2003 National Open
Retriever Championship

  
A traditional blue tablecloth with the National Retriever Club logo, framed with flowers, held the trophies that were to be awarded to the winner. Left to right are: the antique silver traveling trophy; the owner’s trophy; the professional handler’s trophy; and the traveling professional handler’s trophy. The hill that the Tenth was run off of is in the background.

Traditionally the winning dog is put on the table next to the trophies.
Patton was not sure just why he was being put there as Mike is trying
to get him comfortable. Judges Myron Chidester, Jackie Mertens
and Larry Wharton watch.

Mike and Patton at the Winner’s table.

The 2003 National Open win brings to nineteen National winners that Mike has trained:

• Seven National Championships handled by Mike;

• One Canadian National Championship handled by Mike, and 

• One National Championship, Nine National AmateurChampionships and two Canadian National Amateur Championships handled by his clients. 

Mike has set a new record of 33 Finalists handled at Nationals by one person. In 2002 Mike ran his 30th National Finalist; an achievement that ties him with Cotton Pershall for the all-time record number of Finalists run by a professional retriever trainer. Cotton's first Finalist was in 1942 and his last in 1973. This record had stood alone for almost 30 years until November 2002. In addition to the 33 National finalists handled personally by Mike, numerous Handjem-trained dogs have been Finalists with their owner-handlers or Mike’s assistant, Dave Smith.

Thank You to:

The Sponsors of the National Open Championship, without whom the stake would not be possible, are recognized and greatly appreiciated:

Official Sponsor

Nestle Purina – whose generous contributions include a cash donation in the workers party and cocktail party, banners, tote bags, jackets, shirts, line area tents, dog food and the remote sound system.

Sponsors

Tri-Tronics – for their donations of collars, cash donations to the cocktail and workers party and the contestant numbers.

Kent Ammunition - for their generous donations of all live and popper shotgun shells

Iams – for jackets and shirts and cash donations to the workers and cocktail parties

Deerskin Mfg, Inc. - for their generous cash donation

Chris Chantland, Offical Artist – for his contributions of a painting of the winner.

Patrons

Pin-Mark Services and Dog-Tra Collars

Training Grounds and Owners

Without the generous contributions of the land owners, the Stake and training could not take place. They are:

• Boatright-Goodrich Ranch

• Bruce and Roma Orvis and their Snow Ranch

• Luann Pleasant

• Bob and Beverly Brunker and their “Rancheria Del Rio Estaniastaus”

• Marion and Karla Schwoerer and their “55 Ranch”

• Bill Sargenti and CL- 2, formerly Rex Carr’s training grounds

• Patti and Bill Spense

• Glenn and Robin Gulvin

• And many others in the surrounding area that are too numerous to list.

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