Oklahoma City Obedience Training Club (OCOTC) was started in the early 1950's by three ladies who had seen their first obedience trial in Tulsa and decided that Oklahoma City should have this, too.  They collected their husbands, dogs and lots of books and went to work.

The first meetings were in a vacant field near what is now NW 39th and Portland and that's where they worked every week for some time.  As more people became interested and joined them they moved to the National Guard Armory, which is where the training sessions are still held.

They started the club and began organizational work and within a year or so they were ready for their first AKC show.  The spring OCOTC show in 2002 will be the 50th AKC trial held by OCOTC.

The club has grown to about 150 members and has become involved in many other activities.  We now hold two trials per year, spring and fall - have two training nights a week and about 38 instructors.  We probably have 600 dogs a year in training from puppy classes to trial classes at all levels.

We have promising plans for the next 50 years.

by Maureen Kearns