President`s Letter, by Jeff Rhodes

Transcription

A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE SPINONE CLUB OF AMERICA • VOLUME 22, ISSUE 5 • SPRING 2015
President’s Letter, by Jeff Rhodes ......................................................................................... 2
Columns .................................................................................................................................... 2
Hunting Blues with a Spinone, by Bob Wendling .............................................................................. 2
My Spinoni, Pheasants & Me, by Will Tremont ................................................................................. 4
Ernie Got His Pheasant, by H. Wright ……………………………………………..………………………6
Member Brags ......................................................................................................................... 7
Gocki and Saga................................................................................................................................ 7
Updates ..................................................................................................................................... 7
AKC Reunite Rescue Relief Trailer .................................................................................................. 7
Titles Earned .................................................................................................................................... 7
Committee Reports .................................................................................................................. 9
Awards Report, by Heather Jenner ................................................................................................. 9
Hunting Report, by Alyssa Pease .................................................................................................... 9
Much Ado About Hunting, by Alyssa Pease ................................................................................... 10
A New Take on Tradition, by Alyssa Pease .................................................................................... 10
New Members, by Laura Penfold ................................................................................................... 11
2015 SCOA Photo Contest, by Kandi Kwirant ................................................................................ 11
Registry of Merit, by Daina Hodges ................................................................................................ 11
SCOA Rescue, by Patti Johnson .................................................................................................... 12
Announcements ..................................................................................................................... 13
SCOA Equipment, by Patti Brusk ................................................................................................... 13
CA Test Kits, by Sue Acquistapace ................................................................................................ 13
Canine Hip Dysplasia Biomarker Study, submitted by Deb Davenport ........................................... 13
2015 SCOA Calendars Available.................................................................................................... 13
Informational Writings ........................................................................................................... 14
SCOA Trophy Pledge Sheet........................................................................................................... 14
2014 National Invitation, by Gocki Andrews ................................................................................... 15
SCOA & Spinone Health Foundation, submitted by Angela Hanson............................................... 17
Summary of NAVHDA NA Test Results, 2003-2012 - Part II, by Linda Robinson ........................... 18
Meeting Minutes, by Sue Acquistapace ............................................................................... 23
Minutes of SCOA Board Meeting 12-16-14 .................................................................................... 23
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President’s Letter, by Jeff Rhodes
I hope everyone is surviving this winter. I know where we are it has been a brutal
winter with ice, snow and very cold temperatures. I really feel for our members in the
Northeast as they are having an absolutely brutal winter up there. Hopefully everyone is
staying in and warm and safe to get through this. Spring will eventually get here, I am sure of
it, even if it does not seem like it will.
Make sure to mark your calendars for the upcoming National in Wisconsin. There
have been numerous people working hard to prepare a lot of venues for everyone to enjoy while attending the
National. You can access the website for the National at: www.scoaannualspecialty.com or you can link into it
from the club website. From there you can make your travel plans and reservations so that you will not miss a
minute of the fun and excitement!
The Breed Standard Committee has done a great job and put a ton of work into presenting the Board with
revisions to the Standard to bring it in line with the Italian Standard. The Board really appreciates all of the work
and time that this Committee has spent accomplishing this tremendous project. The revisions are out for
discussion and comments from the membership and the committee will begin compiling all of the member’s
comments so that the revisions can be put into a revised standard that can be sent for AKC approval and then
back to the members for vote. There was some debate with the Board on how to send out the revisions for
discussion. The Board was divided on only one issue in the revisions and how to send this revision out. As most
of you will know, it is the revision of the tail that caused the debate within the Board. The majority of the Board felt
that to remain in line with the true Italian Standard, the SCOA standard should also say that the tail is docked.
The majority of the Board feels that we are the Parent Club for the AKC and we are the Club that is given the task
to protect the breed of the Italian Spinone here in the United States. If the standard for the Italian Spinone is to be
changed it should be the Italians that change it first, not the Americans.
Congratulations to all that made it to Westminster and toughed out the weather to be there. Thank you
for doing a great job of representing this great breed for the club!
Spring will be here soon and I can’t wait to get back out training!
Thank you,
Jeff Rhodes, President
Columns
Hunting Blues in New Mexico with a Spinone,
by Bob Wendling
First let me clarify that I'm not talking about an
emotional experience, but about hunting Scaled
Quail also known as "Blues". However, after hunting
Blues for 3 years the experiences which I've had
could occasionally make you blue.
western Texas, most of New Mexico, south deep
into Mexico, and north into the panhandle of
Oklahoma, southwest Kansas and southeast
Colorado. Southeastern NM where I hunted in midJanuary is semi-arid, meaning it has a little more
ground cover (i.e., depending on rainfall) than a true
desert.
Some hunters refer to this species as a desert quail
along with the Gambel, though the latter is much
more characteristically found in the southwestern
desert of the US. The Blue's range, however, covers
The terrain hunted ranged from flat to rolling.
Operating oil wells (called "pump jacks") in NM,
2
miles and miles of gravel/rock/sand roads and
related truck traffic were commonplace. A
considerable amount of the land is managed by the
USDA Bureau of Land Management and several NM
state agencies all of which are usually open to public
hunting. Maps and computer chips which identify
such lands are available.
course in seed identification I can now do it, though
not quite as accurately. The next step is to find and
identify the plants producing those seeds. If you can
do that you narrow down the scope of potentially
productive sites. Believe me this does take some
work but practice helps a lot.
What I've found is that Blues are found in or near
fields that have the following plants which provide
seed for food: wild sunflower, cowpen daisy, shin or
havard oak, wooly crotan or dove weed, and broom
weed or sedge grass. They also seem to like sitting
under mesquite bushes when not feeding during the
day. It should be noted that food preferences for
Blues may vary across its relatively large range
The weather during most of my 8 days there was
cloudy with temperatures ranging from 20s and 30s
at night to upper 50s on some days. When the sun
did come out temperatures reached the 60s.
However, there was hardly any rain and all areas
hunted were very dry, thus it was necessary to carry
water for the dogs as well as myself.
Many of the areas hunted had grass burrs and thus
dogs had to be booted up. (By the way, booting up
dogs and dog boots is an article by itself). Because
of the Spinones' large hairy feet this is especially
important. You might not appreciate or value this
point unless you have personally pulled grass
burrs. They can wear your fingers out, though thin
leather gloves do provide some protection. Using
forceps is a long and tedious process. I have found
that trimming the hair around the feet and between
toes also helps reduce the Spinones ' chance of
picking up other "things" in their pads or between
toes including both mud and ice/snow balls. Again,
unless you have had the experience of removing
such "things" you might not value this point.
Now for hunting Blues: Some hunters use the term
"chasing" in lieu of hunting. And yes, it can seem like
that especially if the population is down, ground
cover is sparse due to low precipitation, the birds
have had a lot of hunting pressure and scenting
conditions are not optimal (i.e., very dry, windy and
little cover). Tough scenting conditions are more
common than not.
My experience in using a Spinone on Blues has
been good but only because of my biologist friend
who has literally pointed me in the right direction to
hunt and also because I've tried several approaches
during some very sparse years. Obviously years with
large populations should result in more points and
shots. As Spinone hunters know, this breed is very
thorough (examines everything) and "gamey" (wants
to hunt just about everything including but not limited
to rabbits/hares, squirrels, chipmunks, porcupines,
etc.). This is both good and bad. Their thoroughness
is especially valuable when attempting to find
coveys in pockets of dense cover or singles from
flushed coveys. The down side is that you are
covering a smaller area in a given amount of time.
Nevertheless, my casts are usually 2 hours long and
a lot of ground can still be covered. You are also
walking at a slower pace which, as I get older, I
appreciate more and more. We know the obvious
reason for working our dogs into the wind.
Additionally I have observed that on warm days
dogs do not labor as intensely when working into the
wind.
This is the third year I've hunted Blues in this area.
In the western part of the US quail populations are
greatly affected by weather conditions, especially
precipitation and temperature. In the previous 2
years, lack of rain combined with high temperatures
has adversely effected the Blue Quail population.
This past summer southeast NM received more rain
and consequently both vegetation and the quail
population improved. I actually found more coveys
and birds than in the 2 previous years combined
though still not exceptional, as experienced Blue
Quail hunters will tell you. Another good year of
weather in the area should produce exceptional
hunting.
Over the last several years I've had the luxury of
meeting and becoming a good friend with another
avid bird hunter who is a retired wildlife biologist. He
has educated me about what Blues eat. The only
way to accurately determine that is to open and
examine the birds' crops and then identify what you
find. Of course he can do that, and with a short
For those of you who have pheasant hunted you're
very aware of pheasants' desire to run before flying.
Consequently, many bird hunters do not like to hunt
pheasants because of that characteristic. Well,
desert quail can make pheasants a distant second
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when it comes to running. This is especially true if
population numbers are down, cover is sparse and
there's
been
hunting
pressure.
In
such
circumstances not only do birds run more frequently,
they may flush wild or beyond gun range. Also
remember that due to common weather conditions in
arid and semi-arid regions of low rainfall (dry), strong
winds and often warm air temperatures, scenting
conditions are less than optimal.
relates not just to training and control (which, by the
way, are very easy when Spinones are compared to
other breeds) but equally on how we hunt a
particular area and the species of upland bird we are
hunting. Like most other hunters I try to find areas
that have not been over-hunted, prefer hunting thru
the middle of the week, pay attention to what the
birds are eating, and use various tactics in the hunt.
In regards to the latter point I have found that once a
covey flushes I try to mark the spot where they
landed, pull Soffie back in and quietly wait 15-20
minutes before going after the birds. This time also
gives you a chance to rest and water your dog.
