stephanie's behalf. The funds raised were to be used for youth activities related to shooting sports, hunting, and the outdoors. "Stephanie had a love for the land and a passion for the hunt. She was an outdoor and hunting enthusiast and would have wanted me to do this. Stephanie would be honored to know that there are funds donated in her name to help youth understand and appreciate the land and its treasured resources." said Bob Strassman. Every other year, money continues to be raised with a gun auction, in Stephanie's honor, during Saturday's banquet of the Ringneck Festival. The Strassman Fund grant program supports youth hunting sportsmanship and outdoor activities. For more information on how to apply, call or email the Huron Chamber & Visitor's Bureau.
