Dear Members of the Pacific Northwest Region,
First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to all, I hope the coming week gives you a chance to renew contacts with loved ones, recharge your batteries, and get your cholesterol levels back up. If low cholesterol is a problem for you, I would be happy to provide suggestions…
The General Board meeting has been widely reported on a number of different email and discussion boards, so I won’t provide a detailed recap here. As soon as minutes are available for the meeting, I will send them, post them on the regional website or otherwise let you know where to find them. Big Sky, Cascade, Willamette, Tri-State, and BOTH Alaska clubs were represented at the meeting. In fact, there were (depending on the counter) 17-23 people there from Alaska, far outnumbering the rest of the representatives of all the other clubs in the region. GO ALASKA!!!! (too bad they didn’t all get to vote in the GBM!??!!). If you need more information on the results of the GBM, let me know & I’ll see if I can’t fill you in.
Congratulations go to Martina Wilson for winning the FH2 championship with her dog Orin! Tanna Ragan and Xuko were putting up a great protection routine until Xuko caught Patrick Wilson’s knee with his shoulder and was taken out of the competition. Kevin Nance and Vandal were on their way to a possible Universal Sieger title when a slip during the transition to the setup for the long bite made Kevin have to yell “PLATZ”, thereby eliminating him from the competition. Shade and Reiki of course put together a great routine. We’ve decided I can’t be anywhere within a mile from him when he’s tracking and he does just fine (98 at the Nationals)!
In other regional business, I know you would love to see the minutes from the Regional Meeting, but our secretary is buried in School, and probably won’t have the chance to get the minutes together until the semester is over. I want to thank her for her work on behalf of the region, and hope we can get this up on the web site soon. From a “decision” standpoint, there were not any earth-shaking items on the agenda. Twin County has offered to host next year’s helper seminar, Treasure Valley has offered to host next year’s Regional Conformation Show, and we were only able to get a very tentative offer for the Regional Championship. Since that date, I have also received inquiries from another club in the region about the Regional Championships, so I am in the process of trying to help both clubs work out which one would really like to bid, and trying to get their bids together. Stay tuned for more on this in the next few weeks.
One item that was not really on the agenda, but that took a lot of time at the meeting, was the resolution of the longstanding grumbling and animosities among some of the clubs in the region. I was very heartened to hear at that meeting that all of the club representatives at the meeting pledged to do their best on behalf of the clubs to support the other clubs in the region. If you were not at the meeting, I wanted to make you aware of this commitment, and if you were at the meeting I wanted to remind you of that discussion. The other item that became clear at that meeting was the number of clubs that have both brand new and green helpers and young dogs in training and not yet ready for trialing. It is my hope that the coming year will see a flurry of new dogs and helpers in the sport in our region, and a lot of travel to each others’ trials when the dogs are ready the the opportunity arises. As you will see on the regional calendar or on the USCA web site, we have two trials scheduled for 2011 with the same judge two weeks apart and about 100 miles apart. I encourage those handlers who have dogs ready to go this spring to do their best to support these two trials. Both clubs have years of experience, and the judge is a long standing friend to the region and USCA’s newest judge Andrea Duggan.
A final couple of items of business: the first is to say farewell to Boise Working Dog Association. The club mostly disbanded this summer, leaving only two members, and they have not been successful in recruiting enough new members to bring the club up to full charge. The second is to grant a waiver for a USCA event to the German Shepherd Schutzhund Club for 2010. I look forward to their successful trial in 2011.
There are some proposals coming up in front of the Executive Board that I will try and solicit input on when they are appropriately formulated. Sorry to be cryptic, but I don’t want to phrase it wrong and start rumors.
Yours in the sport,
Warren Jones
PNW Regional Director
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Rudy Mietzner
My name is Taylor Hack and I am a member of the Alberta Schutzhund Association in Edmonton, Alberta Canada and have been training under Rudolf Mietzner. I understand that until he retired, Rudy was a judge that worked in the US and I am hopefully contacting the right organization with my regrettable news.
