Susan Hamil got into dogs in the 1960's while showing Quarter Horses. She saw an adorable puppy in a magazine ad for Edgebrook kennels and thought how neat it would be to have one. She purchased a puppy from the Louisiana State Prison in Angola, Louisiana right out of the movie, "Cool Hand Luke". Laughing, she says “It wasn't much of a bloodhound, short on ear, long on leg, but it could run like heck!”

Her first AKC Bloodhound came in 1966 and at that time the breed was so rare that points were awarded as combined sexes. Susan finished her first champion in 1972 and has since bred and/or finished over 60 champions. Quiet Creek dogs have won several Nationals with numerous BOS, WD. and WB from the bred by classes. Combining type with soundness, she’s had three all breed BIS winners including Top Hound all breed points in 2000 and she won the hound group at Westminster in 2001 with Ch. Ridgrunner Unforgettable (a stud fee puppy) who is the top winning Bloodhound bitch of all time!

Susan says “Two of my sires, Ch. Quiet Creek's Excalibur and Swiss import, Ch. Badger Creek Druid, have sired over 25 titled offspring each to be eligible for our parent club's sire of merit status. My kennel prefix, Quiet Creek, has also produced Canadian, Italian, South African and Brazilian champions. Many of my dogs are sold to working homes and I am very proud that one of my breeding was named "Officer of the Year" by her handler's police department and has been called to serve the FBI.”

She has been a member of The American Bloodhound Club since about 1970 and served on the Board of Directors as President and she served as their delegate for almost 10 years. She was elected an honorary member of the ABC this year.

Susan Hamil is well known to the fancy having been licensed to judge Bloodhounds since 1992. She has judged the parent club national and also judged in England, Italy, Finland and France. As if that weren’t enough to keep her busy, she says “I currently serve as the AKC delegate for my all breed club, Shoreline Dog Fanciers and serve on the Board of Directors of the AKC Canine Health Foundation and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.”

Susan was a founding member of the California Federation of Dog Clubs and also of her local breed club's shelter rescue program. Possessing enough energy and dedication for three people, she is also a member of the AKC High Volume Breeders Committee, and says “I am licensed as a Veterinary Technician in the State of California and my day job is managing my husband's veterinary practice.”

You go girl!