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Charleston Retriever Club Starts Young Handler Training Program
Hosts First HRC Young Handler Test
Submitted By Bob Jones, President, Charleston Retriever Club
Photo credit: Pamela O. Kadlec, Just Ducky Publishing, (803) 637-2007

The sound of hundreds of ducks on the water, and retrievers whining in their kennels were reminiscent of our February hunt test, but the afternoon temperature was in the 90s instead of the 30s. Setting up two wingers and planting two blinds were enough to get the sweat flowing. The dogs were excited, and the Charleston Retriever Club members were a little anxious about how the campers would react to the dogs. Our questions were quickly answered when the first of 40 campers between 8 and 16 years of age turned the corner of the pond and ran toward the dogs. “Wow, a black Lab!” “Yeah, my dad has one, but it’s yellow.” “We have a Boykin Spaniel.” “Can I pet the dog?” The kids were on their way to an afternoon unlike any other at camp.

It all started in April when Bill Drakesford, the Camp Director for the South Carolina Waterfowl Association, called Bob Jones, President of Charleston Retriever Club, and asked if the club would like to conduct retriever demonstrations for Camp Woodie. It would require a commitment for several of the club’s members to spend Tuesday afternoon for 10 weeks at Camp Woodie showing the capabilities of their retrievers. Since we have a great relationship with South Carolina Waterfowl Association and run our spring and fall hunt tests at Camp Woodie, we decided to undertake the program.

When Jim Reichman, Vice President of Hunting Retriever Club, introduced the Young Handler Program during the Annual Board of Directors meeting, it was easy to see how the Young Handlers Program and our program at Camp Woodie could certainly compliment each other.

The preamble to the Young Handlers Program states that the Hunting Retriever Club strives to provide its youth with a series of tests run under standardized rules that allow our youth to showcase their talents working as a team with a retriever in true-to-life hunting scenarios, to educate the youth in hunter safety, sportsmanship, conservation, and proper handling techniques, and to encourage our youth to be active members of the Hunting Retriever Club family and active participants in UKC/Hunting Retriever Club licensed programs. The Young Handlers Program is intended to be a supplement to, not a replacement for, puppy programs, fun hunts, and the like that may be sponsored by affiliated clubs or regions.

For the entire article, check out the January 2008 Hunting Retriever Magazine.

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