The Master National Retriever Club Foundation is proud to announce the
2018 Handler of the Year.
The Bill T. Teague Handler of the Year Award was earned by Lyle Steinman of Gower, Missouri and Natchez, MS.
Owner and operator of Castile Creek Kennels; LLC in Stewartsville, Missouri, Lyle has accumulated an impressive success record in American Kennel Club retriever hunting tests and the Master National Retriever Hunting Test programs. He has qualified 198 dogs at the MNRHT; 31 dogs he’s handled have earned the MNRC’s ‘Hall of Fame’ honor & AKC title of MNH (Master National Hunter) earned by having passed three MNRHT’s; and he and his team have earned more than 3,000 AKC Master Test passes and titled 166 dogs with the MH (Master Hunter) title from AKC. He’s a charter member of the MNRC and strong supporter of the Retriever Hunting Test Sport.
The presentation of the award will be held Saturday, July 13, 2019 at Castile Creek Kennels, 12929 SE Bigham Road, Stewartsville, Missouri. The presentation of the award will be also be recreated at the Master National Retriever Club’s annual business meeting in Cheraw, S.C., Thursday, October 17, 2019.
In the 2018 MNRHT event, 664 dogs handled by 179 handlers entered the event. To earn their Pewter Plate, ribbon and other awards, each dog had to complete five series of tests over an 8 day period. The dogs were judged on their Marking (finding the bird after seeing it fall), Style, Perseverance (did they avoid obstacles or go thru, over or under them) and Trainability (steadiness, control and response). The trainability includes the dog having to make ‘blind retrieves’ where it did not see the bird fall and had to follow their handlers hand and whistle signals. About half of the dogs entered earned their plates; there are no ‘cash’ prizes. The award consists of the recipient’s name placed on a perpetual plaque, an individual plaque and a check for $1,000.
The Foundation congratulates Lyle on his accomplishments and award and encourages nominations of qualified handlers for the 2019 event in Cheraw, S. C.; nominations must be received within 30 days of the completion of the event.
The Foundation also offers two Youth Handler of the Year Awards; one for 12 year olds and younger and one for 13-17 year old handlers and the ‘Bill T. Teague Handler of the Year Award’. No submissions were received for either category this year. In addition, the Foundation offers a “Humanitarian Sportsman Recognition” that was announced this year; nominations for the Recognition will be accepted shortly after the 2019 MNRHT in Cheraw, South Carolina, October 2019.
For further info on the awards and recognition, contact Bill Teague at ta9@hughes.net or 713-252-3918 or 734 CR 630, Nacogdoches, Texas 75964.
Foundation board members are:
Gloria Mundell, Colorado
Jack Morris, Texas
Jimmy Hughes, Alabama, Treasurer
Jack Combs, Rhode Island, MNRC President 2018-19
Bill Teague, Texas, President
It's all about the dogs
