Kathy and Jeff working with Badge 
Our family became involved with Vizslas in 1993. We were attending a Fishing and Hunting Demonstration when this beautiful red dog appeared. We asked the handler what kind of dog it was and he said it was a Vizsla. We watched the demonstrations that day, but all of us were drawn to this dog. The owner said the dog had just sired a litter. We met with the breeder and she handed us the very well known book The Versatile Vizsla. I read the book from cover to cover, and noticed that Vizslas like lots of company and liked to play all day. Since we would be driving 2-3 hours to get to the hunting fields I asked my husband Jeff if we should consider getting 2 dogs! Well, I don’t know too many hunters that when the wife asks if he can have 1 hunting dog or 2 he would say no. To make a long story short. We picked out two great puppies from really great breeders. One came home at Thanksgiving and the other came home at Christmas. Yep, 2 pups a month apart, every one said we were crazy. Unable to get two girls we ended up with a girl and a boy. We had absolutely no intentions of breeding. But, as it turns out these two individuals would be our foundation stock. Well 14 years later we still tease the gentleman who first introduced us to the breed, we are still great friends, and say “See what you started!”
Our initial interest was only hunting companions. We then joined the Vizsla Club of Illinois, Inc. and started to attend their meetings. The club was to have a guest speaker talk on how to train your Gun Dog. Each meeting we went to the guest speaker never showed up. However, by that time the club had embraced their new members. We already had put Junior Hunt Test Titles on both of our dogs, and now our club had us taking a conformation classes. These classes were taught by Cheryl Peterson. Cheryl taught Jeff and I how to show our two dogs. If it wasn't for Cheryl and her classes, we never would have showed our dogs. Cheryl has gone on to write her own book "Please Oh Please Can We Get A dog?" and is a successful AKC conformation judge. Thank you very much.
Our first dog show was a success. Our male dog "Russlure" won his class and was winners dog for his first points. Our female "Abbey" won her class, but no points that day. We were hooked. We finished our 2 dogs quickly and by 18 months they were bench champions and junior hunters too! Gee, we were on a roll. Our daughters Alison and Christine started to show in junior showmanship and both ended up being ranked in the Vizsla Club of America rankings. We were very proud parents! Christine will later earn a college scholarship from AKC for her achievements with her dogs. Christine is now a AKC Junior Showmanship Judge too.
Onto the field events we embarked. We entered the Vizsla Club of Illinois field trial to support the club. We ran our dogs in a Derby stake. Russlure and I won a 3rd place ribbon in a stake of 26! After that I wanted to see more of what was required to win in adult dog stakes. I attended a field trial in Ionia Michigan, and rented a horse, and rode all the braces all weekend. After watching these braces decided MY dogs could do this. I worked very hard with our 2 dogs. I had to find birds to train with, drive 2-3 hours every other day to get to training fields where birds could be shot. Bought a Missouri Fox Trotter, horse trailer and away we went. Training for fieldwork is a much bigger investment than for conformation. Jeff ran "Abbey" and I ran "Russlure". All the time meeting great individuals and seeing some awesome field dogs. We received multiple Open, Amateur Gun Dog and Limited Dog stakes placements-and retrieving points. Trailing became too time consuming for us with our family needs. So we turned to the Hunt test program and earned a Senior Title and Master title. Again, owner trained and handled by us. Along the way we also became AKC Field Trial and Hunt Test Judges.
I truly believe we have been so successful because I have studied both field and show events in our breed. I’m constantly looking and evaluating dogs whether I would use them or not in our breeding program. I then go home and see what lines they came from.
I’m the only breeder/owner/handler that has handled a top special who also has trained and run her own Gun Dogs! You gain a different appreciation for these competitive dogs.
Our pedigrees have some the most Hall of Fame dogs ~ Best in Show ~ Top Producers and Registry of Merit Dogs in the breed.
We have Bred numerous Bench Champions ~ Multiple All Champion litters ~ Best In Show (the only one pointed in the field at an all-breed field trail) ~ The only Tracking Champion in the history of our Breed ~ VCA Show Dog of the year ~ Ranked in the top 5 Breed and All Breed ~ 14th Sporting dog ~ Pedigree Top Producers ~ Registry of Merit dogs ~ Field pointed ~ Youngest TDX in breed history ~ Obedience ~ Utility ~ Master Hunter ~ Senior Hunter ~ Junior Hunter ~ Therapy ~ Agility ~ Multiple Sweepstakes ~ Multiple Specialty ~ Eukanuba Breed Winner ~ Eukanuba Bred By Winner ~ Eukanuba Sporting Group 3 ~ Multiple Westminster AOM ~ Vizsla Club of America BOS Nationals ~ We have been Number 1 Breeder/Owner Handled ~ Number 2 Breed and Number 3 All-Breed.
We have sired over 50 Bench Champions ~ MACH agility bitch ~Multiple Sweeps winners ~ Sporting Group Winners ~ Eukanuba AOM ~ Top 20 in Breed ~ Field pointed ~ BOS Specialty ~ Agility ~ CDX ~ UDX~ Junior Hunters ~Senior Hunter ~ Therapy dogs.
Our goals are to continue to strengthen our breed in both field and show and continue getting our puppy people active in this great sport of dogs.
Our dreams are to win our National Field Event and National Breed Competition. And of course winning at Westminster! I also want to thank everyone who has helped us in our endeavor.
Kathy & Jeff Engelsman
