Author: MSDA News

Saturday November 28, 2020
Starting at 8:30 am; Judging begins at 9:30 am

Location:
An outdoor field near the main building at
Howard County Fairgrounds
2210 Fairgrounds Rd, West Friendship, MD 21794

Entry fee: $15 per dog.
Entry deadline is Tuesday, November 24th.
All entries will be by mail with payment by check.
Entry limit of 200 dogs.
If limit has not been reached, on-site entries will be accepted at $20 per dog.

MSDA is hosting a sporting dog match (dog show) for all AKC Sporting Breeds. Classes will be offered by breed and age group for both sexes. Judges for the day will be announced soon. This is AKC Event # 2020441910.

Download MSDA Match Entry Form and Liability Release (PDF)

MSDA members, whether or not you are entering the match, are asked to volunteer by helping with small tasks either before judging starts or at some time during the day. Contact Richard Jackson (ShowChair@mdsportingdog.org) if you can help, even for a short time.

The age groups for judging are: 6-9 months, 9-12 months, 12-18 months, and Open (for dogs over 18 months) without a major or championship. Ages are determined as of Saturday 11/28 and dogs must be younger than the upper limit of each age category (e.g., a dog who turns 12 months on 11/28 competes in the 12-18 month class).

There also will be Junior Showmanship classes, with no entry fee. However, juniors still need to submit the entry form.

There is an overall entry limit of 200 dogs. Entries may close before the registration deadline of 11/24 and will not be available on-site if this overall limit is reached. If entries are available on-site, a higher fee of $20 per entry will be charged. On-site entries will be accepted only between 8:30-9:00 am on the day of the event.

Prizes will consist of a ribbon for first through fourth places in each class, for best-in-breed and for best-in-match.

All dogs must be AKC-registered. Spayed and neutered dogs are not eligible. Champions of record and dogs with any major points are not eligible to participate. Professional handlers may enter and show only dogs owned by them or by members of their immediate family.

All AKC rules apply. There will be no Premium List or Catalog for this event.

Download the MSDA Match Entry Form and Liability Release. The registration and payment deadline is Tuesday, November 24, which means that entries must be received no later than this date. Entries may close earlier if the entry limit is reached before November 24. Completed entries must be mailed, along with a check payable to “MSDA”, to:

Gary Seibel
MSDA
PO Box 10
Woodbine, MD 21797

There will not be a published judging schedule although, closer to the event date, we will include on this webpage a count of the number of dogs entered by breed and a very approximate order of judging by breed. It’s your responsibility to be at the assigned ring and ready to go when your class is called. Remember to allow time to turn in your liability release, check in and collect your armband!

The schedule for the day is as follows:

• 8:30 am Event officially begins
• 8:30-9:00 am Walk-up registration (if spaces are available)
• 9:30 am Judging starts
• NOTE: Lunch and any other breaks will be announced

This event is outdoors and will go on “rain or shine”. There will be no refunds.

There is a chance that the entire event could be canceled in case of severe weather, pandemic resurgence, or whatever other disasters 2020 might yet have in store. We will place a notice on this website and also email everyone if this becomes necessary, using the contact information you provide on the registration.

Like all of our fall events, these activities will be entirely outdoors and safety protocols including social distancing and masks covering your nose and mouth will be required. In addition, signed liability releases will be required of everyone and will be collected at the event entrance. Even if you have signed one before (e.g., on your membership application or for Field Day), you must sign again because we now have included language relating to Covid-19. The liability release for this event is included with the entry form, and there will be blank releases available at the entrance to the event. If you are not willing to cheerfully comply with these procedures, and also take the risk of being around other people, please do not attend. Obviously, if you are not feeling well or think you may have been exposed to the new coronavirus, you should not attend.

The Howard County Fairgrounds restrooms will be available for use by attendees and there will be hand sanitizers available at judging rings. MSDA is not providing water, food, sodas, coffee, etc. at this event and the fairgrounds’ food vendor will not be open. Please bring your own (non-alcoholic) drinks, snacks, and lunches. Be polite and deposit recyclables and trash in the appropriate containers, and scoop all poop.

