Club Schutzhund Rive Sud

Club Schutzhund Rive-Sud’s 2008 Retrospective

2008 was a busy year for Club Schutzhund Rive-Sud (CSRS). In all, the club obtained five new titles: BH, AD, SchH 2 & 3 and FH, four show ribbons and one breed survey.

Club Pro-Sport in Trois-Rivieres hosted the 2008 Regional Championship for Quebec. The three-day event attracted participants from Canada and the U.S. Isabella obtained the sought after V show-rating for Picasso in preparation for their first breed survey. Natalie and Marian placed first and second in show for Male 18-24 months.

Our club hosted its first club trial on June 21^st and 22^nd which was immediately followed with a two-day seminar. The trial was officiated and the seminar given, for the first time in Quebec, by SV judge Thomas Lapp, winner of the 2007 BSP. Both events attracted several dozen participants and everyone who attended the seminar learned about his tracking, obedience and protection methodology and also got to work their dogs with Herr Lapp. CSRS members obtained two new titles: an AD for Marian and Varo and a BH for Natalie and Elek.

The 2008 Canadian Nationals were held in St-Liboire, Quebec. The site was fabulous and the two-day event was very well-organized. Two of our members entered their dogs in the Sieger show. Isabella and Picasso successfully completed their first breed survey and Andrew and Enzo obtained their very first title in the male 12-18 months. Everyone who attended on Saturday got a special treat as the police and their K9 unit staged an air and ground drill that included an officer and his dog rappelling to the ground, chasing down and disarming a decoy and then hoisting back up to the helicopter. What a sight!

Club Canin Petite Nation hosted Quebec’s 2008 Provincial competition is August, in what was to be their last trial before officially closing their doors. Turnout was excellent with ten dogs entered to compete, the largest number for any Provincial competition in Quebec. US judge Nikki Banfield officiated for the first time ever in a Canadian Schutzhund competition and announced that she hopes to have the opportunity to do so again in the future. Although there were no new titles obtained for CSRS club members, Isabella and Picasso successfully re-affirmed their SchH III title.

In September CSRS hosted a fall trial and show with Judge Karen McIntyre. For the first time in a Schutzhund club in Quebec, CSRS hosted a junior obedience trial and show open to all youths aged 8 to 13. The two junior events showcased five young, talented dog handlers with great success. We look forward to doing it again in 2009. In addition to the usual SchH events, everyone in attendance got to participate in some fun activities. A doggie speed test was held after lunch. We saw yorkies, terriers and of course German shepherds run down the field as fast as they could. And for those dogs whose stomachs have greater capacity than their legs, we also had a kibble eating contest at the end of the trial. Every participant walked away with a brand new stainless steel bowl and bag of Royal Canin that Pierre Lalonge graciously donated. Club CSRS obtained its second AD title this year with Natalie and Elek.

Club Cyno-Sport hosted two trials in October, an FH trial on the 25^th and a Schutzhund trial on the 26^th both officiated by SV judge Daniel Thibault. Isabella and Picasso successfully obtained their first FH title on the 25^th and received an excellent review on the dog’s performance from the judge. It was a productive and exciting year for the club and the year’s activities were capped off with a fun-match hosted by Club Cyno-Sport on November 9^th. CSRS finished fourth but had as much or more fun as the first place winners, Club Pro-Sport. The clubs in attendance discussed hosting more fun-matches in 2009 to encourage and expose newer members to different clubs and venues as well as to give them the opportunity to see and interact with many members who have ten or more years of experience in the sport. Everyone agreed that anything that the clubs can do to attract and retain more members will be of benefit to the sport and ensure its future.

With all the momentum and enthusiasm generated in 2008, 2009 is set to be an excellent year in Schutzhund sport!

Natalie Szokoll

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Club Schutzhund Rive-Sud’s 2007 Retrospective

2007 was a year filled with incredible blessings for Club Schutzhund Rive-Sud (CSRS). On April 28th and 29th the club held a spring trial. Six dogs and five handlers tested their mettle on a cool and rainy weekend. Gaston Landreville of Club Estrie passed his BH with Jana von haus Welbergen and Jocelyn Houle of Club Cyno-Sport walked away with top honors in the Schutzhund III category with his dog Ede vom Kalberhofsgarten.

