vom Riverwoods | Kleemann & NAKP 2004

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Read about the Kleemann 2002.

Congratulations to Steve Kosmicki for successfully campaigning his DK, Chance KS vom Riverwoods. While in Austria, Chance received the coveted KS title scoring all 4s. Two weeks later, Steve and Chance earned NAKP1 where Chance was the highest scoring dog in the test.

Chance KS vom Riverwoods
D1, S1, VGP1, VBR, IKP1, NAKP1 HN, HD Frei Fw: V
M: VC Nora KS vom Riverwoods MH
V:Basko KS von der Jydebek

Back to Back–Testing in the Kleemann and NAKP
By Steve Kosmicki

After a total of 15 hours of travel time, we landed in Vienna on Saturday, September 18, about 10:00 AM local time. The drive to the guest house where we would be staying took about an hour and a half. As usual Hermann Schömakers had found us an outstanding place to stay. The Manor House & Wild Game Meat Shop was owned by Teresa and Raymond. The food needless to say was delicious. We had several meals consisting of select cuts of wild stag brought in by local hunters (I wondered if they noticed the back straps were missing??). Our host was a hunter in his own right and had access to excellent training grounds.

I had Chance as ready as possible but had no opportunity to train on hare. We have all heard the horror stories about the hare population in Austria, but trust me, it was worse than I ever imagined. Just driving through the fields, you could see them everywhere. I had less than a week to get Chance acclimated to these furry critters.

Back at the guest house, old friends started to arrive. Conversation consisted mostly of old stories of tests gone by and worries of tests to come. Monday started training and things were going well with all the dogs. Searches looked good and several pheasant were pointed but no hare were to be found. Where were they? Well, that question was soon to be answered in the next field. It had been very dry for the last several weeks and scenting conditions were poor with the field being dusty. Hare by nature don't give off much scent and dry conditions made this worse. Several times the dogs were right on top of them before making game. Chance's first few encounters were not pretty but the help of modern technology, he soon learned the way of the rabbit.

Thursday came and we went to the test headquarters to sign in and receive our group number. We again ran into more familiar faces, but the highlight for me was when Mrs. Keifer came over and called me by name to wish me good luck at the test. I was honored that she remembered who I was. Our group was going to test in the water first followed by field. Later the same day was the Zuchtschau. All went well for Chance and he passed with an SG.

Chance KS vom Riverwoods

Friday morning we returned to the site to line up for the trip to the water. After a short delay, we were off. We arrived in a heavily wooded area with several fingers of river backwater. Search without a duck was held in what could be described as a small river. On command, Chance crossed the 75 meter river and searched for several hundred meters down the opposite bank. He then crossed back and hunted the shore back to me. The senior judge asked me to send him one more time. I sent him up river this time and after a couple of minutes, they had me call him in and put him on line. Next was search behind a duck. For this we went to a large pond at the end of the river. The dogs had to cross about 80 meters to a large reed bed to where the duck has been released. After searching the cover to the reeds, Chance got up the duck and pushed it into open water. The duck dove before it could be shot, so after several minutes of searching, a dead duck was thrown and shot for Chance to retrieve. He made the retrieve without a problem, but I did hold my breath as he climbed up the six foot bank to get to me.

After water, there were only two dogs still in the test from our group, so the senior judge decided that we would continue with field following lunch. For me lunch just consisted of more waiting as I don't have much of an appetite on test day. We drove to another revere for field work and Chance was up for the first search. Within a minute of being released Chance pointed, relocated, and re-pointed his first pheasant. As he continued down the field, he pointed three more pheasants which were shot over–so far so good. We moved to another field for our second search and it stated to rain, not drizzle mind you, in buckets. It continued to pour for the rest of the day. Rain can't stop the Kleemann, so the judges put on rain gear and we continued with our searches. I released Chance in a sugar beet field that was about 150 meters wide and 800 meters long. We were able to work it length wise into the wind. That was the first of fifteen hare that Chance pointed and remained steady on in this field alone. After two searches and all good work, I thought we were done but the judges had been told the night before that there needed to be a least three searches per dog. We drove in the rain to the next field. As I took Chance out of the truck, the judge told me "just turn him loose and let's see what he does." The cover in this field was not as structured as the others and he would have to hunt objectives. This field felt more like home to Chance, so he just did his thing hunting likely cover and using the wind to his advantage. Within a few minutes, he went on point just outside of a cornfield. As I walked up, a hare took off in front of him. Unlike the others, this last hare stopped after 30 meters and stood on his hind legs looking back before continuing on. Chance never moved, but I'll bet he wanted to. The judges had me put him on line, so I walked over and picked him up in my arms as the rush of completing the "big test" came over us both. There is nothing like it. As the scores were read, Chance and Kati had both done well with Chance receiving all 4s.

In less than a week after our return home, we headed to Whitehall, Michigan, to run in the first NAKP. Things again went well for Chance and me, and we passed with Chance being the high scoring dog and receiving a V2 at the Zuchtschau. With Chance passing the IKP last year and the KS and NAKP this fall, he is the first DK to have earned all three coveted titles.

Special thanks to Roy, Rich, John, and Bob for all the training days. Willy and Rob, words can not describe how much I appreciate all you do for me. You are my family. Oh yah, Erin, I think we need a puppy!