Dedicated grooming spaces will not be provided, so you should plan to groom at your vehicle, or you are welcome to set up a small pop-up tent and/or table where it will not interfere with judging or parking. You are responsible for keeping your area neat and for cleaning up before you leave. This event is outside in an open field, so there will be no electricity available.

Ready to sign up? Download the MSDA Match Entry Form and Liability Release.

For questions about the match, contact Richard Jackson (ShowChair@mdsportingdog.org). For questions about registration, to change your entry, or if you have problems with the form, contact Gary Seibel (Payments@mdsportingdog.org).

Non-Sporting Group Breeds Match: The Mid-Atlantic Non-Sporting Club of Virginia is holding a similar match (for Non-Sporting Group breeds) in the same location on Sunday, November 29th. For the non-sporting breeds, complete this entry form and mail it with payment to: Mid-Atlantic Non-Sporting Club of Va 9152 Preference Drive La Plata, Maryland 20646 Entry fees are the same: $15 in advance and $20 for walk-ups. Make checks payable to the “Mid-Atlantic Non-Sporting Club of Va”.

Offered Two Days
Saturday October 24th and Sunday October 25th, 2020
10 am – 3 pm

Hosted by Alex & Steve Roth
8809 Slate Quarry Road, Dickerson MD

The registration deadline has passed and entries are closed.
If you are already registered, you were sent an informative email on Wednesday morning at 8:00 am. If you didn’t get it (check your spam folder), or you have any follow-up questions, contact Pamela.

Fee: $10 per dog per day. You may sign up for either or both days.

These days offer an introduction to field work for all sporting dogs. Dogs will be dispersed among multiple fields and simultaneous activities. There will be no live fire or shot birds.

Look who’s coming! We have 18 dogs signed up for Saturday and 19 for Sunday. One or more of the following breeds are registered: Airedale, Barbet, Clumber Spaniel, English Setter, German Shorthaired Pointer, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Sussex Spaniel, Vizsla, and Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.

This is intended to be a relaxed, fun day to work on some basic training with your sporting dog. Dogs and handlers of all levels are very welcome. If your dog has never met a bird or entered a hunt test, we’ll try to get you started with some basic field training to work on over the winter. Those with some field experience may benefit from a bit of extra practice or a hearing a different approach to training. We are not setting any firm schedules in advance and are expecting people to move among the activities at their own pace. Overall, we’re aiming to keep it light and fun, but productive – “play training”.

• There will be 3-4 fields set up each day to work on handling and obedience skills and drills. One field will have taller grass for more advanced work.
• Also, specific training will be offered for:
  • Intro to Bird Scent: Chase a bundle of pheasant wings on a fishing pole and inhale the tantalizing scent of live pigeon. Tethered pigeons will be used as an introduction to birds.
  • E-collar Conditioning: Why and how to use an e-collar for field training. Demonstrations and work with individual dogs including fitting, selecting levels and practice. Sunday only. (However, several trainers have experience with e-collars and will be happy to answer questions on Saturday.)
  • Yard Work with Placeboards: This is for dogs and handlers who are just starting upland or retriever work, or who want help taking their dogs to a higher level. The session will cover Jordan Horak’s approach to foundation-building in the yard as well as placeboard techniques used by Gary Breitbarth and Ian Openshaw. We will use placeboards, speed leads and no leads to teach basic upland and retrieving commands, e.g., place, casting-off, quartering, hand signals, steadiness, and whistle commands (hup, turn, draw-in and recall).
• Ask Me Anything: In addition to conversation that happens as part of the training activities, trainers will be available to sit down in small groups and just answer questions, including how to get started with hunt tests, good places to train, how to find training groups, what equipment you need, good places to buy supplies, how to get more involved with MSDA, or any other relevant topic. Just join the group and ask!

The trainers for the weekend are: John Bruggeman (Sunday only), Ken Harringer, Steve Roth, Brian Schmidt (Sunday only), and Steve Surprenant. John is a professional trainer of sporting dogs and is experienced with many breeds. Ken is an obedience instructor at the Capital Dog Training Club and has three sporting dogs of his own. All our esteemed faculty members have trained dogs to advanced levels (e.g., Master Hunter), and all are volunteering their time and expertise.