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that Rudy Mietzner passed away on Saturday. After several months with a clear bill of health Rudy's cancer recurred early this year and was unresponsive to treatment. The Friday night that David and I attended the trial in Calgary we were notified that Rudy had been taken to hospital with complications involving his liver. After two weeks in hospital he returned home where he would be more comfortable and, according to his wishes, spend his final days with his family.
Rudy was a well loved mentor and will be well remembered by those whom he brought together through schutzhund. With adjudicating well over 200 trials and rising to become a Canadian national champion, Rudy's substantial contribution to the sport he loved for almost 60 years was the long term resonance of his daily generosity; just as his broad list of accomplishments was a reflection of his daily work ethic and inability to accept anything less than excellence from himself.
Please advise if this was the correct organization, or if you know of another that I should notify, feel free to contact me for any additional information you may need, or a recent photograph.
Kind regards,
Taylor Hack
Alberta Schutzhund Association
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that Rudy Mietzner passed away on Saturday. After several months with a clear bill of health Rudy's cancer recurred early this year and was unresponsive to treatment. The Friday night that David and I attended the trial in Calgary we were notified that Rudy had been taken to hospital with complications involving his liver. After two weeks in hospital he returned home where he would be more comfortable and, according to his wishes, spend his final days with his family.
Rudy was a well loved mentor and will be well remembered by those whom he brought together through schutzhund. With adjudicating well over 200 trials and rising to become a Canadian national champion, Rudy's substantial contribution to the sport he loved for almost 60 years was the long term resonance of his daily generosity; just as his broad list of accomplishments was a reflection of his daily work ethic and inability to accept anything less than excellence from himself.
Please advise if this was the correct organization, or if you know of another that I should notify, feel free to contact me for any additional information you may need, or a recent photograph.
Kind regards,
Taylor Hack
Alberta Schutzhund Association
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
2010 Regional Directors and Presidents Awards
Dear Club contacts,
I know of one club that has already submitted under this program, and I know another was planning on it. If you have not already done so, please consider making the effort. Success yields $250, a plaque and a collection of nice pins for your members to wear proudly. Last year’s winner was Big Sky SchH Club, and we just donated $100 of our proceeds to the regional fund.
Please let me know if you have questions.
WJ
I know of one club that has already submitted under this program, and I know another was planning on it. If you have not already done so, please consider making the effort. Success yields $250, a plaque and a collection of nice pins for your members to wear proudly. Last year’s winner was Big Sky SchH Club, and we just donated $100 of our proceeds to the regional fund.
Please let me know if you have questions.
WJ
Friday, August 27, 2010
Regional Championships are coming!
Dear Fellow PNW’rs,
As I hope all of you know, the Regional Championships are but 2 weeks away! We have some talented helpers that have promised to try out, the club has the field in tremendous shape, and Les assures me the tracking fields are in tip top shape. Having seen these fields before, I know what they’re like, and there is no better tracking around. The club has set entry fees as low as possible to encourage entries – only $65!!! Last but not least, the host hotel is still giving folks the discount rate if you mention the club. Check out the website: www.PNWchampionship.com for more details about the venue and locale.
And yet with all of this, they have 4 SchH 3 entries and one SchH 1 entry. Shoot, if I’d have known it would be this light, I’d have figured out a way to get my 8-yr-old dog out there from MT. I know that we have 8 clubs within a day’s drive of this championship. One of the 3’s is from out of the region. That means that 5 of those clubs don’t have another SchH 3 dog??? In case there is some confusion about what a regional championship is for, let me explain:
The Regional Championships are held to showcase the dogs of our region. Certainly this includes the best dogs, but it also means the dogs whose handlers have some pride in their training, and some kind of dedication to the support of the sport – go get that 250 (I got one last year).
The Regional Championships are an opportunity for all of the clubs in the region to engage in a combination of rivalry and mutual support. This is supposed to build morale and a level of camaraderie and a means of exhorting all the members to higher levels of achievement.
