07/05/2026
Maureen and Kenya Tracking Adventure #5
While socializing at the trial in Spokane, a lady was strongly suggesting that I enter the test in Montana. Missoula is only 3 hours east of Spokane, she was insisting! As I drove home, I started to think about it and realized that I had always been curious about Montana, as I had never been there. I would love to see the land there and experience it firsthand. Besides, James Hallett and Roy Fair were the judges, and that would surely be a fun test with nice tracks.
I was drawn as Alternate # 3. As I said before, I never withdraw from a test, as you just never know where things may land by the end of the week. I have been called at 5:00 on a Saturday night for a VST spot the next morning in Portland and was on my way with Griffin by 6:30 pm. I was Alt 6!
As the week progressed, one alternate withdrew. I moved up a spot. Then the next alternate withdrew and I moved up another spot. I started to communicate with the secretary and ask some questions. Do they typically lay an Alternate Track for TDX? Do they presently have the space to the best of her knowledge? She gave me some examples of a couple of times when an alternate track could not be laid or was otherwise unavailable. It was rare circumstances. I understand that the average sane person is not going to drive to Montana on the off chance of getting a track, however, I can say in my defence that I had other motivations in my mind. I wanted to SEE this place! I wanted to see the land and get to know the area. I can then pass that experience on to my students and have a better understanding of how to prepare them for it. I could also see the University of Montana in Missoula, where a nice VST test is held every year. This was another motivation for me.
I also asked the secretary about the land used for the test. Were there any rifle ranges nearby, or hunting? I thought it best not to set Kenya up for failure with sudden noises that may spook her, even though we were making good headway in the right direction on that front.
And besides, I have a nice new truck to get us there, and it practically drives itself! Let’s Go!
Acclimatization Day Saturday June 6
We arrived in good time to a Motel 6 in Missoula. I was wiped out and glad we both had the whole day on Saturday to acclimatize and rest up and get the lay of the land. We started off at the University of Montana, driving around the site, and marvelling at all the possibilities of tracks there! What a beautiful university, so much green. We took a walk, and as we approached the tennis courts Kenya stopped and refused to go further. What? Tennis balls and rackets now? Great. Maybe it is because we are in a new place? So many questions. Not wanting to stress her out the day before a field tracking test, we retreated and found a nice quiet spot. She was panting and obviously wanted to get back to ‘the safe truck’ so I chose a nice quiet courtyard and settled with her in the grass. Looking up I noticed 4 deer grazing on the landscaped gardens. They also noticed us. We sat quietly, and they stood quietly and watched us. Kenya would look over softly and look away, not bothered in the least. (You see what I mean about the game trail incident, she is not a game chaser that I have seen!) As a matter of fact, I’m certain she started using the zen of the deer to calm herself and just soaked up the quiet energy of the deer. They started to cautiously approach, becoming more and more curious while sure that Kenya was no threat. After 15 minutes or so, we needed to leave as my parking was up, otherwise I think they may have come even closer!
I was happy that the university excursion ended well and started on a plan in my head for working with her confidence around more sounds in the future.
We took a drive 45 minutes east to the outskirts of the test site. I always like to make sure I know where I am going, never driving right to the site itself, but to a point where I know where I am and how long it will take me to drive there. Google is great, however, experience and driving point A to point B is better for reducing stress. The intersection I was looking for was an old town of 4 buildings called Hall that has been dormant for decades. I looked for a place to track, but as the secretary said, all the surrounding land are privately owned ranches, and one would need to knock on doors for permission. I chose to find a spot along the road for an Article Indication Track Exercise. We also made a nice walk along the roadside, sniffing out all the new critters, (there were some kind of gophers?) grasses and weeds, and smelled the fresh air and felt the winds. It was a bit stormy, cloudy, windy, and some rain here and there.
We drove south to Philipsburg to have a look around. It turned out to be a lively little historical town with stores and restaurants and pan handling for gemstones for fun. The motel there is family owned, and pet friendly, and would have been a good choice, and one I would recommend.
I was able to get an extra night at the Motel 6 in Missoula, but if I had known, I would have stayed at Philipsburg. I just didn’t feel like another Sprague experience this time without knowing about the town. I looked at it on google maps, and it showed really nothing, but I didn’t think to google the town itself, which is quite well known and a destination for day trippers in Corvettes and Harleys looking for nice curvy roads to cruise and a good watering hole along the way.
Test Day Big Sky Tracking Dog Club of Montana June 7, 2026
The morning of the test was cloudy and cool with some drizzling showers, and I arrived early and met the locals who were so kind and welcoming! They don’t often get entrants from Canada, especially from the coast. I didn’t know anyone there, except my track layer from Spokane was there running his Weimaraner in the test also!
