FC Freeway and John Stracka

John and Mary Stracka’s dog FC Candlewoods Life is a Highway (Freeway) won both the Open and the Amateur this fall at the Montgomery Retriever Club earning his FC title with Paul Sletten handling him in the Open and John handling him in the Amateur!

Freeway is from quite a litter out of FC AFC Tequila Sunrise IX and NFC FC AFC Clubmead’s Road Warrior. Full siblings to Freeway are FC Fresh Squeezed Juice who is second in Open points so far this year with 26.5 points and 4 wins, and FC AFC Truline’s Walla Walla Sweet who was the 2008 High Point Derby Dog, FC SML Stella’s Got Her Groove, Tequatro’s Classic Velvet QAA, and Oh Boy QAA.

Congratulations to John and Mary Stracka and to the Pine Edge Retriever team of Paul Sletten and Jess Bently!

Ace on the River III

Congratulations to Peter Ketola from Brighton, MI, for his Open Win at the Middle Tennessee Amateur Retriever Club the weekend of April 15.

Peter handled his four year old dog, Ace on the River III, to his first win at the trial. Ace is out of NFC FC AFC Clubmead’s Road Warrior and Northrup Larson’s Redgate’s MS Blue.

Great job!

FC AFC Widgeon's Carbon Chip

FC AFC Widgeon’s Carbon Chip started off his 2011 season with a bang! He earned a 2nd place in the amateur at the Willamette Valley RC Trial and the next weekend at the Rogue Valley RC Trial he won both the Open and Amateur, a DOUBLE HEADER! At the SE Washington RC Trial he was awarded 2nd place in the Amateur and the next weekend at the Tacoma RC Trial he earned a 3rd place in the Amateur. Chip thanks Mark Madore and Jim Gonia for teaching him to compete at a high level. Chip’s training partner and owner is Tom Hartl.

FC AFC Bayou Teche Miah

2010 FindRetrievers Dog of the Year Award goes to FC AFC Bayou Teche Miah owned and trained by Stephen Ritter.

In 2009 FindRetrievers began to notice a trend emerging that some very talented and consistent “All Around” dogs were not receiving recognition for some particularly unique and worthy accomplishments. While the Hight Point Open, High Point Amateur, and High Point Derby dogs are all recognized and given awards by several entities, FindRetrievers would like to highlight the very special dogs who excel in both the Open and the Amateur stakes combined throughout the year.

The FindRetrievers Dog of the Year Award is tabulated by AKC Points earned in all Open All-Age and Amateur All-Age Stakes combined in one calendar year. To qualify a dog must earn points in both stakes between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31. Points earned by the winning dog at Nationals are included. Points earned by Amateurs in Open stakes only count towards Open points.

The FindRetrievers 2009 Dog of the Year Award goes to FC AFC Bayou Teche Miah with 34 All-age points and Runner up is FC AFC Joey’s Zoom Zoom owned by Jim Carlisle running a close second with 33 All-age points.

You can see the FindRetrievers Dog of the Year results by clicking this link http://www.findretrievers.com/search/totalallagepoints.php.

2010 FindRetrievers Dog of the Year Trophy

We asked Stephen Ritter to tell us a little bit about Miah, and this is what he wrote,

“First let me thank all the dedicated field trial people who judge, throw, organize, and host these events through the year. I would also confirm to all who know me that I have been lucky in obtaining my dog as well as in running her. And, thanks to Find Retrievers for recognizing the high all age point dog of the year!

My retriever experience began 6 years ago when Larry Clement bred FC Day’s End Above The Law to Bayou Teche Angel and gave me a puppy. I had recently retired and decided to attempt to train her myself. Since I had no experience, I obtained a book ‘Tritronics Retriever Training‘ and trained sit, heel, here, overs and backs with little difficulty and no pressure. My friend Larry Clements helped me with this process and Miah was very easy to train. By the time she was 7 months old she was steady and marked as well as the qualified dogs in our group. However, she would drop the last bird in a triple about 30 feet from the line. I always thought this was because she knew the game was over when she brought this bird back. Larry told me she would have to be forced and on looking into what exactly was involved (ear pinching) I felt I could not complete this. I brought the dog to Brian White in Texas who was a young dog trainer on Danny Farmer’s property. Miah stayed with Brian for 9 months, and I missed my dog, and I believe she missed me. Miah was intimidated by the pressure, and when she returned at 16 months old, her desire seemed diminished. I trained her from then on.

In her derby career, she placed in 6 of 8 trials with 2 wins and a total of 16 points. I ran her in a single qualifying in which she took second. I began to run her in all age stakes mostly for my benefit to see what was required of these dogs, and like many others I rarely made it out of the first series. When she began to make it out of the first series, I began to see her blinds needed work and with much help from many pros, especially Chris Ledford, she began to place.

