2005 AKC National Tracking Invitational
September 17-18, 2005
Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC
Sunday: September 18
Sunday morning Curt Curtis thanked the AKC Field Reps and Staff that helped make the AKC National Tracking Invitational possible and presented an award to Carol Clark. Ribbons were given out to each participant and Herb Morrison remembered John Hasibar who passed away last year. John had been a member of Rand Park Dog Training Club for the past 45 years. He was the person responsible for the outstanding Tracking program run by the club.
Saturday also gave everyone a chance to see a beautiful quilt put together by the Tracking Club of Wisconsin. The quilt will be raffled in December and you can get more information at www.tcow.net.
Click on image for caption and larger view.
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 - Carol Clark and Curt Curtis.', 460, 360)) |
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Judge, Craig Green's Comments
It was a privilege to judge the AKC's Second Annual National Tracking Invitational. This event was essentially a 10-dog TDX with two sets of judges (5 tracks each). Each track had one crosstrack and VST articles (cloth, metal, plastic and leather). Both judges followed each dog to the end of the track, regardless of outcome. On Sunday (September 18) when Barbara Adcock and I judged, most dogs had difficulty with the short, mowed grass in the sun, and two dogs missed the metal articles.
My profound thanks to our experienced and dedicated tracklayers on Sunday (including Friday plotting) - Fran Smith, Ginny Conway, Dutch Schultz, Susan Eldred, Diana Rooth, and cross tracklayers Diane Schultz and Margi Lehnertz. Although none of these magnificent dogs and their expert handlers passed, there were some brilliant performances, as described below.
Judge, Barbara Adcock's Comments
It was a great pleasure to have the privilege to see the dogs and their handlers who had already accomplished the pinnacle of tracking. The setting was beautiful.
Track 1
Donna Cordoba - CT Sampsons Brandy VCD2 (Rottweiler)
Comments from the Judges
Craig Green of Highlands Ranch, CO
The first track on Sunday began in an open area, with the first leg near the bottom of a low point. Donna Cordoba's Rottweiler bitch (CT Sampsons Brandy VCD2) began her track casting for scent in the short, mowed grass after the sun had burned off the morning fog. This cover would prove to be difficult for the dogs this day. Working mostly downwind on the first leg, Brandy overshot the first turn but returned to the second leg past the crosstracks. Brandy continued downhill past the next turn and didn't recover. She worked very well in the wooded areas and deeper grass, once she returned to the track.
Donna's handling was excellent, as she allowed her dog to work out the difficulties until we called her back to the track. Brandy had no problem with the crosstrack.
Barbara Adcock of San Jose, CA
This track started on the side of a gentle slope in mowed field grass, turned right up and over, then down a steeper slope towards a drainage with tall vegetation and trees. The crosstrack was on the second leg. It was laid in the fog and started in partly sunny conditions with a very light and changeable wind.
The Rottweiler bitch started on the fringe to the left of the track. When she was opposite the turn to the right, she turned and once over the hilltop was right in the footprints and picked up speed. The light wind was at her back and she was going downhill. The combination of downhill and wind coaxed her to overshoot the turn. The taller grasses stopped her where she worked for a long time before following the drainage away from the track. Once back on the track they went into the woods, crossed a creek and they found the articles. Donna Cordoba handled her very sensitively. Good teamwork.
- Map of Track 1 (PDF)
- Video Clip
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Track 2
Ruth Harris - CT Gemstone's Onyx D'Encore (Belgian Tervuren)
Comments from the Judges
Craig Green of Highlands Ranch, CO
The second track on Sunday was Ruth Harris' Belgian Tervuren dog Onyx (CT Gemstone's Onyx D'Encore), starting in the same field as the Rottweiler, but going in a different direction. Onyx negotiated the first turn, two paved road crossings, woods and a crosstrack before missing the metal article. After continuing the track, Onyx (like the Rottie) had trouble on the short, mowed grass in the sun. After returning to deeper grass however, Onyx seemed rejuvenated and almost pulled Ruth off her feet to find the leather article at the end of the track.
It was an immense pleasure for me to meet Ruth in person, after many internet discussions with her over the years. She was one of the founders of the Indian Nations Tracking Club in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. Ruth told me this was the first time she ever drew a track other than the first or last track.
Barbara Adcock of San Jose, CA
This track started in mowed field grass, turned left into an open wooded area and crossed a couple of paved roads before the crosstracks. Then turned left into another mowed meadow. It too was laid in the fog and started in the sunshine.
The Belgian Tervuren started on the footprints made the turn a bit wide, but followed the track past the crosstracks and missed the metal article. The dog was moving quickly and before we could tell his handler, Ruth Harris, he had already made the next turn.
- Map of Track 2 (PDF)
- Video Clip
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Track 3
Peter Harrington - CT Bella (Bloodhound)
Comments from the Judges
Craig Green of Highlands Ranch, CO
The third track was for Peter Harrington's Bloodhound bitch (CT Bella), who started like gangbusters in the unmowed grass. After four turns, a crosstrack, plastic article, creek crossing and a paved road crossing, Bella went around the metal article, as did the previous dog. After this, she negotiated the rest of the track, including woods and another paved road crossing.
