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ANDREA WERNER - PRESIDENT My name is Andrea Werner and I have been involved with purebred dogs most of my life. I have owned, raised and bred several breeds since that time including Beagles, Labrador Retrievers, Siberian Huskies, Golden Retrievers and currently Rat Terriers.
My first Rat Terrier was a rescue that I came to adore which led me to do some research into the breed. As is usually the case, one thing led to another and I now call myself mom to several Rat Terriers. Each is special in their own way, and all live inside my home with my husband of 35 years, Jeff. Our children, Brian (32) and Jamie (29) are both grown and married, so our time now is spent enjoying our dogs and our extended family and grandchild.
After raising my family, I went back to work and have been employed as an elementary physical education teacher since 1994, and in that capacity I service over 800 children. I am the United Way student sponsor, the adaptive physical education sponsor, as well as serving on our school leadership team, appointed by the principal, the Gradebook manager and the PTA liaison. These responsibilities require me to be able to deal with a vast number of different personalities and make it necessary for me to be a good listener and communicator. The ability to hear all sides and formulate a plan that is best for the majority is a skill I have learned well.
In 1987 I was elected to an all male Board of Directors for the West Kendall Optimist Club. My responsibilities included Baseball Commissioner of the Boys Minor League Division. In 1988 I was given further responsibility as purchasing agent and Commissioner of the boys and girls Major League Division. I was accountable for a budget in excess of one hundred thousand dollars. In 1992 I was honored to accept the position of President of the West Kendall Optimist Baseball Board. The league is comprised of over 1,000 boys and girls. I instituted a fundraising concept that raised $19,000 in the first year, nearly double what had been done previously. The fact that a woman was nominated as the President of a previously all male board of directors speaks volumes for the respect I have earned.
I have served as Assistant District Administrator of Little League International since 1992. I am a graduate of the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Education. While in college I played Varsity tennis in both singles and doubles. After graduation I went on to a professional career in women’s tennis, before becoming a teaching professional at Kings Bay Yacht and Country Club in Miami, Fl. After marrying, I retired from tennis and concentrated on our family life. When my children were both in high school I decided to go back to my career in education, where I currently remain.
We need to all be able to share ideas and experiences freely with friends and colleagues. I plan to bring in fresh ideas, and to make a point of including agility, rally, obedience and terrier racing as well as conformation as our priorities. We need to continue to address health issues and to put forth maximum effort in moving forward as a club for the betterment of the breed.
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VALERIE LUCHSINGER - VICE PRESIDENT My first Rat Terrier was acquired back when I was a child over 30 years ago. At the time, I didn’t think a “Rat Terrier” was even a real breed! I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a recognized breed in UKC during my search for a small breed that was easy to maintain and durable now that I had my own children.
About 13 years ago, I purchased my first show dog… “Jessie the Chessie”! Jessie was the first dog I trained and showed in conformation, titled in obedience, and trained for hunting. As Chesapeake Bay Retrievers typically are, Jessie was an avid swimmer and great retriever (of dummies… not birds)! Jessie became my “demo dog” while teaching group and private obedience lessons for 2 years here in central Ohio.
A year after acquiring Jessie, as my hunt training interests were developing, I decided to purchase my first German Shorthaired Pointer. I enjoyed showing, obedience, and hunt training for the next few years with my GSP, but found I had to reduce my dog activities as my 2 children came along beginning 10 years ago. Showing was the less time intensive activity while working fulltime as a computer programmer analyst (for 16 years now) and raising 2 young children with my husband.
I soon experienced multiple energetic, large breed dogs were difficult to care for and mix in with my family that included 2 toddler children. Thus began the search that led me to the rat terriers, with my foundation female, Kali, being purchased 6 years ago from King Pen Kennels located in California, which started Ratitatt Rat Terriers. For the past 6 years, I’ve enjoyed being a hobbyist exhibitor and breeder, gradually leaving the GSP breed, and growing to 6 Rat Terriers. It’s been a rewarding experience with my growing pack of Rat Terriers and the offspring they have produced, earning UKC Grand Champion titles, Best in Show titles, and positions on the UKC Top Ten list!
I am now starting to focus on training and competing in agility with my limited available time. The Rat Terrier breed is so naturally ideal for agility, several of my puppy buyers have interested me in trying out this activity. I am finding agility to be great fun and rewarding for both the trainer/handler and the dog! The great thing about agility is that one can choose to become as involved as time and effort permits… It’s possible to compete at the National level such as Woody (a dog I bred that is currently ranked #6 for rat terriers in AKC agility) or just for fun at various local agility trials offered in a wide range of venues (UKC, AKC, USDAA, CPE, Teacup).
In addition to my dog activities, I’m currently working as a team leader for supporting and training users on the computer system at OSU Veterinary Hospital, married and raising my 2 children now 6 years old and 10 years old. I volunteered to be the Brownie leader and Treasurer for my daughter’s Girl Scouts troop, attend Boy Scout meetings with my son, and take my kids to their various sports activities such as soccer and basketball. I’m frequently combining my dog interests with my children, who have enjoyed UKC Junior Handling and helping in the show ring on occasion, and now want to learn how to handle in agility once I have my first agility dog ready to compete in a trial.
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KELLEY SMITH - MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Hello from sunny California. I have lived on the Central Coast for the past 25 years and in California all my life. Yes, I am a true blonde haired, blue eyed, native California Girl who lives at the beach. Ok, maybe my blonde gets a little bit of help now and then and this body has not been seen in a bikini for years, but nonetheless, I am a Californian through and through.