My Spinone, Soffie, did an excellent job of finding
coveys and singles. Of course how well our dogs
perform greatly depends on their owners. This
My Spinoni, Pheasants & Me, by Will Tremont
Vol. 1 No. 8
st
On May 31 2014, Kate and I drove to Canton, Ohio
to pick out the newest addition to our pack of
Spinoni, a beautiful seven week old white/orange
girl. Her papered name is Seven Pines Hannah and
I want to thank Wendy McIntosh of Seven Pines
Kennel for breeding such a sweet pup. We call our
new girl Chezzie, short for Ceasarina Mia, a name
we selected to go along with Cara Mia, our twelve
year old Spin, and Cassius Marcellus, aka Cash, our
six year old. This way Chezzie has the same initials
as Cara and Cash allowing us to save money in this
harsh economy by using for the new pup the same
monogrammed towels and linens we already have
on hand for the older dogs. In a future column I’ll tell
you about our dog shower.
raised quail. Chezzie loved
birds from day one and no
additional stimulation of her
prey drive was necessary.
Conditioning the new pup to
loud noises began at her
food bowel by clanging the
cookware hanging from our kitchen pot rack while
she ate, increasing the volume of the racket every
week. This loud noise conditioning transitioned from
banging on pots and pans above her food bowel into
firing a blank pistol as she gamboled after penraised quail in a friend’s pasture. Later a shotgun
replaced the blank pistol.
Despite all my preparation, as hunting season
approached I began to fret. Chezzie was born on
th
April 9 while both Cara and Cash had been born
several months earlier in the year. By the time Cara
and Cash started their rookie hunting seasons I had
not only introduced them to game birds and gunfire,
I’d also done pointing drills with live pigeons, laid
down drag trails for them with dead birds and I had
shot many pen-raised quail and chukkar over both of
them in prep for their first encounter with wild Iowa
ringneck pheasants. Chezzie had not yet had a live
bird shot over her, let alone experienced a pointing
drill or tracked anything more than a drag trail I’d put
down with a piece of chicken skin. There just wasn’t
enough time since she had been born so late in the
year. So we just forged on.
Like her great-aunt Cara and her
uncle Cash, Chezzie was going
to be a bird dog. So I reread
Joan Bailey’s great book “How
to Help Gun Dogs Train
Themselves”
and
plunged
ahead. Over the course of last
summer and fall I tried to do all
the things with Chez that I’d done with Cara and
Cash in prep for their freshman hunting seasons.
After only a few short weeks Chezzie began
accompanying the big dogs on our daily morning
jaunts through a local conservation area. There are
no game birds there but as far as the dogs know
they are hunting and Chezzie learned her whistle
commands and field etiquette by following Cara and
Cash’s example. Chez’s daily exposure to field and
water was augmented, starting in early July, by
introducing her to wing clipped pigeons and pen
My philosophy for training all my dogs has been to
prepare them as thoroughly as I can for their first
hunting season, hunt them almost exclusively on
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wild birds and just let them have fun out there. I
adopted the attitude that during their first hunting
season they can do no wrong in the field. When they
do right I shower them with lavish praise and when
they don’t I try to ignore the bad behavior as best I
can.
Over the course of the next six weeks I took Cara,
Cash and Chezzie on three more hunting trips to
Iowa, and in that time, Chezzie underwent the
transformation from a young pup frolicking in the
field after her pack mates into a real bird dog.
During those trips Chezzie experienced fourteen
hunts during which we encountered over 110
pheasants and three large coveys of quail. When it
was all over we had bagged a dozen pheasants and
half a dozen quail and Chezzie became a productive
member of my pack. Of all the gratifying moments I
have experienced watching Chezzie develop her
craft, moments like seeing her first solid point on a
wild ringneck, or the first time she honored Cash’s
point as he pinned down a wily rooster along the
edge of a strip of prairie grass bordering a field of
combined corn, or on the very last hunt of the
season when I shot my first rooster over one of
Chezzie’s rock solid points, there is one moment that
stands out from all the rest.
During Cara’s first season, which I have chronicled
in previous columns, I shot a lot of wild birds over
her and she had the time of her life. She was
productive in the field from the day one. I thought I
must be a prodigy as a trainer. Then there was
Cash, who had a wonderful time his first season by
breaking point and creeping in and flushing birds out
of range. Cash loved to track, bump and chase wild
roosters and hens and delighted as other birds
flushed in the wake of his merry chase. Afterwards
Cash would return to me, a panting and happy
Spinone if there ever was one. And he never once
produced a wild bird for the gun his first season. I
feared he was hopeless, or was it me? After Cash’s
first season ended, I took him to a local Illinois hunt
club and planted two roosters for him. I worked him
into the birds and each time he pointed hard and
remained steady to the flush. Cash has never
broken point since that time on any bird that held
tight. Slow to mature I guess, like his master.
Mid way through the second hunting trip as Cash,
Chez and I hunted a 60 acre field of CRP on a
friends farm north of Columbus Junction, I was
fortunate enough to see the proverbial light bulb turn
on for Chezzie. As much as Chez loved romping in
the field, encountering wild pheasants and as much
as she was thrilled by the report of my shotgun, up
to this point Chez still didn’t really seem to know why
we were out there. And then it happened. Cash
locked up into a hard point on a dense piece of
cover and Chezzie watched with great interest, not
yet backing Cash, as I tried to kick up the bird. No
bird flushed and I thought the pheasant must have
slinked off, so I tapped Cash on the back of head to
release him. Cash’s whole body surged forward but
his feet never budged and he settled back into his
point. Before I could again try to kick up the bird
Chezzie flashed past me and dove headlong into
that patch of cover. Chez began rooting around until
a hen pheasant came blasting out, almost taking my
hat off as she flew past my
head. A split second later
Chezzie popped her head up
out of the weeds with a mouth
full of feathers and from then
on she scoured the fields with a new purpose. Yep,
that was the moment Chezzie became a bird dog!
In spite of her lack of preparation I decided to do the
same with Chezzie, just take her hunting and see
what happened. At a guided youth pheasant hunt in
late October six month old Chezzie completed her
exposure to shotgun fire around birds, while Cash
got a final tune up for the upcoming season. While
running all three of my dogs that same weekend on
my Uncle’s farm in Columbus Junction, Iowa, Chez
encountered her first wild Iowa ringneck. Cara and
Cash hit the CRP with a sense of purpose that Chez
had not seen before, but still she just ran around
having fun like usual. Then she caught scent of
something and started to track and chase. Chezzie
began bounding through the tall cover popping into
the air every three feet like a
carousel horse, in pursuit of
she knew not what. She
approached a fence line and
a rooster pheasant cackled
and flushed in front of her
stopping Chez dead in her tracks. As Chezzie
stared after the bird in intoxicated awe, I thought that
she might work out after all.
When he’s not chasing Iowa ringnecks, Will lives
in Cary, Illinois with his wife Kate and their three
Spinoni, Cara, Cash and Chezzie.
You can email Will at [email protected]
5
Ernie Got His Pheasant, by Howard Wright
Most times when a hunter talks about their dog
getting a bird it isn’t pretty and they aren’t happy.
But this story is an exception and a pleasure to
share with other Spinone owners. I hunt or am in
the field with dogs almost every day since retiring.
This day my canine partner was Bella Terra’s
Ernesto Moneta, call name “Ernie” our 7 year old
Spinone that did his part to make this a great story.
boy. He was standing with front paws on a log and
his back on ice. A few more steps and the ice
cracking alarming a hen pheasant that flushed. All
the time Ernie stood steady. The hen broke to my
right, his left and didn’t come into view until out of
gunshot range. She set her wings, started back
peddling preparing to land in a tall pine tree, then
accelerated in flight for another 10 feet crashing into
a big oak. When she hit her neck broke and she
dropped to the ground. All the while Ernie stood tall
and only moved sideways to mark. I needed to
make this a great experience for my boy. He had
worked so hard tracking this bird for about 20
minutes, stood for 7 or 8 more while dad was
tangled in briers, and now was waiting to be
released to make a retrieve. Everything we trained
for was well executed like something out of an NFL
play book, and it was time for Ernie to receive his
reward; the retrieve. I fired my gun up and away
then sent him. He busted through the briers going
directly to the bird, picked her up and came right to
me.
Ernie and I went to hunt at our club and selected
a field based on weather conditions. As soon as I let
him out of our truck he started ground tracking.
Ernie is real good at tracking and we take about 20
birds each year with him working ground scent.
When his nose goes to the ground and his tail
wagging faster than the law should allow, I got up
behind him and waited for a point.
On this hunt the wind was blowing hard like it
often does in South Jersey. It was cold and thin ice
had formed on every puddle. The way Ernie started
hunting told me there was a bird and it was running
ahead of him. I quickly loaded up my over under 20
and followed him into a thick wooded area.
What an event and Ernie did it all. He held point
standing on ice, marked the bird in flight, and made
a wonderful retrieve with his head high and proud
like only a Spinone can do. We continued hunting a
while longer and Ernie produced a cock bird. Since I
was hunting alone the only picture I have to share
with my Spinone friends is the one taken just before
at the end of our hunt. And here it is. Ernie
standing guard over his prize pheasants.
We went about 100 feet and I was hung up in
briers while he kept moving forward with his big Spin
nose to the ground. When he would lose scent, he
would circle and pick it up again. As I worked myself
through the briers Ernie stayed on the move and
soon his bell went silent with him out of sight
heading toward a swamp. I broke free and headed
in the direction he was going. The water was getting
deeper with every step I took and the ice on top
cracked loudly. Still Ernie was out of sight and I
decided to locate him through his beeper collar.
Pushing the locate button the collar sounded letting
me know he was up ahead in even thicker briers that
wrap around the swamp. A few more steps and I hit
locate again; Ernie was at the same location and I
was sure he was on point. I called to him “I’m
coming buddy” and moved toward the beep.
While working around deep water he came into
view some 40 yards away directly in front of me
pointing a bird hidden between us. The water now
was almost over my boots as I continued toward my
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Member Brags
Gocki Andrews
Congratulations to Gocki Andrews and Saga aka CHTarquinia of Trollbo, who became both a
Master Hunter (on November 01, 2014) and a Versatile Champion (VC).
Updates, etc.
AKC Reunite Disaster Relief Trailer, by Laura Penfold
Sorry if I am repeating myself, but once again, I want to thank all of our members, families and friends that have
donated to help make this a successful drive for both SCOA and AKC.