Many amateurs in both my home state as well as Minn. helped me with concepts, grounds, and training. Miah is a dedicated friend and companion and has been a wonderful dog to be around. FC AFC Bayou Teche Miah finished her first National Open at 50 months old and has qualified for every National Open and National Amateur since then. Miah came into heat in October 2010 and was bred to FC Merlyn, she delivered 6 puppies on December 20th. I am looking forward to watching her offspring develop in the coming years. Thanks to all who helped my dog and me learn and participate in this sport.”

Carolina's Half Moon

Congratulations to Clint and Kay Joyner on their new High Point Derby Dog! Carolina’s Half Moon earned 79 Derby Points during his derby career in 2010. Big Boy surpassed the nearest dog to him by 20 points.

We asked Clint to tell us a little about Big Boy and here is his story,

“Carolina’s Half Moon is out of a breeding between my dog FC Carolina’s Acoustic Storm and FC AFC Cody Cut a Lean Grade. This litter produced The High Point Derby dog as well as Wind Clan’s Medicine Man (26 derby points), Prairie Peak’s Girlfriend ( 20 derby points), Carolina’s Takem by Surprise (15 Points) and Rebel Ridge Brace for Impact (10 points).

Big Boy’s dam, FC Carolina’s Acoustic Storm, is 5 years old and had 58 derby points, is a Double Header winner, and has qualified for 4 Nationals. FC Carolina’s Acoustic Storm (Sister) is from a breeding between Nick of Time Lone Ranger and FC AFC Carolina’s Electrik Gypsy (Little Girlie) who had 52 derby points and 150 All Age points. Little Girlie was out of a breeding between Rebel Ridge Cody’s Mischief and FC AFC Carolina’s Full Force Gale (Big Girlie). FC AFC Carolina’s Full Force Gale was the 1990 High Point Derby dog and finished with 118 All Age points. FC AFC Carolina’s Full Force Gale was from the breeding between FC AFC Sky Watch Radar and FC AFC Moon’s Carolina Cajun our first female lab. Cajun had 35 derby points (top5) and 100 1/2 All Age Points. As you can see Carolina’s Half Moon comes from a long line of successful derby dogs that would go on to become successful All Age dogs.

I have trained Carolina’s Half Moon, however, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Hugh and Al Arthur and Jason Baker of Sandhill Kennel. No matter where I was, whether in Michigan, Georgia or North Carolina, I have always been welcomed to train Carolina’s Half Moon with them. I have had at least one dog with Sandhill Kennel for over 30 years and have had their advice and expertise on all aspects of training and handling available to me with all my dogs including Carolina’s Half Moon (Big Boy).

Carolina’s Half Moon acquired 79 derby points including 12 wins during his derby career.”

Clint Joyner

Lee Jolley and Canaille

Congratulations to Lee Jolley and his new AFC Un Petit Peu Canaille!

Lee and Canaille earned their AFC title in style with 3 Amateur wins to wrap up the title. Canaille completed her AFC by winning the Amateur the weekend of July 23 at the West Central Minnesota Retriever Club. Her other wins were at Brazosport Retriever Club this spring and Sioux Valley Retriever Club last fall.

Canaille has had quite a career with 42 derby points, 2 Qualifying wins and a Qualifying 2nd. She has a total of 10 Am points this year and 15 total.

Congratulations to Lee Jolley and Canaille!

FC AFC COOLWATERS HURRICANE ALLEY

Congratulations to Alex Washburn-Weidlein and Lee Payne DVM of Oxford, MS, on their new FC!

FC AFC COOLWATERS HURRICANE ALLEY

Alex and Alley earned their title by winning the Open in Cheyenne, WY, at the Cheyenne Retriever Club’s Spring Trial. Earlier this year Alex and Alley won the Open at the Bluegrass Retriever Club Spring Trial. They were on their way to the National Amateur Championship and are now qualified for the 2010 National Open!!

Congratulations to all!!

Bill Barstow and Teak

Congratulations to a new Doubleheader winner, Bill Barstow and FC AFC Talkeetna River Teak MH! Bill and Teak achieved this double hard feat last weekend in Point Mackenzie, AK, at the Alaska Working Retriever Club’s Spring Field trial.

FC AFC BAYOU TECHE MIAH

Stephen Ritter and FC AFC BAYOU TECHE MIAH pull off what must be one of the hardest feats in the field trial world, a Double Header Win. Stephen and Miah won both the Open and the Amateur in Sauk Rapids, MN, over the weekend at the Central Minnesota Retriever Club’s Spring Field Trial.

Congratulations!!

AFC GLEN LAKE BLACK KIRSTY MH (LARK) earned her AFC Title 4/24 at the Michiana RC Trial, winning the Open and placing 3rd in the Amateur for a grand total of 17 USA All-Age points in the last 11 months. Lark Qualified for the National Amateur last October.