Celebrating the 13th Collie to earn the Champion Tracker title
Natalie, CH and CT Chelsea Kissed by the Sun, BN VST TDX OA OAJ HIC received her AKC certificates for both her Variable Surface Tracking Title (VST) and her Champion Tracker Title (CT).
To earn a Champion Tracker title a dog must earn both a TDX (Tracking Dog Excellent Title) and a VST (Variable Surface Tracking Title). They are the two jewels in the Champion Tracker crown.
The AKC began the Champion Tracker title in 1995. The first Collie to earn that title was in 2005. From April 2005 – March 2022, only 11 other Collies have earned the Champion Tracker title. Then on April 17, 2022, Rory, Natalie’s father became the 12th Collie to be designated a Champion Tracker: MBISS GCH & CT CHELSEA HERE COMES THE SUN, VCD1 CD BN VST TDX MXP MJP CGC HIC
And then on July 10, 2022, Rory’s daughter Natalie earned the Champion Tracker title and became the 13th CT. They are the only father daughter combo to earn these titles. I am very proud that Natalie and Rory belong to such an elite group of extraordinary Collies: ones who show intelligent, fortitude and the love of working with a partner. He is six years old, and Natalie is 4 years old.
For those unfamiliar with what this entails I will list the components required to get each title, and then what Natalie performed. But first I want to write a little bit about my Natalie.
Natalie has always been a little firecracker. From the very beginning of her life Natalie has wanted to run into the brush and trail and track coyotes. We live in a rural area of San Diego County on acreage, and wild lands and coyotes are all around us. Of course, Natalie cannot be allowed to run into the brush. This has been a battle of wills between us, and I finally won by keeping her on a long line.
Writing from her perspective, this is what Natalie said about herself when she was 16 months old (July 2019 … three years before her Champion Tracker title.)
“They call me a “Cupcake” and I am sweet and desirable but in my heart I am a free spirit and very brave. My fancy name is Chelsea Kissed by the Sun and I love to race the wind in the sunshine. I really love to run into the wild lands and chase and track the rabbits, and travel the coyote trails tracking them as far as I can run. My Mom does not love me tracking coyotes, not one little bit. My dad Rory sometimes will go off with me, but he comes back when she calls, but I do not because I am busy tracking my coyotes. But I know I cannot do this anymore, or I will have to be on a long-line ... but remember my name, “I am Natalie the fast and the brave, and I have been kissed by the sun.”
Natalie has proved to be very fast and brave. She is a confident independent decision maker, and has learned how to work as a team. Natalie is everything wonderful. These attributes make a fine tracking dog. My friend Paula Cingota started Natalie tracking training in 2019 and they were off: Go Find!
The VST requirements are: 600 - 800 yards long, 3 different surfaces (concrete, dirt, grass, asphalt, mulch), the length of each section of the track will be at 30 yards long, aged 3 - 5 hours, 4 -8 turns, there will be a start article, end article, and 2 intermediate articles: cloth, leather, metal and plastic. This type of tracking is done in an urban setting, generally a college campus or shopping center.
Natalie’s track was 664 yards (1/4 of a mile) tracking over blacktop, grass, concrete and also across a road. The items she found were a plastic dish, metal cookie tin, scarf and a leather glove. This earned her the AKC Variable Surface Tracking title or VST. She also passed this test on her first attempt, with many distractions: students, construction vehicles, cars, loose dogs, food and litter on the ground etc. Natalie is a steady confident worker who completed her VST track in 12 minutes (4 minutes faster than her father, no surprise!) with a bounce in her step and a happy tail wag to the judges and the team. Thank you, Paula.
The TDX requirements are: 800 - 1000 yards long, aged 3-5 hours, 5 to 7 turns, 2 intermediate articles, cross tracks by humans over 2 of the legs, and at least two obstacles. This type of tracking is done in a rural setting, generally a field or woods.
Natalie’s TDX track was 810 yards long, with 4 articles (scarf, mitten, sock, glove) and 6 turns through varied terrain, across wildlife trails and with human cross tracks. She completed her track with confidence, style and efficiency in 16 minutes. She earned her TDX in January 2020. Thank you Paula.
Natalie’s training partner and handler is Paula Cingota from her very first TD lesson. Thank you, Paula for the many lessons over the years … so many good times, way too many to count with you and Rory, and our “Fluffy Man’s Daughter, Natalie Cupcake”!
Thank you also to the coaches who helped train Team Natalie. Sally Nesbitt from the very beginning through to her VST work, and Steven Nytko for her final VST work. You are the best. Thank you Sally for your devotion to this sport of tracking. This title is a group effort and there are no words for how grateful I am to everyone who helped put this CT in front of Natalie’s name.
Watching my Natalie track (or actually do anything) is where joy lives. There are no words adequate to convey how proud I am of her, and of her father, Rory and how much I love them, or how much joy they bring into my life. Natalie is truly a Collie who “was kissed by the sun.”
CH and CT Chelsea Kissed by the Sun, BN VST TDX OA OAJ HIC
Co-breeders & Co-owners Gayle Kaye (Chelsea Collies) and Tom & Jeannette Poling
Feature Story by Jeannette Poling :: July 30, 2022
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