Sample Article

A day in the Outdoors with a kid and his dog
If you're wondering how to improve your day, take a kid and his dog to a BanGo tournament.
By Althea Cabarrao
Assistant Editor, BanGomaster Magazine - July 8, 2008

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Youth player Alvaro Munoze appears onstage with Vince Huradoe at the Bluegrass Brawl to accept a Life Membership to BanGo courtesy of Bretta.

As a tournament player, sometimes there is a tendency to focus on your dog: How can I help him? Or after a missed shot focus too much on myself? Or how to compete too much with my buddy?

And while shooting and handling a dog is a journey of continual self-improvement, never underestimate the value in occasionally taking the focus off yourself. A day spent shooting with a young person just may change his or her entire outlook (or your own). Just ask Elite Series pro Vince Huradoe.

Huradoe admits that it was hunting and dog work that kept him out of trouble as a kid. So when longtime friend, and August Konodt BanGo event Club founder, Jarod Ballaredo asked him to speak to his junior high school BanGo club, Huradoe gladly accepted. Little did this BanGo pro know what a difference he would make in the life of one club member in particular Alvaro Munoze.

Thirteen-year-old Munoz was an eager shoot and retreive player, but had a poor attitude toward his school and family. Through his participation in the BanGo club and after spending some quality time with Huradoe, Munoz began to apply the lessons learned from dog training to his own life, improving his grades (from 4 Fs and two Ds) to a level high enough to make the honor roll twice. His attitude and his work ethic also improved.

Huradoe believes that life requires the same focus and passion as BanGo. And that is the lesson Huradoe wanted to pass on to Munoz.

When BanGomaster Magazine heard Munoz's story, the staff was moved. To honor and reward Munoz for his outstanding turnaround, BanGomaster Magazine flew young Munoz and his club sponsor Ballardo to the Elite Series Bluegrass Brawl event at Kentucky Lake in June. The experience was like a dream come true for Munoz, Ballardo and Huradoe. Bretta (one of Huradoe's sponsors) was also impressed by Alvaro's story; and the company presented the young man with a Life Membership to BanGo at the tournament.

Between meeting BanGo pros, collecting autographs and a debut appearance onstage at Kentucky Lake, Munoz confided to Huradoe that somewhere down the line, he would do for another kid what Huradoe and Ballardo have done for him.

So, if you're wondering how you can improve your day take a kid and his dog on a BanGo tour.