The Regional Championships provide a venue for the Regional Meeting, where the best plans can be laid for the next year. I am happy to report that this year’s regional meeting holds no nastiness in the agenda, just opportunities for further building within the region. I’m hoping to find some support for a Regional Training Day (a la “Dogstock” in California) and a revived Team Tournament, as well as the helper seminar, championships and Sieger show.
The sad truth is that if this Region cannot put together a Regional Championship with more than 10 dogs for two years in a row, it will likely cease to exist. Everyone in Washington in Oregon will become part of the Northwest Region; I have no idea what’ll happen to MT and Idaho. Alaska should probably just join GSSCC – they’re closer. There were times when this region did everything with all the animosity that only a dog club can create, but at least people cared enough to get out and train and trial. Now… what, we’re not yelling at each other so we’re all sitting around on our hands looking at our shoes??!! I won’t say I miss all that stress and animosity blasting across the email, but at least there was some passion!
OK, enough of my soapbox. Please consider supporting the regional championship with an entry! To assist, the club has extended the entry deadline to Sept. 6 (Monday) to encourage more entries. I will be sending out an agenda for the Regional meeting this weekend. I would appreciate hearing from all of the clubs in the region that plan on sending a delegate to the meeting. I promise the meeting will be short and sweet (no bylaws changes) and we can retire for some adult beverages afterward.
Thanks for your support of the Pacific Northwest Regional Championships!
Warren Jones
PNWRD
As I hope all of you know, the Regional Championships are but 2 weeks away! We have some talented helpers that have promised to try out, the club has the field in tremendous shape, and Les assures me the tracking fields are in tip top shape. Having seen these fields before, I know what they’re like, and there is no better tracking around. The club has set entry fees as low as possible to encourage entries – only $65!!! Last but not least, the host hotel is still giving folks the discount rate if you mention the club. Check out the website: www.PNWchampionship.com for more details about the venue and locale.
And yet with all of this, they have 4 SchH 3 entries and one SchH 1 entry. Shoot, if I’d have known it would be this light, I’d have figured out a way to get my 8-yr-old dog out there from MT. I know that we have 8 clubs within a day’s drive of this championship. One of the 3’s is from out of the region. That means that 5 of those clubs don’t have another SchH 3 dog??? In case there is some confusion about what a regional championship is for, let me explain:
The Regional Championships are held to showcase the dogs of our region. Certainly this includes the best dogs, but it also means the dogs whose handlers have some pride in their training, and some kind of dedication to the support of the sport – go get that 250 (I got one last year).
The Regional Championships are an opportunity for all of the clubs in the region to engage in a combination of rivalry and mutual support. This is supposed to build morale and a level of camaraderie and a means of exhorting all the members to higher levels of achievement.
The Regional Championships provide a venue for the Regional Meeting, where the best plans can be laid for the next year. I am happy to report that this year’s regional meeting holds no nastiness in the agenda, just opportunities for further building within the region. I’m hoping to find some support for a Regional Training Day (a la “Dogstock” in California) and a revived Team Tournament, as well as the helper seminar, championships and Sieger show.
The sad truth is that if this Region cannot put together a Regional Championship with more than 10 dogs for two years in a row, it will likely cease to exist. Everyone in Washington in Oregon will become part of the Northwest Region; I have no idea what’ll happen to MT and Idaho. Alaska should probably just join GSSCC – they’re closer. There were times when this region did everything with all the animosity that only a dog club can create, but at least people cared enough to get out and train and trial. Now… what, we’re not yelling at each other so we’re all sitting around on our hands looking at our shoes??!! I won’t say I miss all that stress and animosity blasting across the email, but at least there was some passion!
OK, enough of my soapbox. Please consider supporting the regional championship with an entry! To assist, the club has extended the entry deadline to Sept. 6 (Monday) to encourage more entries. I will be sending out an agenda for the Regional meeting this weekend. I would appreciate hearing from all of the clubs in the region that plan on sending a delegate to the meeting. I promise the meeting will be short and sweet (no bylaws changes) and we can retire for some adult beverages afterward.