To date, the Spinone Club of America has sponsored three AKC Reunite
Disaster Relief trailers. I told you of the first two, which were to the LexingtonFayette Division of Emergency Management & Lexington Humane Society in
Kentucky (featured in our last newsletter), and to the County of San Diego
Department of Animal Services. The presentation to the County of San Diego
Department of Animal Services took place on Saturday February 21, 2015.
Another $1,000.00 is being used to put a SCOA logo on a trailer that is to be
donated to the Bergen County Animal Response Team in Bergen County, New Jersey. The Bergen County
Animal Response Team provides courteous and professional services in rescuing, sheltering and care of all
animals in times of all-hazard disasters. The men and women of the CART volunteer organization train,
coordinate, and educate the public to prepare for all animal emergencies. As soon as I have news of the
dedication of this trailer I will let everyone know via email, and will post pictures of the trailer as soon as I get
them.
Once again - thanks and please don't forget this great cause. What a great way to not only support AKCs disaster
relief program, but to get SCOAs name out there all across the country!!! If you, friends or family donate, please
remember to write "Spinone Club of America" in the memo portion of the check (SCOA is used by a different
organization).
Titles Earned . . . , by Laura Penfold
Huge congratulations to all of our members whose dogs have earned AKC titles for the period January 2014 October 2014. We would love to mention all of our dogs that earn titles, whether in conformation, agility, hunting,
obedience, etc. Please drop me an email if your dog(s) earn titles in any venue besides AKC, since I
automatically get the AKC titles. ([email protected]).
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The following table is alphabetical by the name of the dog, and once again - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Dog
Title
Barba Bagnata Cima Del Poggio
Master Hunter
Bella Campo N Hootwire Bark At The Moon
Champion
Bella Terra's Penny Lane
Canine Good Citizen
Bellaebravo Dulce de Leche
Champion
Brier Creek's Jet Gea At Del Fredo
Champion
Owner(s)
Deirdre Lehman & Jon Lehman &
Tammara Morgan
Mike McLeland & Kay McLeland
Bob Sheridan & Christine
Vadnais
Alexandria M Costello & James G
Costello
Susan Moen
Camkota Life Isn't Like In The Movies
Grand Champion
Andi Gabler & Mary E Campbell
Collina D'oro Adele By Royal Design
Champion
Stacey A. Belt & Lorne Belt
Collina D'Oro Pretty Boy Pink Floyd
Therapy Dog
Rebecca Tevis & Kenneth Tevis
Collina D'Oro Rock You Like A Hurricane
Grand Champion
Susan Dean & Stacey A. Belt
Darby Canyon Elvis Murphy
Therapy Dog
Robert Murphy & Carrie Murphy
Del Mare Hey Ba Ba Rebop
Canine Good Citizen
Tina Glengary & Evan Cordes
Del Mare Remember My Name
Champion
Hootwire 'N Bellacampo Over The Moon
Junior Hunter
Susan McGregor
Debbie Perrott & Kay McLeland
& Shirley Knipe
Hopecreek Maggioranza Fisica Sofia
Kala's Sorcerer's Stone Of Wizards
Ludovita Del Caos Of Camelot
Mals-About Guilty As Charged
Preferred Agility Excellent 6
Master Agility Excellent Preferred 14
Beginner Novice
Rally Novice
Champion
Master Bronze Agility Preferred
Master Bronze Jumper Preferred
Rally Advanced
Rally Excellent
Preferred Agility Excellent
Timmari Putti
Susan Lindsey & Harleigh Lindsey
Jackie Spiars & Sharyn Conole
Dennis Gamble & Holly Gamble
Mals-About My Lucky Star
Canine Good Citizen
Mountain Valley Bella Lucia
Canine Good Citizen
Evan Emmons & Samuel
Emmons
Mrs. Lisa Flowers
Nine Gates Contessa Di Martello
Canine Good Citizen
Lynne F. Hammerschlag
Ravenscreek Graziella Lu
Rally Novice
Gigi R Comer & Renada Selbach
Redrue Grand Wizard
Rally Advanced
Susan Lindsey
Sagebrush's Ruellia Of Mountain Valley
Champion
Ms. Candice Elene Sobota
Seven Pines Hagrid Bogwalker
Junior Hunter
Joseph Zawadowski
Seven Pines Hugo Punto Di Rugiada
Elizabeth Morstatter
Spinfandel Cloud Nine
Canine Good Citizen
Open Agility
Open Agility Jumper
Agility Fast Novice
Grand Champion
Sweetbriar's Jewel Of Ruby's Memory
Champion
Tarquinia Of Trollbo
Master Hunter
Vericool Leggenda Del Mare
Companion Dog
Daniel Graff & Dana Graff
Gocki Andrews & Charles
Andrews & Lena Amirian
Susan McGregor & Susan L
Acquistapace
Spinfandel Apollo's Song
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Pam Flanagan & Mary Faeth
Ann Summerfelt & Mary Faeth
Committee Reports
Awards Report, by Heather Jenner
On behalf of the Awards Committee, I would like to thank everyone that took the time to
nominate dogs and people for SCOA's Annual Awards. You have given the committee another
tough job this year as we have some fantastic, accomplished dogs and people that have gone
above and beyond for the club. The Annual Awards will be presented at the Awards Banquet
during the National Specialty, on the evening of Saturday May 8.
After some consideration, I have decided to take a break from the Awards Committee after the Specialty. It's
been a successful few years, and while we're always adapting and discussing things that come up, we have
gotten quite a bit accomplished. I had never chaired a committee before and the members of this committee have
been helpful, supportive and patient with me as I've gone through this learning curve. I can't thank Dan, Ed,
Diana or Seth enough. Diana Cannon will be moving in to the Chair position and hopefully we will have a new
committee member chosen soon. I wish the committee continued success!
Respectfully Submitted,
Heather Jenner, Awards Committee Chair
Dan Graff, Ed Gebelein, Diana Cannon and Seth Beckman
Hunting Report, by Alyssa Pease
Congratulations to the following dogs and owners for earning qualifying scores in the November
AKC Tests:
Saturday, November 1:
Senior Hunter: Bella Terra’s Ernesto Moneta JH (Wright)
Water Test:
Barba Bagnata Cima del Poggio (Lehman)
Junior Hunter: Busy B’s Indigo Hunting (Nelson)
Hootwire ‘N Bella Campo Over The Moon (Perrott)
Seven Pines Hagrid Bogwalker (Zawadowski)
Sunday, November 2:
Junior Hunter: Busy B’s Indigo Hunting (Nelson)
Busy B’s Nokomas (Hein)
Hootwire ‘N Bella Campo Over The Moon (Perrott)
Seven Pines Hagrid Bogwalker (Zawadowski)
Special congratulations to Dee Lehman’s Poggi (pictured here with Judge Joe Zawadowski)
for passing the Water Test and earning an AKC Master Hunter title on Saturday!
We had our AKC tests on March 21 & 22, 2015 in Hustle, VA. We will post the results in the
Summer newsletter. Please plan ahead for tests and more at the annual meeting is
Oconomowoc, WI in May. Watch the SCOA website for more details as they become
available – see you in the field in the spring!
9
Much Ado About Hunting - Winter Notes from the Hunt Test Committee
At the time of this writing it is snowing (again) and
although the fire is indeed delightful we’re hoping
that spring remembers it is supposed to make an
appearance in time for our first AKC tests of the year
on March 21 & 22, 2015 in Hustle, VA.
We’ve
already seen some tests cancelled due to inclement
weather this year and hope that it is not a portent of
things to come. By now you should have received
information on the annual meeting in Oconomowoc,
WI in May. Note that our NAVHDA test (sponsored
by the Northern Illinois Chapter) will be held on
Sunday May 3 at the Richard Bong State Recreation
Area in Kansasville, WI. As NAVHDA tests have
limited capacity anyone interested in entering should
plan to get their entries submitted as soon as
possible. Entry fees are NA $90, UPT $115 and UT
$125, checks should be payable to Northern IL
NAVHDA and mailed with completed entry forms to
test secretary Diane Calandra at 46 Lake St., Lake
Zurich IL 60047. Any questions regarding the
NAVHDA test should be directed to Diane as well,
she can be reached at:
[email protected] or 847-902-3453.
Our AKC field tests will be held on Monday May 4 &
Tuesday May 5 at the Ottowa Field Trial Grounds in
Eagle, WI with the Water Test following at the end of
the day back at the Olympia Resort in Oconomowoc.
Hunt test premiums and entry forms are available
online at the BaRay website:
www.barayevents.com/show_data.phtml?action=vie
wshow&sid=853,
scroll to the bottom of the page for links. In addition
to our tests we also have a training seminar on
Tuesday evening after dinner with Inga From of
Positive Gun Dogs of Minnesota, more information
on this event is included below, we hope to see
everyone in the field and at the presentation!
A New Take on Tradition
We’re getting ready for the SCOA National in 2015.
And, do we have something special in store! For the
first time ever, we’re taking a fresh look at how to
hunt train our versatile gun dogs.
She has worked many times with her local North
American Versatile Hunting Dog Association
(NAVHDA) chapter. Through this work, this chapter
now offers an alternate, positive track for folks
looking to positively train their versatile hunting dog.
To speak with us about positive reinforcement
training and how it can specifically be applied to gun
dogs, we’ve invited the premier positive gun dog
trainer in the country: Inga From (CDBC, CPDTKSA). A former game warden in the state of Texas,
Inga was introduced to positive gun dog training in
2006 by Jim Barry and has focused her attention on
it for about the last decade. In 2008 she founded
Positive Gun Dogs of Minnesota (PGDM). She
offers classes and seminars across the country.
Positive Gun Dogs of Minnesota (PGDM) offers
resources for those looking for alternatives to
traditional training methods for gun dog work, field
sports for the family dog, sporting breed dogs and
antler shed hunting dogs. Through PGDM Inga
offers a variety of dog behavior and training
services. She hunts waterfowl and upland birds with
her Labrador and Springer Spaniel. Both dogs have
been working for years in the field and are trained
using positive reinforcement.