Your dog should be wearing a buckle collar and have you on a short (max 6’) lead. E-collars are welcome but not required. Bring your training whistle and favorite retrieving toys or bumpers, if you have them. Definitely bring plenty of water for your dog and some tasty doggy treats.

This weekend goes on “rain or shine”, though one or both days could be canceled in case of severe weather, pandemic resurgence, or whatever other disasters 2020 might yet have in store. We will email and/or call everyone if this becomes necessary, using the contact information you provide on the registration. If a day is canceled or if you are unable to attend due to illness (yourself or your dog) or because your bitch comes into season and you let us know by 9 am on the event date, we will credit your payment to a future MSDA field event or the November 2020 Sporting Dog Match.

Like all of our fall events, these activities will be entirely outdoors and safety protocols including social distancing and masks covering your nose and mouth will be required. In addition, signed liability releases will be required of everyone. Even if you have signed one before (e.g., on your membership application or for Field Day), you must sign again because we now have included language relating to Covid-19. To keep things simple, we are asking you to just bring your signed liability release(s) with you to the event. (We’ll have blank forms at the event, too.) If you are not willing to cheerfully comply with these procedures, and also take the risk of being around other people, please do not attend.

There will be a port-o-john and hand sanitizer dispensers on the property. We’ll have some drinking water available, but MSDA is not providing food, sodas, coffee, etc. at this event and there will be no potluck sharing of food. Please bring your own (non-alcoholic) drinks, snacks, and lunches. Be polite and deposit recyclables and trash in the appropriate containers, and scoop poop from anywhere other than the field with tall grass.

Last note, for those of you familiar with the Roths’ property, sorry, but the pool with be closed and covered.

For questions about these training days, contact Steve Roth (hunting chair@mdsportingdog.org). For questions about registration or to change or cancel your reservation, contact Pamela DeSmidt (secretary@mdsportingdog.org).

Entries have closed for this event. If you are already registered, you were sent an informative email on Wednesday morning at 8:00 am. If you didn’t get it (check your spam folder), or you have any follow-up questions, contact Pamela.

Saturday, July 25th 2020
and
Sunday, July 26th 2020

10:00 am – 3:00 pm each day
Dickerson, MD
Hosted by Alex and Steve Roth

This event was for MSDA club members, their families, and their guests. Dogs, too, of course! MSDA provided the meats for grilling and attendees brought side dishes and desserts to share. Split between two days, the event had fewer attendees each day and this allowed for social distancing. As always, the pool was a hit, and there was even a bit of field training in the shade.

Here are pictures from both days. Click on any photo to enlarge.

MSDA’s annual pool party is limited to members and their family and guests. Not an MSDA member? Learn more about us, how to join the club, and sign up for our e-mail list.

Unfortunately, we had to cancel the MSDA Spaniel Hunting Test Weekend, along with the judging seminar, instinct clinics, and WD testing, this September 12-13.

As many of you already know, Rebel Ridge, our venue for many years, has suspended property rentals until 2021. We scrambled to get a firm commitment from another appropriate site, but have not been successful. We’re out of options for September.

We understand how much everyone wants to get out in the field with their dogs, so we took this action only very reluctantly. But, it is very important to MSDA to run a high quality event and to do it safely.

There may be other hunting tests in the region this fall run by other clubs. If so, we will be sure to notify our mailing list of these opportunities once we know of them.

We also are looking into options for holding an extra hunting test event next spring, and/or some smaller activities in the interim.

If you have comments, questions, suggestions, or just want to vent or commiserate, please feel free to contact Steve Roth (Event Chair and MSDA President) at president@mdsportingdog.org .

We look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Happy hunting and stay safe!

MSDA’s Annual Field Day — a full day of FUN, bird dog training for all levels, and some very good food — had been scheduled for Saturday, May 2nd at Rebel Ridge Farms in Elkton, MD. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, Field Day 2020 was canceled. We hope to see everyone in spring 2021!

Check out our photos, and more, at our pages for 2019 Field Day, 2018 Field Day,  July 2017 Field Day at Rebel Ridge (MD), and June 2017 Field Day at Wilder Wildlife Area (DE).

View our full calendar  of upcoming and recent activities.

Join the conversation! MSDA has a (private) Facebook group.

