May ATCA "Happenings"

Information on the ATCA Floater can be found on the front page of the website and in the current edition of the American Airedale. Don't forget that the deadline for catalog advertising and hospitality event reservation is July 1, 2008. Check out the website for the forms or the American Airedale. For more information, contact Mareth Kipp at fkipp@centurytel.net

If you are planning on attending the ATCA hunt tests at the Great Lakes Floater on July 24th, there is a survey to help you determine where your dog fits into these tests. Please review this survey under the Floater information button the front page of the website or contact Karen Copley at airetail@aol.com if you have any questions.

Check out the DVD's on puppy training and grooming on the website at www.shopping.airedale.org and our newest DVD is called: "A Practical Guide to Raising a Puppy." It features special items such as: grooming, conformation training, leash training, ear gluing and beginning tips to stripping.

Deadline for the American Airedale is July 18, 2008.
Don't forget the Terrier Only Performance Summit ("TOPS") held in Greeley, CO on May 16, 17, 18, and 19. For more details go to their website at: www.tops2008.net.

The 2008 Member rosters are in the mail and should be arriving shortly.

The AKC has issued an invitation for all members of ATCA or anyone in the general population to participate in the nomination of the AKC 2008 Awards for Canine Excellent (ACE) in the categories of Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Therapy, Service, and Exemplary Companion Dogs. The information for submission of candidates can be downloaded here: ACE AWARDS. The ATCA encourages all members to send in their nominations for these outstanding awards to AKC.

You can purchase your Montgomery County 2007 Weekend DVD's now. These DVD's include all the events at the weekend including: Agility, Obedience/Rally, Hatboro Sweeps and Regular classes and MCKC classes and Best of Breed. Order the complete set or selected DVD's at www.shopping.airedale.org.

Don't forget to make your Montgomery hotel reservations. The host hotel is the Hyatt Summerfield Suites, East Norriton, PA. Call 1-610-313-9990 and say you want to make a reservation under ATCA. ATCA has also booked rooms at the Candlewood Suites Horsham (1-215-328-9119). Other hotels within the area include: Days Inn-Horsham PA (1-215-674-2500, Extended Stay America-Plymouth Meeting (1-856-246-8222), Doubletree Guest Suites Plymouth Meeting (1-610-834-8300) and the Inn at Chester Springs (1-888-253-6119). For more information contact Pamela Macomber at pmac470@verizon.net.

Events for Montgomery 2008 are almost completed. A complete schedule for the weekend will be published in the next American Airedale and will be available on the website.

Agility at Montgomery 2008 will be held from September 30-October 3rd. The ATCA sponsored agility trial will be held on Wednesday, October 1st and will be FAST class. Judges are: Bonnie Drabek and Jack Cadalso. If you need more information, please contact Kim Zaborniak at kimzab9@insight.rr.com.

ATCA Obedience/Rally will be holding their annual event on Saturday, October 4th at the same wonderful INDOOR site as last year, the Dog Training Center of Chester County. Jeffery Showman will be the judge for these events. For more information contact Linda Coates at whodunitky@bellsouth.net.

Conformation at Montgomery 2008 will provide several days of fun filled activities for Airedale enthusiasts. Starting with shows at Hatboro on Friday, October 2nd and an ATCA supported entry on Friday, October 3rd. There will be shows at Devon in the AM on October 4th followed by activities at the ATCA Obedience/Rally site. Sunday, October 5th will be a wonderful day of Airedale showing. Starting with sweepstakes at the MCKC site and ending with Best of Breed. Our sweepstakes judge will be Gary Vohs and our class judge will be Peggy Beisel McIlwaine. It is a great day to see our breed's best of the best. For more information on these shows contact Martha Graham at gtc@mchsi.com.

The 2008 ATCA National Hunt Tests have been moved to coincide with the Montgomery County Weekend. This will let us have a "Week of the Airedale" EVERY year!!! Hunt tests/Fur tests will be held October 6th and 7th. Stay tuned to the ATCA site for more information as it develops or contact Karen Copley at airetail@aol.com.

The Airedale Terrier Club of Metropolitan New York will hold their annual Specialty Show, Sweepstakes and Obedience and Rally Trials on Friday, May 2nd in West Windsor, NJ. Judges are: Regular classes: Mr. Wayne Bousek and Sweepstakes: Maripi Wooldridge. For more information contact: Dave Morgan at evadnagrom@aol.com.

