MNRC Foundation Award Nominations are now open. Deadline is November 30, 2024
Deadline is November 30, 2024
In 2015, the Master National Retriever Club Foundation announced they had approved supporting three, new Awards developed by the Foundation and suggested by the original donor. And in February 2019 the Foundation approved a humanitarian sportsman recognition to honor individuals or groups within the Retriever Hunting Test (RHT) Sport that participate in the Master National Retriever Hunting Test program and provide humanitarian services to either those in the sport or outside the sport.
The Foundation Awards Include:
“Youth Handler of the Year Award” Policy
The “Youth Handler of the Year Awards” (Awards) were established by the Foundation in 2015 at the suggestion of an active supporter of the annual Retriever Hunting Test conducted by the Master National Retriever Club under the current American Kennel Club (AKC) regulations and guidelines. The support is in memory of beloved Master National Retriever Hunting Test (MNRHT) dogs lost, in honor of dogs competing in MNRHT and in the prospects of upcoming pups for future MNRHT events, as well as in memory and honor of all handlers who have sacrificed so much to experience such an awesome event and in unending support of those still to come. Our future lies not only with future retriever breeding’s that compete at the highest level of our sport, but also in the hearts and abilities of future handlers that share in the love and sportsmanship of MNRHT’s.
The primary purposes of the Award are to honor and continue to encourage a youth handler in each bracket to step up to the line not only at the weekend AKC tests but also at the MNRHT. There shall be two award categories; a 12 year old and below and a 13-17 year old. The primary purpose of having two categories is to be fair to participants in each age group. Each award consists of a plaque and check in the amount of $1,000.
The recipients shall be selected by the Foundation Board of Directors (Board) who have final authority on the selection of the awardees and whether or not the Awards will be given in a particular year. The Awards may not be awarded each year. In considering potential awardees, the Board shall, among other things consider the following criteria:
The age of the handler; must meet above requirements;
The handler must handle a dog(s) in all eligible series (any series where the dog is ‘called back’) at the Master National Retriever Club’s annual Retriever Hunting Test;
The dog(s) does/do not have to “qualify” (get a plate)at the MNRHT for the handler to be eligible for the award;
The handler must have trained, or at least participated in the training of the dog(s) handled;
The handler must successfully control the dog from the holding blind to the line at the tests;
The handler must exhibit expertise in handling the dog(s) during the tests;
The handler must have knowledge of the AKC’s current Regulations and Guidelines applicable to the event;
The handler must apply the AKC’s current Regulations and Guidelines applicable to the event;
The handler must exhibit an ability to handle the dog(s) to the AKC Standards;
The handler must exhibit knowledge of how to properly care for the dog(s); and
The handler must exhibit personal & professional conduct at the event.
The handler must be in good standing with the MNRC and AKC.
A handler of a dog that is owned by any member of the MNRC or MNRCF board of directors or their family is ineligible for this award.
To nominate an individual for the awards, submit a legible, written description of how/why the individual meets the above criteria and why they should receive the award. The submission must include all necessary contact information for the submitter and the name and age of the candidate. Hard copies or e-mail copies will be accepted and must be received by December 31. Hard copies must be mailed to MNRCF, Jimmy Hughes, P.O . Box 444 Columbia, TN 38402. E-mails sent to jimmyhughes@hughescpa.net
“Bill T. Teague Handler of the Year Award” Policy
The “Bill T. Teague Handler of the Year Award” (Award) was established by the Foundation in 2015 at the suggestion of an active supporter of the annual Retriever Hunting Test conducted by the Master National Retriever Club under the current American Kennel Club (AKC) regulations and guidelines. The support is in memory of beloved Master National Retriever Hunting Test (MNRHT) dogs lost, in honor of dogs competing in MNRHT and in the prospects of upcoming pups for future MNRHT events, as well as in memory and honor of all handlers who have sacrificed so much to experience such an awesome event and in unending support of those to come. The award is named after a past MNRC President who has been and is a mentor and friend to many in the sport who exemplifies the spirt and tenets of the AKC Code of Sportsmanship. This award is to recognize and support an adult handler at the annual MNRHT who actively demonstrates the tenets of the AKC Code of Sportsmanship. The award consists of a plaque and check in the amount of $1,000.