MSDA holds two of the largest sporting group conformation shows in the U.S. and, along with those, three days of all-breed obedience and rally trials, breed specialties, bird instinct clinics, and other activities. In 2020, the dates and major activities for MSDA’s events at the Howard County Fairgrounds (just south of I-70) in West Friendship, MD were February 28th – March 1st.

THANK-YOU participants, judges, stewards, trophy sponsors and all volunteers!

Mark your calendar! Our next Spring Event will be Friday March 5th, Saturday March 6th, and Sunday March 7th, 2021.

Please contact our Event Chair, Richard Jackson, with any questions or comments or if you would like to be involved in our 2021 Spring Event. And, you can learn more about MSDA and stay informed of our activities by signing up for our e-mail list.

Below are some snapshots of the event. Click any picture to open an enlarged slide show of all of them.

The trainer also took photos of many of the dogs who participated in the Barn Hunt Try-It. See them at Nose Prints and More.

David Sombach Photography was the official photographer. He took all of the “win” photos. Literally hundreds of photos are available for viewing and purchase online at his website.

Major activities this year included:

• • MSDA Sporting Group Conformation Saturday and Sunday.
  • MSDA All-Breed Obedience & Rally Trials. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
  • Breed Specialty Show on Friday – Northern Virginia Brittany Club.
  • Breed Specialty Show and Obedience & Rally Trial – Potomac Valley Golden Retriever Club.
  • Designated Specialty – Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club (USA) on Saturday.
  • Bird Instinct Clinics in the morning and afternoon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
  • Sporting Dog Fun Match, by the Chesapeake English Cocker Spaniel Association, Friday evening.
  • Canine Good Citizen Testing Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
  • Barn Hunt “Try-it” on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Flyball demonstration and “race” on Sunday.
  • MSDA Membership Meeting, dinner, and seminar on Saturday evening.

Also on the schedule were sweepstakes, owner-handled, junior handler, and best bred-by-exhibitor competitions. There was puppy and veteran sweepstakes, a dog show tour and new exhibitor briefing, and morning coffee & doughnuts.

Official results are available at the AKC website:

• Friday 2/28/2020 All-Breed Obedience
• Friday 2/28/2020 All-Breed Rally
• Saturday 2/29/2020 Sporting Group Conformation, Junior Showmanship, and All-Breed Obedience
• Saturday 2/29/2020 All-Breed Rally
• Sunday 3/1/2020 Sporting Group Conformation, Junior Showmanship, and All-Breed Obedience
• Sunday 3/1/2020 All-Breed Rally

The following clubs supported entries at the shows: Capital City Cocker Club, Capital Region Flat-Coated Retriever Club, English Cocker Spaniel Club of America, Flat-Coated Retriever Society of America, Irish Setter Club of Greater Richmond, Irish Water Spaniel Club of America, Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac, Lower Susquehanna Irish Setter Club, Maryland Brittany Club, Mid Atlantic Field Spaniel Club, National Capital English Setter Club, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club – USA, Potomac Valley Golden Retriever Club, Susquehanna Valley English Springer Spaniel Club, Sussex Spaniel Club of America, Welsh Springer Spaniel Club of America, and Wilderness Pointer Club.

A big THANK-YOU to all who answered the call to work as volunteers and to those who sponsored trophies for our 2020 Spring Event!

Vendors:

Horse Brooch: So much more that a brooch or cute pin. Horse Brooch makes hand-made enameled (glass/porcelain enamels fused onto copper) brooches true to standard AKC dogs as well as a large variety of animal images. A technique of “painting” with enamel, originating in Limoges, France, in the 15th century which was developed by the Penicaud family. The use of this technique was the first time that different enamel colors were put next to each other without the separation of wire or surface metal. The pieces offered at The Horse Brooch are completely unique. The Realistic Style of each piece is individually drawn on and hand-sawn from a sheet of copper, which is then hand-painted using the Limoges painting technique. Each piece requires a minimum of five separate firings in
an enameling kiln producing a work of art.

White Bone Company: Since 1994, White Dog Bone has been family owned and operated by parents, children, and even grandchildren. The whole family is committed to offering quality Pet products and customer service. We work to represent as many USA manufacturers as possible and provide the same customer service you’d find at your neighborhood pet supply store. We provide quality, USA-manufactured products for pets and educational resources for owners.