Peter did a good job of trusting his dog, wisely backing up when Bella overshot turn 2. However, she was wide of the track in the woods, which caused her to miss the article. Bella was already back on the track when the judges found the missed article.
Barbara Adcock of San Jose, CA
The track started in a meadow of fairly short grass with widely scattered trees. It turned left, had crosstracks before the next left turn.
The Bloodhound bitch started in the footprints, searched around the turn, passed the crosstracks and overshot the next turn. The team worked back and the dog was snagged by the track and then pawed at the article. They went into the woods, made a turn, crossed a small creek and a paved road. The dog's wet footprints went right across the road towards our landmark. She went into the woods and overshot the turn, then paralleled the track in the correct direction. She was off the track just enough to miss the metal article. After restarting, she made the next turn, crossed a paved road and a creek and finished the track. Peter Harrington and Bella make a good team.
- Map of Track 3 (PDF)
- Video Clip
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Track 4
Jeff Whitsitt - Ch. CT Summerstorm Heart's Desire AX AXJ (Belgian Tervuren)
Comments from the Judges
Craig Green of Highlands Ranch, CO
Track 4 was drawn by Jeff Whitsitt and his Belgian Tervuren dog (CT Summerstorm Heart's Desire AX AXJ). This wonderful tracking dog ("Kane") did the best job of the day in the short, sparse, mowed grass in the sun. He had a deep nose, diligently working the elusive scent under the same conditions that gave other dogs trouble. However, after making two turns, a crosstrack and finding a metal article, "Kane" overshot a turn by about 20 yards and didn't recover.
Perhaps if Jeff had backed up at this point, Kane might have recovered, but by this time, the dog appeared to be tired and was panting heavily in the midday sun. During the first half of the track, Kane showed us all the intense effort and skill necessary to negotiate the short mowed grass prevalent on most tracks this day.
Barbara Adcock of San Jose, CA
The track was the only flat track with mostly mowed field grasses. The obstacles were mainly temptations for the handler, but also were scenting challenges for the dog. The second leg after the crosstrack aimed towards a cornfield bordered by a deep creek bordered by tall marsh grass, then followed the creek in a curve into the tall grass before making a sharp turn to the right back into the field, then another quick turn to the left.
The Belgian Tervuren dog started out right on the footprints, made the first turn and had no trouble with the crosstracks and the curve along the creek. He found the metal article and turned into the field, then overshot the left turn. He searched and searched and could not get back to the track. After he restarted, Jeff Whittsitt followed his dog through the rest of the track that went into the marsh grass again, and over an old foundation. He also went past an active groundhog condominium before finding the final article.
- Map of Track 4 (PDF)
- Video Clip
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Track 5
Dick Symons - Ch. CT Symons' Treasure Izzie VCD2 UD PT (Belgian Tervuren)
Comments from the Judges
Craig Green of Highlands Ranch, CO
Track 5 was run by Dick Symons' Belgian Tervuren bitch (CT Symons' Treasure Izzi VCD2 UD PD), who was in heat and had to run last in the afternoon sun. It's a shame she wasn't at her best, which all of these wonderful dogs had to be to earn their CT titles.
Izzi began in short, mowed grass, but went across a nearby creek before coming back to the track and making the first right turn into deeper cover. She then proceeded to follow the track uphill, but got off the track to the right before passing the crosstrack downhill from the actual track. Although she didn't take the crosstrack, she missed the second turn, and was brought back to the track at that point.
Izzi had difficulty completing the track, but neither she nor Dick gave up on what proved to be a difficult day for all.
Barbara Adcock of San Jose, CA
This was the steepest track. It started alongside of a small creek in mowed grass before turning right up a steep hill and into six foot tall feathery grass with very coarse weeds about two feet high as a base. It then zigged in and out of trees and bushes before going into an open mowed field.
The Belgian Tervuren bitch, who was in season and had to take the final track, started out at 1:30. She took advantage of the creek and got herself wet as she worked the scent. At the turn she attempted several times to go into the tall, dense vegetation before committing to it. When she was almost to the top, she broke off to the right along one of several mashed down apparent crosstracks. At the top, she worked back towards the track, but not quite to it. She passed the official crosstracks, but went to the right downhill instead of to the left. She restarted and finished out the track. By that time it was very warm and the eleven year old began to tire. Dick Symons did a good job of listening to his dog.
- Map of Track 5 (PDF)
- Video Clip
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Final Comments from Judge Craig Green
The National Tracking Invitational is an exhibition of the very best tracking dogs in the AKC. It is not a competition, and no titles or awards are gained for a passing performance. In retrospect, I would chose fields with more deep cover to showcase these magnificent dogs and their dedicated handlers. Also, I would probably not place metal articles in the woods. However, none of these dogs took a crosstrack or failed to start, which happens so often at TDX tests. My thanks to the exhibitors, my co-judges, tracklayers and others who made this wonderful event what it was, and to Herb Morrison and the AKC for allowing me to participate.
