Ultimate Air Dogs Hall of Fame

We have been putting on events for 7 years going on 8 in 2013! I believe it's time to have a Hall of Fame for Dogs and owners for outstanding achievements on and off the dock! What we are going to do is pick 2 dogs and 2 people each year and induct them in to The Ultimate Air Dogs Hall of Fame. What we are going to do is ask everyone to submit on this board, dogs and people who they think deserves to be in our Hall of Fame and why? Please only positive posts and it can be any dog at any division. Please post a name with your post no anonymous post please. This can be your own dog or someone else's dog that you think deserves this chance. Thanks, Milt

You definitely need to honor some of the 'oldies' who have been around for years too : )

And some of the "oldies" who are no longer with us.

I would like to nominate Rocky, along with his parents, Becky and Greg Jammes. Rocky is always a crowd pleaser with his big jumps, high fives and dancing feet. Becky and Greg are always very friendly, helpful and willing to help anyone. They are the perfect example of what makes UAD a family.

Thanks Lori! This is what I'm looking for. You can also nominate your own dog because we are proud of them also! I like reading about them here.

Not sure if I can nominate more than one, but I think Sparky should be the official founder dog of the hall of fame. He is what started UAD and I was even baptized last week wearing my dock life T-shirt with Sparky.

I wanted to suggest that a panel be designated to choose who the the hall of famers will be of those nominated. Maybe a panel of 6. Kind of like they do in baseball or football, this would be fun!! What does everyone else think about a panel or other sugestions?

I think this is a great idea! Some dogs that come to mind are Gauge, Fernando, Sky, Rock, Oskar, Gunner, Colby, Mossberg, Seven, Maddy, Blanket. There are so many dogs that are deserving. I think that since UAD started in Michigan it is fitting that the dogs that are inducted first are from the north as they are the dogs that helped build UAD into the organization it is today!

If I had to nominate three dogs I would nominate Rock, Colby and Sky. (Not that I am biased or anything.) All of these dogs helped shape the sport into what it is today. I can remember when we started with UAD the biggest jump we would see for three weeks was 24 feet. Now we go to an event and see dogs consistently jump 25-27 feet.

too many to list. what criterea will be used? best jumpers? most wins? and for the people...best dog people? best advice giver?

How about 3 dogs nominated and only 1 can be your own?

I never saw alot of the dogs compete. So I will only base my nominees on the dogs that I have seen in action and the people that I have met.

Gauge for sure. When we first got into this sport Gauge was not only going to compete in big air but also, fetch it, catch it and vertical-and maybe win all 4 or at least place. Sky was a top finisher too in those categories. Meadow was also a 4 sport champ, Blanket is the only back to back Ultimate Air games champion. Fernando so smooth and a shoe in for catch it every event, Drew, as long as Laura threw the toy where Drew liked it then there was a 24 footer for sure, Lily-to be a rescue and out of the blue show up to CherryFest and finish second behind a 2x champ in Sky. Casey Lynn-Ms Consistnacey, Zoom, Maggy, Dakota a Purina Regional finalist and also a 4 sport beast. There's too many to think about so many great achievements and so many great people and your telling me I can only nominate 2??? That's ruff!!!

What about quirks? Like Bamba, doesn't even jump at the toy and then bites the water-that's classic, Brooks (RIP) he barks at the toy for 5 minutes and then jumps in-there's a 1.5 minute time limit on the dock but nobody cared, Champ staring at the ground for ever there's so many I cant think right now.

People, Taylor's, Tune's, Butler's, Parker's, Sparrano's, Graham, Frost's, Caloia's , Postma, Allen's, Kidd's, Beardslee's, Bumcrott, Webb's, Willming's, Strayer's Bickles, geez I cant think.

Okay, so here's my list.
-Gauge-For winning the ultimate dog title, and being ontop of the game in 4 sports
-Sky also for being a 4 sports champ
Gauge and Sky were the best jumping dogs when we first go into the sport back in 2008. There were others but right now these are my 2.
-my self nominating dog for a 3rd nominee is Maddy. cuz she's my dog and no matter how she jumps I think she is the best jumping dog ever. Plus she also has a long list of achievements.
3x cherryfest champ
3x River Days fest champ
2x Purina Incredible Dog Challange Finalist
Multiple pet expo's champ-not novi
Grand Rapids Fishing Expo champ
Kalamazoo pet expo
Multiple fetch it wins


People
Butlers-the First Family of The UAD. Friendly, happy helpful and wise. they have truly made the UAD a family sport.

Tina and Dan Tune. they used to jump Indy lots but as Tina got more sick the less they showed up. But, once in a while you'd see them roll into an event to jump Indy. Even when Tina was visibly ill, she got up on the dock and had fun with her dog. and they love their dogs. It was certainlya pleasure getting to know her. I hope Dan still comes around.