The Sharp Shop: We offer a complete line of scissors, clippers blades to meet your individual needs. Family owned and operated in Maryland.

Salty Dog & Sweet P’s Swag is an Authorized Dog is Good Retailer. We offer paw-some clothing, accessories, and gifts for dog and cat lovers. Check out our events tab on Facebook for the location of our upcoming Pup Up Show.

MFD/Digi- Art Photography and Portraits: I am a pet portrait photographer. I use several art programs on my computer to create a digitized portrait of your “dog” or other pet… making it look like a painting. I then print on canvas (on site) in my booth and offer matting and framing. These portraits are completed in about a half hour, depending on how busy I am. I offer many custom gift items for clients, once I have a working portrait in my system. I also have created a line of note cards, (Gadfly Note Cards) using many of the fine breed representations I have taken over the years. I get the owners approval before doing this. Most of my MFD/Digi-Art career was spent in the Northeast, when I lived in PA. Now I’m located in South Carolina, and only come north a few times a year. I’m looking forward to seeing many old friends at the Sporting Dog Cluster.

Sunflower Trading Company: With 30+ years in the hat industry we know a thing or two about quality hats. We’re always looking to improve the shopping experience for our customers, so please don’t hesitate to let us know if there’s anything more we can do to help.

ComfyPooch by Mindy offers dog beds, crate pads, throws and now ottomans made from Crypton fabric. Products: Dog Beds, Pillow covers – to cover multiples for beds or decorative single pillow covers, Crate pads, Throws and Ottomans.

K-9 Fun-Fit, LLC is a multi-dynamic dog service business. We are passionate about fulfilling our canine family members in every way. We have learned the importance meeting our dogs’ needs by providing them with healthy food and treats along with keeping them in a balanced state through proper training, structured walks, and interactive play. K-9 Fun-Fit, LLC was birthed out of a life-long love of dogs. We understand the importance of gaining the dog’s trust and respect while providing a positive, well balance training experience. We teach that training your dog is a lifestyle. It is a continual, ongoing activity that you can be creative with. Lifestyle training goes beyond obedience commands. It is for everyday life and cohabitation. We are looking forward to opening a facility that will encompass all aspects of the K-9 Fun-Fit, LLC vision. We invite you to grab some treats from the online store or fetch the Mobile Treat Truck in your neighborhood. Also, you can schedule midday walks, training or stimulating activity sessions.

More Information: Once again, the chair of this event was Richard Jackson. Please contact him directly with any questions or comments.

We’ll continue to post updates on this page for MSDA’s 2020 Spring Event, so be sure to keep checking in with us. We also invite you to learn more about us, and sign up for our e-mail list to be updated (mostly via a monthly newsletter) on all club activities:

MSDA held six Bird Instinct Clinics during the 2020 MSDA Spring Event at the Howard County Fairgrounds. For a bird dog with little or no field experience, this was a great way to get started.

Instinct Clinic is a fun, relaxed, and encouraging activity. The session includes a brief introductory discussion followed by individual work with each dog and handler. Trainers get the dogs excited about the birds, and then the dogs are able to scent a bird and find a bird, triggering their basic hunting instincts. There is no gunfire and flushed birds fly away. Clinics are run by AKC hunt test judges and experienced handlers for flushing, pointing, and retrieving breeds. There is lots of fun, and great information, too!

Instinct Clinic also is a wonderful stepping stone for you and your dog to get involved with training for your parent club’s WD or WC program or the AKC Hunt Test programs, or to simply see how much fun you can have when your dog gets turned on to birds!!

There were a total of six identical clinics, at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm on Friday 2/28, Saturday 2/29, and Sunday 3/1 and in 2020 they were fully booked. All potential bird dogs are welcome at our Instinct Clinics. We had one or more of the following breeds participating: Barbet, Clumber Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Curly-Coated Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, English Setter, English Springer Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Flat-Coated Retriever, French Spaniel, German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Pointer, Saint Usuge Spaniel, Spinone Italiano, Standard Poodle, Vizsla, Weimaraner and Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.