On July 22nd, the club celebrated its 20th year anniversary, quite an accomplishment when you consider that most marriages don’t last that long! These twenty years of service speak volumes about founding member and president Sigi Klein’s dedication and passion for the sport. The afternoon was spent chatting, eating and celebrating with past and present club members. Sigi provided a feast fit for kings that afternoon and Frank, our head trainer created a wild and flavorful punch that I suspect was spiked with an addictive substance because people kept lining up for more! The current club members showed their appreciation to Sigi and Frank’s selflessness, dedication and support by presenting each of them with a personalized and framed caricature created by Andrew Contofalsky, son of club members Marian and Katarina. That young man has talent and a bright future ahead of him! Both caricatures are proudly displayed in the clubhouse.

Club members participated in five trials this year starting with our own spring trial in April. Our very own Ding Yuan entered his two dogs, Quattro von der Roderburg and Enjy von der Herbstzeitlosen, in the SchH III category and obtained a score of 240 with Quattro.

At the regional championship in May at Club-Cyno sport, CSRS club members Frank and Caro von der Leonbergerstrasse and Ding and Quattro von der Roderburg tried out in SchHIII category. Both did well with scores of 259 and 256. In addition, members with dogs too young to try for a Schutzhund title instead participated in a Sieger show. Isabella, Marian and Natalie all finished in the top three for their age class. Our dogs are not only talented they’re eye-catching too!

The trial in June at Club Estrie Schutzhund proved to be a major high point for Ding Yuan as he and Enjy von der Herbstzeitlosen obtained a SchHIII title. The CSRS club celebrated that special event with lots of bubbly!

In August, Frank, Caro and Ding and Quattro took part in the National Championship in Orangeville, Ontario. The weekend was tough on everyone. Not only were the stakes high, would they make Team Canada or not, but the heat was brutal and unrelenting topping out at 40 oC. Unfortunately neither Frank or Ding were selected to represent Team Canada at the 2007 World Championship, but Canada was very well represented by Ralph F. Gilby, Mario Lamarche, Mike Bauer, Tim Bulloch and Frank Mazzulla with Raino Fluegge as Team Captain. We were all thrilled to have such a talented delegation represent Canada in Bratislava. CSRS member Isabella Oxsengendler showed her dog, Picasso von Amalaberg, and garnered a third place ribbon in their category, the only Canadian bred dog in the top three for that class.

September in Trois-Rivières Québec was the first of three milestone events for Isabella and Picasso as they achieved a BH. Two weeks later at a trial hosted by Club Schutzhund Petite Nation, Isabella and Picasso peddled and trotted like crazy to achieve an AD. Isabella’s only complaint was a sore backside that lasted well into the next day but she agreed it was a small price to pay.

October’s Fall Trial and NE Regional FH Championship trial in Shelburne Vermont hosted by Schutzhund Club O.G. Boston turned out to be the crown jewel of the 2007 trials for CSRS. Sigi assisted judge Reinhold Walter by translating the judge’s performance reviews to participants and audience members. The trial began on a nervous note for CSRS team member Marian Contofalsky and Varo z Jirkova Dvora who were participating in their very first trial to obtain a BH. They both aced the BH and did their club and head trainer proud. That was just the start of a stellar weekend. Isabella and Picasso sailed through their SchH I title and garnered the highest score in tracking, the highest score in protection and the highest score at the trial. Wow!!

Frank and Caro were awarded first place in SchHIII and received the highest score in obedience. Not content to rest on their laurels, the next day Frank and Caro achieved an outstanding accomplishment: they obtained an FH. Frank could not have been prouder of his and his club members’ performances. The CSRS club ended the year on a positively high note, which will sustain them until the first trial in 2008. In the meantime new club members Natalie, Andrew, Adam, Carla, Mike and Patrick are preparing for a year of firsts in 2008. All of them will be eligible to compete in their first trials and, with Frank’s help and deft training, confidently carry on the legacy started in 1987 by our good friend, supporter, cook, handy-man and president, Sigi Klein.

Article submitted by Natalie Szokoll