During an after-dinner talk on May 5 at our national,
Inga will discuss this alternative training method,
what it is, how it is applied and give us some ways to
get started. This seminar is designed for all SCOA
members—from the novice pet owner to the
accomplished hunter. Inga has successfully worked
with clients to train dogs across the spectrum: from
the family dog to the recreational hunter all the way
to the field champion.
So, please bring your curiosity and questions for a
friendly talk about training our beloved breed for
their express purpose. There are many training
methods in existence; this is just one. But, this is a
lesser-known option. We look forward to learning
more together.
10
New Members, by Laura Penfold
Welcome to Pamela Beaver, Donna Dubrow, Katie & Berke Larsen, Don No and Debbie
Perrott.
2015 SCOA Photo Contest, by Kandi Kwirant
Please support this wonderful
breed and start taking those
photos today, (no humans in the
photos please). The support you
give will go to where the
greatest need is for the breed at
that time. As you are watching
your Spins, make sure your
camera is close at hand, so you
can capture these moments:
1. Just Being Spinone
2. Hunting in Field and Water
3. Puppies (6 months & under)
4. Spinone in Action
There will be a winner from
each category, and an over-all
winner will be chosen for a page
and front cover of the 2016
calendar. All winners will be the
main focus picture on a
calendar page and will receive a
complimentary 2016 calendar.
NO PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS
PLEASE…..THEY WILL BE
ELIMINATED.
Please use high resolution
digital or 35 mm film. I cannot
stress using the best quality
imaging possible, this makes
clearer pictures when enlarged
and transferred to the calendar
pages. If you win the cover, we
will want you to email us the
picture as large as you can.
SEND 4x6 PHOTOS ONLY
NO EMAIL PHOTOS WILL BE
ACCEPTED!
Please put yours and your dog’s
name on the back of each photo
(address labels work nicely)
along with your email address,
and which category you want
each of your pictures entered
into.
There will be no photos
returned, if anyone has any
questions please call me or
email me privately.
[email protected]
or 563-263-8616.
Cost will be $6.00 for the 1
photo and $2.00 for each
additional photo after that.
st
Deadline is: April 15, 2015.
No photos after that date will be
accepted.
Mail photos and your check
(made out to SCOA) to:
Kandi Kwirant
2630 Seven Oaks Park
Muscatine, IA 52761
Thank you everyone and I can’t
wait to see your photos
Registry of Merit, Submitted by Daina Hodges
Performance and Versatility Registry of Merit are
available on the SCOA website. Click on About
SCOA and then Titles & Awards and there you will
find the application forms, which also include
information and instructions on how to apply.
The Spinone Club of America has a Registry of
Merit award and it is available to all SCOA
members as well as non-members. A Registry of
Merit is an award given to a sire or dam who has
demonstrated their ability to produce offspring that
effect the breed’s character and purpose as
evidenced by the titles achieved by the offspring.
This is an important award for each individual
Spinone as well as for breeders. The Registry of
Merit is a valuable tool for the record-keeping of our
breed and its history.
Once an application has been accepted, a
Registry of Merit certificate is awarded. So far, ten
Registry of Merit certificates have been awarded.
Below are samples of the SCOA Registry of Merit
certificates.
A Performance ROM has yet to be awarded. Maybe
your Spinone will be the first?
The application forms for the Conformation, Field,
11
SAMPLE REGISTRY OF MERIT CERTIFICATES
SCOA Rescue, by Patti Johnson
In 2014, Spinone Rescue took in or assisted in the
placement of 15 Spinoni. Unfortunately, several of
these dogs were in desperate need of veterinary
care. On January 1st, 2014, we had 5 dogs come
into rescue in one day. All were seriously
underweight, loaded with internal parasites and
covered in fleas and ticks. One was heart worm
positive and none of them had ever been
vaccinated. They were matted and filthy and none
had ever lived indoors. They were afraid of
everything and it was apparent that they'd had very
little human contact. They were a huge challenge in
many ways but foster homes were found, they were
vetted, treated, fed and groomed. With time and
patience they learned how to trust and they soon
realized how nice it was to live indoors and lay on
soft beds. They were all spayed/neutered when they
were healthy enough and all have been adopted.
Thankfully, Spinone Rescue doesn't typically take in
5 dogs in one day but thanks to several people in
the Spinone community, we were able to get each of
these dogs into a great home where they could get
the care they needed until they found their forever
homes.
Spinone Rescue can't do this alone. We would be
lost if it wasn't for those of you who step up and offer
to foster, transport and get treatment for these dogs.
I'd like to thank everyone who opened their hearts
and their homes to the dogs that came through
rescue last year. We certainly couldn't do it without
you.
Spinone Rescue is very fortunate to have the
financial support of Spinone enthusiasts because
without your generous donations we couldn't have
treated these dogs. Spinone Rescue spent well over
$4000 on just these 5 dogs and there were others as
well. Your donations, along with our fundraising
events, and items donated to rescue for the National
Specialty auction, all help to ensure that we have the
funds available when these less fortunate dogs
come along.
Again, many thanks to all of you who help make
Spinone Rescue successful in helping the dogs that
need us the most.
12
Announcements:
SCOA Equipment, by Patti Brusk
Could you please let me know if you are storing/holding any equipment that belongs to SCOA? I am trying to get
a handle on where everything is so that I can coordinate for the National. I will need the following information:
Name, email, what equipment, location and email Patti at: [email protected]
CA Test Kits, by Sue Acquistapace
Just an FYI before you waste your money using the tests they sent us that we have been disbursing. I recently
submitted a CA test kit to AHT. They informed me that it was expired and that if I wanted to submit another test I
could buy the pre-paid kit from their website. Apparently that is the way they are doing the kits now.
Canine Hip Dysplasia Biomarker Study,
submitted by Deb Davenport
medicine, as
condition.
You are invited to enter your dog into a clinical study at
the University of Missouri’s Comparative Orthopaedic
Laboratory in order to help us evaluate new biomarkers
that are being designed for early diagnosis of canine
hip dysplasia.
indicated
by your pet’s
individual
Potential Benefits:
You will be helping us with our efforts to determine a
method for early detection of canine hip dysplasia.
Results of the biomarker study will be made available
to you at completion of the study (approx. 6 months
after the final samples are collected).
We are looking for medium and large breed dogs with
OFA-certified good/excellent hips/normal elbows and
dogs with moderate/severe hip dysplasia with normal
elbows. There is no cost to you to help us with this
study, and only a ONE TIME submission of blood
and/or urine is needed. This would require a short visit
to your regular veterinarian. All costs of the visit,
sample collection and the shipping of samples are
covered by the study.
Extent of Confidentiality:
Information about your pet’s results from this study may
be used in scientific presentations and publications,
however, no personal or identifying information about
you or your pet will be released.
Please contact the following person(s) if you are
interested in participating:
Potential Risks:
Blood and urine collection are common, safe
procedures. Any untoward effects will be treated
according to the standard of care for veterinary
Dr. Carin Ahner (573) 884-0603 or
Dr. James Cook (573) 884-4689
SCOA Calendars Still Available:
Proceeds go to research funding and other donations that benefit the breed. The beautiful calendars
feature many photos taken and submitted by members! Cost is $22.00 each (includes postage). Make
checks payable to SCOA: Mail to: Bobbi Benson, 6442 – 114th Ave., Wapello, Iowa 52653. Please
include name and address, quantity and amount enclosed
13
Spinone Club of America
2015 National & Parent Club Specialty Trophy
Pledges
Deadline for Trophy Pledges is Wednesday, March 18, 2015
All pledges must be in writing and accompanied by payment. Any trophy pledged, but
not used or claimed, becomes the property of the Spinone Club of America, to be used
at their discretion. Please indicate on the back of this form how you want your
name and/or kennel listed in the event catalog. Indicate the show and trophy you
wish to pledge. For classes, circle dog/bitch and the placement you desire. Please mark
a second and third choice if desired, in the event your first choice(s) has been pledged.
Donor contact information (please complete)
National Specialty
Parent Club
Specialty
Best of Breed
$100.00 ______
Best of Opposite Sex
$100.00 ______
Select Dog
$60.00 ______
Select Bitch
$60.00 ______
Award of Merit (need 3) $55.00 ______
Winners Dog
$55.00 ______
Winners Bitch
$55.00 ______
Best of Winners
$50.00 ______
Reserve Winners Dog
$50.00 ______
Reserve Winners Bitch
$50.00 ______
Name
Kennel Name
Email Address
Mailing Address
$90.00 _____
$90.00 _____
$50.00 _____
$50.00 _____
$45.00 _____
$45.00 _____
$45.00 _____
$40.00 _____
$40.00 _____
$40.00 _____
Phone
Please circle your preference below, or circle “Any” to allow for use where needed. All classes: 1st Place: $20 each; 2nd through 4th Place: $15 each.
NATIONAL SPECIALTY CLASSES: Mark one or both
6-9 Puppy
Dog
Bitch
9-12 Puppy
Dog
Bitch
12-18 Month
Dog
Bitch
Amateur Owner Handler
Dog
Bitch
American Bred
Dog
Bitch
Bred By Exhibitor
Dog
Bitch
Open
Dog
Bitch
Field
Dog
Bitch
Veteran
Dog
Bitch
OBEDIENCE
Obedience Novice A
Obedience Novice B
Obedience Open A
Obedience Open B
Obedience Utility A
Obedience Utility B
Beginner Novice
Graduate Novice
Graduate Open
Veterans Obedience
Versatility
$20
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
$15
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
$20
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
$15
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
3rd
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
4th
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Non-Regular Awards: $20
_____Best Puppy
_____Best Bred By Exhibitor
_____Best Veteran
_____Best Field
_____Best Stud Dog
_____Best Brood Bitch
_____Best Brace
High In Trial: $50 _____ (Obedience Only)
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
RALLY
Rally Novice
Rally Novice
Rally Advanced
Rally Advanced
Rally Excellent
Rally Excellent
$20
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
$15
3rd 4th
3rd 4th
3rd 4th
3rd 4th
3rd 4th
3rd 4th
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Best Junior Handler: $25 _____ Junior Handler Placements: $5 each _____
General Trophy Fund: Amount: $_________ (This really helps us cover wherever support is needed—Thank You!)