For more information, photos, and videos, see our Instinct Clinic page for 2019. Questions? Please contact Steve Roth.

MSDA had a booth at the 2020 World of Pets Expo at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium MD. The Expo was Friday 1/24 – Sunday 1/26.

We made a lot of new friends — many Expo attendees were not familiar with MSDA and followed up by signing up for upcoming Instinct Clinics and by getting more information about Field Day and club membership. Old friends came by to say “hi”, too. And, of course, kids loved meeting a bird dog!

There were many other booths with products and information for dogs and every other pet. Also a petting zoo, dog agility competitions, and dock diving.

Special thanks to Sally Eck for organizing this and to Bree the English Setter for being such a great (and patient) representative of sporting dogs. We plan to be back at the 2021 Expo.

MSDA holds two of the largest sporting group conformation shows in the U.S. and, along with those, three days of all-breed obedience and rally trials. In 2020, the dates for MSDA’s events at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, MD are:

Friday February 28th (All-Breed Obedience & Rally)
Saturday February 29th (Sporting Group Conformation, All-Breed Obedience & Rally)
Sunday March 1st (Sporting Group Conformation, All-Breed Obedience & Rally)

These events attract more than 600 dogs, along with owners, handlers, breeders, and the dog-loving public. Many “trophies” in the form of plaques, embroidered towels, dog toys, and other gifts are awarded to the winners each day.

A hearty THANK-YOU to all who are sponsoring trophies in 2020 for the following:

• Chesapeake Bay Retriever – Saturday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Jay Demarest
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever – Saturday Winners Bitch, Sponsored by: Jay Demarest
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever – Sunday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Jay Demarest
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever – Sunday Winners Bitch, Sponsored by: Jay Demarest
• Clumber Spaniel – Saturday Best of Breed, In memory of Moby, CH Shogun’s Seadog CGC, RN, BN
• Clumber Spaniel – Saturday Best of Opposite Sex, Sponsored by: Hank and Stanley
• Clumber Spaniel – Saturday Winners Dog, Sponsored by: Gus
• Clumber Spaniel – Sunday Best of Breed, In memory of Moby, CH Shogun’s Seadog CGC, BN, RN
• Clumber Spaniel – Sunday Best of Opposite Sex, Sponsored by: Hank and Stanley
• Clumber Spaniel – Sunday Winners Dog, Sponsored by: Gus
• English Cocker Spaniel – Saturday Winners Bitch, Sponsored by: Anonymous
• Field Spaniel – Saturday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Dianne and Jeffrey Harab
• Flat-Coated Retriever – Saturday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Betsy & Steve Surprenant
• Flat-Coated Retriever – Sunday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Betsy & Steve Surprenant
• Golden Retriever – Sunday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Celebrate Golden Retrievers, Mary Ann and Caroline Bruton
• Irish Water Spaniel – Saturday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Author Jeanne Adams
• Irish Water Spaniel – Sunday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Author Jeanne Adams
• Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever – Saturday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Dr. Sherry and Mr. Gary Seibel
• Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever – Sunday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Edlyn Retrievers – Sherry and Gary Seibel
• Sussex Spaniel – Saturday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Sussex Spaniel Club of America
• Sussex Spaniel – Saturday Best of Opposite Sex, Sponsored by: Sussex Spaniel Club of America
• Sussex Spaniel – Saturday Best of Winners, Sponsored by: Sussex Spaniel Club of America
• Sussex Spaniel – Saturday Winners Bitch, Sponsored by: Sussex Spaniel Club of America
• Sussex Spaniel – Saturday Winners Dog, Sponsored by: Sussex Spaniel Club of America
• Sussex Spaniel – Sunday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Sussex Spaniel Club of America
• Sussex Spaniel – Sunday Best of Opposite Sex, Sponsored by: Sussex Spaniel Club of America
• Sussex Spaniel – Sunday Best of Winners, Sponsored by: Sussex Spaniel Club of America
• Sussex Spaniel – Sunday Winners Bitch, Sponsored by: Sussex Spaniel Club of America
• Vizsla – Saturday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Raimee Eck & Carlos Williams
• Vizsla – Sunday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Raimee Eck & Carlos Williams
• Welsh Springer Spaniel – Saturday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Karen Fehr
• Welsh Springer Spaniel – Saturday Best of Opposite Sex, Sponsored by: Martha Perkins in loving memory of Gentle Welshie Gus (2003-2019)
• Welsh Springer Spaniel – Saturday Winners Dog, In memory of CH SHR UH Greenwood’s Angus JH SH MH (14) WD WDX CGC, 2002-19
• Welsh Springer Spaniel – Sunday Best of Breed, Sponsored by: Karen Fehr
• Welsh Springer Spaniel – Sunday Best of Opposite Sex, Sponsored by: Martha Perkins in loving memory of Gentle Welshie Gus (2003-2019)
• Welsh Springer Spaniel – Sunday Winners Dog, In memory of CH SHR UH Greenwood’s Angus JH SH MH (14) WD WDX CGC, 2002-19
• Wirehaired Pointing Griffon – Saturday Best of Winners, Sponsored by: Stephanie Martin/Stonehenge Griffons
• Wirehaired Pointing Griffon – Sunday Best of Winners, Sponsored by: Stephanie Martin/ Stonehenge Griffons
• Obedience – Saturday 1st place, Open A, In memory of Crush
• Obedience – Sunday 1st place, Open A, In memory of Crush
• Rally – Saturday 1st place, Novice A, In memory of then-14-year old Maximillian Von Hoytt II
• General Trophy Fund, Sponsored by: Lyn Cortright
• General Trophy Fund, Sponsored by: Anonymous

