2019 OBEDIENCE SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
OTCH Pride’N Joy’s Spiders From Mars UDX3 OM5 VER RM RAE2 MX MXJ CA BCAT TKI
- Ziggy -
Owned by Diane Sparks
Average: 397.7 out of 400
Photo by Diane Sparks
Ziggy is a willing and energetic partner! After winning this award in 2016, we moved to Germany, where there are no American obedience trialling or training opportunities. We explored Dutch Obedience and trialed once in Holland, where Ziggy handily won his class. We trained very little and focused instead on exploring our new Homeland. Ziggy visited Bavaria, Frankfurt, and Cologne as well as Holland, Belgium, and France. In August 2019, my husband, a reserve officer in the US Navy, was activated and deployed. I came home to the States with Ziggy. He loves being back and we began to show again occasionally in AKC Obedience again in late 2019. While we only showed infrequently, Ziggy made every moment count. His first trials started us off in style! In October 2019, after having been out of the ring for 2 plus years, he performed almost flawlessly and earned combined scores of 199 in Utility and 199.5 in Open for two consecutive trials.
Ziggy is still a one-of-a-kind sort of partner. He still loves to work, but hates pressure of any sort. We are learning together how to revel in his victories and deal with our challenges! As we learned and grew this past year, team Ziggy accumulated the highest 5 combined score average for Obedience Springer of the Year ever recorded by any team since this award was established. He also garnered a 2020 AKC National Obedience Championship Invitation. Well done, my Little Man! Thank-you for recognizing our achievement!
2019 UTILITY SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
Dream’s Candy Cane Lane
- Laney -
Owned by Sandy Forneris and Sandra Kucaba
Average: 187.5 out of 200
Titled August 29, 2019
Photo by Sandy Forneris
Laney and I had a great 2019. In addition to earning our UD we completed Novice Agility, Novice Jumpers and Rally Intermediate titles. I would like to thank Sandy Kucaba for breeding this lovely girl. She is a sweet dog and a great companion.
2019 OPEN SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
VinEwood Bright Lights N Action CDX TD AX OAJ
- Zeva -
Owned by Shiela Koon and Kathy Patregnani
Average: 194.0 out of 200
Titled November 30, 2019
Photo by Laurie Erickson
Thank you ESSFTA for this prestigious award. It was a pleasant surprise and a real delight to receive.
Zeva is an outgoing little girl, who is always ready to play. Does not really matter to Zeva what venue we play in, she is always game to go.
Zeva likes to track, run agility and play in obedience and she does these all with exuberance. However, Zeva’s favorite thing to do is hang out with her best friend Dusty, her horse. You might also find her chasing a tennis ball at every opportunity.
Zeva has spent some time in the whelping box and has blessed us with some nice puppies.
We are currently working on proofing for Utility, working towards our MACH as well as advanced tracking titles.
Thanks again for this award.
Sheila & Zeva
2019 NOVICE SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
Dream’s Who’s On First CD BN RN NF CGCA
- Riz -
Owned by Sandra Kucaba and J Rowland
Average: 198.17 out of 200
Titled September 21, 2019
Photo by Tanya Kucaba
I'm very proud of Riz. She is fun dog who loves to work and is ready to try anything thrown her way.
Riz lived with co-owner/breeder Jennifer Rowland in Texas until she was 10 months old. Riz began her conformation career there and completed all but one major toward Championship.
Jennifer was in nursing school at this time, and asked if she could send Riz to me for training for a few months while she finished her last semester of school. Knowing Riz is an energetic, happy dog who needs direction and a job, I was glad to take her on. Riz and I quickly formed an incredible bond, and after working it out with Jennifer, I decided to keep her as my own.
Thanks to all the breeders whose dogs make up Riz's pedigree. We couldn't have done this without you.
Riz & Sandy
2019 NOVICE A SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
CH VinEwood Truth In Action CD BN RN AXP AJP OFP
- Justice -
Owned by Sofia Colburn and Kathy Patregnani
Average: 192.17 out of 200
Titled November 16, 2019
Photo by Joan Beck
First, I want to Thank ESSFTA for honoring my boy Justice & I with this wonderful award. I am beyond thrilled to accept this as it is my first Year End Award.
Justice was the puppy we kept from a litter of three and was originally supposed to be my Aunt Kathy’s next performance dog. Justice on the other hand, had other ideas, as he had picked me as his momma. Kathy very quickly saw the bond we shared and “gifted” him to me as my own dog to train.
At 7 years old, I started training my very own puppy. We have had some ups and downs, but mostly a whole lotta fun. Justice and I do a lot of things together. In the performance world we compete in obedience, agility, rally, nose work, and even a little hunting. In everyday life we pretty much hang out, enjoy each other’s company, and love each other. If Justice has any bad habits his biggest would be that he hogs the bed & blankets at night.
Thank you, Justice, for picking me. I could not have hoped for a better first dog than you.
Sofia & Justice.
2017 RALLY SPRINGER OF THE YEAR
OTCH MACH RACH Crossroad Polesitter Always UDX3 OM6 RM2 RAE2 MXB MJB NF
- Beckett -
Owned by Kim Berkley, Laurie Green, and Jody Garcini
Average: 200.0 out of 200
Photo by Lori Leblanc
Beckett (whelped July 24, 2015) flew through another stand-out year in 2019, finishing the year as the #1-ranked AKC obedience English Springer Spaniel. She also finished her OTCH and RACH in 2019, with several HIT, HC, HTQ’s so proud of my feisty girl!
She got a terrific head start on 2020 this February during her first visit to Westminster. She was a real crowd pleaser there in the obedience competition, posting a 196 in Utility B and making me very proud.
I continue to be grateful to Beckett’s breeder, Laurie Green, Jody Garcini & Kelly Liedtke, and to Mike Bockhorn, who bred Beckett’s sire, CH Polesitter’s Victory Lane (Auto).