Thanks for your support of the Pacific Northwest Regional Championships!
Warren Jones
PNWRD
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Helper selection for the PNW Regional Championships.
Dear Sportsfriends,
As all of you know, our Regional Championships are approaching, and we all want the championships to be the best they can be. To that end, it is of utmost importance that we recruit the best helpers we can for the event. If you or someone in your club is a Club Level (or higher) USA Helper, please consider trying out for the championships. Helper tryouts will be on Saturday Sept. 11 following the obedience in the stadium for the 1’s and 2’s. Bring a dog with you capable (even with lots of handler help) of doing a SchH 3 protection routine. You may end up handling your dog for other helpers, or your dog may not end up being used at all, as the judge will decide which dogs to use. The host club will NOT be providing dogs for the helper tryouts.
I know that we have some very talented helpers in the Region that fit this requirement, but I also know that we don’t have a large number. After discussions with the host club, we would like to use 3 helpers for this event – one for the 1’s and 2’s and two for the 3’s. Because of the uncertainty in our ability to attract three club level decoys for tryouts, we have requested a waiver from the USA Helper Committee to allow us to openthe tryouts to Basic Level Helpers. Note that this is not a guarantee that even the most talented Basic Level Helpers will be chosen, since we will only get a waiver to allow Basic Level helpers if there are not enough Club Level and higher helpers to work the event.
Sorry to bury you all in the bureaucracy, but I wanted to be clear about how the process will work. Of course, waiver or not, the judge makes the call of who works which part, and the judge’s decision is final.
I look forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks!
Yours in the sport,
WJ
As all of you know, our Regional Championships are approaching, and we all want the championships to be the best they can be. To that end, it is of utmost importance that we recruit the best helpers we can for the event. If you or someone in your club is a Club Level (or higher) USA Helper, please consider trying out for the championships. Helper tryouts will be on Saturday Sept. 11 following the obedience in the stadium for the 1’s and 2’s. Bring a dog with you capable (even with lots of handler help) of doing a SchH 3 protection routine. You may end up handling your dog for other helpers, or your dog may not end up being used at all, as the judge will decide which dogs to use. The host club will NOT be providing dogs for the helper tryouts.
I know that we have some very talented helpers in the Region that fit this requirement, but I also know that we don’t have a large number. After discussions with the host club, we would like to use 3 helpers for this event – one for the 1’s and 2’s and two for the 3’s. Because of the uncertainty in our ability to attract three club level decoys for tryouts, we have requested a waiver from the USA Helper Committee to allow us to openthe tryouts to Basic Level Helpers. Note that this is not a guarantee that even the most talented Basic Level Helpers will be chosen, since we will only get a waiver to allow Basic Level helpers if there are not enough Club Level and higher helpers to work the event.
Sorry to bury you all in the bureaucracy, but I wanted to be clear about how the process will work. Of course, waiver or not, the judge makes the call of who works which part, and the judge’s decision is final.
I look forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks!
Yours in the sport,
WJ
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
PNW Regional Championship
Hello Everyone,
Just a quick update on the PNW Regional Championship. www.pnwchampionship.com
We at CSV, plan to have a top of the line event. Our members are working hard to make it so, not only for the participants, but for the spectators, vendors and sponsors.
Hope to see you all there,
Best Regards,
Les Flores, Event Coordinator
www.pnwchampionship.com
www.cascadeschutzhundclub.com
Just a quick update on the PNW Regional Championship. www.pnwchampionship.com
- The trophies and plaques are all here. Thank you to all of you that sponsored a trophy. They do look good.
- The grass for tracking will be about calf high, maybe a little higher. The practice tracking fields will be similar to the event tracking.
- The competition field is being worked on and will be in top condition for the event.
- We are working on a suitable location to host the Judges dinner and the PNW Regional meeting. So far we have the Tyee Center and Grill. It will all depend on how many people will attend.
