the future of the Chinook is here...

MIDWEST CHINOOK SPRING FLING

Midwest Spring Fling 2005
Co-hosted by CCA and Marra and Neil Wollpert
Gem City Dog Obedience Club - Dayton, Ohio
April 22-24, 2005

The first annual Midwest Spring Fling was a huge success! 22 purebred Chinooks, 8 Chinook Crosses and about 40 people participated in this Fun Match and weekend of events. There were participants from at least these kennels - Mountain Laurel, Cloudburst, Big Sky, Saghalie, Frontier, Channahon, Lighthouse, Lakeside Run, Tullibardine, Singing Woods, Boreyal and Hurricane Chinooks. We would like to thank all of the people who donated money to cover the costs of this event, Joan McMahon, Marra and Neil Wollpert for organizing the events, Maureen Stickrod for her freestyle demo, Trish Clute for giving all of the participants conformation handling instruction and for judging the Fun Match, and all of the Chinook owners and fanciers that attended and made this event so much fun.

The events began on Friday evening with a pizza party "Meet and Greet" at an area hotel. Saturday morning everyone headed to the GCDOC for doughnuts and beverages (supplied by the hosts), followed by a very informative, hands on conformation handling class. GCDOC's  conformation instructor and breeder/AKC Judge Trish Clute taught the conformation handling class and judged the Fun Match. Trish was patient with all of the newbies and many people praised her teaching skills. After everyone had a chance to participate in the handling class, the Fun Match began.

There were classes for purebreds and crosses, intact and neutered Chinooks, as well as Junior Handling. We had lots of junior handlers. It was great fun watching these kids take an active interest in their dogs. All of the dogs should have been winners, but some of the ribbons went to these outstanding Chinooks:

Best In Match - Boreayl's Kristi, owned by Roberta Chappell

Best Opposite Sex - Tullibardine Odin, owned by Jeff and Dyanne Johnson

Best of Breed - Channahon's Nitika, owned by Amanda Bays

Best Neutered Purebred - Frontier Saghalie Tate, owned by Valerie Walker

Best Cross - Singing Woods Tok O' Town Sinook, owned by Marra and Neil Wollpert

Best Junior Handler - Laura Huber (handling Tok)

After the Match concluded and Trish commented on the dogs she had judged, lunch was served. During lunch, Morene Stickrod and her Miniature Schnauzers did a wonderful freestyle demonstration to music, followed by a fun Chinook freestyle demonstration by Joan McMahon and Lighthouse Booker. It was a great way to entertain everybody and introduce us to this fun activity. Next there was a Rally-O demonstration, followed by tire and cart pulling. Experienced and inexperienced Chinooks (even the puppies) were harnessed individually and in teams and were given the opportunity to pull. They all did great! Next, we gathered together for a group photo, which was a little crazy with girls in heat and lack of space on the free wall, but we managed to get a shot of everybody. Last, most of the Chinooks were able to try out the indoor agility course on their own and with an instructor.

The most amazing part of the day was that all of the dogs got along very well. Some were more difficult to handle than others, but everybody, humans and dogs, managed to have a lot of fun. In addition to the fun, there is no doubt that everyone who attended learned something too. Due to the relaxed environment of the Fun Match, we do believe that this event helped build the confidence of several prospective show dogs and handlers and that we'll be seeing some more Chinooks in the show ring very soon!

The Midwest Spring Fling was wrapped up with a banquet on Saturday night that included a speech by Marra and Neil Wollpert about their history with the Chinook breed. Attendees were able to look at many historical photos, chat with one another, and eat great food, quietly, with no dogs. Marra arranged some wonderful souvenir historical postcards on the tables for everyone to take home. Joan McMahon discussed the CCA's and Chinook breed's participation in the AKC Canine Health Foundation and passed out CHF folders, along with pens, highlighters and pins, all compliments of AKC. We also discussed CCA's support of DNA verification of the AKC FSS registry.

On Sunday morning, there was a brunch held at Panera Bread, followed by outdoor carting and scootering. The Chinooks were able to let loose outdoors and really show their physical abilities and expend some energy for their trips home. Ten Chinooks participated in the blood draw for the UMO Seizure Study and WSU Cryptorchidism Study at this event and eight Chinooks were AKC DNA swabbed as well. We would like to thank those who participated in health research at this event because you are helping us work towards a healthier breed!

If you missed the Midwest Spring Fling, this is just one of the many events that CCA will host and we hope to see you at a future event. Join us again in May in Coeur d' Alene, ID for an AKC Sanction B Match, Chinook gathering, blood draw and a guest speaker, Theriogenologist, Dr. Memon from WSU to discuss Cyrptorchidism and Canine Reproduction. More information can be found the Events page or by contacting Cheryl Colligan at Saghalie@aol.com. We hope to see you there!