Tom's Blog

August 2009
2009 STIHL Dogs & Logs World Championships
Stillwater, MN

Tom Dropik of Team STIHL has been part of Dock Jumping since its inception 10 years ago. Tom and his black Labrador Tucker, now retired, appeared in 5 ESPN Great Outdoor Games and 1 World Championship and have become true ambassadors of the sport.

A Note from Tom...

Tucker has been and always will be my inspiration. He has biggest heart of any dog I’ve ever known. His determination and never-quit attitude taught me how to be the best handler and trainer I can be. It’s because of Tucker that I invented the crowd favorite, Extreme Vertical. Extreme Vertical is now one of 3 disciplines in this wonderful sport.

My new powerhouse black Labrador Retriever named Rocky and I have been training since Rocky was a pup. Rocky is now my full time partner and has proven that Team STIHL is still a very competitive team. After winning the Bronze Medal in the Speed Retrieve event and the Bronze Medal in the combined Iron Dog discipline at the 2008 STIHL Dogs & Logs World Championships, it became evident that Rocky had what it took to be a World Class competitor.

Team STIHL just finished competing in our 3rd World Championships at the 2009 STIHL Dogs & Logs World Championships which were held in beautiful Stillwater, MN in July. We qualified in Big Air, Speed Retrieve, Extreme Vertical, and the true test of strength, Iron Dog. We chose to deny the Big Air and Extreme Vertical invites so we can focus our efforts on what we do best, Speed Retrieve and Iron Dog. It was four days of grueling competition. The crowds were the biggest yet. We didn’t bring home a medal this time around but we’re definitely at the top of the “Crowd’s Favorite” list.

Thanks to the HUGE Support from the folks at STIHL, we will continue our travels throughout North America well into the future. Watch for us in your neighborhood. Come up and say hi. Rocky loves the attention.

Thanks again STIHL. You ARE Number 1.

<< Back to Tom's Main Page...