2021 NRC General Meeting
Center Theater
212 N. Fifth St.
Hartsville, SC
The meeting began was called to order at 2:10 p.m. EST by NRC President Jeff Talley.
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NRC President Jeff Talley
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Jeff Talley, Mitch Patterson & John Caire
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Rob Reuter, David Opseth & Bert Windham
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A moment of silence was called for to remember those people and dogs we lost this past year.
Paul Sletten, PRTA President, said a prayer for the event.
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PRTA President Paul Sletten
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The Board was introduced:
Jeff Talley, President
Mitch Patterson, VP
Rob Reuter, Director
John Caire, Director
David Opseth, Sec'y/Treasurer
Bert Windham – Chief Marshal
Mark Menzies – Field Trial Chairman
Dave Opseth called the roll call to establish a quorum.
David Opseth presented the minutes and got a motion to approve them.
David Opseth presented the financials and got a motion to approve them.
There are 145 member clubs. Northwest Iowa and Southern Arizona are no longer members.
There were four new clubs that applied to be members resulting in a net gain of two new clubs.
Jeff Talley introduced Paul Sletten for PRTA -
Last year there were nine grants sponsored partly by Purina, Avery and Garmin are the sponsors who help support these grants.
There are 11 applications this year for grants, and they will be voted on at the PRTA meeting on Monday night and we will report them to you later.
Kenny Trott - Recognized Danny Farmer for having qualified dogs for 40 consecutive years. Danny received a recognition plaque and thanked those in attendance.
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(LtoR) Paul Sletten, Kenny Trott & Danny Farmer
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Jeff Talley introduced Russ Reavis, AKC Rep and recognized our sponsors.
The Corporate Chaplin for Nutramax was introduced to the crowd. Nutramax is a new sponsor located in Lancaster, South Carolina. They will have a booth with staff at the event along with small gifts for each club.
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| Robert Gillette |
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Robert Gillette, D.V.M., is the founder of the Nutramax Center for Wellness and Performance. This clinic helps them understand ways to assess sporting dogs.
Kate Simonds and Al Arthur were presented the portrait of last year's winner: NFC-AFC Cropper's Fire In The Hole, "Deep," painted by Ross Young and funded by Purina.
The 2021 National Open is dedicated to Professional Hugh Arthur
Kate Simonds spoke about how she met Hugh Arthur 70 years ago in Long Island, New York. He was a young man with orange hair, an orange truck, and was beating all the old school trainers. He spoke what he felt and was great with dogs. He was sensitive to them and was able to mold them while keeping them happy. He was the ultimate dog man. Later, she read a heartfelt letter that was written after his death. He was genuine and dedicated to the dogs.
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Kate Simonds
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Alan Pleasant
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The 2021 National Open is dedicated to Amateur John Thomas
Alan Pleasant spoke about John Thomas - He first met John in the mid-90s on his way to a gun dog trial. He was a kind-hearted man. He gave his all to this sport. He had 10 titled dogs, including FC-AFC Ragin' Eye Of The Storm and in 2014, he was inducted to the Hall of Fame.
Slate of officers for 2022 was announced:
President - Mitch Patterson
Vice President - Rob Reuter
Board Member - John Caire
Board Member - Mark Menzies
Secretary/Treasurer - David Opseth
There was a lifetime qualification change voted in at last year's National. It's now been decided to revote on the by-law change. There will be a special meeting on January 1st, 2022, and voting will be done via an electronic ballot or a paper version. This was opened to the floor to vote:
Dave Rorem supports the new rule. He said it's so hard to win, why not keep the lifetime qualification. That's why it passed.
John Russell sees his point but says that, historically, achievement was measure in qualifications. That's the way it's always been done.
Kenny Trott agrees with both sides of the issue.
Jeff Talley asks that anyone who disagrees should submit changes or restructuring of languages.
Additional new business was a suggestion by Kate Simonds that the trophy be housed at the Hall of Fame and a smaller, silver dog will be presented instead to the winner. A motion was made and the National Club said they would look into it.
Mitch Patterson - The 2022 NRC will be held November 12th in Paducah, Kentucky. The Field Trial Chair will be Mark Medford. Chief Marshal will be Phil Heye, and the Co-Chief Marshal will be Kyle Broussard. Judges are as follows: Alvin Hatch for the Atlantic region; Wayne Stupka for the West Central region; and, Andy Kahn for the Western region.
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Mitch Patterson
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Gifts were given to this year's judges, Bill Burks, Chris Hatch, and Mark Medford. An appreciation gift was also given to outgoing President, Jeff Talley.
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L to R: Mark Medford, Chris Hatch and Bill Burks
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Mark Menzies, Field Trial Chairman cautioned folks about COVID-19 protocol
1. Read the COVID protocol.
2. Requested that people please keep away from the judges.
3. Recognized Manager Eric Dusa at Cooper Black who has worked hard on our grounds.
"It's the best facility on the east coast."
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FT Chairman Mark Menzies
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Test dogs will be:
Female - Another Cup Of Jo, "JoJo," handler Kathy Scott
Male - Full Choke Winchester, "Chester," handler Deborah Gardner
There will be a Cocktail Party tonight at 6 pm. The Workers' Party will
be at the end of the day on Tuesday the 16th on the trial grounds.
The vet check will be at the Baptist Church.
There has been one scratch: Dog #20
Bert Windham, Chief Marshal said the First Series will be a live rooster and a dead rooster with a blind with a hen mallard at H. Cooper Black.
No bird policy: first no-bird, go back five and be sixth running dog; second no-bird, go back ten and be eleventh running dog; third no-bird, go to the end.
The line can be viewed in groups of fifteen handlers at a time. There will be a rebird after the test dogs run and then after 12 dogs at the dead bird station. The gun changes will be every 24 dogs.
The handler or the dog must be on the mat for all sends.
The caravan will leave the hotel at 5:15 a.m.
Opening ceremony at 6:00 am.
Test dogs will run at 6:30 am.
First dog to run at 7:00 am.
The starting dog bumper was selected by Bill Goldstein's dog. Starting dog will be #6, FC Holland Cliffs Red Label, "Ruger," owner, Alvin Hatcher, and handler, Alan
Pleasant.
The rotation will be 6 - 29 - 52 - 75.
Meeting adjourned at 3:48 pm EST.
