Hello Minnesota NAVHDA Chapter Members,

Your Board of Directors has been busy the last couple months organizing our 2021 calendar.  We are the largest and most active chapter in the NAVHDA system, and we have a lot planned for the coming year.  All of our testing & training events are now open for registration.  You can always find all of the info on the Master Calendar.

Here are a few special things to be aware of:  Click on the highlighted links for full details and registration/payment info.

  • Because we cannot hold our traditional  Fable Fest and silent auction this year due to CV-19, we are doing a RAFFLE for TWO Garmin 200i training/tracking bundles.   This is limited to 250 entries and is open to chapter members only.  To enter, members will need the password that was emailed to them on Jan 2nd.  We expect this to sell out rather quickly, so do not hesitate. Outside of our membership dues, this will be our PRIMARY revenue generator for the year, so please participate, you might get lucky!
  • Our Bylaws require us to hold an “Annual Meeting” and this year that will be done via a virtual meeting platform on Tuesday Feb 2nd from 7-8pm.  We will be sending out more information about this soon, including a  survey asking who will be interested in attending so we can select an appropriate virtual meeting platform.  Members-watch your emails for that in the next week or so.
  • To kick things off this year, we will be holding a ‘Virtual” Training roundtable meeting on Thursday Jan 7th at 7pm via the Google Meet platform.   Members can call in or video in with a capable device.   This will be a general informational discussion about some of our 2021 events and how we are going to try to organize small group training.  Nonmembers and new members are especially welcome on this virtual meeting to ask questions about NAVHDA and if joining the chapter makes sense for them.  The instructions to join are in the link above.  Mark your calendars.  If this works well, we will be doing some more virtual training meetings and discussions  over the winter.
  • Our first primary Training Clinic of the year will be April 24th & 25th at Kelley Farms, when we will have pro trainer Kyle Hough from Pennsylvania in for a  2 day Steadiness Clinic.  This is limited to 40 entries and registration will be open to chapter members only until January 31st.  Members will need the password that was emailed to them on Jan 2nd
  • Due to the large number of chapter members qualifying for the NAVHDA Invitational, we are also going to host the first ever NAVHDA sponsored Invitational Handler Clinic, which will be led by NAVHDA Senior Judge Clyde Vetter. This will be June 5th & 6th at Kelley Farms. This event will also be limited to chapter members only until January 31st.  Space is limited to 20 handlers, and to participate in this you must have run a dog in a UPT or UT test in the past.  Open to chapter members only until January 31st.
  • For  people in the northern part of the state, we are also going to hold a 2 day Clinic on May 22nd & 23rd at the Iron Range Retriever Club in Virginia.  Clinic leader will be NAVHDA Judge and chapter President Pete Aplikowski.  This will be open to nonmembers as well who want to get a feel for what NAVHDA and the Minnesota Chapter is about.  Saturday will focus on Natural Ability Concepts and Sunday will focus on Utility Prep and Utility Training & Demonstrations.  We are trying to offer some more training options in the northern part of the state, and hopefully we can connect some people at this event.
  • We will also be holding a NAVHDA Aims & Rules Clinic and to add a bit to the experience, this will be held at Pine Ridge Grouse Camp near Remer, MN on June 12th & 13th. Clinic Leader will be NAVHDA Senior Judge Terry Petro.  This will be a nice setting to hold this event in and there are meals and lodging/campsites on site.  Space will be limited to 20 handlers.
  • Minnesota NAVHDA leads the entire NAVHDA system in the number of testing days, with 16 testing days spread out over 7 weekends this summer.   Our tests have been filling rather early the last several years, so do not hesitate to get your entry in.  All of our tests are open for entries. Minnesota NAVHDA 2021 Testing Schedule.   Members who want to volunteer at our tests should contact the Test Coordinators listed here.

I look forward to seeing everyone at some of these events this year, or speaking to you on our Virtual meetings this winter.

Pete Aplikowski-President