Courtney Graham. Also very helpful. He is always helping folks out at events, glueing wubba's together, he helps people with their throws, sets up extra tents for other people to use and he loves dog. One doay he will learn how to use a computer so he can participate in these discussions.

By the way, I think it goes without saying that Sparky belongs as the first member. Milt started this company with Sparky and Brian. So, now they should be the first family and participant inducted.
I never saw him compete so that is why I didn't mention him in my post
This is John BTW, Lori may have her own nominees

I would like to nominate Jason Kidd & Cowboy. I think it's pretty incredible that Cowboy can hit 23' in fetch it. With all of the high flying dogs in dock jumping to be the only dog to hit a distance is pretty incredible.

I am not sure but I think Cowboy has won or took 2nd to Na'ia in Fetch It at the last 3-4 or more air games? I am not sure exactly.

Also Jason and Abby have been in the sport many years and I think that is an important criteria in the selection process.

Aside from fetch it Cowboy has some pretty long big air jumps. I am not sure on specifics but I think he has hit 27' +/-

As for Jason he was very helpful to me and has given me some great tips and insight into helping improve Marleys distance. I see him helping out one way or another at every event I have attended.

Also ditto to the above post by Jon... I am not good with names but he mentioned a lot of great/helpful people who have all helped/talked to Emily and I over the past couple of years. So many great people in this sport. We are truly blessed to know each and every one of you.

I never had the pleasure to meet or see Sparky jump but I agree as everyone should. Sparky deserves to be the first inductee into the Ultimate Air Dogs Hall of Fame.

--- Ben DeJonge

Being rather new, we have not seen a lot of the older dogs compete and can only go on what we have seen the last year.

My three would be Sky, Maddy and Cowboy.

I want to nominate Rajah. Rajah started with UAD in February of 2005. He is the only APBT with a vertical title and the first year fetch it was offered at premier Rajah won at 20'. This dog is an amazing breed ambassador as well. Never meeting a dog or person he doesn't LOVE. And still at 11 years old is hitting 20' jumps. He also held the breed record for APBT's in distance jumping of 23'7" or many years.And for a few years running was one of the top dogs to beat in Catch it. And outside of UAD Rajah has visited many elderly in nursing homes and also kids in the local school district as Therapy dog.

I forgot about Rajah,
But Beth, you also forgot to nominate another dog and 2 people. Ben, you also need to nominate some others.
Milt asked for 2 dogs and 2 people.

nevermind I just reread milts post.
color me crazy

Milt's Sparky - a true dockjumping legend. The best "crowd dog" there will ever be.
Sara's Oskar - one of the sport's "foundation" dogs, consistent jumper and always entertaining with his huge Jolly ball.
Anna's Colby - "foundation" dog, one of Aro's favorites to watch and cheer for on the dock, one of UAD's first big UV dogs
Matt and Tracey's Mossberg - "foundation" dog, a natural to the sport, one of UAD's first really big jumpers
Beth & Jeff's Rajah - "foundation" dog, incredible breed ambassador and talented multi-event participant
Heather's Digger - "foundation" dog, incredible breed ambassador, insanely fun to watch on the dock... especially in how he "torques" his body in CI to try to compensate for Heather's throws
Pat's Duke - "foundation" dog for a handler who was also with UAD since their very first event, a huge success in CI, still jumping well in his older age, a very intelligent Lab who I have a soft spot for as I helped him grow and learn in the sport... the first catch he made off the dock was a throw I gave him at UAD's Van Wert event years ago
Sarah's Forrest Gumpy - a legend as a "little dog" jumper, always entertaining on the dock
Anne's Chase - beautiful to watch jump, consistent jumper throughout his career
Steph's Scout - also a beautiful jumper, kept up with the younger dogs through his older years
Dan's Lily - "foundation" dog, very exciting on the dock, entertaining with her constant spinning, if I were to ever have a Lab, I would want one as insane as Lily
Brian's Jetson - "foundation" dog, a complete clown, always entertaining with his self-handling "throws" and diving
Joe's Zeus (aka Dumdum) - "foundation" dog, another clown, always enthusiastic, one of Aro's best friends, an inspiration to other teams as a three-legged competitor
Lynn's Bamba - definitely gets the award for most improved, great form despite not caring one bit about the toy
Bill and MaraLee's Waffles - "foundation" dog, a total sweetheart that jumped her best when Bill whispered "sweet nothings" in her ear
Casey - UAD's only completely blind dockjumping dog, I believe that the amazing level of trust this girl had in her handler deserves some serious recognition

...and I would like to nominate my Ice and Aro. Both helped "create" UAD's Novice division (per Milt and MaraLee at an event in PA years ago). Ice was the first GSD to title in dockjumping... with any org... and jumped with UAD since their very first event. Aro was the first (and only) GSD to title in UV and to compete in the non-titling events of FI and CI... and, despite being so much larger/heavier than most dogs who excel in the sport, he did very well. They also served as great breed ambassadors within the sport. I know of several people in the sport who used to be afraid of GSDs who came to love them because of these boys (including MaraLee).

