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2012 Obedience

2012 OBEDIENCE SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
CH OTCH POLESITTER’S BRICKYARD UDX OM3 RE MX MXB MXJ MJB
Brick
Owned by Michael Bockhorn & Benjamin Custer

I would like to thank the ESSFTA for recognizing Brick for the Obedience Springer of The Year Award for 2012. It is a great honor to win this, especially after his littermate Dani received this award last year.

When Brick and I started our obedience debut in Novice A, I never dreamed of winning this award. We have both enjoyed obedience so much, and it has produced a bond between us that is undeniable. Our training sessions begin early each morning and Brick is so excited to jump in the car so that we can train. On days that we would not go train, he would mope around the house and make me feel guilty for not training. This would not have been possible without the support and dedication from our trainer Kim Berkley who has had the belief in us from the beginning. She has taken a green handler and a green dog and made us into a team.

Brick received his OTCH in 2012 along with High In Trial at the first obedience trial at the 2012 ESSFTA national and High Combined at the second trial. After winning this award Brick has won all 4 ESSFTA obedience awards Novice A in 2010, Open in 2011 and now Utility and Springer of The Year in 2012. We are putting obedience on hold for a while as we work on his MACH.

Stats: Average 395.33 out of 400

Photo by Kevin Devine


2012 UTILITY SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
CH OTCH POLESITTER’S BRICKYARD UDX OM3 RE MX MXB MXJ MJB
Brick
Owned by Michael Bockhorn & Benjamin Custer

I would like to thank ESSFTA for awarding Brick the Utility Springer of the Year. Brick has been an amazing utility dog. His great work ethic and desire to please has made it so much fun training and showing him in utility.

When Brick received his first leg in Utility A, that was the proudest and happiest moment that I have ever had in all of my years in dogs. We trained so hard for it, and I did not believe that it would ever come together.

His first try at utility he had one mistake and NQ’d, but then he went on to pass the next 3 tries and earn his title. I have had several judges tell me that he has such a great work ethic and that they only see a dog like him once every couple of years.

Mike & Brick

Stats: Average: 198.0 out of 200

Photo by Kevin Devine


2012 OPEN SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
CH POLESITTER’S ABSOLUTE VICTORY CDX VER RA AX AXJ
AJ
Owned by Kimberly Berkley & Michael Bockhorn

AJ has been a joy to train. I've never doubted his amazing talent. AJ started his novice career in January 2012 and finished his UD in October 2012, before the age of 2. He has since completed his OTCH January 27, 2013. AJ competed in the 2013 Obedience Invitational, I am very proud to say we finished 9th overall/87 entries, and the top ESS. We're working on his MACH for 2013. A special thank you to Mike Bockhorn for breeding this very special boy and sharing him with me.

Stats: Average: 199.17 out of 200

Photo by AKC


2012 NOVICE B SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
CH POLESITTER’S ABSOLUTE VICTORY CDX VER RA AX AXJ
AJ
Owned by Kimberly Berkley & Michael Bockhorn

AJ is my second ESS. He was born the weekend my first ESS, Dani, was finishing her OTCH. Mike Bockhorn called and said he had a new big black boy for me. I could only dream he would be as special as he is. AJ finished his breed championship in March 2012. I couldn't wait to show him in Novice, as obedience is his favorite thing to do. We competed 19 times in Novice, earning 17 first places, 2 second places, and never scoring below 198. He won 7 HITs, including HIT at the ESSFTA National Specialty!

Stats: Average: 199.5 out of 200

Photo by Pupart


2012 NOVICE A SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
FC AFC CFC ABITT’S HIGHLANDER’S LORD CD BN RA MH VCD1
Toby
Owned by Angela Monaghan

It didn't me very long to figure out that unlike doing field work with a naturally gifted dog, absolutely nothing about obedience is natural. Obedience is boring, repetitive, requires unnatural patience and supernatural self-discipline. Yet, when all the gears start to work properly, it's pure magic and so much fun!

The road to this award was not an easy one. Toby is a dog that took 8-9 months to train to heel...and even then he still wasn't good at it. He saw nothing wrong with "heeling" five feet away or doing his best to tug my arms out of their sockets. He had horrible obedience and I started at ground zero with him. Being a pragmatist, my goal was just to minimize the embarrassment factor of being seen as the person running behind the world's worst obedience dog. Months went by and we were getting nowhere. I wore out two clickers, spent a fortune on treats, and still felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall. I almost gave up and I certainly never thought he'd win anything. A green ribbon was all I could hope for. Then one day he woke up and decided he was ready to be a gentleman and play on my team. His confidence soared and he became a happy heeler! Even better, he won the blue on our first try, qualified and placed in three straight trials...all with scores that exceeded my wildest expectations. It was a highly rewarding challenge to get our CD and we look forward to showing in Open this year.

Thank you for acknowledging our hard work and persistence.

Stats: Average: 191.33 out of 200

Photo by Angela Monaghan


2012 RALLY SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
CH OTCH MACH2 TOPGUNS VINEWOOD MAKIN’ A SPLASH UDX2 OM6 VER RE MH MXG MJG
Splash
Owned by Kathy Patregnani

Wow, Rally Springer of The Year 2012!!!

Thank you ESSFTA for his honor.

I only trail in Rally at my local specialty show & the Nationals. So it took us years to earn the RAE title. Splash earned this title on May 18, 2013 at our very own TCVESSA specialty show. The very next day I handed the leash & Splash over to my foster daughter so they could have fun playing in the Rally rings.

Splash has been a joy to train, no matter the venue. As he ages he only gets better and more fun.

Thanks again ESSFTA for this award.

Splash & Kathy

Stats: Average: 196.67 out of 200

Photo by Patty Raymond