Tracking

Friday, May 17
Tracking
Oatlands
20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane
Route 15 South
Leesburg, VA 20175

Judges:  Ruth Vaughan, Judith “Judi” Edwards and (TD only) Thomas Harding

Chair & On-Site Secretary: Rachel Fabrizi, (410) 280-2527
Secretary: Rachael Toren, (443) 253-9404, www.clantyre.net

Tracking Premium (includes Herding) & “Online” Entry
Mailed entries to: Rachael Toren, 2023 Wells Manor Avenue, Gwynn Oak, MD 21207
Opens:  Friday March 1, 2024 at 8:00AM Eastern
Closes: Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 12 Noon Eastern
Judging Program: forthcoming

Most Versatile Malinois event. Dogs must earn points in at least three of the five venues to be eligible for the Most Versatile Malinois Award. Only the single highest number of points resulting from one class within a venue is counted for that venue’s points. The five venues are I: Conformation/Sweepstakes; II. Herding; III. Obedience/Rally; IV: Tracking/Scent Work; and V. Agility/Preferred Agility.

Specialty Club Option (Draw for entry is Draw (1) Specialty breed without a title; Draw (2) Specialty breed with a title; Draw (3) Other breeds without a title; Draw (4) Other breeds with a title)
&
Combined Test Exchange Policy (2TD = 1 TDX)

Tests Offered:
3 TD & 2 TDX

Plotting Day will be Thursday, May 16.
Volunteers Needed for both Thursday & Friday or just Friday .

TD Draw at 7:45 AM and TDX Draw at 9:45 at Test Headquarters:

---

Accommodations
Clarion Hotel and Conference Center Leesburg
1500 E. Market Street
Leesburg, VA 20176 
703-349-4068
Block of rooms for $119/night being held until April 17 (indicates AKC but really is for ABMC). “There are lower priced rooms also listed if folks prefer but they do have some restrictions and/or are slightly less desirable.”

Hampton Inn and Suites Leesburg
117 Fort Evans Road NE
Leesburg, VA 20176
703-669-8640

RVs: From 2/28/24: There is some overnight RV parking on firm grass available (more information forthcoming).

Tracking Judge Ruth Vaughan:

Ruth trained and handled her first Weimaraner, “Truman” CT Pewter Run’s Paper Moon VCD2 RE AX AXJ (2001 – 2015) to 17 AKC titles in Obedience, Rally, Agility and Tracking. In tracking, they passed their TD test in 2005 and their TDX test in 2006 each in one attempt. On their 3rd try, Truman passed a VST test in 2008, finishing his Tracking Championship; and became one of only about 180 dogs of any breed in AKC history to do so. Ruth & Truman were invited and drawn as one of 10 teams in the United States to attend the AKC National Tracking Invitational in September of 2009.

Her 12 year old Weim, “Porter” (CH CT MACH Indaba’s Premium Porter VCD3 RA MX MXJ MXB MXJB) earned his TD on his first attempt in Gettysburg in 2011 when he was 14 months old, and his TDX in the following year in State College, PA, just after his second birthday. He passed his VST on his first attempt in October of 2014 at the Tracking Club of Massachusetts test near Boston. He was the first, and only, dog to qualify at one of their VST tests in 7 years. At 12 years old, Porter holds his Tracking, Breed, and Agility Championships as well as 26 other AKC Obedience, Rally, Agility, Scent Work, and Versatile Companion Dog titles.

Her newest addition, “Rye” (CH CT Trax Night Sky Rider RA VCD2 VER AX AXJ), earned his Tracking Dog title at his first test at age 8 months, his TDX as a yearling at 20 months, and his VST/CT at 2 years & 9 months old; setting a new ‘youngest’ record for the breed. At 6 years old, holding 2 Championships and 15 other AKC Obedience, Rally, Agility, and Versatility (VCD) titles, he is showing lots of promise in everything he does.

Ruth trained under several AKC Tracking Judges including Ray Desmarais and Allison Platt – pioneer in the use of serpentine training tracks. She attended AKC Tracking Judges’ Seminars at Cornell University & Tracking Clubs of Vermont and Maine; and was chosen to participate in the AKC ‘Urban Tracking’ test and advisory program in 2008. Ruth has taught Beginning, Advanced and TDX level Classes for the Dog Obedience Training Club of Rochester, and given numerous beginning, advanced, and VST seminars in Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, New Paltz, and New England. Ruth has served as coach to two Tracking Training groups and many individuals for the last 14 years in the Rochester/Buffalo/Syracuse area.

Ruth has served as Chair, Secretary, Chief Track Layer, and Track Layer for many TD, TDX, and VST tests for DOTCORNY, Hudson Valley Tracking Club, and the Weimaraner Club of America’s National tracking tests. In May 2015, she became an AKC TD/TDU tracking judge, and in June 2022 became provisional to judge TDX. Ruth was 2010 & 2011 President of the Dog Obedience Training Club of Rochester New York and is a member of the Hudson Valley Tracking Club, and the Weimaraner Club of America.

Tracking Judge Judith “Judi” Edwards:

Judi (Schott) Edwards began tracking in 1990, under the able guidance of DeeDee Rose.
A local breeder needed to rehome a German Shorthaired Pointer, who, at 1 year, had severe confidence issues related to her first home.  Katie (Ch Glenkirk’s Dixie Kay, CD, TDX), found her self confidence in the tracking field, earning her TD and Ch within weeks of one another. Katie went on to earn her TDX, teaching Judi a ton in the process.  Somewhere along there, someone asked for help tracking, and Judi has been teaching tracking ever since.  After Katie, 2 of Judi’s Border Collies and one Belgian Tervuren have earned their TDXs, and her young Terv just passed his TD.

The late Donna Thompson became a friend through tracking, and encouraged Judi to become a judge. She’s been a TD/TDX judge since 1996.

Judi’s students have had a variety of breeds, from a 4 pound toy poodle to an Irish Wolfhound, all of whom have earned the TD, and many have gone on to pass their TDX.

Tracking simply fascinates Judi—she loves watching dogs track, but even more, loves watching them learn.  The confidence tracking inspired in Katie wasn’t a fluke—tracking builds dogs who are resilient and who enjoy solving problems!

As a hardcore Belgian fan, she is honored to get to spend a day watching beautiful Malinois in the field, using their incredible noses, and hopefully earning their titles! Thank you for inviting me!

Tracking Judge Tom Harding:

In 2006 Tom Harding and his wife Judy had two young standard poodles that showed a real knack for tracking critters in their yard. This got them thinking about tracking and they signed up for a seminar at Oriole Dog Training Club ran by Allison Platt and Sue Ammerman. After the seminar they were hooked. They continued to train with the Oriole club and took classes with Diana Reich and others over the years. They began teaching tracking in 2011 and have students at all levels.Their students have went on to title many dogs.Tom has worked in every capacity in putting on tracking tests, from running the Poodle National Test for many years, chief tracklayer at many tests or laying tracks for others.Tom has recently become a TD tracking judge and loves the sport and wants to do everything he can to promote tracking. He is humbled by your invitation to judge and looks forward to meeting the dogs and handlers.