© 2015-2016 ~ Hunting Working Airedales, Inc. All rights reserved.
Website created & maintained by Andrea Shaw
Many thanks to members (and, friends & spouses!) who tirelessly pitched in, to make the
30th Annual Airedale Field Nationals' events – and the entire weekend – a grand success.
A celebration of our 30 years... with photos!
Hunting Working Airedales (HWA) began in 1985 as a committee of our breed’s AKC parent club, the Airedale Terrier Club of America (ATCA). In 2007, HWA incorporated as an independent organization. It was wonderful to join again with the ATCA for this anniversary year to have an ATCA Fur Test as part of the HWA Nationals. The symbolic significance of the two Airedale clubs again working together brought us all together for the good of the breed that we love so well. The 30th Anniversary HWA Airedale Field Nationals' event was a long time coming.
Pat and John Bell, ready to enjoy the third and final day
of the HWA Nationals
The 'heartbeat' of our organization is the joy in seeing the accomplishments of our Airedales, that are enthusiastically shared amongst our
members and event attendees. HWA is dedicated to preserving & promoting the Airedale as a versatile hunting and working companion dog.
Held: SEPT. 11th - 13th, 2015
at Holly HIlls Game Preserve
near Chillicothe, Ohio
.
More fun, bonding, socializing ~ and of course working, & achieving new titles with Airedale owners, handlers and their dogs at our milestone event:
This page features some of many photos from our spectacular weekend's events.
On Friday afternoon, we gathered for an informal setting for our HWA Annual meeting. Credit for making all the day’s events run smoothly and on time goes to Event Co-Chairs Patricia Nemeth and Kate Ostrowski, and their team of volunteers.
Ribbons and applause went to all our test qualifiers. Kira and Michael Sites earned the Brown Bess Memorial Award for the highest score in the Upland Test. Filson and Kate Ostrowski earned the Road Dog Award for earning three AKC “legs” toward AKC hunt test titles since last year’s Nationals. And every pup and new dog got a certificate that said in part “May this first participation in field endeavors lead to continuing adventures and achievements.”
Much more went on as our weekend progressed from Saturday into Sunday.
TO READ A FULL REPORT ABOUT THE WEEKEND'S EVENTS, PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK, LOCATED IN THE FAR LEFT MARGIN ON THIS PAGE.
Saturday night’s 30th Anniversary Banquet and Auction was an enjoyable evening that flowed with good food and conversations, with the added plus of many tempting auction items and raffle baskets. In honor of HWA’s 30th Anniversary, each attendee received a commemorative 30th Anniversary bronze keychain – a keepsake celebrating HWA’s existence from 1985-2015.
This year’s Limited Raffle was a fine collection of five “art pieces” including a rare Swarovski® crystal Airedale figurine, a bronze Dannyquest statue, two paintings, and a decorative, antique harness breastplate. Denise St. John, a member of the Steel Valley Airedale Terrier Club, was the lucky Limited Raffle winner.
Sunday, the third and final day of the Nationals began with sun sparkling on the water of the pond where the water series of our Upland and Retriever Tests would be held. The running order would start with the three dogs who had qualified in the Upland land series, followed by the three dogs who qualified in the Retriever land series. After the call-backs were judged, the Retriever judges invited those who hadn’t qualified to bring their dogs to the water for some practice, a gesture that was much appreciated.
These last water retrieves always have considerable pressure on them since they must be completed successfully for a new title to be earned. This year Filson and Kira successfully completed their water retrieves. For Filson and his owner Kate, this meant he’d earned the Senior Hunter Flushing title [SHF] title, with the Senior Retriever water test still to go. For Kira and her owner Michael, this meant she’d earned the Master Hunter Flushing [MHF] title, which put her in the company of very few Airedales who have reached this difficult level of achievement.
As the Upland judges gave their position to the Retriever judges, and the test situations were adjusted, the Retriever Test water series brought one Senior dog – Filson – and two Junior dogs – Emmitt, owned/handled by Kim Burrier, and Laser, owned/handled by Linda Sorak – to the line. All the dogs successfully completed their Retriever Test water requirements, meaning that Filson would add a Senior Hunter Retriever [SHR] title to his name, while Emmitt and Laser would add a Junior Hunter Retriever [JHR] titles to theirs.
Following the Retriever water tests, some of the dogs who wished they’d qualified were given a chance to try some water retrieves. The practice and coaching by the judges helped turn their mindsets to what they needed to do in next year’s tests.
Sunday mid-morning brought a chance for dogs who weren’t entered in the bird tests to do a fun event called the Pocket Quail Contest. Each pup or untrained dog is given 15 minutes to hunt through a course to find hidden chukar wings.
The camaraderie and friendships we forge are so strong that it almost makes us family – and also makes for a special weekend. Though we didn’t have a ribbon or award for it, seeing young Isaac White and his mom Katherine return to the Nationals this year after his life-threatening illness surely would have won them the Biggest Winner Award, if such a award had existed.
This test series included Milo, the Junior entry owned/handled by Lawrence Alexander; Filson, the Senior entry owned/handled by Kate Ostrowski; and Kira, the Master Test entry owned/handled by Michael Sites.
Chris Cullen shows off his
puppy Tuck's First Time
Participant certificate.
Mikey & China, spy some birds in the back of the truck.
Michael Sites & Kate Ostrowski accepting well-earned awards
Linda Sorak accepts Laser's Junior
Retriever ribbon & award
Kira, with her water retrieve – dutifully working to earn her newest title!
You can click here to visit our "Titleholder Spotlight" pages:
to read about featured dogs, handlers & owners.
New titles, ribbons, and awards are important records of the achievement of individual
dogs and owners – all validating the hunting abilities of our breed.
Holly Hills Game Preserve
The dog that found the most wings in one pass of the course was declared the winner. This gives new dogs and pups a chance to use their noses on birds, and give owners a chance to see their dogs work a field. All just for fun – but fun with a purpose.
Our Awards Ceremony concluded our
event on Sunday afternoon.
For our HWA family, this year's event was a state of mind. As we said our good-byes and “See you next years,” the consensus seemed to be It Came Together Well.
Sunday – Day 3 of the 30th Nationals
Every year the HWA Field Nationals held in Ohio draws participants who come from as far as California, Texas, Ontario, and Alabama.
Though the Nationals have many repeat attendees,we delight in welcoming newcomers ~ and puppies can learn to hunt with us!