All trophies are selected by the Show Committee and are not the same every year. Here are some of the 2019 trophies:

AKC Spaniel Hunting Tests
For All Flushing Breeds
September 14th & 15th, 2019
Rebel Ridge Farms
Elkton, Maryland 21921

MSDA held two days — two separate events — of AKC Spaniel Hunting tests on Saturday September 14 and Sunday September 15, 2019 at Rebel Ridge Farms in Elkton MD.

Mark your calendar for MSDA’s hunting test weekend next year:
September 12-13, 2020!

A big THANK-YOU to: judges Mary Lackey and Kate Ostrowski; gunners Walt Mullen, Brian Schmidt, and Barry Schroeder; CGC Evaluator Karen Cottingham; all the owners and handlers (many of whom also pitched in to help shag, drive the ATV, throw birds, contribute potluck dishes – yum! – and set up lunch); spectators; the hunt test committee; and Rebel Ridge Farms.

Junior, Senior, and Master Hunter levels were held both days. There also was Working Dog certificate testing and CGC evaluations on Saturday. Not just for spaniels, hunting tests are open to all eligible flushing breeds. These are:

Airedale Terrier, American Water Spaniel, Boykin Spaniel, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Clumber Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Curly-Coated Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Flat-Cwereoated Retriever, Golden Retriever, Irish Water Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, Miniature Poodle, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Standard Poodle, Sussex Spaniel, Welsh Springer Spaniel. Dogs of these breeds recorded with the Purebred Alternative Listing Program/Indefinite Listing Privilege (PAL/ILP) or dogs with Conditional registration are eligible to participate. Spayed and neutered dogs are eligible to participate. Bitches in season are not eligible to participate, nor are they allowed on the grounds. Dogs with Limited Registration are eligible to participate.

We had a great entry! One or more of the following participated: Boykin Spaniel, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Clumber Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Irish Water Spaniel, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, and Standard Poodle. Attendees came from Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ontario, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. In all, there were 27 dogs participating in hunt tests on Saturday and 32 on Sunday. Of these 13 qualified (passed, or “earned a leg” toward their hunting titles) on Saturday and 16 on Sunday. Overall, that’s about a 50% pass rate though, not surprisingly, the Juniors and Seniors had a greater success rate than the Masters did.

Ken Harringer got some great photos of his own dogs and of dogs entered in Senior Hunter on Saturday. Here are some of his shots:

Some pictures from Saturday’s Hunt Tests:

Pictures from Sunday’s Hunt Tests:

If you have any questions about hunting tests or working dog tests for flushing breeds, please contact Steve Roth . If you have some photos to share, please send them to the hunt test secretary Pamela DeSmidt and/or post them to our Facebook group.