NEW YEAR, STRONG START

As you start the year, so shall it continue.We kicked off the New Year the best way we know how – by training with our four-legged teammates. Since our training center was covered in ice and snow, we were grateful to retreat into the vast indoor rubble areas that our halls provide.

The weekend also included a look back at the past year, with our annual members' meeting. We welcomed new members into the club and gave thanks for ten years of incredible service by two of our veteran dogs: Ela bPP – 13 exams passed, participant in multiple real-life deployments,Lex bPP – 8 exams passed, 3rd place at the Slovak National Championship, 19th place at the IRO World Championship, participant in real-life deployment.For his outstanding performance, Lex bPP was awarded Dog of the Year 2024.Rookie of the Year 2024 went to Zuzana Poturnayová and Lajka bPP.The Best Junior award, given to the youngest handler or dog, went to Radek Sedláček for scoring the most points in his first trial with young Lara bPP, especially for their impressive scent work at the Cup of Friendship.Last year’s award for “Most Valuable Member” – recognizing outstanding contributions to the organization – was renamed in memory of our beloved, always-helpful friend and jack-of-all-trades, who brought us together with a guitar in hand: The Jarda Flíček Award. This year, it was awarded to Petr Bohuslav for his unwavering dedication and support.Special thanks also went to Pavel Trávníček and Petr Prokeš for securing generous sponsorships from PetFood and PPL.And last but not least, we praised the success of the deployment team (Petr Prokeš, Kristýna Sedláková, Kateřina Kavanová, Markéta Kokinová) for their work in the search for a missing woman in Prague.

Our plans and goals for 2025 are ambitious – with the biggest being the organization of the IRO World Championship.We would be truly grateful for any form of help: sponsorships, volunteer roles, or event staffing. Every bit of support counts!