Welcome To SandStorm
The name comes from my name Sandra and my long gone, but still beloved Golden Retriever "Stormy".
I grew up playing with dogs and horses, was active in 4-H, then started teaching obedience classes with my father H. Ted Hoesel (United State’s first AKC Variable Surface Tracking Judge) which I did for many years. Some of my fondest memories are traipsing after my father in the field doing bird work with the dogs or being a decoy for the Illini Search & Rescue group he started. When my parents told us kids to "get lost" they really meant it!
We also were privileged to go to many dog shows, field trials and sled dog events. The dogs (Soot, Shatzie and Shana) were really just other siblings that had to endure "dress up" and "veterinarian" at the hands of us kids...
After I had my own household and dogs I continued with obedience and also went back to doing dog shows and field events. I also managed to raise an exceptional human being, my son Jim. He now lives in Nashville, TN with his wife Janelle and their dogs Reilly and Alfred.
For the last sixteen + years, I have been an AKC field trial and hunt test judge (# ZE121) for pointing breeds. I also compete with my dogs and client dogs in the show ring, as well as train and handle in hunt tests, field trials and tracking tests. I appreciate the olfactory sense canines are equipped with, so training bird dogs and search/tracking dogs continues to be a paramount interest. There are only 52 weekends a year, so I carefully plan my approach with all my animals for that year. I'm no different than anybody else - some weekends I want unscheduled. :)
Occasionally, I will produce a litter of Chinese Crested or Weimaraner pups and when I do there are very exacting requirements that go into those decisions and pups only go to qualified homes. AKC awarded me Breeder of Merit for both Chinese Crested and Weimaraners since my breeding program is very small, but quality focused.
Additionally I have spent many years in various breed, all-breed or national club officer or chair positions and I am working towards completing requirements to apply to judge several breeds at AKC dog shows.
I have some show and field judging assignments this year that I am looking forward to..... 
especially field - what can be better than riding one of my horses all day judging pointing breeds?
Currently I'm a member of the The Weimaraner Club of America, Moraine Tracking Club and I am a Life Member of The Rocky Mountain Horse Association. After serving as President and other officer/chair positions of quite a few dog clubs for several decades, I am paring down my club involvement and client dogs so I can do what I love to do - work my dogs and spend more time on my horses.
There are many breeds and facets of training that intrigue me and I just plain love dogs. The first Chinese Crested came at a time when I was in the middle of cancer treatment. Crystal certainly brought the laughter back into the house. Two are much better than one and my father always said "every pet needs a pet" and soon Juni was imported from Sweden. Those two are so funny and beautiful I will forever be committed to this breed. My Cresteds are not only AKC show champions, they are 'real dogs'. They run around my property at top speed, leaping thru the cover in the pasture, accompany us on trips and love to lounge on my leather sofas. I have started working with them on tracking and have been pleased at how much they enjoy using their noses and discerning human scent from everything else. Currently I am working "Lis" my Dutch import in advanced obedience and hope to have her ready for obedience titles soon. She is not the typical dog much less Crested and is a true 'thinker'. 
Fortunately I live on some acreage and my life is filled with AKC Chinese Cresteds, Weimaraners, a sweet, old hunting machine of a German Wirehaired Pointer and my beautiful gaited horses. Zildjian my Blue and Gold Macaw keeps the dogs in line by telling them exactly what they should be doing. She knows many tricks and is also bilingual.
As if I'm not having enough fun already - I decided to bring Terriers back into my life. When I lost my Border Terrier to old age at 15 1/2 years in 2006, I knew it would be awhile before I was ready. Finally, the time came and I sought a Parson Russell Terrier from a long time top breeder - Julie Felten.
Harry (Fox Valley Frisky Bizness) and Valen (Fox Valley Valentina) bring me so much joy and are just non-stop fun. Harry is a neutered male that I am doing performance activities with and Valen will be shown. I love that "Terrier 'Tude"!
One of my other interests is helping people become successful handling their own dogs in the field. The AKC Master Hunter title is the pinnacle of the sport, however as a judge I am disappointed on many occasions to watch a handler with a truly talented dog be unsuccessful due to poor handling or worse yet, no knowledge of the rules. For this reason I have developed a Hunt Test Handling Clinic entitled "Don't Train The Dog! Train The Handler..." © I have delivered this program to many clubs, including several national breed events and received enthusiastic responses.
Even after all these years putting show championships and Master Hunter titles on too many dogs to name across many different breeds, this addiction still prevails. When cancer got in my way, I still managed to continue to do what I love to do I just do it a little bit differently than I did before. All during the first cancer treatment I dreamt about being at a dog show. All in all I consider myself extremely lucky to work with these wonderful animals, be able to break records across numerous AKC disciplines and to have developed some great relationships with people all over the world.
I hope you enjoy this site and find it informative.
The best way to contact me is via the email link below.
Thanks!!
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