MAIL ALL TROPHY PLEDGES TO: Liz Westerhaus, 7396 Arlington Dr., St. Louis, MO 63117.
MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: SCOA. There will be a $50.00 NSF charge on returned checks. Pledges must be paid in full at time of pledge and may
NOT be reserved by email. In the event your choices are ‘taken’ we reserve the right to use your donation where needed. Pledges are reserved on
a first come, first served basis, with prior years’ winners having first choice through February 15, 2015. Please print your name and/or kennel on
the back of this pledge sheet for publication in the National Specialty catalog. Questions? Email Liz at: [email protected]
14
2014 NAVHDA Invitational, by Gocki Andrews
My journey to the Invitational is not simply a tale
about the training of Tarquinia of Trollbo (Saga) and
my individual preparation. It is really the story of
many people who helped us along the way and a
story that goes back well over thirteen years to
before Saga qualified with a Prize I 204 point UT
score.
After a couple of years, I realized I needed a back
up to Viggo. Knowing Lena had paired Rufus with
her own Julia, an excellent hunting dog, I watched
the puppies with great interest. They were really nice
looking, good field dogs with great temperaments –
everything I was looking for. I asked Lena to put me
on the waiting list for the next breeding and that I
wanted a female. The next litter of 9 had only 2 girls,
one of whom went west and Saga, who came home
to us in CT.
While looking for a family dog, we decided a
Spinone Italiano would be a perfect fit for our family.
Although my husband wanted a hunting dog, I had
never hunted and my husband had not hunted for
some time. After contacting Lena Amirian at Trollbo
Kennels, we learned Bob and Birdie Nelson of Busy
B’s Kennels were expecting a litter sired by Lena’s
Rufus di Morghengo, an eventual VC and the first
Spinone to earn that honor. Since my first
conversation with Lena, where I learned she was
also Swedish, she has been my mentor, trainer, and
breeder of all three of my Spinone. Mostly
importantly, she has been a wonderful friend for over
a decade. After passing the Nelson’s tough
standards, we drove to outside Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania from Connecticut to pick up our new
puppy Viggo. We promised the Nelsons that we
would run him in a Natural Ability test.
Saga was a content, independent, bossy and very
happy puppy. At twelve months, she did well on her
first NA test; but I knew she could do better and
tested her again, receiving a 112 point Prize I. My
goal after NA was obviously a successful UT, but I
took a detour and also championed her in the show
ring. After several years of hunting, during which she
showed incredible drive and was a “bird locating
machine,” I decided to focus on training for the UT.
Saga was way too bird and gun happy and her
steadiness was a bit of a problem, so I focused on
that; her duck search also needed work. Slowly but
surely, through long training sessions at different
NAVHDA chapters, things started to come together.
She started to love the duck search and understood
it was not okay to bust a bird in the field (although it
still happens). When it was time for the UT test, we
were ready. We persevered as a team and Saga
ended up with a 204-point Prize I. Now we faced an
even more daunting task - training for the
Invitational.
Viggo went on to pass his Natural Ability test with a
Prize II. Realizing that he was extremely happy to be
hunting in the field, I decided to continue with
NAVDHA. After joining the Southern New England
and Hudson Valley chapters, training locally, with
Lena in Massachusetts, and spending several
summers at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine for “Spinone
Only Days”, Viggo received a 200 point Prize 2 UT. I
was thoroughly enjoying the training and many of my
newfound friends.
This being my first
opportunity, I wasn’t
sure where to start. I
e-mailed people in my
chapter I knew had
been
to
the
invitational the year
before, asking lots of questions. Almost all of them
advised to look for bigger fields and different water
locations for the blind retrieve. I sought advice from
Lena on training for the blind retrieve and another
friend lent me bumpers (as if I didn’t already have
enough) and a white bucket for training on land.
Another friend contributed over twenty dead ducks
for practicing the double mark and the blind retrieve.
I sought locations everywhere and even used the
playing fields at our local school complex early in the
While all of this was going on, another Spinone
joined the family. Busy B’s Cajsa-Lena from the
same pairing as Viggo who eventually received a NA
Prize I on the third try. Cajsa ultimately ended up
taking me in a completely different direction as a
handler. I championed her in the show ring and
actually received an Award of Merit at Westminster
as an owner-handler. While she may not have had
the same drive as Viggo, she has a great nose, and
has always been with us as we hunted with our
friends in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, or
New York.
15
morning, before even the dog walkers arrived. I
knew based upon all the advice I was receiving from
all quarters that the training would be difficult and
there would be extensive fieldwork. Having been a
physical therapist, I employed many principles I had
learned on Saga: working hard on conditioning,
muscle development and balance during the winter
to prevent injuries in the field. As the weather
warmed this spring I was biking with her 2-3 times a
week. I also had her swimming with me as I kayaked
at least twice a week (something I have actually
done with all of our dogs as a matter of course).
had a little mishap having to resend her for the
memory bird but everything else was fine. It was
then off to the blind retrieve that Saga totally nailed
in far from ideal conditions. Upon arriving at the field,
there was a change in the running order. I had to
quickly get organized in under 5 minutes, thinking I
had over an hour to relax. Saga was braced with a
very nice German short hair that was faster in the
field forcing her to back more but everything worked
out well in the end.
Later in the day, it took a while for the results to be
announced. It didn’t help that Saga’s kennel name
starts with a T, so hers were some of the last scores
to be read. The scores started with a 4, 4, 3 (double
mark), and I didn’t really remember the rest, until
they said 196 and a pass. I was so incredibly happy;
I still smile broadly when replaying the moment.
Ultimately, I knew I needed bigger fields and
different water in which to train and I contacted other
chapters in the region. This turned out to be the best
thing I could have done. People were extremely
kind, helpful and willing to share their time and
knowledge. I was travelling all over New England,
New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to do
water work in ponds (with and without distractions),
lakes and rivers. There were great fields in Maine,
southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Saga was
slowly making progress with more stamina, greater
reliability in the field and greater consistency in
honoring. The blind retrieves became longer and
longer, but I also mixed them up with shorter ones
as well to keep her interested.
One thing is absolutely sure: This journey would not
have been as enjoyable and I could not have done it
without the help and advice from an extensive
number of training partners and newfound friends.
My heartfelt thanks goes out to Lena and Ash
Amirian for delivering to me this wonderful dog and
all the advice over so many years. Likewise to Bob
and Birdie Nelson for challenging me to become
engaged with NAVHDA and for their support and
friendship throughout everything. Thanks also to
Mike and Sue O’Donnell from Southern New
England chapter who let me tag along with them and
provided help and support. Thank you to all of you at
the Hudson Valley chapter, especially the
Invitational group (Barb, Debbie, Matt and Rick) and
a special thank you to the Del-Var chapter and all of
the guys (Glenn, Ross, Craig, Tim and Rick) for
helping and letting me train with you. The Seacoast
Chapter had a great mock test, while Ted from
Southern Adirondack was very giving of his time and
helped through two great training sessions. Thank
you also to Aaron and Kelly for a valuable training
session in Maine. I also need to thank my family for
their patience and tolerance with my absence on
many weekends for the last several months. I also
want to thank my dear friends Alex and Maryrose for
the almost daily connections.
In the beginning of August, I went to a mock test at
Seacoast chapter in Kennebunk, Maine. It was really
good for us and I received encouragement from
several old and new friends. I felt my dog was close
to ready but that I still needed to work on the double
mark, as well as continue conditioning and working
on the blind retrieve at different locations. This
occupied the rest of August and finally, September
came meaning it was time to leave for Iowa.
Having not been to the Midwest, Iowa took me
somewhat by surprise. I was expecting flat endless
fields but Searsboro was rolling hills, still green with
crops and picturesque under blue skies. However,
when Saga and I tested on Friday, the weather was
not the best with low temperatures, rain, and a fair
bit of wind.
To be honest, I don’t remember much of the opening
ceremony; I was so nervous having had little sleep
the night before. We started at the double mark and
I needed a little NAVHDA village to reach all of my
goals. In the end, was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY
YES.
16
SCOA & Spinone Health Foundation,
submitted by Angela Hanson
Spinoni all over the world need your help!
that if you JUST DONATE $10.00 we can have this
yearly fee covered.
The Spinone Health Foundation health/pedigree
database went live to the world January 1, 2015. It is
through the generosity of donations from Spinone
lovers that this came to be. This International health
database is free and open for all to use. It is
designed to help track health issues/trends and to
be used as a tool to guide future decisions.
However, the biggest benefit is that researchers will
consider including Spinoni in theirs studies, but we
must show them we have organized, accurate and
reliable data.
There is an easy to use SECURE paypal site. You
do not need a paypal account to donate. On the
SHF website click the "CONTRIBUTE" button and
the easy to follow instructions will guide you.
Please take a look at the website/database and see
what it is all about. You can also enter your dog's
info via easy online forms!
www.spinonehealth.org
Thank you for considering the SHF to help the future
health of our beloved breed:)
This database has a $1200.00 yearly maintenance
fee and hence our plea for your help. Our hope is
17
Summary of NAVHDA Natural Ability Test
Results 2003-2012 – PART II, by Linda Robinson
In Part I, it was noted that it is possible to have a Spinone that scores above 100 points at a Natural Ability
test, but does not meet the minimum score in one of the components of the test, thus receives no prize.
Therefore, it is helpful to look at Spinoni NA test results in detail to discover where more preparation work may be
needed to improve performance. NAVHDA score minimums required to Prize are presented in Table 1.
Nose
Search
Water
Point
Track
Desire
Cooperation
TABLE 1
NAVHDA SCORE MINIMUMS
Index
Prize 1
Prize 2
6
4
3
5
4
3
5
3
3
4
3
3
2
3
2
4
4
3
2
3
2
Prize 3
3
2
2
2
1
2
1
NOSE
Use of Nose is considered one of the critical assets of the versatile gun dog. NAVHDA assigns it the highest
multiplier (Index) of score that can be awarded. A dog must Score 4 in Use of Nose to receive a Prize 1; at
minimum, Score 3 to prize (Table 1). Use of Nose (as well as Desire and Cooperation) is observed by judges
throughout the NA test. Spinoni have very good Use of Nose. Over the last decade ninety-five percent have
scored the minimum, or better, to achieve a prize (Table 2).
