Just a little brag, well, actually, more than that!!!
Rodeo Cowboys have a saying “If you've done it, it ain't Braggin! If there is one person I have met around the world who has never bragged it would be Thomas Ravn, because he has DONE IT!
If you haven't met Thomas let me do the honors.
He has been a recognized dog man in the Scandinavian countries for some time now. Attending his first K9 PRO SPORTS trial he jumped into the whole concept of what we were doing and in his second year competed in the K9PS World Championship, taking a third place with his legendary GSD, Devil. This was just a few months after Devil finished seventeenth (out of about three hundred) in the World Military Dog trials in Switzerland.
As Devil neared retirement age Thomas started working a new little girl he named Unick, and boy is she unique. This little Mal as a two year old won two divisions in the K9PS European Open and then came across the water to play in the states at the K9PS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006, and the people that saw her and Thomas on the field that day are still talking about that show stopping performance.
Well, that's the past, but as they say “What have you done, lately?” It seems the new Mondio Ring club in Denmark got wind of Thomas and Unick and thought it might do their team a little good to have them on their side. Now Thomas just cant seem to say no to a competition, whether it's crossing the ocean to compete in a new dog sport, or sparring with UFC Champion Guy Metzger, he just can't seem to say “I don't think so”.
He also seems to like things done in a, well, lets say, a rather Texas sort of way, you know, Big! So when he agreed to jump into the Mondio game he didn't want to start at just any ol' trial, he picked a World Championship to get started.
That's right his first competition was the Belgian Shepherd Dog (that would be Mals, Turverns, etc.) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in France! With some of the best decoys in the world, internationally acclaimed judges, as well as the best Mals every European country had to offer. And jumping over to this new sport just six months after winning the K9PS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.
So how does a little Viking boy and his dog do when they go against all the best and most experienced Mondio Ring trainers in Europe? Remember I said in his first ever K9PS Championship he finished third? Well, never one to stand still, this time in his first attempt he moved up to a second place finish with a score of 190.5 out of two hundred, finishing only five and a half points behind Spains', Angel Mariscal, several times a Mondio world champion. Not bad for a little dog and a little guy, from a little country, in their first Mondio Ring World Championship! Check out the link
http://www.usmondioring.org/ go to the Belgian Shepherd Dog Championship
Thomas called me after the trial and was very kind in stating that his K9PS experience was a big factor in his win, and we in K9PS could certainly never have a better ambassador for our sport. But The truth is that Thomas is where he is because he is a talented and gifted Dogman. And for those that think this means he has a “gift” that others may not have been given let me clear that up a little.
I know that if it happens to do with dogs, Thomas Ravn is there. If it's SchH or Clicker training, he is at the head of the crowd learning whatever he can. When he leaves work at the military base, as a K9 handler and NCO, his dogs are never more than an arms length from him when he gets home. And his wife Lisbeth will tell you that he wont be sitting long before he is up doing something with them.
If he is not working with his dogs he is helping someone else with theirs, and there is never a shortage of people seeking his help. His dedication has made him an outstanding communicator with his dogs and people as well. Those that were at his S&R seminar at the K9PS Championship will attest, he is pretty good at teaching humans too.
So Unick and Thomas Congratulations on another big trial! Thank you, for thinking of K9 PS, and on behalf of all those that got to watch you compete in the states, Thank you, for showing us all where you can go with your dog.
And for all those other dog folks, in Aaalllll those other dog sports around the world, You'd best get to Runnin and a Gunnin cause I think I see a dog loaded Viking ship sailing up behind you!
Listen Well, Bite Hard!!!
Butch Cappel
Founder
K9 PRO SPORTS
