All About the 2019 Nationals
Conformation Novice Trick Dog CGC and Trash Barrel Events Dog Gone Good Times Photo Contest Hunt Tests Dinner & Awards Roustabout Acknowledgements
2019 Nationals Event Page Information
Conformation
Congratulations to the Best of Breed Traveling Trophy Winners
Lois McCracken and "Blew"!
Complete National AKC Specialty Conformation Results HERE
The 2019 AWSC National Specialty and Hunt Tests were held over five consecutive days at Baldwin, Wisconsin Wednesday through Sunday, August 7 - 11, 2019.
Complete National AKC Hunt Test Results HERE
The club welcomed arrivals on Wednesday with a pizza party, social hour, and libation auction.
The Health and Genetics committee arranged for a very informative presentation by
Dr. Brian Husbands, “ First Aid in the Field, CPR, and Common Toxins.”
Conformation pictures from the day
Expert groomers provided a popular grooming service while the events were in progress. Everyone who observed the dogs being groomed learned tips and techniques, and a few dogs received their first grooming!
The health and Genetics committee, led by Dr. Brian Husbands, continued gathering blood and updating individual dogs' photos for the DNA - based Alopecia/Pattern Baldness Study that is ongoing.
Novice Trick dog, CGC and Trash Barrel Events on a glorious day
Obedience, Conformation, and Rally trials were held at Mill Pond Park in Baldwin on Thursday, August 8. The weather cooperated fully. With sunny skies and cool temperatures The "Trick Dog" and Trash Duck Challenge, were again a big hit for dogs and handlers.
Julie and Tia achieving their Novice Trick dog and Canine Good Citizen Award.
Jon an Raylan earning their Trick Dog Award
Trash Barrel Fun
The cutest little dog did his part in retrieving the missed bumpers. The name of the game is for the person to get as many bumpers thrown into the bucket in 5 minutes. If the thrower misses, the doggo must pick it up and give it back. This little guy, Splash, was a big hit with his enthusiasm. The thrower’s talent ? - - - well there is always next year! :)
Later, the annual Awards Banquet, Photo Contest, and Brown Bag Raffle were held at Phoenix Grill and Event Center. A good time was had by all, especially the raffle winners! Congratulations to all award winners!
Dog Gone Good Times
Getting out and meeting new people. Dogs making friends with other dogs, chasing each other in a furious game of tag. Doesn’t get much better than that.
PHOTO CONTEST
The 2019 People’s Choice Award
”Leaping Into Summer” - By Julie Schmitt
All Work and No Play
1st Place: “Pixie in Skiff” - John Rose
2nd Place: “Dog with Chukar” - Art Heun
3rd Place: “Water Retrieve” Art Heun
Adult Dog
1st Place: “Waiting for Someone Special” - Linda Hattrem
2nd Place: “Old Dog!” - Linda McGrath
3rd Place: “Lola Having Deep Thoughts” - Brain Husbands
Puppy
1st Place: “Rosie in the Snow” - Lilley Oldenbug
All Play and No Work
1st Place: “Snowbound” - Julie Schmitt
2nd Place: “Shall We Dance?” - Linda McGrath
3rd Place: “Treats!” - Brian Husbands
Special Bond
1st (tie) - “This is How You Do It” - Brian Husbands
1st (tie) “Leaping into Summer”
2nd - “Child with His American Water Spaniel” - Linda McGrath
3rd - “Lola and Her Friends” - Brian Husbands
HUNT TESTS
On Friday, the action migrated to the Good Go Ing Hunt Club and Training Center located near Baldwin. The weather was beautiful, sunny and cool, for the hunt tests.
Again this year a combination of AKC Spaniel and AWSC hunt tests enabled participants to obtain qualifying scores for their dogs in both venues. Handlers rotated through upland flushing tests, water retrieving tests, and land retrieving tests required by the AWSC Hunt Test program at two locations on the sprawling grounds. The dual hunt tests went smoothly, and those that were entered in both events had good, long days of it.
Kids got in the fun as well -
handling the well-trained dogs from fellow hunters.
Youth Field Handler (ages 5-10)
Shayla Hattrem Age: 9, Dog: Moxie
Allie Field Age: 5, Dog: Pike
Layna Hattrem Age: 6, Dog: Rio
Wyatt Jensen Age: 7, Dog: Raylan
Dorthy Baker Age: 10, Dog: Bea
Junior Field Handler (ages 11-16)
Della Baker Age: 11, Dog: Bea
Lilly Oldenburg Age: 14, Dog: Rosie
Jordan Jaster Age: 14, Dog: Raylan
Dinner & Awards
Friday evening, the day's hunt test qualifiers were presented with their ribbons. Club members gathered after dinner for the AWSC, Inc. Annual Meeting where a new Board of Directors was installed and the President reflected on the year's accomplishments.
Saturday, hunt test qualification ribbons and new titles were presented again with a lot of fanfare, photos, smiles, and laughter. The annual AWSC Auction, an important and lively fund raising event in support of the AWS breed, followed soon after.
ROUSTABOUT
Sunday morning was devoted to the Roustabout, a favorite competitive hunting event. Dogs ran, birds flew, guns sounded, and quickness was the order of the day. This year the competition was FIERCE!! Two teams (Eric M & Cole with Belle) and (Jon Klema & Art Heun with Raylan) were running perfect runs.
-Three birds flushed-
-Three shots made-
-Three birds fell-
-Three birds retrieved to hand-
It came down to the Speed of completing the course that decided the winner. Couldn’t have asked for a more exciting run at the Roundabout
Championship. Top Five Teams were
“Raylan” - team: John Klema and Art Heun - Points: 134
“Max” - Team: Eric Wahlstrom and Cole Wahlstrom - Points: 129
“Bingo” - Team: Ralph Baker and Frank Schwanter - Points: 126
“Splash” - Team: Art Heun and Jon Klema - Points: 123
“Aldo” - Team: Timothy Otto and Tim Baker - Points: 120
2019 Nationals
ROUSTABOUT WINNERS
Team: Jon Klema, Art Heun,
& Raylan
HRCH UH Klema’s Raylan the Enforcer MH WDS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS!
THANK YOU! to our Conformation and Obedience judges,
Dawn Droel and Nancy Simmons for contributing their skills and interest in the American Water Spaniel breed.
Thank You! to our Hunt Test judges Tim Bauknecht, David McCracken, Dawn Schuster, and Jeff Zachow
for giving us their time, energy, and expertise. They were each very skilled, helpful, patient, and flexible while we worked all of the dogs through both AKC Spaniel and AWSC hunt tests. Kudos to all!
THANK YOU! to all of the Individual and Corporate Donors who contributed Specialty Prizes and Trophys!
THANK YOU! to all of the Individual and Corporate Donors who contributed to the Libation Auction, Brown Bag Raffle, Cooler Raffle, Dremel Raffle, and Banquet Auction. We all had a great time raising some funds for the AWSC.
THANK YOU! to all of the club members across the country who contributed their time and energy to putting it all together!
We hope to see you again at New London, Wisconsin in 2020!
Link to the 2019 National Specialty and Hunt Test Invitation