Year
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
Subtotal
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Subtotal
TABLE 2
EVALUATION OF USE OF NOSE
Score 4
Score 3*
Score 2
35
4
0
21
3
1
30
4
2
50
9
0
38
7
3
174 (84%)
27 (13%)
6 (3%)
51
44
44
59
42
240 (66%)
20
16
20
20
30
106 (29%)
4
1
2
4
3
14 (4%)
Score 1
0
0
1
0
0
1 (0%)
Total
39
25
37
59
48
208
1
0
0
1
2
4 (1%)
76
61
66**
84
77
364
Total
414 (72%)
133 (23%)
20 (3%)
5 (1%)
572
*Minimum score eligible to prize (Score 3)
** 67 dogs were entered but 1 dog was pulled from test and no scores were recorded
Of significance is that eighty-four percent in 2008-2012 achieved the maximum score, compared with sixty-six in
the 2003-2007 period. The proportion of Spinoni that did not meet the minimum score needed to prize decreased
to three percent in 2008-2012 from five percent in 2003-2007, a slight improvement.
SEARCH
Search and water work are the next highest rated assets of the versatile gun dog. In the Search, a dog must
Score 4 to receive Prize 1; Score 3 for Prize 2; and Score 2 for Prize 3 (Table 1). What is being evaluated in
Search? Judges are looking at how the dog is using the wind; how far it ranges from the handler; while quartering
back and forth is it checking out bushes, ditches, tree lines or other spots for hidden birds?
Table 3 shows the NA test results in Search over the last decade. Ninety-one percent of Spinoni met the
18
minimum, or better, to prize; sixty-six percent earned Score 3 or 4 in the test. Forty percent of Spinoni tested in
2008-2012 attained a Score 4, the maximum, compared to thirty-seven percent in 2003-2007. However, the
proportion of Spinoni that did not meet the minimum score to prize increased from eight percent in 2003-2007 to
ten percent in 2008-2012.
TABLE 3
EVALUATION OF SEARCH
Year
Score 4
Score 3
Score 2*
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
Subtotal
14
7
18
30
15
84 (40%)
11
11
10
13
13
58 (28%)
11
4
5
13
13
46 (22%)
Score 1 or
below
3
3
4
3
7
20 (10%)
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Subtotal
28
22
25
28
30
133 (37%)
21
18
17
30
15
101 (28%)
17
20
16
18
28
99 (27%)
10
1
8
8
4
31 (8%)
Total
39
25
37
59
47
208
76
61
66**
84
77
364
Total
217 (38%)
159 (28%)
145 (25%)
51 (9%)
572
**67 dogs were entered but 1 dog was pulled from test and no scores were recorded
Wind is a dog's ally. A dog can be taught to use it at an early age by hiding a treat-filled kong (or a bumper
with a bird wing attached) upwind in the yard, and the owner can make a game of finding it. Later, with exposure
to live birds planted in different settings in a field (bushes, fence rows, ditches), a dog will remember these
“targets” and seek its prey in similar places. A dog's learning is contextual. For example, a dog may be obedient at
school, yet must be taught to be obedient at home and elsewhere. So too, with hunting. Dogs must learn to
recognize that hunting can take place in areas aside from their usual training grounds; so train at different
locations. Range issues may arise from over-control. A pup needs explore to become a good hunter; let it drag a
very long line in the field without interference if recall is a concern. Dogs that are over-controlled as pups, risk
being velcro dogs in the field, working at too close a range. Further, over-control may affect pace and enthusiasm
in the field. If confidence is an issue, and a larger range is desired, run the pup with an experienced dog that
works at the preferred distance.
WATER
In the Water phase of the NA test, a dog must earn Score 2, the minimum, to prize; Score 3 or 4 to attain
Prize 1 (Table 1). Eighty-seven percent of Spinoni tested in 2003-2012 achieved the minimum, or better, in the
water portion of the NA test. Significant improvement in Water scores was made in the last decade. Spinoni
earning the minimum for Prize 1 accounted for seventy-nine percent of dogs tested in 2008-2013 compared to
seventy percent in 2003-2007. Spinoni who scored the maximum jumped from fifty-five percent in 2003-2007 to
sixty-five percent in 2008-2012. The proportion of Spinoni that did not achieve the minimum score required to
prize decreased from fifteen percent in 2003-2007 to eleven percent in 2008-2012 (Table 4).
TABLE 4
EVALUATION OF WATER
Year
Score 4
Score 3
Score 2*
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
Subtotal
27
19
23
34
32
135 (65%)
2
4
5
12
6
29 (14%)
4
2
2
9
5
22 (11%)
19
Score 1 or
below
6
0
7
4
5
22 (11%)
Total
39
25
37
59
48
208
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Subtotal
53
37
26
46
38
200 (59%)
Table 4 (Con’t)
9
8
9
7
10
18
10
10
15
15
53 (15%)
58 (16%)
6
8
12
18
9
53 (15%)
76
61
66**
84
77
364
Total
335 (59%)
82 (14%)
80 (14%)
75 (13%)
572
Proper introduction to water is important in preparing for the NA test. A dog that has not spent much time in
the water may be reluctant to swim in cold water. Similarly, on a hot day, such a dog may enter the water to cool
off but will remain be reluctant to swim. Some dogs gain confidence with maturity so a dog that will go in water
and not swim at 4 months will swim at 11 months or older.
Swimming has to be a fun exercise. Throwing a pup into water and expecting it to sink or swim is not a way to
make it fun. The quickest ways to encourage a dog to swim is to introduce the pup to water for fun and play with
another dog (or group of dogs) who are proven swimmers, or go in the water with the dog yourself and have a
great time.
While fetching a bumper is not a requirement of the test, a dog who enjoys retrieving has more of a motive to
enter the water and swim than one who does not, no matter the water temperature. As a last resort at the NA
test, a bird is thrown in the water, hoping that the desire to capture the prey will overcome the reluctance to swim.
Then, if the dog swims, it would likely receive a Prize 3 score in Water. If it is late fall or winter, work on retrieving
to get your dog motivated in time for spring and warmer temperatures. To score well in the water portion of the NA
test, a dog needs to display confidence and enthusiasm.
POINT
Being versatile dogs, Spinoni must point. A minimum Score 2 is required in the Pointing phase of the NA test
in order to prize. A Score 4 or 3 is required to attain a Prize 1 or 2 respectively (Table 1). In the past decade,
ninety-four percent of Spinoni tested met the minimum score or better, to prize. Comparing 2008-2012 and 20032007 results reveals significant improvement in Spinoni receiving the maximum score. Seventy-three percent of
Spinoni tested between 2008-2012 achieved the maximum score compared with sixty-five percent in 2003-2007.
The proportion of Spinoni who did not receive the minimum score declined slightly in the latter half of the decade
(Table 5).
TABLE 5
EVALUATION OF POINT
Year
Score 4
Score 3
Score 2*
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
Subtotal
30
14
28
47
32
151 (73%)
7
4
5
9
7
32 (15%)
0
3
2
2
7
14 (7%)
Score 1
or below
2
4
2
1
2
11 (5%)
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Subtotal
51
44
47
52
41
235 (65%)
15
12
10
19
16
72 (20%)
6
5
7
8
12
36 (10%)
4
0
2
5
10
21 (6%)
Total
Total
39
25
37
59
48
208
76
61
66**
84
77
364
386 (67%)
104 (18%)
50 (9%)
32 (6%)
572
20
Pointing is believed to be genetic and the instinct to point is released with exposure to birds. Most versatile
hunting dogs will point birds they can see. The goal of preparation is to get them to point hidden birds by scent.
Many start training with a bird wing tied on a transparent line at the end of a fishing pole. The wing is hidden in tall
grass and when the pup approaches downwind within the scent cone and points, it receives much praise. If it
rushes in to attack the wing, the handler must whip it away and reposition it out of sight of the dog. This is
repeated until the dog stays steady and only then should he be praised. But this exercise is no substitute for
actually getting the dog out into the field on live birds. In the field, pigeons are often used and set free with remote
launchers to teach steadiness. But ideally, hunting the dog a season on wild birds before the test is the best
preparation. Dogs as young as 4 months can be productive in the field.
TRACK
Tracking is the most difficult phase of the NA test. This is reflected in the minimum Score 1 needed to earn a
prize (Table 1). Ninety-six percent of the Spinoni in the last decade scored the minimum or better, to prize. The
greater improvement was seen in Spinoni earning a Prize 1 score in the latter half of the decade. Fifty percent
earned a Prize 1 score in 2008-2012 compared to forty-three percent in 2003-2012. The percentage of Spinoni
that did not meet the minimum score declined slightly to three percent in 2008-2012 from four percent in 20032007 (Table 6).
Year
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
Subtotal
Score 4
22
14
17
29
22
104(50%)
TABLE 6
EVALUATION OF TRACK
Score 3
Score 2
Score 1*
6
5
5
2
3
5
7
7
6
11
13
4
8
11
4
34 (16%)
39 (19%)
24 (12%)
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Subtotal
31
26
26
37
23
155 (43%)
19
16
13
24
17
89 (24%)
Total
259 (45%)
10
11
14
7
9
51 (14%)
15
7
9
14
9
54 (15%)
No Score
1
1
0
2
3
7 (3%)
Total
39
25
37
59
48
208
1
1
4
2
7
15 (4%)
76
61
66**
84
77
364
123 (22%)
90 (16%)
78 (14%)
22 (4%)
572
Tracking ability is seen in pups at an early age. They follow paths of people, squirrels, rabbits, pretty much
anything that moves, with their noses to the ground. Search and rescue dogs have the ability, but must be taught
to track on command. Likewise, a dog entered in the NA test, must be prepared to track on command. The dog
must distinguish between Search, which can mean quartering and checking “targets” in its path, and Track, where
the dog is fixated on the path of a single pheasant. One knows a dog is well prepared when it is given the scent of
pheasant feathers, walked by the handler a few feet along the scent trail, and once released, directly follows the
bird's path.
