DECEMBER 2015
Around the holidays, it is easy to be focused on purchasing the right gift or what we want to receive. However, it is a time to be grateful for the things we have and how to help others in need. There are some companies that the National Beagle Performance Pack Association (NBPPA) would like to thank and recognize for all of their support to our organization and format, as a whole. We wouldn’t be able to provide our members with such great prize packages or awards if it weren’t for them always willing to work with us. We have four main sponsors that help out at every state hunt, the NBPPA Open, assist in providing money for youth scholarships, donate prizes to our youth championship and our yearly points race: Purina, SportDOG, Evan’s Custom Dog Boxes, Double U Hunting Supply, the American Beagler and Midwest Custom Embroidery. There is simply not enough we can say to express how thankful we are for all that they do for our organization, the beaglers of all ages, and our hounds.
“Purina. Your Pet. Our Passion.” This statement is a true example of how Purina feels toward our sport. They are focused on the everyday health of our hounds, providing a range of types of dog feed. They also make supplement bars to help keep muscles strong during physical activity and reduce recovery time afterward. There is never any question as to what Purina values as a company. This goes for the reps that attend our hunts in support as well, Karl Gunzer and Mike Luchetta. Both of these men are always willing to answer questions regarding their products or offer advice to houndsmen. Purina offers the Pro Club that gives back directly to our sport by returning weight circles to them, noting the NBPPA as your primary organization. This comes back directly to the NBPPA and we are able to offer scholarships with this donation. As a sponsor, they are always willing to step up to the plate and offer what they can. They help with providing prizes to our youth championship, dog food for our major events, and various other entities throughout the year. You can always count on Purina to go above and beyond for our sport. Purina was first to get on board with the NBPPA as a sponsor and has been a great asset to us.
“Purina. Your Pet. Our Passion.” This statement is a true example of how Purina feels toward our sport. They are focused on the everyday health of our hounds, providing a range of types of dog feed. They also make supplement bars to help keep muscles strong during physical activity and reduce recovery time afterward. There is never any question as to what Purina values as a company. This goes for the reps that attend our hunts in support as well, Karl Gunzer and Mike Luchetta. Both of these men are always willing to answer questions regarding their products or offer advice to houndsmen. Purina offers the Pro Club that gives back directly to our sport by returning weight circles to them, noting the NBPPA as your primary organization. This comes back directly to the NBPPA and we are able to offer scholarships with this donation. As a sponsor, they are always willing to step up to the plate and offer what they can. They help with providing prizes to our youth championship, dog food for our major events, and various other entities throughout the year. You can always count on Purina to go above and beyond for our sport. Purina was first to get on board with the NBPPA as a sponsor and has been a great asset to us.
The SportDOG team and their families enjoy many of the same hunting opportunities and outdoor activities that you do. They are focused on providing dog owners with quality and reliable training products. Not only do they produce these systems, but they test them out in the field with a great staff of dog trainers of all varieties. Regardless of what dog breed you have or what type of trials you compete it, SportDOG can be of great help. SportDOG’s Gretchen Goodsen is always quick to jump on board and help when we need it. She is reliable when there are questions regarding the products and figures out quick solutions to our issues. SportDOG enables the NBPPA to offer their product as part of a prize package to each of our state hunts, top ten runoff, and NBPPA Open. Their donation gives extra incentive for people to come and compete, in hopes of being the recipient of part of the prize package. They also have helped with our youth championship the last two years. The youth getting involved in our sport is of great important to them. We appreciate all of the help they’ve given throughout the years as one of the primary sponsors.
Evan’s Custom Dog Boxes has been building boxes for all types of houndsmen around the country. They’re based in Michigan, but travel to UKC events in many states. They build superior boxes for trucks and trailers, dog houses and take custom orders. Kyle and Angie Evans own the company whose quality, style and craftsmanship has been passed on through the family many years. The customer service at Evan’s has always gone above and beyond to help out the NBPPA. Even when strapped for time, they have come through at a moment’s notice. At the state hunts, NBPPA Open, top ten runoff and youth championships, the NBPPA is able to provide dog boxes and houses to the winners. They have been a sponsor for a short time so far, but we look forward to a long-lasting relationship with them for many years to come.
Our newest sponsor, Double U Hunting Supply, has been dedicated to dog owners and avid hunters across the nation for about fifteen years. It’s their mission to offer exceptional products and outstanding customer service. At Double U, they’re not just suppliers. They also own and train their own hounds, and they regularly use the products we sell. Whenever there are questions about product that they offer, one can call and get a quick response from someone in the office. When approached about sponsoring our youth championship, Matt Pierce was more than happy to join in with the NBPPA and sponsor the organization year-round. We’re excited about the new sponsor and know that they can be a great asset to those in our sport and offering the best in supplies.
The American Beagler reaches beaglers across the country. It is owned and operated by Janie and Mike Ridenhour. They publish hunt results, upcoming events, points races, and articles written by beaglers nationwide. The American Beagler sponsors our hunts and enables us to give subscriptions to winners of our major events. They also help give recognition to our houndsmen in the magazine. Many kids at our youth championship were able to subscribe to the magazine and see their faces in the pages. We’re very grateful for our relationship with the American Beagler and the contribution they give to our sport.
Lastly, a sponsor that has been helping a great deal with promoting the NBPPA is Midwest Custom Embroidery (MCE). They are based in Michigan and have a great partnership with the United Kennel Club as well as the NBPPA. We’re able to get shirts and various other logowear made by them to sell at all of our events. Marshall Palett, the owner of MCE, has always been willing to work with our organization in various ways. We wouldn’t be able to provide all of the shirts for our youth hunt if it weren’t for his assistance. All of the kids at our youth championship throw on their shirts right after they enter, wearing them throughout the day. It also gives them a story to tell when people ask about the event on their shirt. We look forward to continuing this relationship with Midwest and highly recommend them for your embroidery or screen-printing needs.
In conclusion, there are many hands that go into making our sport successful. Without the help of all of the sponsors that help make our sport great, not just the NBPPA, but beagle field trialing altogether, we may not be where we are now. These companies, along with many others that support us throughout the year, deserve a lot of recognition for all they do. So, during this holiday season, remember those that are there to support our sport and good luck!