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10.13.69 - 7.5.77
sire
| Holway Stubblesdown Jolly *** | |
| Jolly Again Of Quilmette CD *** | |
| Gunnerman's Copper Penney ** |
dam
| Stietz' Golden Nugget | |
| Nancy's Golden Dawn | |
| Gold Dust of Scotwell |
Written by Harold Bruninga
In late 1969, I began a blind search for a "field bred" golden puppy as a future hunting companion. My search eventually led me to Dick Kerns, who had a male puppy left from a litter out of Jolly Again Of Quilmette CD (Tuffy) and Nancy's Golden Dawn. I looked, I liked and I purchased. I brought him home at nine weeks of age. It was a love affair from the beginning.
Armed with a puppy, a book "Training Your Retriever" by James Lamb Free, and a dear wife, Jessie, who would throw bumpers, if not yelled at, I set about to train a retriever for hunting, and as events would evolve, a field trial prospect. Red won the only two puppy stakes he entered in club trials in the summer of 1970. I was hooked on retrievers and field trials and have never gotten unhooked. Red went on to earn eighteen derby points in licensed trials in 1971 and was the high point derby golden that year.
We continued competing in qualifying, amateur and open stakes. Red earned his AFC on his fifth birthday and went on to accumulate 34 amateur points, however we could not crack the Open, having only one half point through 1975. Buoyed by the success of his two brothers, FC AFC Bonnie Brook's Elmer and FC Bonnie Brook's Tuff And A Half (Andy), I was confident he had the talent to achieve his FC. He was also a half brother to AFC Bonnie Brook's Mike. I turned him over to professional trainer Billy Voigt, who won two Opens with him in the space of eight months, earning his FC.
Red was always a bundle of energy and had style galore. His energy contributed to his untimely death from heat stroke in his run in July, 1977. To say I was devastated is an understatement.
He left a legacy of talented descendants, some of which I have been privileged to own. Red sired AFC Son Of Red (dam was Holway Joyful - sister to AFC Holway Barty). Son of Red in turn sired FC AFC Sangamo Red, who sired Dandy Boy Red, who sired AFC Little Fever and Duke of Grandview. I am currently running the latter two (Fever & Duke) in trials.
Jackie & Joe Mertens
Winter: Rt
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