The Mid-Jersey Airedale Terrier Club will hold its 18th Specialty Show on Sunday, May 4th at West Windsor, NJ. Breed judge is: Todd Clyde and Sweepstakes judge is: Bonnie Threlfall. A tailgate luncheon will be featured. Contact Mary Jane Carberry at maryjanec@att.net for more information.

There will be a scheduled ATCA Board Meeting at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday July 24 at the ATCA floater in Wisconsin. ATCA Committee Reports and proposals for this Board Meeting are due by June lst and sent to the ATCA Secretary, Shirley VanOver at svairedale@aol.com.

The Airedale Terrier Club of Greater Philadelphia will be holding their Supported Airedale Entry and 22nd Annual Specialty Show and Sweepstakes on May 9th and 10th in Ludwigs Corner, PA. The judge for Friday, May 9th supported entry is Mrs. Michelle Billings. The Annual Specialty judge for the regular classes is Ms. Mary Jane Carberry and sweepstakes judge is Mrs. Shirley Patterson. They will have a club hosted tailgate party after judging and the Barbara Strebeigh Bowl will be awarded to Best of Breed. For additional information, contact Bill Kochler at 610-827-7889.

The ATCA Montgomery Fine Arts Raffle and that information will be posted on the website shortly. Each month we will highlight one of the items to be raffled. Talented artist Leslie Apple is donating a gift certificate for an 18x24 portrait done from your own photograph. She strives to capture the inner life of her subjects. When painting a beloved dog's portrait, she remarks, "I try to capture their unique essence - their personalities." Get your raffle tickets early or purchase them through PayPal at jnoelsagacious@yahoo.com and the cost is: $10/ea or 3 for $26.00. If you use PayPal be sure to note "Fine Arts Raffle Tickets" in the subject line.

Mother's Day and May Day are here. Check out the Mother's Day jewelry box, tile and cards along with the wonderful May Day tile box that is on the website shopping at www.shopping.airedale.org. We have also added some new spring items such as mousepads, coasters and post it pads. Check out the new puppy blanket and its not too early to shop for Father's Day, we have lots of items with cute puppy pictures on them for daddy. If you have any questions, contact Shirley at svairedale@aol.com.

Our ATCA AKC Delegate's report by Aletta Moore can be seen here: MAY REPORT.

This year's Montgomery Banquet will be held at the Pine Crest Country Club which has a sophisticated and relaxing country club environment. We will be in their Ballroom; an elegantly appointed, flexible space which overlooks the golf course and features large windows on three sides. A sumptuous, neutral color palette and luxurious, contemporary décor make this a gracious and appropriate setting for our event. With 4,860 sq. ft., this will be a comfortable space for the annual meeting, cash bar, auction and banquet. For a sneak preview of this lovely facility visit their website at http://www.partyspace.com/contact_new2.asp?id=91 and take a virtual tour! The Country Club is located an easy 20 minute drive from the Host Hotel.

The Airedale Terrier Club of Illinois will hold their Specialty show on June 14. The conformation judge is Mrs. Charlotte Patterson, Sweeps judge: Diane Schlicht, Obedience judge: Joe Heidlinger and Rally judge: Kay Weber. For more details contact Nancy Foster at nfoster1080@sbcglobal.net.

The Southern California Airedale Association will be holding its 81st Specialty Show on June 22 at California Sate University in Long Beach, CA. Conformation judge is Mr. Clay Cody; Sweepstakes judge is Mrs. Barbara Rupert. For more information check out their website at www.socalairedale.com.

The Oregon Airedale Terrier Society will be holding its Fifth Specialty Show on Friday, July 18 at the Portland Expo Center in Portland, OR. The conformation and obedience/rally judges are TBA. Sweepstakes judge is Carole Bullwinkle Foucrault. For more information on this event, contact Nancy Arnold, Show Chair, at narnoldwa@aol.com.

Check out the Members Only section for all current club minutes including the most current teleconferencing board minutes, correspondence, etc. Club members can stay informed with all ATCA activity by checking out this site.

There are lots of great things going on with ATCA right now. If you see something that you think you might be interested in and need more information, contact our President, Virginia Latham Smith at lathamsmith@sbcglobal.net or me at svairedale@aol.com.

May and spring are here. Enjoy the many Airedale activities being held during the summer.

View last month's "Happenings" page