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Sometimes referred to as “the poor Swiss farmer’s horse,” the Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund, after helping herd dairy cows in for milking, would be hitched to a wagon or cart for the trip to market, and after the farmer’s long day, give his master a lift back home. Since their arrival in the United States, Swissies have continued this tradition. Numerous pictures exist of Swissies pulling carts and wagons (collectively called “drafting”), in a multitude of tasks – from hauling produce and yard materials on the family farm and in the suburbs, to providing rides to small children in neighborhoods and parades.

Today, we celebrate the history of our breed through draft tests designed to mimic the types of obstacles a working Swissy may have had to negotiate while pulling a cart. Standing calm in harness and working steadily, dog and handler demonstrate their proficiency to work as a team to navigate a set course and earn various levels of draft titles. Draft Swissies are also useful in yard work; hauling debris, rocks, sand, etc. And many a Swissy can be seen in local parades across the United States pulling a draft cart.

For more information, please contact the GSMDCA Draft Committee Chair, Melissa Jarriel  – mhjarriel@yahoo.com 

HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED MASTER DRAFT GSMDs      
       
Registered Name Call Name Sex Date Earned
Fireside's Drums Of Autumn Rumble D 11/12/2023
Prism's Time Paradox Arty D 9/9/2023
Cherished Nevada’s Wild Sagebursh Sage B 4/29/2023
Bekovile's Kick Off Your Sunday Shoes Vi B 4/2/2023
RidgeBridge Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom Lillian B 12/10/2022
Swiss Runs Right Angle Triangle To Palisades Wedge B 12/10/2022
Silver Oak’s Far Out Berkeley D 11/6/2022
Breezy Ridge Thank You For Sending Me An Angel Wila B 10/24/2022
Hidden Hill's Shining Rainbow Buckeye D 10/16/2022
Alpinez Precious Silver Mia B 6/5/2022
Seneca's Ivy Incident at Prism Helix B 11/15/2021
Double Q's Jack of all Trades Jahi D 11/14/2021
Wildest Oak I’M Your Huckleberry Doc D 10/15/2021
Fireside's Putting The F in U-F Fletcher B 3/4/2021
Almrausch Garden of the Princess Kaisten B 10/17/2020
Matterhorn's Drifting Sand Dune B 10/17/2020
Cherished Deb's Last Revelation Revel D 9/25/2020
Quartz Mountain Easter Award Winning Emmie B 11/3/2019
Aegis All It Takes is Moxie Frasco D 10/25/2019
Cherished Savvy Savvy D 9/16/2019
Pine Grove's The Man You Need Collins D 4/20/2019
Shadetree's Obie Obie D 7/20/2018
Cherished In Loving Memory Gracie B 5/20/2018
Cherished It's Not Easy Being Green Of Twinpine Elphie B 5/19/2018
Cherished I’d Catch A Grenade For You Gander B 5/19/2018
Dufenhof Race for the Pennant Sprite B 11/11/2017
Swiss Run’s Jamaican Me Crazy Mon D 9/26/2016
Landhof's Talsee of Brush Creek Zuri B 10/31/2015
Andas Cherished Kalnu Legenda Andas D 5/3/2015
Fireside’s Pick Me Out A Winner Hobbs D 9/15/2014
Matterhorn's Stealth Bomber Lester D 5/3/2014
Cherished Deb's Perfect Pot of Tea Elliott D 4/13/2014
Sudnly Xmlr Ty Jumpin Jack Flash Flash D 11/10/2013
Bermuda High's Catch a Wave Yuri D 10/26/2012
Brie’sWay Aftershock Tremor D 10/13/2012
Nox's Luck of the Irish Otis D 10/17/2011
Shadetree's Xenia of Twinpine Jethro D 10/17/2011
Shadetree New Year's Wish Imara B 9/24/2011
Breezy Ridge Merlot Del Ticino Brig D 3/7/2010
Breezy Ridge Cremant Du Jura Jura B 3/6/2010
Rippling Waters Havelock Key Keygan D 11/7/2009
Roseridge Geveden Bodacious Hammer Hammer D 11/3/2008
Blossom Hill Cedar Brook Chuckie D 3/1/2008
       
MASTER DRAFT BRACE TEAMS      
       
Pine Grove's The Man You Need Collins D 1/22/2023
Cherished Savvy Savvy D 4/24/2022
Cherished In Loving Memory Gracie B 4/24/2022
Cherished Deb’s Perfect Pot of Tea Elliott D 10/30/2020
Cherished Deb's Last Revelation Revel D 10/30/2020
Breezy Ridge Cremant de Jura Jura B 10/25/2013
Breezy Ridge Merlot del Ticino Brig D 10/25/2013
Blossom Hill Cedar Brook Chuckie D 6/6/2010
Kcier Rasmussens Burley Burley D 6/6/2010
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