The energy was light and jovial with the judges after all 4 TD dogs passed, and after the draw for TDX track order, we drove down a ranch road to Track 1. A Rottweiler did not make the first turn, but once back on track, did quite nicely through an interesting track that I could see most of. I did not watch TDX Tracks 2 and 3 as I chose to just relax in the truck. I wanted to make sure I did not stress up for Kenya.
Everything moved along so quickly as well! TDX 2, a Swedish Vallhund, locally owned, passed beautifully, and my Spokane Track Layer and his Weimaraner will surely pass soon, as she did so well apparently. My turn was next, as the Alternate Track, I was last to go.
It struck me how quiet it was there. Miles of land and rolling hills and not a sound could be heard. The judges directed me to the flag, and Kenya was off at her usual gait. Good start, yes! Honestly, I felt like I had never seen so much grass, we were soon surrounded by nothing but grass! Kenya made a quick left after 60 yards, and then a right after the first cross tracks, which I noticed her indicate, along with her grabbing some fresh mountain salad along the way. She was through the second cross tracks in no time and stopped at the first article. I held it up, turning slightly back and saw no one behind us. She decided to munch on some more fresh grass, and I had to cue her to get going! The next turn to the right came up quickly after 30 yards, and then we were on a very long leg, where she kept trying to track and eat at the same time! She was literally grabbing it and munching as she ran like it was a fast-food smorgasbord to be devoured! I wondered if she was feeling the stress of ‘Test Day’ or whether it just tasted as good as it looked! It felt like it was taking us forever to get through it all.
The next turn was another open turn to the right according to the map, as I don’t remember at all running along behind her to the second article. I held it up in the air and looked back to see if the judges could see it. I saw no one and nothing but rolling grassland going on forever. I twisted around a bit more and still saw no one, haplessly waving the article. I suddenly realized we were really on our own out there, and I thought to myself, ok Kenya, it’s up to you to get us to the end, wherever that is! After a couple more bites of grass, we were off for another 60 yards, and suddenly I felt my ankle go over a bit, and I realized that I had hit a trench of dirt road tracks. She blasted over that and I watched myself as I sprung over after her.
Suddenly we were at a ravine and Kenya tracked straight down for 20 yards without hesitation. Ok, here we go! I was wondering what and where our obstacles would be! She hung a right at the bottom of that ravine, and I was now mountain goat hopping through a landmine of holes, rocks, and all manner of farm stuff that may end up in a ravine like fence posts or maybe they were old tree logs, I don’t know. This was a meander, as there were no straight lines down here, and soon we were bending into a marshier section of the ravine. I was expecting that we would be needing to come out of that ravine at some point and was watching for a change of behavior indicating a possible turn back uphill. She circled and I waited for it, but she came back to the same line and carried on forward. A corner that goes straight as Sil would say! More ravine, here we go! I did not doubt her. As we circled, I thought I saw some bodies peering over the ravine edge down at us. Had to be the judges! We are not lost! She had slowed her pace a bit through this which helped me goat hop my way through another god knows how long, apparently 230 yards in total. Suddenly I saw Kenya hit the brakes and turn around to indicate a beautiful grey glove! I Woohoo’d with joy, and the two of us celebrated the moment, and my wonderful track layer caught the finale on video for me!
We climbed out of that ravine and I just revelled in the joy of the moment, the laughing jovial congratulations of the judges and the gallery who were all so genuinely happy for me, the long-distance traveller from Canada, coming for an Alternate Track! LOL we did it, we had our Day! What a blast! Judge Roy Fair commented that the track run took Kenya a total of nine minutes, and that it had taken them nine minutes just to navigate the ravine on plotting day. Run Kenya Run!
Lessons Learned:
A friend commented awhile back that I was competitive, and I agreed at the time. However, I actually think I am just (maybe foolishly) persistent, and willing to go the miles to go after my goals. I think it takes that kind of tenacity, and a little luck, to achieve some of these goals. I expected that my dog was well trained, and I was well prepared, that we would test and pass and ‘get outa the lineup’! However, that didn’t happen. Instead, I spent the entire spring on a wild ride adventure tracking in the USA! I loved every minute of it. Ok, I didn’t love failing, but I did love the tracking, which takes us back to the dopamine thing. Yes, I believe it’s real, both for us humans, as well as our dogs, who possibly become more resilient and motivated to win, when they don’t ALWAYS win, just like the lioness and the cheetah.
Often when we have our day, (not always, however,) it feels easy! When the stars align, and it’s your day, the hunt is swift and successful, just like the skilled lioness will show us. Maybe the thought goes through your head, was it too easy? Did I have enough challenges? Did my dog really have to work for that pass? My wise mentor Sil Sanders said to me once with that familiar smile, “Never minimize your successes”. I will go with this advise. With a big smile and treats for Kenya. And yup, you bet your boots, we will be hunting down that VST next, the itch is not scratched.
Maureen and Kenya Taryn Von Kiefertal CKC UTD TDX, ASCA TD UTD, AKC TDX