I'm sure there are more of the "foundation" dogs I am missing. I would like to see all these dogs who played such large roles in the rise of our sport honored.

For People lets not forget about the people who were there 7-8 years ago that help found and establish the sport:

Maralee and Bill Richardson
Healther Mehi (and Anna)
Kel Scudder (and mom Angela)

I will nominate Rajah as well for his love of the sport along with his work in being a great ambassador and therapy dog!!
My 2nd dog nomination is my own dog Panda. A dog who has in the three years shes been jumping gone from 8'2" to 21'1" winning the UAG North Senior Elite Division. Along with dock jumping she is a registered Therapy dog and has her CGC. She has also been Nationally Ranked in UKC Conformation in 2008 @ #7, Nationally Ranked in UKC for Weight Pull in 2010 @ #6. Has her GSJCH title as well as several other titles in different areas. She has also passed the American Temperament Testing Societies Temperament Test. She has earned a total of 19 different titles. She also has won the first Altered Best In Show offered at Premier and Gateway Nationals in 2010. She has 23 Altered Best In Shows and now as it stands is the top winning altered dog in UKC at the moment :)She is my first UAD dog and my heart dog as well.

I will nominate Milt and Cathi Wilcox for all their amazing work at putting on so many awesome events over the years!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just lost my entire post UGH! I will have to come back to it.

THANK YOU TEAM MADDY for mentioning Meadow. I extend much gratitude that someone remembered that she was kicking it along with all of the other dogs that people were mentioning. As for my two cents, I will have to redo my entire post that I lost.

I guess when I think of "Hall of Fame", I always think of the retired or "old school" competitors.
I think back to the days of Oscar jumping 20+ feet, or Jetson throwing the toy into the pool himself and going in after it. I don't remember how many events I went to where Jetson, Oscar, and Rajah were a matter of inches apart in competition. Or how bout even Dan Jacobs with Missy Mu who was always a crowd pleaser with his big jumping yellow labs. Matt Mapes with Mossberg was one of the "original" big jumpers that would hit over 23' when any of the other dogs were lucky to hit 21'. And I'll throw Kel Scudder in there with her beautiful GSDs Aro & Ice. I could never tell those 2 dogs apart for the longest time. LOL

And of course my Rajah has been jumping since 2005 and his very 1st official jump in competition was over 20' and has since then been a master jumper for 7 years running and has changed so many people's views on the APBT breed just in the dock jumping world.

We started in this sport about 7 years ago and the dogs and people that have inspired us from the beginning are:

Anna and Colby
Sara and Oskar
Kel and Aro
Jeff and Rajah
Courtney and Gauge
Sarah and Forest Gumpy

I think my two picks are Anna and Colby and Sara and Oskar. They are both great ambassadors to the sport and their dogs have really inspired us. This is such a hard choice to just chose two...So many great dogs and people.

Of course, I think Sparky should be the first inductee:)

Tim webb is having a hard tome logging on .

Of course he nominates Casey Lynn. she belongs in there too.

I agree with Jeff.

Are we looking at retired dogs?

First - thanks to those who mentioned my boys....they truly loved this sport more than anything! Scout hanging in there with the big boys and jumping just as big as some of the dogs half his age until he couldn't (but with me being just as proud of him with his last jump of 8 feet as I was of him with his 21 feet jumps) and Brooks doing his spins on the dock, only jumping in once Brian Wilcox told him "to get it" at first, to his barking a million times at the toy.
When I think of Hall of Fame I think of the team who represents the sport well more than the big jumpers. To me that would be Lynn Postma & Bamba and/or Joe/Kim & Zeus.
Bamba started off as a dog who wouldn't jump in, to then only jumping in with a "bait" dog, to being the consistent jumper he is - however through it all Lynn still came to events cause it was fun, always had a smile on her face and ready to answer any and all questions.
Zeus for pretty obvious reasons - talk about a dog & his family who have truly triumphed.

Hershey jumped 24' 4" in only his 2nd competition ever while being barely a year old at the 2010 Ultimate Air Games & winning first place in the senior division. I remember that day clearly, what an exciting day for him as he learned a completely new sport. In 2011 Hershey was able to increase his personal best from 24' 4" to a whopping 25' 5". He has come a long way socially & matured largely while increasing his focus at events and in addition displaying top notch enthusiasm!! For that I nominate Hershey. Although in 2012 he had came down with a bad case of happy tail and as a result not able to jump or play all summer. Fortunately he was able to attend the 2012 Ultimate Air Games in Paw Paw where he made the ultimate division finals.