The recipient shall be selected by the Foundation Board of Directors (Board) who have final authority on the selection of the awardees and whether or not the Award will be given in a particular year. The Award may not be awarded each year. In considering potential awardees, the Board shall, among other things consider the following criteria:
The handler must handle a dog(s) in all eligible series at the Master National Retriever Club’s annual Retriever Hunting Test;
The dog(s) does/do not have to “qualify” (get a plate)at the MNRHT for the handler to be eligible for the award;
The handler must have trained, or at least participated in the training of the dog(s) handled;
The handler must successfully control the dog from the holding blind to the line at the tests;
The handler must exhibit expertise in handling the dog(s) during the tests;
The handler must have knowledge of the AKC’s current Regulations and Guidelines applicable to the event;
The handler must apply the AKC’s current Regulations and Guidelines applicable to the event;
The handler must exhibit an ability to handle the dog(s) to the AKC Standards;
The handler must exhibit knowledge of how to properly care for the dog(s); and
The handler must exhibit personal & professional conduct at the event.
The handler must be in good standing with the MNRC and AKC
A handler of a dog that is owned by any member of the MNRC or MNRCF board of directors or their family is ineligible for this award.
To nominate an individual for the awards, submit a legible, written description of how/why the individual meets the above criteria and why they should receive the award. The Nominations need to be in writing and should be submitted no later than November 30, 2024, to the MRNC Foundation Secretary, care of Lynn Teague via email at bltdogs4@gmail.com or USPS at 734 CR 630, Nacogdoches, TX 75964.
The “Humanitarian Sportsman Recognition” (Recognition) was established by the Foundation in February 2019 to recognize individuals or groups within the Retriever Hunting Test (RHT) Sport that participate in the Master National Retriever Hunting Test program and provide humanitarian services to either those in the sport or outside the sport.
The Recognition may not be given every year. This Recognition is designed to recognize members of the RHT sport for their humanitarian services and raise the awareness of the positive impact on individuals, groups and communities that members of the RHT provide. While it is expected members of the RHT sport will provide some humanitarian services, this Recognition is to recognize those who go ‘above and beyond the call’ to provide that service.
Candidates for this Recognition must meet the tenets of the AKC Code of Sportsmanship and Master National Retriever Clubs’ Code of Ethics. This award consists of a personal plaque, name on a perpetual plaque & presentation of the plaques at the Master National Retriever Club’s annual event following their selection. To nominate an individual for the awards, submit a legible, written description of how/why the individual meets the above criteria and why they should receive the award. The submission must include all necessary contact information for the submitter and the name of the candidate. Hard copies or e-mail copies will be accepted and must be received by November 30.
NMNRC Foundation Committee:
President/Treasurer; Jimmy Hughes
Gloria Mundell, Secretary;
Jack Morris, Director; and
Keith Keisow, Ex-Officio
Previous Award Winners Are:
The Bill T Teague Handler of the Year Awards:
2023 Dr. Katie Quarles
2022 Jim Widham and Dennis Greer
2019 Sallie Sullivan
2018 Lyle Steinman
2017 Bob Neipert
2016 Bill Autry
2015 Ken Vidrine
Youth Handler of the Year: Both 13-17 yrs. old category
2019 Haleigh McKeithan
2017 Mary Emma Simon
The Humanitarian Sportsman Recognition Award
2019 Rody Best and Frank Barton
2019 recipients of the Recognition Award were Frank Barton, Marion, AR for his work with the wounded soldiers and Rody Best, Best Retrievers, Paige, TX, for his work with people and their animals during the Hurricane Harvey episode in Texas.