The Tracking phase of the test always begins with nose to the feathers and a command. This way the dog
knows its job is to Track, and not Search. This takes practice. Some dogs, because of enthusiasm move fast and
overshoot the track so that they revert to a search to find the bird. But once they regain scent, they must follow
the track for a good score. Handlers too can make a mistake releasing the dog on the wrong side of the wind,
which may lead the dog into Search and not Track mode. Conditions such as no wind, dryness of the field, height
of vegetation may influence scenting conditions, making it difficult for tracking. Participants have no control over
weather and terrain conditions but do have the ability to make sure their dogs are fully prepared to show judges
their dog's capabilities. Preparation is vital to a good score in Track.
DESIRE
Desire is rated on an equal footing with pointing in the NA test. Both have an Index (multiplier) of 4 and
require a minimum Score 2 to prize. However unlike the pointing phase of the test which requires a Score 3 to be
21
eligible for a Prize 1, a dog must Score 4 in Desire to achieve Prize 1 (Table 1). “Desire is not speed; it is
persistence and determination” in getting the job done, whether in Search, Water or Track. Ninety-six percent of
Spinoni tested in the last decade displayed the minimum score, or better, to prize. Comparing 2008-2012 and
2003-2007, scores improved notably in those who earned Score 4. Thirty-eight percent achieved the maximum
score in 2008-2012 compared to twenty-eight percent in 2003-2007. Overall, seventy-seven percent of Spinoni
tested in 2008-2012 earned a Prize 1 or Prize 2 score compared to seventy-four percent in 2003-2008 (Table 7).
Year
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
Subtotal
Score 4
17
8
13
30
11
79 (38%)
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Subtotal
25
20
15
21
22
103 (28%)
TABLE 7
EVALUATION OF DESIRE
Score 3
Score 2*
12
7
13
4
15
7
18
10
23
12
81 (39%)
40 (19%)
36
31
33
36
32
168 (46%)
11
9
14
23
19
76 (21%)
Score 1
3
0
2
1
2
8 (4%)
Total
39
25
37
59
48
208
4
1
4
4
4
17 (5%)
76
61
66**
84
77
364
Total
182 (32%)
249 (44%)
116 (20%)
25 (4%)
572
Judges are observing Desire throughout the NA test. A dog's performance in the field and water will reflect on
Desire. For example, if a dog displays hesitation to enter the water or does not perform a thorough search or a
track, with a sense of “persistence and determination”, it will not attain a maximum score in Desire, thus be
ineligible for a Prize 1.
COOPERATION
Cooperation is also observed throughout the field and water phases of the NA test. A minimum Score 1 is
necessary to prize (Table 1). All Spinoni tested in the last decade achieved the minimum or better, to prize; ninetyeight percent scoring the minimum for Prize 1 or Prize 2. Spinoni tested in 2008-2012 showed improvement in
Cooperation scores compared to 2003-2007. Eighty-nine percent were awarded a Prize 1 score in 2008-2012
compared to eighty-four percent in 2003-2007 (Table 8).
Year
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
Subtotal
TABLE 8
EVALUATION OF COOPERATION
Score 4
Score 3
Score 2
19
17
3
12
9
4
18
13
5
29
25
5
23
20
4
101 (49%)
84 (40%)
21 (10%)
Score 1*
0
0
1
0
1
2 (1%)
Total
39
25
37
59
48
208
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Subtotal
33
19
21
33
35
141 (39%)
3
1
2
2
2
10 (3%)
76
61
66**
84
77
364
30
31
35
37
33
166 (46%)
Total
10
10
8
12
7
47 (13%)
242 (42%)
250 (44%)
68 (12%)
12 (2%)
572
22
Hunting with a dog is teamwork. It is a partnership - the handler always being senior. But both must trust one
another to successfully do the job. Dogs that hunt for themselves and do not respond to the handler, have not yet
acknowledged this relationship. Training a dog so that is associates a gunshot with a bird to retrieve is a means of
teaching the dog to understand its role. This is done by actually shooting birds over a dog (or tossing a dead bird
in the air and shooting a starter pistol) once it is on point. A dog that understands its role will hold point and wait
for the handler to arrive to flush the bird; the downed bird to retrieve is its reward. Dogs should have basic
obedience; good recall is a must to score well at the test. Dogs have failed hunt tests due to lack of cooperation.
Handlers make mistakes as well by not trusting the dog to do its job and in this case, a cooperation score may be
improved by something as simple as not giving commands during the test unless asked by the judges.
SUMMARY
Spinoni have very good noses. Over ninety-five percent of Spinoni tested in the past decade earned a Prize 1
or Prize 2 worthy score in Use of Nose; seventy-two percent attained a Prize 1 score; four percent did not attain
the minimum score to prize.
Examining Prize 1 scores alone, Spinoni did not fare as well in the two of the three main elements of the field
phases of the 2003-2008 tests. In the Point phase of the test, eighty-six percent of tested Spinoni attained a Prize
1 score; in Track, the percentage fell to sixty-seven percent; and in Search, thirty-eight percent earned a Prize 1
score. Despite very good noses, inability to search a field effectively appears to be have held back the majority of
Spinoni from attaining a Prize 1.
Examining 2003-2012 tests results in the field phases show six percent of Spinoni did not attain the minimum
score to prize in Point; nor did four percent in Track and eleven percent in Search. Thus inability to search a field
effectively had the most impact on ability to prize.
Eighty-seven percent of Spinoni tested in the last decade met the minimum score or better in Water to prize.
Seventy-three percent of the Spinoni tested in 2003-2012 attained a Prize 1; seventy-nine percent tested in 20082012 earned a Prize 1 score. However, a notable proportion of Spinoni did not fare well in the Water phase of the
NA tests. Eleven percent in 2008-2012 earned Score 0 compared to fifteen percent in 2003-2007; while an
improvement, it remains that a large proportion of tested dogs did not meet the minimum to prize due to poor
water performance.
Ninety-six percent of Spinoni tested in 2003-2012 met the minimum score or better in Desire to prize; thirtytwo percent earned a Prize 1 score. The proportion of Spinoni earning a Prize 1 score increased from twenty-eight
percent in 2003-2007 to thirty-eight percent in 2008-2012. Spinoni that earned a Score 0 in Desire accounted for
five percent in 2003-2007 and three percent in 2008-2012. Because Desire is evaluated throughout the test, score
improvement in the field and water phases should result in improved Desire scores and perhaps, higher prizes.
All Spinoni tested between 2003-2008 met the minimum or better to prize in Cooperation; eighty-six percent
of Spinoni tested earned Prize 1 scores.
Last, it is important to remember that the Natural Ability test is not an “infallible” gauge of the future worth of
the dog in the field. It is a snapshot of one day's performance with many variables outside of a handler's control
that can affect that performance. Dogs can have an off day. We all want our Spinone to Prize, preferably earning
a Prize 1. But a dog that attains a low score and no prize should not be written off immediately as a hunting
companion. Speaking from experience, given patience, time and better preparation, it can develop into a solid
hunting dog.
Meeting Minutes, by Sue Acquistapace
(Don/Bobbie, passed, unanimous). Motion to pay the 25% deposit
for the tent rental for the 2015 National (Dan/Ros passed,
unanimous). Motion to postpone the Board meeting until Jan. 7 th,
2016. (Jeff/Sue, passed, unanimous)
Minutes of SCOA Board Meeting 12-16-14
Present: Jeff Rhodes, Bobbi Benson, Don Lamoureux, Dan Graff, Ros
Duda, and Sue Acquistapace. Membership Secretary Laura Penfold
(non‐voting member). (Jack Clendenny, absent)
Next board meeting set for Wednesday January 7th, 2015 at 8:30pm
EST
Quorum was established. The meeting was called to order by
President Jeff Rhodes at 8:37 pm EST. Minutes motion to approve
Minutes of 11/19/14 Board meeting passed by email vote on
11/23/14. (Dan/Bobbi; passed; unanimous). Motion to table all
items except the tent rental discussion for the 2015 National.
Motion to adjourn. (Bobbi/Don, passed, unanimous)
Meeting adjourned 8:41 pm EST
23
Junior Showmanship: Juniors will receive awards and gifts at
the National; a Juniors meet and greet will be offered at the
National; a Junior Handling may be made available depending
on interest; please be sure Juniors are SCOA members so they
may be awarded the SCOA membership trophy.
Meet the Breeds: “Meet The Breeds” will now be included in the
Regionalization Committee duties. National Specialty:
Website to launch this week; premium list is completed and
post cards will be mailed soon. National Specialty Procedure
Handbook: Several sections have been received from various
people who have chaired committees; more are hoped for in
the near future.
Newsletter: Future requests will ask that submissions be
accompanied by a list of what is included, ie # of photos,
written article, etc. to ensure that all items are submitted were
received.
Regionalization: Request for West Coast Spinone Club to host
a regional August 14, 2015 in Enumclaw with the Rainier
Sporting Dog Association and the Olympia Kennel Club –
approved by email; permission letter sent to Sue McGregor.
Registry of Merit: Outreach was done through newsletter and
emails for submissions for ROM; certificates will be printed
and mailed to ROM recipients.
Rescue: Several rescues with issues are being worked with for
placement. Supported Entry Committee: Request for 3
supported entries for WCSC in conjunction with the Regional in
Enumclaw; granted.
Volunteerism: Responses coming in with the membership
renewals will be passed to this committee.
Ways and Means: 12 calendars are left for sale.
 Website: Newsletters were moved to members only section;
only the current newsletter may be viewed from the home
page; Bobbi has 32 breeder listings.
Minutes of SCOA Board Meeting 01-21-14,
Special Session
Present: Jeff Rhodes, Bobbi Benson, Don Lamoureux, Dan Graff, Sue
Acquistapace, Jack Clendenny, Kim Vanderbilt, Jan Naigus, Karen
Luckey and Liz Bodell. Ros Duda and Membership Secretary Laura
Penfold (non‐voting member) absent.
President Jeff Rhodes at 9:09 pm EST.
Unfinished Business:
Written Breed Standard
 The Written Breed Standard Committee will consult with AKC
regarding suggested changes and return the document to theh
Board no later than January 30, 2015.
