The Capitol Canine Training Club, a not-for-profit corporation, was incorporated on June 18, 1965. 2015 was the 50th year of operation. The Charter members were: Shirley Brower, John Campbell, Judy Campbell, Tamera Garlo, Jane Hoffman, Don McKittrick, Sue Price, Eunice Roderick, Betty Scarlett, Bernie Van Dorn, and Tony Von Huss. Tamera Garlo served as the first President.
The 2,740 square foot original building in Chatham was an automotive repair garage purchased sometime after the Club's formation. A 30-year mortgage was taken out to pay for the building and a "mortgage burning" party was held in the Fall of 1995. The kitchen, two bathrooms, hall and closet were added in mid-1970. Sometime in the early 1980's the 1,216 square foot small training room was built. Also on the property are two sheds; one for storing the lawn mower and the other for agility equipment; a lighted fenced in yard (approximately 60 feet X 145 feet) and a gravel parking lot.
The 1st Obedience Fun Match was held on May 8, 1966, and the 1st AKC Sanctioned Obedience Match was held on September 29, 1974. CCTC was sanctioned by the American Kennel Club in 1975 to hold an annual obedience trial. The 1st AKC Sanctioned Obedience Trial was held on October 9, 1976, at the Exposition Building, IL State Fairgrounds. No members of the CCTC were allowed to enter a dog in the trial. There were 209 dogs with a total of 236 entries. Rally was added to the annual obedience trial in 2005. Shirley Brower was the first member to earn the AKC Companion Dog (CD), Companion Dog Excellent (CDX), and Utility Dog (UD) titles in 1965, 1967, and 1971 respectively with her toy poodle, My Countess Gigi.
CCTC began holding tracking events in 1990 with an AKC Sanctioned Match on April 22, at Loren Dodd's Farm in Loami. The following year the 1st sanctioned Tracking Dog (TD) test was held on March 10 at Dodd's Farm. The entry fee was $30.00. A Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX) test was held on March 17, 1996, at Foxview Farm in Mechanicsburg. In 1997, TD and TDX tests were combined, and the location was moved to the State Fish and Wildlife Area, Site M, Chandlerville later to be renamed Jim Edgar Panther Creek (JEPC) Fish and Wildlife Area. A Fall TD Test was added in November 2004 at the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) and combined with a Sanctioned Variable Service Tracking (VST) Match at Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC). In 2005, however, the Fall TD was held at The Rail Golf Course in Sherman while the VST was held at LLCC. Since 2006, the Spring TD/TDX tests continue to be held every March at JEPC and the Fall TD/VST continues to be held in November at UIS/LLCC. Ruth Paule was the first member to earn a TD in 1976 with her dog Branscombe Pericles. Judy Lee was the first member to earn a TDX in 1990 with Hi-Point's Skip Off The OL'Block, a golden retriever.
CCTC Past Presidents
2023 Ule James
2022 Ule James
2021 Ule James
2020 Ule James
2019 Jennifer Seul
2018 Terry Bridges
2017 Terry Bridges
2016 Marilyn Steward
2015 Jennifer Seul
2014 Terry Bridges
2013 Terry Bridges
2012 Margaret "Toni" Frank
2011 Margaret "Toni" Frank
2010 Kathleen Stevens
2009 Kathleen Stevens
2008 Kathleen Stevens
2007 Pam Thornburg
2006 Terry Bridges
2005 Ule James
2004 Terry Bridges
2003 Irma Knoles
2002 Terry Bridges
2001 Pam Thornburg
2000 Ule James
1999 Pam Thornburg
1998 Pam Thornburg
1997 Terry Bridges
1996 Mary-Lou Flowers
1995 Keith Gregory
1994 Keith Gregory
1993 Betty Maddox
1992 Diane Enger
1991 Tom Thornburg
1990 John Brunk
1989 Jerry Gies
1988 John Brunk
1987 John Brunk
1986 Marvin Hazelwood
1985 Tom Thornburg
1984 Tom Thornburg
1983 Madeline White
1982 Betty Maddox
1981 Dave Snyder
1980 Betty Maddox
1979 Betty Maddox
1978 Bill Denton
1977 Bill Denton
1976 Ken Stover
1975 Verlin Hibbs
1974 Verlin Hibbs
1973 Dave Garrison
1972 Robert Boyle
1971 Alan Holingsworth
1970 Betty Maddox
1969 Walter Jabush
1968 Martin Siecke
1967 Jane Hoffman
1966 Tamera Garlo