2018 Spring Hunting Tests
April 7 and 8, 2018 - Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area
Saturday Pictures Sunday Pictures
Being such a talented and hardworking group, many of our volunteers helped in more than one area on more than one day. We greatly appreciate all of them and sincerely apologize if anyone was inadvertently left out of the report.
First time handler with a AKC hunting test pass ribbon
Temperatures in the low twenties greeted our handlers, volunteers and judges both mornings of our 2018 spring hunting tests. Fortunately, the morning chill was followed by sunny skies for the largest number of entries in years. We thank all the handlers, volunteers and judges who helped us to run over fifty dogs each day.
Due to the large number of junior dogs entered, a second field was added. Evaluating the junior dogs were judges Bill Padovano and Hunting Test Chairman, Sean Audy on Saturday, and Bill and Paul Kosowski on Sunday. A good number of our junior dogs and handlers, including two junior handlers, were running in their first hunting tests and appreciated the guidance provided by our judges and volunteers. Keeping the handlers on schedule and in line was veteran line marshal, Steve Selep. Steve was assisted over the weekend by a full crew of Avian Placement Specialists including Hans Hansen, Adam Anderson, John DiMonte, Nate Gustafson, Sean Audy, Marty Kyes, and new member and future junior handler, Lucas Burrows.
Across the road on the Master/Senior side line marshal, Andy Caron kept everything in check and running smoothly. Judging the Master/Senior dogs on Saturday were our favorite Hoosiers, John Prikosovich and Brad Wise. John was joined on Sunday by GSPCA NC Board of Director and long-time GSPCI member, Sharon Fitzpatrick. Handling the placement of our quail for the Master/Senior braces were Ivan Bivolarov, Christian Messmacher, Bob Gerstner, Chris Lewis, and Joel Lucasey.
Carefully assembled by Hunting Test Director and Captain of Guns, Frank Susi our top-notch team of Avian Artillery Specialists for the weekend featured Volunteer Wrangler, Nathan Selep, Hank Freitag, Jacob Schatz and Dave June. Having two fields going simultaneously is quite a challenge. Fortunately, we had Dave Wolfe and Frank Susi managing the fields from set up to take down, and everything in between.
If you have handlers, you need someone to wrangle them. Getting them to the line and keeping everyone on schedule, our Handler Wranglers for the weekend were Christine Selep, Marty Kyes, Darryn Cross-Caron and Jennifer Tanner. This was the first time as wranglers for the four of them, but the large number of entries turned them into veteran pounders of the pavement in no time.
The score desk was a hub of activity throughout the weekend. Deftly avoiding doing anything resembling work, as he does every year, was Test Secretary, Perry Dlugie. Covering for Perry by checking in handlers, recording scores and handing out ribbons were Tony Mattingly, Julie Burrows, Rich Gilloffo and Kevin Henthorn.
As mentioned previously, many of our volunteers worked in more than one area over the weekend. The record for multi-tasking had to be held by club Treasurer and GSPCI Grill Master Extraordinaire, Al Haseman. Assisted by his brother, Brad, daughter Keri and Darryn Cross-Caron, Al added grilling lunch on both days to his signature event, the Saturday Night Cook Out. Helping out with dinner reservations and filling in where needed was super sales person, Scott Ludwig. The Saturday night dinner was set up complete with white table cloths thanks to Patti Nowak with help from Joe Vicari. We thank everyone who added to the festivities by bringing along a side dish or dessert to share.
Photos taken by John Singh and Kevin Henthorn can be viewed at the Photos section of the GSPCI website. Though he was in the field judging on Sunday, GSPCI’s own Mr. Hospitality, Paul Kosowski made sure that Saturday’s handlers and visitors were all warmly greeted and made to feel welcome.
Al Haseman capped off his duties on Sunday afternoon by handling the bills and with help from Paul Kosowski, sweeping out the building to officially put an end to the weekend.
We want to thank our handlers, judges, volunteers and folks who came for dinner and to hang out. We particularly want to thank those of you who travelled from out of state and considerable distances from within the state to participate in our tests.
We also would like to thank Purina Pro Plan and their field Rep, Terry Trzcinski for their continued support for our tests by providing gifts for the handlers.