On August 5, at the annual meeting of the US Complete Shooting Dog Association, Thor Kain was recognized as the association’s Amateur Handler of the Year. This is the third consecutive year for which he has earned this honor by accumulating more points in US Complete bird dog field trials through the wins of the dogs he owned and handled than any other of the scores of handlers who entered their dogs in these amateur events.
Primarily Thor accumulated points through the performances of his four-dog shooting dog string. Wins by Super Storm (previous 2-time winner of the Amateur Shooting Dog of the Year), Super Storm Liz, No Limit and Super Storm Cliff (who capstoned Thor’s field trial year with his win of the Region 2 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship).
Keeping these four winners in condition to hunt in 30 and 60 minute stakes in addition to keeping them sharp and handling gamebirds with ideal steady-to-wing and shot manners requires an extraordinary commitment of time and energy. Thor gets up at or before 5am and works his dogs often at first light. Roading the string some days and training them on finding and handling wild and released birds on other days. Good supplies of woodcock with some ruffed grouse sprinkled in, plenty of pheasants in the summer and fall along with chukar partridge throughout the year are the gamebird exposures that Thor ensures each dog gets on a regular basis to keep them hunting with enthusiasm and pointing with style and intensity.
Not only does it take energy and time to win consistently enough to gain this Award, it takes bird dog training sense and skill. Thor is determined to know of the best training methods and he is always adjusting his own understanding and technique for the individual personalities of the dogs he work with.
Congratulations to Thor on earning this Award–again.