CKC Tracking loses Terry Smith, CKC judge, mentor and friend

Me with Terry and my GSD Robin - my second TD in 1992.


I am so sorry to hear about Terry and would like to share my condolences with you Sharon. You know how many times Terry came to Thunder Bay in the early years when we first started putting on tests. I think he set the tone for a lot of the tracking to come because of our early good experiences. My second TD with my GSD Robin was earned under Terry. I still remember the pattern and my tracklayer was Clint Venn. Robin was always a very strong tracker and we had to boogie to keep up. The last corner took us around a small bushy tree to end at the glove. I remember looking up to see Terry and Clint come around the tree to find me waving it and Terry had this huge smile on his face. He told Clint to give me the tracklayer’s map, too. And I still have it! I would love to send a photo of us – I will send it to Marie.

Gee whiz, reading the posts I wonder how many people Terry encouraged to judge? He was always encouraging me too, with little nagging emails to get on it. I am so sad that I moved to Alberta in August, a few months before Terry was going to judge for the last time in Thunder Bay. “Our” plan (mine and Terry’s) was that I would write my test and apprentice with him at that time. Life gets in the way of the best laid plans and it didn’t happen. I am going to write it and apprentice and I will know in my heart that somehow he will know. Maybe he will even whisper a few answers to me when I write the test!

I really appreciated that Terry never hesitated to jump on the chat list with an opinion or an answer. Reading what others say – others who knew him better – I imagine he couldn’t help himself when he saw people who had good questions or problems. He was always ready to go to the CKC with problems on our behalf, too, formally and informally. I ran a little Google tracking chat group for awhile that petered out when I moved last year. Terry was a “guest” on the list and answered questions from members – mostly US trackers – about CKC tracking regulations. During that week, I moderated the questions and enjoyed a week-long private conversation with Terry at the same time. It was so nice.

There is a Buddhist monk I love, named Thich Nhat Han. In one of his books called the Art of Mindfulness, he writes that life is impermanent. We deeply appreciate flowers in a vase, knowing we only have a short time to enjoy their beauty. In the same way, we have to remember to always be grateful for the people who are with us now, because people are like flowers. We forget that they won’t always be with us. I just came back from tracking and ended up finishing the second track in a downpour with pitch black skies. I loved every minute of it, and while I was out I thought about Terry on and off. He has been part of our journey and will live on in spirit with those whose lives he touched in so many positive ways.

Cancer can seem so random and unfair but it can’t steal our memories. I am really enjoying reading people’s memories of Terry. It is wonderful to remember someone who has been a big part of the sport. Terry is an example of how our sport of tracking brings out the best in people. There are no judges or participants as great as trackers, as far as I am concerned!