All parents would love to see their children
grow up to be happy and successful. The Hodulik family is
off to a good start with their nine-year-old daughter, Hannah.
Not only is Hannah doing very well in school where she is
a straight A student, a member of the student council and
a member of her schools Peer Mediation program, in addition
she enjoys being part of a gymnastic class that she started
this summer and likes riding horses. Hannah is also learning
to shoot and now has her own shotgun.
Hannah and her Grandmother’s Vizsla, Lenci
When our children enjoy the hobbies of
the parents we enjoy those hobbies even more. When our children
become successful in those hobbies the pride and joy must
be fantastic. That is the way Troy and Jenny Hodulik must
feel about Hannah. As this is an update I would suggest that
you read Bonnie Hidalgo’s 2007 article on Hannah at
http://www.akc.org/kids_juniors/performance_spotlight/hannah_hodulik.cfm
to see how Hannah got her start in the world of Performance.
Hannah doesn’t limit herself to
her own German Shorthaired Pointer, Skye (Abbe Lane's Fire
In The Skye, JH), she also runs her Grandmother’s Vizsla,
Lenci (Linden’s Luminous Lenci).
Lenci and Hannah took a first place this
spring at the Fort Detroit Wirehair Club over a field of sixteen
Derby starters at the grounds in Highland, Michigan. It was
Hannah’s biggest thrill to date. This team also placed
three more times in Derby stakes at Highland this spring;
including another first place.
Hannah was also thrilled to receive a
Junior Handler award from the German Shorthaired Pointer Club
of Ohio in recognition of her handling skills with Skye. Handling
dogs must be a natural for Hannah as she also titled a friend’s
Shorthair, Abbe Lane’s Zoie, JH.
Starting last spring Hannah ran and placed
at different venues throughout the Midwest. In the fall Hannah
placed in two Puppy and one Derby stake at Killdeer Plains
during the September Vizsla Club of Greater Cleveland trial
in Ohio. Hannah has also handled the Hodulik’s 13-year-old
Shorthair, Mala, to one Junior Hunter leg. In addition to
placing a friend’s Shorthair, Koda, in Puppy stakes,
Hannah has also handled Koda to a Junior leg.
And should you think field work is the
only dog activity that interests Hannah, you’d be wrong.
She looks forward to participating in Agility and Tracking
and conformation with Skye.
Hannah and Abbe Lane’s Zoie finishing Zoie’s Junior
Hunter title
When true sportsmanship and the love
of our dogs is what drives us to keep coming back to endure
the weather, loss of sleep and the costs incurred, we can
be assured that the direction of our sport is on the right
track for the future. Let us all go to the line with a love
of the sport, our dogs and the true meaning of sportsmanship
and we will then know how Hannah feels.
If you have a young relative or know
of a child interested in dogs please encourage them to sign
up for the Junior Handler program. You might offer them your
finished dog to run so they can gain experience in handling
in the field. The child you help today just might be the young
adult who helps you tomorrow.