Motion to adjourn, (Don/Sue, passed, unanimous)
Meeting adjourned 11:02 pm EST
Present: Jeff Rhodes, Bobbi Benson, Don Lamoureux, Jack
Clendenny, Dan Graff, Ros Duda, and Sue Acquistapace. Membership
Secretary Laura Penfold (non‐voting member).
President Jeff Rhodes at 8:34 pm EST. Motion to approve minutes of
1/7/15 Board meeting passed by email vote on 1/17/15
(Bobbi/Don; passed, unanimous). Motion to approve minutes of
1/21/15 Board meeting passed by email vote on 2/9/15
(Bobbi/Ros; passed, unanimous).
Report of Secretary:
 AKC “Meet The Clubs” ad was forwarded to AKC; Treasurer
forwarded payment.
 Blue Water Spinone Association was given a permission letter
for their Regional Specialty to be held 7/3/15.
 West Coast Spinone Club was given a permission letter for
their Regional (per email vote) to be held 8/14/15
 Received a bid 1/8/15 for a 2016 National to be held in
Everett, WA.
 Received a bid 2/7/15 for a 2016 National to be held in Gray
Summit, MO.
 Additional nominations received for Treasurer and President;
Election Trust bid requested.
 Motion to accept reports of Committees. (Sue/Dan, passed,
unanimous)
 Motion to invest the excess fundraised amount of $1,000 on
the Bergen County, NJ disaster relief trailer passed by email
vote on 2/5/15 (Bobbi/Dan; passed, unanimous).
 Motion to accept the Everett WA proposal for 2016 and to
request the MO proposal to be put out to 2017 (Dan/Ros;
passed, unanimous). Written Breed Standard Review:
Motion to accept report of Secretary. (Dan/Jack, passed, unanimous)
 Motion to send the standard to the membership as the
committee has written it (Ros/Sue; Bobbi/Nay Dan/Aye
Jack/Nay Ros/Aye Sue/Aye Don/Nay Jeff/Nay) Board was
divided regarding allowing the tail nomenclature as proposed
by the committee to move forward
 Motion to move the revised standard forward with an
undocked tail DQ (Sue/Ros; Sue/Aye all others Nay; motion
failed)
 Motion to empower the standard committee to figure out an
elegant way to allow the membership to know we had a very
close vote on the language for the undocked tail that was
narrowly defeated. Language will be approved by the Board
prior to sending it out to the membership. (Dan/Sue; passed,
unanimous
 Proposal to renew contract with Channon/Hustle VA 2 years;
Jeff is working on this with Alyssa; motion to table until next
meeting (Jeff/Jack; passed unanimous)
Motion to close Unfinished Business. (Jack/Ros, passed, unanimous)
Report of Treasurer:
See Treasurer’s Report of December 2014 and January 2015.
Motion to accept report of Treasurer. (Ros/Jack, passed,
unanimous)
Reports of Committees:
Awards: Requests have been sent for annual award
nominations; discussion continues re old/new trophies;
Heather Jenner will be stepping down as chair following this
year’s National.
Breed Standard: Written Breed Standard was forwarded to
the Board for review and approval. The committee stated: Dr.
Ivaldi updated us on the status of tails in Italy just this past
Thursday – Kim Vanderbilt said: I read this as an indication
that tails are inevitable: I [Dr. Ivaldi] have asked ENCI if they
are planning a change to the Standard to include the
description of the un-docked or natural tail. They have
answered that they are working on 5 Italian Standards and
"tails" will come right after "ears," they are working now on the
ears of the Cane Corso and of the Neapolitan Mastiff. I'll let you
know as soon as the new Standard is going to be published.
Hunt Test: Finalizing plans for spring tests.
Judges Education: A list is being consolidated of all judges
who have attended any breed education seminars; Illustrated
Breed Standard is well underway; presentations to judges
continue; we continue to seek out venues for JED
presentations.
Membership Applications for Approval: See Attachment – 1
family membership and one single conversion to family approved
(unanimous)
New Business:
 Motion to make a memorial donation in the amount of $100 in
the memory of Ronald Turner of Charles City Iowa who passed
away on November 18, 2014. $50 to Floyd County Historical
Museum and $50 to Charles City High School Athletic
24
Department. Both were requested in lieu of flowers by the
family. Passed by email vote on 1/10/15. (Bobbi/Sue, passed,
unanimous).
 Motion to approve $200 reimbursement toward cost of
development of the West Coast Spinone Club Meet The Breed
Booth (Sue/Ros; passed, unanimous).
 Additional Board Nominations/Election Trust Proposal:
Motion to accept the proposal from Election Trust to handle
the balloting for the 2015 election in the mail-in platform
(Bobbi/Ros; passed, unanimous).
 SCOA Thank You Notes will be printed and made available to
be sent to National Specialty donors and as otherwise needed.
Judge Selection Committee mission, area of responsibility, and
duties are nearly complete; Board was asked to weigh in on
some areas of discussion.
Breed Standard: Revision draft will be distributed to the
membership for comments.
Hunt Test:
 Ros requested to increase visibility and availability of hunt
trainers and hunt training opportunities; Jack will pass the
request to the Hunt Test Committee
 Discussion regarding Q&A forum on the SCOA website
Health:
 Committee to meet next week and will discuss a change of
chair and ideas to move forward with ideas and projects
 Preparation is in progress for the National including health
talks, blood draws, and introduction of the Spinone Health
Foundation
 Gathering information for AKC puppy packs
National Specialty:
 Premium is out; website is up
 Logistics are being completed for seminars, etc.
 Seeking vendors and trophy donations
 Auction committee has developed a form for submissions to
better organize the various auctions and raffles
National Specialty Procedure Handbook: More input has been
received from helpers and is being formatted.
Newsletter: Laura has first draft and is editing; to the Board
tomorrow in hopes of publication and mailing by Monday.
Regionalization: Obtaining teleconference information for an
upcoming meeting.
Rescue: Annual report for 2014 was received; 15 dogs were
rescued or rehomed.
Volunteerism: Ros has received copies of membership forms
containing names of those who wish to volunteer.
Ways and Means:
 Working on goodies/welcome bags and table favors for the
National
 Spinone collage will be signed, numbered, and offered for
sale
 Toiletry/grooming bags will be offered at the National
Website:
 Minutes and Treasurer’s Reports are up to date
 Some areas need updating and we are working on that
Motion to accept reports of Committees. (Don/Ros, passed,
unanimous)
Motion to close New Business: (Sue/Dan, passed, unanimous)
Next board meeting set for March 4, 2015 8:30pm EST
Motion to adjourn. (Ros/Bobbi, passed, unanimous)
Meeting adjourned 11:37pm EST
Present: Jeff Rhodes, Bobbi Benson, Don Lamoureux, Jack Clendenny, Dan Graff,
Ros Duda, and Sue Acquistapace. Membership Secretary Laura Penfold (non‐voting
member)
President Jeff Rhodes at 8:33 pm EST. Motion to approve minutes of
2/10/15 Board meeting passed by email vote on 2/26/15 (Dan/Don;
passed, unanimous).
Report of Secretary:
 Motion to pay deposit for Holiday Inn Downtown Everett for
the SCOA National Specialty to be held in 2016; passed by
email vote (Sue/Ros, unanimous).
 By-Laws Revision date is to be changed to September 9, 2014,
which is the date the AKC ratified the changes voted in by the
membership at the 2014 annual business meeting.
 2 puppy inquiries; 1 hunt test inquiry from new people with a
puppy
 Ballot, Voting Guide, Cover Letter re: Board Election sent to
Election Trust
Motion to accept report of Secretary. (Dan/Ros, passed, unanimous)
 Motion to approve cover letter to be sent to the members with
amendment to paragraph 2 last sentence as designated by
Bobbi & Kim; (Sue/Dan, passed, unanimous)
 Motion to table the review of renewal of lease of Channon
property in Hustle VA to next meeting. (Jeff/Ros, passed,
unanimous)
Motion to close Unfinished Business. (Jack/Bobbi, passed,
unanimous)
Report of Treasurer:
See Treasurer’s Report of February 2015.
Motion to accept report of Treasurer. (Bobbi/Sue, passed,
unanimous)
Membership Applications for Approval:
 1 single membership approved
 2 single memberships approved
sponsorship paperwork
pending
receipt
of
Reports of Committees:
New Business:
 Motion to accept Diana Cannon for Awards Committee Chair
(Dan/Bobbi, passed, unanimous)
 Motion to accept Shirley Bauer for the Awards Committee
(Ros/Jack, passed, unanimous)
 Motion to approve $1500 advance to Kay McLeland for 2015
SCOA National merchandise purchase (Bobbi/Ros, passed,
unanimous)
 Credit Card usage at 2015 National; online payments via
website; will be pursued; Sue will provide information to Don
 New committee members to email acceptance to Secretary;
committees/chairs are documented in minutes
Motion to close New Business: (Bobbi/Ros, passed, unanimous)
Next board meeting set for April 7, 2015 8:30pm EST
Motion to adjourn. (Ros/Sue, passed, unanimous)
Meeting adjourned 10:12pm EST
AKC Delegate: Karen Luckey recommends we move forward
with signing of the petition to AKC to cease the practice of
registering dogs and puppies that are sold at auctions.
Petition will be forwarded to members for their review and
participation in the petition if desired.
Awards:
 Multiple nominations have been received for each category;
decisions will be made by March 8th and forward to the
Board for final approval.
 Ed Gebelein is contacting 2014 winners to retrieve the
awards for the 2015 presentation
 The committee may need assistance following the 2015
banquet with packing up and distribution
 Diana Cannon will be the new Awards Committee Chair
 Shirley Bauer will be a new committee member
25
Elaine Bergenheier & Laura Penfold
Newsletter Co-Editors
Spinone Club of America
4114 N. Paulina St.
Chicago, IL 60613
«Given_Name1» «Surname1»
«Given_Name2» «Surname2»
«Address»
«City», «State» «Zip»«Plus4»

President`s Letter, by Jeff Rhodes

Transcription

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