Candidate for Northwest Director | Back

I would like to take this opportunity to reintroduce myself to the membership. I am Karen Niffenegger and my involvement with GSP’s started in 1987 when I wanted a dog for my active outdoor lifestyle and to hunt upland birds. I found the perfect dog in the German Shorthaired Pointer. I purchased my first shorthair and joined the GSPCA that year.  In 1988 I discovered the local club and joined the GSPC of Oregon. Since that time it has been full speed ahead.  I was elected Secretary of the GSPC of Oregon in 1990 and served for 12 years. As a member of the club I have been Hunt Test Chairman and Secretary, Specialty Show Chairman and Field Trial Secretary.  I am also a member of the GSPC of Wa and served on their Specialty Show and Field Trial committees. Some of my biggest accomplishments include: Secretary of the AKC Gun Dog Championships with record entries in 1999, Chairman of the 2002 AKC Gun Dog Championships and GSPCA 2000 National Specialty Show Chairman.  I am also serving on the NSS Executive Committee and have been on the GSPCA Board of Directors for 4 years.
As a devoted member of the GSPCA I have attended every national specialty since 1988, and last years made number 20. For the last 7 years I have been attending at least the Amateur Championship at the National Field Trial in Kansas. Last year I ran my own dog and was proud to get through clean with 4 birds. Last spring I walked at the National Amateur Gun Dog Championship in Tucson, Arizona making it to the second series with Jazz, my dog who was ranked no 5 in the nation for Amateur Gun Dog in 2006. I have been consistently placing in field trials in the Northwest and became a licensed Field Trial judge in 1996.  Brian Hill, my husband and I own some of the top field trial dogs now competing in the Northwest.  Not forgetting my show roots my co-owned male was ranked in the top twenty both breed and all breed points for 2005, 06 and 07.

The Northwest historically has fewer members than other parts of the country so in recognizing that I supported and suggested the reallocation of members by dividing California.  So now the Northwest Territory has more than doubled.  I still hope to reach out to as many of you as possible by attending events, but some of it may be via email or news briefs. I want everyone to know that they can contact me any time about concerns. I want to communicate with GSP owners and talk to them about issues concerning them and what is happening with the GSPCA and why it is important to be a member.  By profession I am a Pharmacist, hence the name Foxglove for my kennel and I am very concerned about health issues for GSP’s. I have been chairman of the basket raffle for the Canine Health Foundation at the National specialty for the last 3 years and will continue to work toward improved heath and genetics for the GSP. I supported the Cone Degeneration genetic database for GSP’s that the parent club will sponsor.  I have been working with the Juniors and feel they are so important to our clubs health and future. I am looking forward to doing more for the juniors in both show and field.  I also want the board to be responsive to the needs of the membership and I will help bring those concerns to the Board. If you have not heard by now, the Shorthair Journal will be going to 6 issues a year.  This was a difficult decision for the board.  We know many of you look forward to getting the magazine monthly, I do.  But to be responsible to the members we cannot have it run in the red for so much for so long.  It has been eating at our financial stability.  We finally have some Health research programs that we would like to support, directly related to the GSP through the Canine Health Foundation and the amount we can give above our already set aside fund is reduced because of loses from the Journal.  I want to Thank you for your time and consideration when voting this April and May.  I hope the whole region can support me in this election. 

Karen Niffenegger, RPh