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The Sir Charles "Charlie" Memorial Award |
In 1973, at the age of four, and only 18 months after graduating from a Beginner's class at the Obedience Training Club of Palm Beach County, Charlie accomplished the unimaginable. He was proclaimed the Number One ranking dog in America in the sport of obedience for the year 1973. This was the culmination of a year long odyssey on the obedience circuit. Charlie and David logged more than 50,000 miles competing in 76 trials in 16 states. Their dedication and determination to be the very best they could be excelled them to the top. They achieved a record point total (732) and highest score average (196.72) than any other competing team (4,038) in the advanced level of competition. Charlie's accomplishments in 1973 also included: 50 First Places, 24 High-in-Trials, 41 combined classes, 118 qualifying scores, 13 scores of 1981/2, 13 scores of 199, 13 scores of 199½ and one 200 perfect score. (In 1973, 77,085 dogs competed in 836 obedience trials throughout the country in the four AKC classifications of competition.) In 1977, David and Charlie began their quest for OTCH points. Within 21 days, Charlie became a champion, Florida's first Obedience Trial Champion of record, certified by the American Kennel Club. At 8 trials located in the Washington DC area, Charlie was the winner of 14 first placements and 1 second place and was High-in-Trial at 5 of the 8 trials entered. This combination of an almost perfect winning streak and that of having achieved it in just 21 days, would be a difficult challenge to duplicate. However, records are made to be broken and after 30 years Charlie's record still stands! For nine years, Charlie and David competed in 192 obedience trials at Gaines Classics, Regionals, Invitational Contests, and AKC trials in 21 states across America. From a total of 272 AKC qualifying scores Charlie placed first 136 times, was High-in-Trial 49 times and achieved two perfect scores of 200. In 1980, David retired Charlie. In 1981, David was asked, "for old times sake," to show Charlie just one more time. So on Sunday, September 27, 1981, Charlie, at almost 14 years old, was entered at the Miami Obedience Club trial in the Open B class under Judge David Lee Welch. Charlie once again displayed his championship presence, winning Open B and High-in-Trial. His proficiency that day was a phenomenal reenactment of what he achieved nine years earlier at his very first trial, winning a first place in Novice A and High-in-Trial. Indeed, Charlie began his career the way he ended it, with gusto and being Number One. This was to be Charlie's and David's final performance together. Charlie's name is now in the history books. His multi-credits and achievements have been numerously written of and are included in two very special books on dogs: The Story of Dog Obedience, by Blanche Saunders, 1974, Howell Book House; and My Times with Dogs, by Walter Fletcher, (for 50 years, a writer on dogs for the New York Times) 1980, Howell Book House. Charlie had the totality that makes an athletic champion: heart, mind, drive and ability. But it is the team of athlete and trainer that is behind all great competition wins. Yet, David believes in their case, while he helped Charlie to fulfill the best he had in him, Charlie helped make David the trainer who could do that. They learned from each other. Just as Charlie paid attention to David's signals, David paid attention to Charlie's, enabling him to recognize - and nurture - a very unique singular champion called Charlie (Sir Charles of Ruislip Manor). The memory of Charlie lives on. Charlie was David's loyal and trusted best friend and partner. David looks towards the future in keeping Charlie's legacy perpetually alive through DOCOF and the presentation of The Sir Charles "Charlie" Memorial Award. Learn how your team can win the The Sir Charles "Charlie" Memorial Award
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