NEMDA’s Versatility Award Recipients

Entlebuchers are tremendous working dogs that can excel at many different kinds of work. To encourage and celebrate members who train and compete with their Entlebuchers in multiple sports, NEMDA offers Versatility Awards recognizing these team’s accomplishments. The Versatility Awards are a multi-tiered program that advances with the achievements earned by the dog. NEMDA offers a Versatility Beginner Award to encourage our members to get active and try new things with their Entlebuchers. There are a variety of performance, companion, and even pet activity options available! The Middle level Versatility Award is designed to up the ante of criteria in team achievement. The training and effort should reflect a greater commitment of time and skill on the part of the team. The Versatility Excellent Award recognizes extraordinary Entle/Owner teams who excel to higher levels in multiple main stream sport venues. The eligible sports will require substantial training, effort, and team performances that demonstrate years of dedication toward advancement in mastering their chosen venues.

To qualify for any of the Versatility Awards, an Entlebucher Mountain Dog must be registered with the American Kennel Club or the Canadian Kennel Club; be owned by a member of NEMDA at the time the award is earned; and the dog must have earned the minimum combination of title requirements listed in each of 3 categories. Titles from sports or activities not listed below may qualify toward NEMDA’s Versatility Awards at the discretion of the Versatility Committee. If a member specifically desires to earn an award from sports or activities not listed it is recommended that the member reach out to the committee and ask before making any assumptions. 

Award Categories

1. Versatility Novice Award (VNA) = Introductory titles from 3 different Events such as RN, BN and NA.
2. Versatility Advanced Award (VAA) =
   • Titles from 3 different Event categories in the Intermediate Category, (such as CD, RA and TKI) AND
   • One from the Behavior/Temperament Category
3. Versatility Excellent Award (VEA) =
   • Titles from 3 different Events in the Excellent category such as AKC CH, TD, RAE AND
   • One title from the Advanced or Excellent Behavior/Temperament Category, OR a complete CEBA evaluation,
4. Versatility Master Award (VMA) =
   • 2 Titles from 2 different Master Categories AND
   • 1 from the Excellent Category
     Note Excellent title cannot be the same one used to earn the Versatility Excellent Entlebucher, however, it can be a different title from the same category,
     i.e. if you earned AX in Agility for the Excellent Award, it will not qualify for the Master, but an AXJ will qualify for Master.
   • AND CEBA (conformation and temperment) or its Advanced or Excellent equivalent as set out in the Behavior/Temperament category