I would like to thank the Helper Committee for the opportunity to be a helper for the 2024 AWDF Championship. I have been in the sport since 2005 and have been hooked and working dogs from the beginning. I have had the privilege of doing the back half helper work at a couple National Events and numerous Regional Championships. I love doing helper work and testing the dogs, and I also love competing with my own dogs at the national level. I really appreciate both sides of the sport and appreciate the hard work the handlers and helpers put into the sport. I wish everyone the best and I am excited to see the dogs this year competing.

• 2010 South Central Regional Championship – SchH3 Back Half
• 2011 USCA Working Dog Championship – Back Half Helper
• 2011 USCA Schutzhund Nationals – Back Half helper
• 2012 USCA Schutzhund Nationals – Alternate Helper
• 2013 Pacific Northwest Regional Championship – Front Half Helper
• 2016 Pacific Northwest Regional Championship – Front Half Helper
• 2017 Pacific Northwest Regional Championship – Front Half Helper

Photo courtesy of Brian Aghajani Photography

I am Keith Bendixen and I’m a San Francisco Bay Area native, a former football lineman at San Jose State University and former law enforcement official who was on the SWAT team.

I began dog training and doing decoy and protection work in 2015. I was fortunate to mentor under Brent Cooper of Cooperhaus K9 in San Jose. Brent and Jason Hilard started my mentorship and introduced me and my wife Kelsey to dog sports.

In late 2019, I met and began to work with and train under the guidance of David Deleissegues and Terry Macias in the sport of IGP. David was instructional in guiding and improving my skillset, not only as a helper in IGP, but also as a handler and trainer.

I was in the local police department as a K-9 handler in both the patrol and SWAT units. I am a certified National Level helper for the USCA, the GSDCA and the AWDF and have been a 4 star ranked helper under the annual Helper Academy Program.

I have competed in the following Championship Trials

• USCA Northwest Regional Championships – 2020 IGP3 Front Half, 2022 IGP3 Back Half, 2023 IGP3 Back Half
• USCA Southwest Regional Championships – 2021 IGP3 Front Half, 2022 IGP3 Front Half, 2023 IGP3 Back Half
• USRC National Championship – 2020 IGP3 Front Half
• UDC National Championship – 2023 IGP3 Back Half
• AWMA National Championship – 2023 Front Half
• USCA National Championships –2022 Injured Reserve, 2023 Front Half

My wife Kelsey and I have recently started a pet training business in Morgan Hill CA and when we are not training our sport dogs, or working with our pet dog clients, we love traveling, hiking, hanging out with our friends.

I am thankful to the AWDF Helper Committee for choosing me and providing this opportunity. I’m looking forward to a great competition!

My name is Marcus Hampton and I was born and raised in Buffalo N.Y. Through my years growing up I played football and boxed and of course always had a passion for dogs. I started Schutzhund in the year 2000 when I met my mentor and good friend Owen Tober at the Schutzhund club of Buffalo where I was a member and did helper work but now have my own working dog group. When I am not busy doing helper work and training with my own Schutzhund group, I am spending time training my own dogs.

I am a National level helper, and since 2000 I have done many club trials and many big events doing Sch and IPO I, IPO II and IPO III (IGP) dogs as well as a police DPO trial and helper seminars.

• 2009 Mid Eastern Regionals : Sch II and back half Sch III's
• 2009 USA GSD Nationals : back half Sch III's
• 2010 Working Dog Championship: pre-selected (injured reserve)
• 2010 Mid Eastern Regionals: Sch II and back half Sch III's
• 2011 AWDF Championship : front half Sch III's
• 2011 Working Dog Championship : front half Sch III's
• 2011 World Qualifier : Back half Sch III's
• 2011 Mid Eastern Regionals : back half IPO III's
• 2011 AWMA Nationals: Back half IPO III's
• 2011 USCA GSD Nationals: back half IPO III's
• 2013 AWDF Championship: back half IPO III's
• 2013 USCA GSD Nationals : front half IPO III's
• 2014 World Qualifier: front half IPO III's
• 2014 AWDF Championship: back half IPO III's
• 2014 Working Dog Championship : front half IPO III's
• 2014 USCA GSD Nationals : pre-selected
• 2014 AWMA Nationals : front half IPO III's
• 2015 AWDF Championship : IPO II's
• 2015 AWMA Nationals: front half IPO III's
• 2016 Mid Eastern Regionals : back half IPO III's
• 2016 AWMA Nationals: back half IPO III's
• 2016 Podium Schutzhund Club club trial: IPO I's, II's and III's
• 2017 AWDF Championship : back half IPO III's
• 2017 AWMA Nationals: front half IPO III's
• 2017 Podium Schutzhund Club trial IPO I's, II's and III's
• 2018 AWDF Championship : back half IPO III's
• 2018 World Qualifier
• 2018 AWMA Nationals: back half IPO III's
• 2018 DVG Nationals: back half IPO III's
• 2019 GSDCA Nationals
• 2019 AWDF Championship IPO III's Front Half
• 2019 World Qualifier Front Half
• 2019 Dutch Shepherd World Championship: IGP III's
• 2019 Dutch Shepherd Nationals: Back Half IGP III's
• 2019 DVG Nationals: Back Half IGP III's
• 2019 AWMA preselected
• 2020 AWMA Northeast Regional: Back Half IGP III's
• 2020 DVG Nationals: Back Half IGP III 's
• 2020 AWMA FMBB Qualifier: Back Half IGP III' s
• 2021 AWDF Championship: Back Half IGP III's
• 2021 Dutch Shepherd Nationals: IGP I's and Back Half IGP III's
• 2021 AWMA Nationals : Front Half IGP III's
• 2021 DVG Nationals: Back Half IGP III's
• 2022 GSDCA NAtionals : Front half IGP III's
• 2022 DVG Nationals: Back Half IGP III's
• 2023 AWDF National: Back Half IGP III' s
• 2023 Podium Schutzhund Club Trial : IGP II' s & III's
• 2023 DVG Nationals : Back Half IGP III' s

I would like to thank AWDF and committee for choosing me to be a helper in this great event, AWDF Championship 2024. Thank you also to the hosting club. And to all the people who have supported me along the way.