CCA elections

The Chinook Club of America is holding elections and I have decided to throw my hat in the ring, running for Chair of the Standard and Judges Education Committee. I would love to give back to the breed that has given me so much. I have served on committees in the Chinook Club of America ( CCA), the Chinook Owners Association ( COA) and the former Chinook Dog Club of America (CDCA). The biography for the ballots needed to be quite short so I am going to use this post to talk a bit about myself. For those non CCA members and those uninterested in the election, my previous Current Events posts start at the bottom of this page

Chinooks have been in my life since 1999, after finding out about them on the internet. There was a local Chinook gathering near my house and I instantly fell in love with the breed. I acquired my first Chinook in 2000 and never looked back. I have bred 4 litters under the Moonsong Chinook name as well as standing several wonderful males at stud. I have owned and bred Champions, Grand Champions, and Top Ten finishers. My dogs also have Weight Pull titles and compete in Obedience as well as sledding, biking, and scooter races. I love to show but my passion is sledding. It is so peaceful to run down the trail with a team of Chinooks and I enjoy having dogs that excel in the ring but also excel in harness. My goal for breeding is to produce triple purpose sledding and show dogs that are, above all healthy and happy family pets.

My goal for this election is to serve as chair for the Standards and Judges Education committee. I work very well with others and look forward to helping the club complete a new standard that will serve this breed well as we move into AKC. I feel Judges Education is also very important as the Chinook is a rare breed and not known to many in the AKC world. I have met many AKC judges and breeders in the course of my work at the Academy of Canine Behavior and also at AKC shows where I have handled my Irish Water Spaniel and Saluki. I have been lucky enough to attend many great seminars over the years, including the K9 College Cruise, which I try to do every year or so. I have studied Canine conformation and movement, breeding, history, nutrition, training, behavior, showing, judging, genetics, and health. I attended Kansas State University and I have a degree in Animal Science from the State University of New York. I currently serve on the Standard and Judges Education committee as well as the Show, Trial, and Trail committee. I have been mentored by several longtime Chinook breeders and I also have a good relationship with many of the newer Chinook owners/breeders. I would enjoy the opportunity to contribute to the Chinook breed as we enter these exciting times.