- We are also working on the raffle. Any donation will be greatly appreciated.
We at CSV, plan to have a top of the line event. Our members are working hard to make it so, not only for the participants, but for the spectators, vendors and sponsors.
Hope to see you all there,
Best Regards,
Les Flores, Event Coordinator
www.pnwchampionship.com
www.cascadeschutzhundclub.com
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
FY 2011 Budget
Some of you are aware that there is a motion in front of the Executive Board to approve the FY 2011 budget. Keeping in mind that changes can be made to the budget during the General Board meeting in Reno, and that this proposed budget includes a dues increase that MUST be ratified by the General Board, having the Executive Board approve this budget does send the message that the EB approves of running the organization in the manner proposed by these expenditures and revenues.
Of course, the dues increase is the highly controversial part of the proposed budget, and it is highly tempting to blame the dues increase entirely on the passage last fall of the bylaws amendment prohibiting membership in competing GSD organizations and the subsequent loss in membership. According to the numbers I’ve seen (and many of you have seen them too, on USA-GSD and elsewhere), that drop does not account for the shortfall facing USA. The loss of a $35,000 sponsorship from Royal Canin is where the hole lies. The officers tell us they have also cut about $6000 in expenses from last year’s budget, and although we (the rest of the EB) weren’t provided a copy of last year’s to compare, I can tell you that expenses are comparable overall. The proposed budget does provide a “cushion” of about $17,000 (about 3%), some of which is proposed to be used for badly needed upgrades to a variety of record-keeping and electronic database functions (a need I personally soundly endorse). An earlier proposal to spend $15,000 on a website facelift was withdrawn so more bids could be solicited, but that subject has not resurfaced. The other interesting data is from VP Craig Groh, who pointed out we haven’t had an increase in membership dues in 14 years, and that the intervening inflation makes $60 in 1996 worth $85 now.
The punch line is that the voting on this ballot closes at midnight Wednesday night, and I have been holding off waiting to get this message out and get some feedback. I will tell you that I am sorely tempted to vote NO based on the fact that in a downturned economy it is inappropriate to consider “Cadillac dues for a Buick product” (with all due apologies to you Buick fans out there). I would consider a dues increase of 50% and a flat budget, with the idea that a successful bid for further sponsorship dollars could be used to cover additional upgrades to our electronics as well as for further educational and enrichment activities like fighting MSN and BSL issues.
Please let me know your thoughts on this. Relevant info on the proposal and the attached budget can be found at: http://www.germanshepherddog.com/members/index.htm#EBallots.
Yours in the sport,
WJ
PS – This year’s budget includes $25000 in new income and $25000 in new expenses arising from the new policy of USA providing basal support for the WDC and Nationals. Thus, if you just look at the totals, it appears we are spending and receiving more money than last year but these two things more or less cancel out unless the two national events are utter disasters.
Of course, the dues increase is the highly controversial part of the proposed budget, and it is highly tempting to blame the dues increase entirely on the passage last fall of the bylaws amendment prohibiting membership in competing GSD organizations and the subsequent loss in membership. According to the numbers I’ve seen (and many of you have seen them too, on USA-GSD and elsewhere), that drop does not account for the shortfall facing USA. The loss of a $35,000 sponsorship from Royal Canin is where the hole lies. The officers tell us they have also cut about $6000 in expenses from last year’s budget, and although we (the rest of the EB) weren’t provided a copy of last year’s to compare, I can tell you that expenses are comparable overall. The proposed budget does provide a “cushion” of about $17,000 (about 3%), some of which is proposed to be used for badly needed upgrades to a variety of record-keeping and electronic database functions (a need I personally soundly endorse). An earlier proposal to spend $15,000 on a website facelift was withdrawn so more bids could be solicited, but that subject has not resurfaced. The other interesting data is from VP Craig Groh, who pointed out we haven’t had an increase in membership dues in 14 years, and that the intervening inflation makes $60 in 1996 worth $85 now.
