DOY Season Finale 2025-26

2025-2026 Season Finale

A Season for the History Books: The American Treeing Feist 2025–2026 Campaign

The 2025–2026 American Treeing Feist Association (ATFA) season will be remembered as one of the most competitive, dramatic, and meaningful in the history of the association. From the opening casts of fall to the final trees of late winter, handlers and dogs alike pushed the limits of consistency, heart, and performance—knowing that this year, only the very best would have a shot at the ultimate prize.

This was the first season under the new ATFA Dog of the Year format, a bold change designed to elevate the title and ensure it crowned the most complete and accomplished dog of the year. And by every measure, the format delivered.

The Road to the Top 9

Earning a place in the prestigious Top 9 Dog of the Year Hunt was no small feat. To lock in a spot, a dog had to do one of two things during the 2025–2026 season:

· Become an ATFA Squirrel Champion, or

· Accumulate enough hunt points over the season to finish inside the top nine

This structure ensured balance—rewarding both early excellence and season-long consistency. It also meant that every hunt mattered. And in a twist that kept the entire community on edge, the final Top 9 positions were not determined until the very last hunt of the year. Careers were defined in those final moments, with handlers watching scores, standings, and tie-breakers until the dust finally settled.

Congratulations to the Elite Nine

When the standings were made official, these nine outstanding dogs earned the right to compete on the sport’s biggest stage, representing the absolute best of the best for the 2025–2026 season:

· G & R Priss

· Red Hot Hannah

· Coles Tootsie

· Coles Fiddle

· Coles May

· Crossfire Cowboy

· Crossfire Buck

· Coles Peggy Sue

· Crossfire Diamond

Each of these dogs proved their worth across tough terrain, varied conditions, and elite competition. Simply making the Top 9 field was a championship-level accomplishment..

The Grand Finale: March 8, 2026

Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky

All roads led to Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky, where the season reached its electrifying climax on Sunday, March 8th, 2026. With nine exceptional dogs, seasoned handlers, and the weight of an entire season on the line, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation.

This was not just another hunt, it was a post-season showdown, created with a clear purpose:

“The intent behind creating a post-season Dog of the Year hunt is to strengthen competition and ensure the title truly reflects the most accomplished dog of the season. It allows dogs that earned Champion status early in the year the opportunity to compete for the association’s most prestigious award, rather than limiting the race to dogs that simply accumulated points over more hunts.”

The format ensured the Dog of the Year title was decided in the woods, head-to-head, when it mattered most.

A Champion Rises

When the final scores were tallied, Crossfire Buck left no doubt.

With a commanding and unforgettable performance, Crossfire Buck showed up and showed out, posting an incredible 1,500 points—a score that sealed his place in ATFA history and earned him the right to wear the title of:

🏆 American Treeing Feist Dog of the Year – 2025–2026 🏆

Behind him, the competition remained fierce until the end:

· 1st Runner-Up: Coles’ Tootsie

· 2nd Runner-Up: Coles’ May

Both dogs delivered championship-caliber performances and exemplified the depth of talent in the final field.

A Format That Delivered

The inaugural year of the new Dog of the Year format was widely regarded as a success. It produced excitement, rewarded true excellence, and culminated in a hunt that lived up to the prestige of the title. Most importantly, it reaffirmed what the ATFA stands for:

It’s all about the dog.

As the 2025–2026 season closes, it does so with momentum, pride, and a renewed sense of purpose—setting the stage for future seasons and future champions to chase the standard set by these remarkable nine.

Here’s to an unforgettable year, a worthy champion, and the continued growth of the American Treeing Feist Association.

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