The Schaferhunde News
The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater Kansas City
Founded 1923
Issue - January 2019
The election of Officers and Board Members for 2019 was held at the January 8th Annual Meeting. The slate passed unanimously.
President Chris Kimerer
Vice President Debbie McHenry
Treasurer Mike Kennedy
Recording Secretary Sally Hamm
Corresponding Secretary Amy Edwards
Board Members
JoClair Gipe
Bruce Hudson
Nancy Kennedy
Pat Robinette
Lynette Stone
Our Officers and Board members commit for one year to work hard for the club for free. We appreciate their willingness to serve the club.
Submitted by Sally Hamm
The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater Kansas City held its KC tracking test on January 20, 2019. If you have ever been involved in this sport you will quickly learn of the dedication of the members, enthusiast's, and participants required to make a test possible.
This year we had 2 TD (tracking dog) entries and 5 TDX (tracking dog excellent) participants with another 7 TDX alternates hoping on the sidelines that they too might get a track.
In this sport, handlers and dogs brave all types of weather and conditions so they must dedicate themselves to training for anything. The dogs and handlers this weekend showed that they were ready. Congratulations to all of them. We had a perfect test, a rarity in this sport that has an average TD pass rate of about 50% and a TDX pass rate of around 20%.
In order for these dogs to get a chance to pass, more volunteers than handlers have to be willing to spend an entire weekend in what can be challenging conditions. This weekend presented our volunteers with those kinds of challenging conditions. Early in the week, all weather reports were pointing to severe winter weather. The committee had to be sure that the volunteers would be able to get to the site and be safe while being in the fields. We had a judge unable to make the test due to a health issue. The judges, Connie Austin and Ule James, from Illinois were concerned about being able to make the trip if the weather conditions became too extreme. We all held our breath until Friday morning when the weather system appeared it was weakening and the judges were able to make it here.
On Saturday, our judges were prepared with ideas of what the tracks would be like and Rosi Von Fintel had everyone scheduled perfectly so that no one had to stay in the cold wind for any longer than necessary. The Super 8 in Smithville allowed us to use their dining area out of the weather to have lunch provided by the club for the volunteers and those who cared to stay.
Sunday was the kind of day that made all of the work and worry worthwhile. There was a light cover of new snow and though it was cold we had very light winds. When a couple of volunteers couldn't make it, others graciously stepped in to help. The draw order for TD tracks was held at 8:15 a.m. in the parking lot of the Litton Center in Smithville Lake. We had 2 German Shepherd entrants, one of them member, Pat Robinette and the other Kristen Brook-Jones, coming in from Tennessee. Both quickly passed. Go GSD's! At 10:15 a.m., the draw for the 5 TDX tracks was held for 3 GSD's. Club members, Ray and Betty Laughlin had 2 GSD's and the other was Kristen's GSD, we also had a Tervuren from Nebraska, and one Border Collie from Iowa. All dogs passed! It was truly awesome watching these dogs work obstacles and figure out cross tracks and stay with the scent to find all the articles left out for them. Congratulations to all of these handlers.
Our brave volunteers included club members; Rosi Von Fintel, Chief tracklayer and organizer and tracklayer for TDX #2, Darcy Seeger, tracklayer for TDX #3, Sally Hamm, tracklayer for TDX #1, Nelson Hinman laying TDX #5, his first-time laying track for a test, Debbie McHenry, TD #1 tracklayer, Bruce Hudson, Lynette Stone, and Pat Robinette, laying cross tracks, all first-time trackers. Chris Kimerer was test secretary, a job that requires a knowledge of AKC rules and regulations and printing the premium and test catalogue and all other required paperwork. She also contacts the entrants to make sure all the numbers and names are correct. Chris was also the driver for the judges both days, and got them to each field at the required times. Nancy and Mike Kennedy provided a wonderful hospitality spread for all volunteers and entrant's on Sunday morning. Even with all these club members, we needed more support from the area's tracking community. A special thanks goes to Karen Shawhan, cross tracks, Jan Winner, tracklayer for TD #1 and cross track, Nancy Parsons-Wright tracklayer for TDX#4, and Merrily Shultz cross tracks. Thank you all for helping our club on this test.
Pat Robinette and Ruger
Geriann Darnell with her Border Collie
Kristin Brooks-Jones with Siri
Sharon Brewer with Tervuren
Ray Laughlin with Harry
Kristin Brooks-Jones with Robin
Chris Kimerer is preparing the 2019 Club Directory. Please provide any changes to your address or phone number to Chris as the directory is ready to be printed.
You can also access the directory on-line on the club website. The passcode can be obtained from Marion Baker.
JoClair Gipe and Becky James have been invited to the National Rally Competition in Tulsa, Ok.
Good Luck at the event.
Bruce Hudson and his dog, Heidi completed their CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test and Trick Dog title. Way to GO!!!
"Year End Title" trophies are awarded to members in recognition of their involvement and accomplishments with their dogs throughout the year. The intent is to reward club members that participate in AKC &/or GSDCA events.
The club will award a "Year End Title" trophy to any German Shepherd Dog owned or co-owned by a member in good standing of the German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater Kansas City who earns a title or certificate in any American Kennel Club (AKC), German Shepherd Dog Club of America (GSDCA) or National accredited/licensed event.
The trophy year begins on December 1st and ends on November 25th of the following year. All titles earned after November 25th will be awarded the next trophy year. The deadline for submission of title documentation is November 30th of the current trophy Year. Trophies are awarded at the Awards Presentation Meeting in December.
• Tuesday, February 12, 2019, 7:00 p.m., General Meeting, Macken Park Community Center, 1201 Clark Ferguson Drive, North Kansas City MO 64116
Presentation from a local chiropractic vet
Note: Board members meet at 6:00 p.m. (All members are welcome to attend)
• Tuesday, March 12, 2019, 7:00 p.m., General Meeting, Macken Park Community Center, 1201 Clark Ferguson Drive, North Kansas City MO 64116
Note: Board members meet at 6:00 p.m. (All members are welcome to attend)
• Saturday, April 13 2019, Morning, Bone-Anza, North Kansas City Parks (Volunteer
opportunity – help promote our club and defray cost of meeting hall rental) More information will be provided at a later date.