The punch line is that the voting on this ballot closes at midnight Wednesday night, and I have been holding off waiting to get this message out and get some feedback. I will tell you that I am sorely tempted to vote NO based on the fact that in a downturned economy it is inappropriate to consider “Cadillac dues for a Buick product” (with all due apologies to you Buick fans out there). I would consider a dues increase of 50% and a flat budget, with the idea that a successful bid for further sponsorship dollars could be used to cover additional upgrades to our electronics as well as for further educational and enrichment activities like fighting MSN and BSL issues.
Please let me know your thoughts on this. Relevant info on the proposal and the attached budget can be found at: http://www.germanshepherddog.com/members/index.htm#EBallots.
Yours in the sport,
WJ
PS – This year’s budget includes $25000 in new income and $25000 in new expenses arising from the new policy of USA providing basal support for the WDC and Nationals. Thus, if you just look at the totals, it appears we are spending and receiving more money than last year but these two things more or less cancel out unless the two national events are utter disasters.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Please note the following good news forwarded from Lyle Roetemeyer(see below). Stephanie Dunion, Karen MacIntyre and several others have been working hard to establish the relationship with the IRO, and it's nice to see it has paid off.
From Lyle:
Today we received the very good news from the IRO that USA's membership application has been accepted.
Thank you for your support in this matter as we continue to offer more for our membership!
Best regards,
Lyle Roetemeyer
President
United Schutzhund Clubs of America
From: Verena Ruthner
Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 9:37 AM
To: k9-kuriers@attglobal.net
Subject: IRO membership
Dear Mrs. Dunion!
We are pleased to inform you that United Schutzhund Clubs of America has been admitted membership to the IRO, pls. see documents attached.
The signed “originals” will be sent to you via postal mail.
With best regards
Internationale Rettungshunde Organisation - IRO
Verena Ruthner
Moosstrasse 32
A - 5020 Salzburg
From Lyle:
Today we received the very good news from the IRO that USA's membership application has been accepted.
Thank you for your support in this matter as we continue to offer more for our membership!
Best regards,
Lyle Roetemeyer
President
United Schutzhund Clubs of America
From: Verena Ruthner
Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 9:37 AM
To: k9-kuriers@attglobal.net
Subject: IRO membership
Dear Mrs. Dunion!
We are pleased to inform you that United Schutzhund Clubs of America has been admitted membership to the IRO, pls. see documents attached.
The signed “originals” will be sent to you via postal mail.
With best regards
Internationale Rettungshunde Organisation - IRO
Verena Ruthner
Moosstrasse 32
A - 5020 Salzburg
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
10 March 2010
Dear Regional USA members
There has been a flurry of activity in the last 24 hours over the question of the location for the 2010 USA Nationals. To make a long story short, there are two bids for the nationals – one from Jim Alloway and the Mid Ohio Schutzhund Club to hold it in Columbus, Ohio, and the other from Tim Burke and the Blue Tahoe Schutzhund Club to hold it outside Reno in Carson City. The Executive Board has a motion on the floor for a vote for one of these two host/locations, and that vote expires on next Tuesday (March 16). I am getting lots of input from around the country but would rather have input from my region before voting on this issue. Please contact me at wjonesk9 at gmail dot com with your opinion.
Thanks!!
Warren Jones
PNW Regional Director
Dear Regional USA members
There has been a flurry of activity in the last 24 hours over the question of the location for the 2010 USA Nationals. To make a long story short, there are two bids for the nationals – one from Jim Alloway and the Mid Ohio Schutzhund Club to hold it in Columbus, Ohio, and the other from Tim Burke and the Blue Tahoe Schutzhund Club to hold it outside Reno in Carson City. The Executive Board has a motion on the floor for a vote for one of these two host/locations, and that vote expires on next Tuesday (March 16). I am getting lots of input from around the country but would rather have input from my region before voting on this issue. Please contact me at wjonesk9 at gmail dot com with your opinion.
Thanks!!
Warren Jones
PNW Regional Director
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