The past 10 years I have worked as a Certified Consultant in the computer industry. My educational background includes a Bachelors degree from UCSC in Economics with a focus on Business. Like so many others in the Silicon Valley, I found myself working in the computer industry. I learned the importance of setting goals and working towards achieving them.
I first became aware of the Rat Terrier breed when my best friend of 40 years obtained a Rat Terrier named Archie. She fondly referred to him as her “Little Man”. He went everywhere with us. When he was taken from us unexpectedly, I enthusiastically searched the internet for another Rat Terrier. I soon realized I was no longer searching for my friend, but for myself. I hate it when that happens!
I obtained my first Rat Terrier in 2006 and began showing in Conformation the same year. I truly had no idea what was in store for me. Three years later and three Rat Terriers later, my interest has only increased. Unlike many of the other members, I do not have a long history of raising, showing, and breeding dogs. This has become a passion for me.
My interests quickly became more serious. I began to educate myself on all aspects of Rat Terriers and Dogs in general. I went to seminars, read books, watched videos, went to Conformation Shows, Agility Trials, Terrier Play Dates, Rally Trials, participated in Lure Coursing, attended a multitude of training classes, helped at dog shows, and spent endless hours with Rat Terrier breeders discussing the breed, the Breed Standard, and every aspect of these fabulous little dogs. I learned to love dog Parks and came to know the Motel 6 chain better than I ever wanted to.
As acting Membership Secretary my goals are to keep accurate and up-to-date information on the members, keep members informed, work towards increasing awareness of ARTA, and strive to increase membership participation.
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DARICE RAGAN - TREASURER It is my pleasure to be the ARTA organization's official custodian of the money and trustee of the accounts. Having grown up in a family who owned a bank for thirty years, I have a strong understanding of financial accountability. For six years, I supervised the financial affairs of a family owned motel. I also established and managed, for seven years, an Arkansas based satellite medical office for a St. Louis based agency, having controlled budget constraints, prepared financial and statistical reports and statements.
The Rat Terrier breed has been in our family since the early 40’s. They were important to rural homes and families by keeping critters out of the chicken houses. I owned my first Rat Terrier when I was 5 years old and named her Penny. She was red sable and white. I dressed her in doll clothes and painted her toenails red and pulled her around the neighborhood in a red wagon.
In the early 80’s I showed Dalmatians and English Bulldogs in AKC. I’ve been breeding RTs since 1993, and showing Rat Terriers in UKC since 2001. In addition, I am a founding member of the Great Smoky Mountain Dog Club (TN 161) having served in capacities as the Club Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Show Event Secretary, and Show Chairperson. I am also a UKC Judge.
My husband, Bill, and I live on a small parcel of paradise in east Tennesee with the Great Smoky Mountains as our backdrop. We have five children and nine grandchildren. To the grandkids I am Mawmaw Deece.
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ELSIE KILLEN - EAST COAST REP In an effort to aid in giving the membership of the ARTA a voice, I've taken on the job of Director for my region. We want to work together to present this wonderful breed through showing, performance events, and public education. Your input is welcomed.
Personal info:
Sixteen years ago I met and later married a wonderful man named Bobby Killen. I had only "furkids" prior to marrying Bobby, but now I'm Step-Mom to 5 children all grown) and have 5 grand-children as well.
Some of my interests are spending time with my family, gardening, photography, working with rescues, and special needs kids.
I was raised in the country with a variety of animals including dogs, and they've always played a large part in my life. I've owned, bred & rescued a number of breeds through the years, but most often they were Rat Terriers. I started showing Rat Terriers in 2003, and am looking forward to getting involved in more of the performance events.
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CINDY SCHRIBER - CENTRAL REGION REP As your Central Region Representative I look forward to hearing what you have to say; any concerns, questions, brags, even if you have an interesting topic to share-we may even be able to put it in the ARTA Newsletter. Your input is important to the well being of this wonderful club. We are here for you.
I am married to a younger man named Doug (hehe, only by 7 months). I have 2 wonderful grown children with one grandchild who resides with us. I did not attend college, but have carved out for my self some interesting job careers. I live in the beautiful rolling hillsides in South West Wisconsin.
I am currently a Professional Dog Groomer. The very first time I saw a Rat Terrier was in Grooming School. One of the instructors had 2 and that was it, I just had to have one. She took me to a back yard breeder and picked the best of the litter for me. That was 9 years ago.
I don't do a lot of breedings, as a very good friend of mine told me I am brutal when it comes to culling anything I don't think should be bred. Actually my culling is very humane, some stay with me and some land a new position in a much loved pet home. But I know what she really meant.
I started showing in 2008. I have been hooked. It is wonderful to socialize with other Rat Terrier people and to get a good look in person of all the wonderful Rat Terriers being bred by other conscientious breeders. It was very rewarding this year (2009) to see my breeding program produce its first conformation Grand Champion.
My future goals with my dog’s is to pursue other activities for them to compete in, once I figure out what they like and show interest in. So far we attend obedience classes and I have done some Rally.
My hobbies include reading history books, shopping-when I have money, visiting my Rat friends and that precious family time. In the summer I enjoy the riding lawn mowing job, it gives me the chance to just sit there and drive for about 3 hours and do nothing but day dream.
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RAY DRAPER - WEST COAST REP I have been in Rat Terriers for 14 years. I didn’t know what a Rat Terrier was until my wife said that she wanted a dog like she had when she was young. And she finally found one. It took her awhile, as there were not many Rat Terriers in Southern California at that time. And then that was it for me. I was hooked. In 1999 UKC accepted the Rat Terrier breed and I was introduced to showing. And I was hooked again! Watching and learning what this breed is capable of doing has just amazed me. Over the last ten years we have produced many dogs that have been at the Top of the Top Ten. Something I’m very proud of.
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