2022 John O. Blackbird Memorial Award Recipient
Jace Tramontin
The fourth recipient of the annual John O. Blackbird Memorial Award is presented to a man we feel truly represents the ideas, passion, compassion and other qualities emulated by the late John O. Blackbird. The Master Amateur Retriever Club’s Board of Directors is pleased to honor Jace Tramontin with this heartfelt, prestigious award.
Jace Tramontin has been a part the retriever dog sport community for the past 16+ years. Jace certainly has not been in the sport as long as some other well known faces but his impact within the sport has been just as prominent. He really took off with his participation when he met up with John Blackbird. From there on he jumped in with both feet and 4 paws beside him. Jace got his first exposure to the sport when his wife wanted a new dog, and had a dream to campaign it in hunt tests. Jace eventually got dragged into helping her train their dog in the form of birdboy. He soon learned many training tips and tricks while he worked the field as she trained. In the years that followed their dog soon reached Master level. It was in 2006 that Jace wished to compete in a Master National Retriever Club event. This was the wish that initiated his journey as an amateur handler. In the year to come Jace and his dog, Tip, accomplished working together as a team. Over the next 6 years Jace and Tip went on to earn numerous titles and achievements: An AKC Master Title, 3 MNRC plates, and Tip was inducted into the MNRC Hall of Fame. After laying Tip to rest, Jace has continued to compete with his current dogs at the Master level and acquire MNRC and MARC plates. Jace is involved in several different capacities at a local retriever club level. In the term years of 2007-08 and 2013 thru 2017, he served as president of the Minnesota Iron Range Retriever Club (MIRRC). He also served as Vice President over the years and sat on many field trial and hunt test committees. He now in the past and present serves as the MIRRC’s Hunt Test Secretary. Jace also instituted a fundraiser program which helps bring in revenues in order to purchase new land for the MIRRC and develop existing land that the club has acquired thru the years. He is an invaluable and influential member of the MIRRC. When John Blackbird took Jace under his wing, Jace found in John a mentor that would encourage him to change the course of the hunt test community. In 2006 John brought the MIRRC proposal to become the host club site for the upcoming 2008 AKC Master National Hunt Test. Jace would be the reigning MIRRC president and host club co-chairman. With the opportunity to host the Master National the MIRRC gained several new memberships and local community interest due to Jace’s efforts. Jace acquired new skills while hosting the Master National and being co-chairman allowed him the ability to share his knowledge and experiences to help the 2009 Host Club run smoothly. His expertise shone brightly when he was appointed to the Master National Retriever Club (MNRC) as the Region 2 Director. In 2011, lace’s proficiency was again recognized as he was elected Region 2 Vice President within the MNRC. Jace continued to serve on many MNRC committees during 2012. It was during this time the MNRC began expressing growing pains as a new challenge emerged in the retriever sport of how to handle the increasing number of entries due to the ever growing Master National Event, which came to be AKC’s largest performance event of the year. Over the next couple years strategic planning went into place on how to handle the ever expanding interest and competing at the Master National Event. It was here, that the Open and Amateur concepts came to light. In 2015, Jace founded a steering committee in attempt to discuss and explore a solution for the Open and Amateur concept. lace’s spearheading and brainstorming resulted in the creation and appointment of the first Master Amateur Retriever Club Board. The rest you could say is history, as the Master Amateur Retriever Club came into being in the year 2016. Jace is still very much involved in both MNRC and MARC. He currently serves as 2018 Safety Chairman for the MNRC. And let’s not forget he served as MNRC’s Director of Region 2 throughout the entirety of his residency as MNRC president in 2016 during their 25th anniversary event. Looking back, Jace has given a lot to the dog sport of retrieving, from studying to become a judge to instituting brand new policies and clubs! He continues to judge 3 to 4 events a year and is approved to judge all levels of the AKC hunt test realm. His help is not just limited to judging and governing at a club board status. Jace can often be found helping throw birds in the field, cooking lunch in the clubhouse, or helping new members learn how to train their dogs. Recently, Jace broadened his hunt test venues when he and a group of dedicated MIRRC members came together to create the Arrowhead Hunting Retriever Club (AHRC) affiliated with the United Kennel Club and Hunting Retriever Club. It was his intention to have the AHRC be a sister club to the MIRRC, thus bringing new memberships back to the sport as a whole for both clubs. It worked! As many new members have been gained by re-introduction of the retriever dog sport! Thanks to Jace many people not only have a place to train but have multiple venues to enjoy their dogs! |
In Memory of John O. Blackbird
John O. Blackbird Memorial Award Nomination Form (Download to print and submit)
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If you would like to mail the form, please print and submit to your regional officer.
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If you would like to mail the form, please print and submit to your regional officer.