Versatility Awards

“The Airedale can do anything that any other dog can do and then lick the other dog!”  We have all heard this claim about Airedales for many years.  Fans of the Airedale Terrier believe that their chosen breed has the ability and heart to succeed in any “line of work” and they are proving it by successfully competing in many different dog sports from agility to coursing to search and rescue!  Many Airedale Terriers have not only dabbled at these activities but have been successful enough to win the highest titles available in these venues.  And in recent years, we have all heard the announcer at the Westminster Kennel Club show tell the world that the Airedale Terrier may be the best hunting dog there is.  To recognize and promote the versatility of our beloved breed, the Airedale Terrier Club is proud to introduce a Versatility Award Program to promote participation in diverse activities and to recognize those who successfully compete in multiple venues.

This new program will provide various awards to formally recognize the achievements of owners who lead their Airedale Terrier to earn titles in a variety of canine events.  To earn a ATCA Versatility title, the team (owner and Airedale Terrier) must meet specific requirements that are outlined on the Versatility Award Guidelines.  The Versatility Award Guidelines and the Application for the Versatility Award are available from the ATCA Secretary (garlandairedales@gmail.com) or the Versatility Award Coordinator (margie@charizmaairedales.com).  The guidelines and application for the Versatility Award are also available on the member section of the ATCA website at Airedale.org.  Key points include the following:

1. The owner of the Airedale must be a member of ATCA in good standing at the time of application for a versatility award.  In addition, the owner must have been an ATCA member at the time the last qualifying title for the award was earned.
2. The Airedale to be awarded must be registered with the AKC and must be the same dog awarded all titles to qualify for the versatility award.
3. The titles eligible to qualify for the versatility award are included on the Versatility Award Application list and are approved annually by the ATCA Board of Directors.  The application and list are included as an insert in this edition of TAA.

There are various award levels in the program and these award levels acknowledge both participation in various types of events or disciplines (horizontal recognition) and also success at increasingly difficulty levels of competition (vertical recognition).  To quality for the first level of award (Versatility Award) the dog must earn 3 titles in three different disciplines.  An example might be a dog who has earned an agility title; a dock diving title and a conformation title.  Four other increasingly challenging awards are available (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Awards) and to achieve each of these, additional titles and additional venues of competition are necessary.  See guidelines for details of these awards.  Typically, events included to qualify for the award are AKC events. Venues of competiton currently recognized by the program include the following AKC title programs.  (There are a few non AKC events eligible for the program and they are noted in the list below. )

1. Agility
2. Barn Hunt
3. Breed Conformation
4. Citizenship
5. Coursing
6. Dock Diving
7. Farm Dog
8. Fast Cat
9. ATCA and AKC Field
10. Flyball
11. NACSW Nosework
12. Obedience
13. Rally
14. Tracking
15. Scent Work
16. Search/Rescue
17. Therapy Dog
18. Trick Dog

The owner applies for a Versatility Award by completing the Versatility Award Application and returning it to the Versatility Award Coordinator by August 1, 2017. The “Award Year” follows ATCAs fiscal year and runs from August 1st through July 31st and all qualifying titles must be earned in the award year.  For the first year of the program, the award year will run from January 2015 through July 31, 2017.  The dog to be awarded must be alive at the time of application for the award and the owner must apply for the highest award level the dog is eligible for.

Versatility Award achievement will be recognized by a formal letter, the presentation of a commemorative item and by announcement at the Annual General Membership Meeting.  In addition, all award recipients will have their name published in TAA and also in the Montgomery County Kennel Club catalog.

The ATCA is proud to have a means to recognize the achievements of our wonderful breed and their dedicated owners.  This program will demonstrate what we all know – that Airedale Terriers are intelligent, active, versatile dogs who are not only the King of Terriers but also the star of the canine world!

• Versatility Award Guidelines (PDF)
• ATCA Versatility Award Application (PDF)

VERSATILITY AWARD WINNERS 2022:

Versatility (3 titles in 3 event venues): Owner: Maggie Hunter – Dog:  Singing Hills Son of the Wind Arlo and Owner:  Margie Hirsh –Dog: Reggie Hirsh

Bronze Versatility (4 titles in at least 3 event venues):  Owner:  Patricia Gregg – Dog:  Avalonaire’s Violette D’Ete

Silver Versatility (5 titles in at least 4 event venues: none 

Gold Versatility (6 titles in at least 4 venues):  Owner:  Christine Sheffer –Dog:   Coldstream Navion Over Bristol RI OAP NJP CGCTKN;  Owner:  Timothy K. Sheffer – Dog:  Coldstream Lucky Lindy Hero Flier RI AXPAJP ACT2 CGC TKN;  Owner:   Owner:  Amy McDermott – Dog:  Lynaire Empress of the Seas;  Owner: Bob and Janice Lipscomb – Dog:  Airecraft Nevermore;  Owner:  Kimberly Zaborniak –Dog:   CH Donaldmac’s Easy on the Eyes. Owner: Terry Younkins – Dog: IcePond Shenandoah Running Wild TKI CGC SP BDP BRSL BRCL

Platinum Versatility (7 titles in at least 5 venues):  Owner-Sue Zimmer –Dog:  CH Bobcat Call Me in the Morning;  Owner:  Kelley Renyolds –Dog:  Bryndale’s Driving That Train;  Owner:  Kim Burrier –Dog:  GCH Airecraft By Special Request RI TKP BCAT CGC. Owner: Terry Younkins – Dog: IcePond Shenandoah Beggarah BN RI RATN CGCA TKI