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FC AFC Mioak's Main Event

Rocky as a young dog

(probably during his derby career)

 

9-30-82 8-25-98

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breeder:Micki (Kendrigan) Strandberg

present owner: Cathy Reiff

		Riverview's Kinike Rocket***
	AFC Wildfire of Riverview CDX
		Riverview's Nettles CD
FC AFC Mioak's Main Event
		AFC Holway Barty
	Mioak's Ginger ***
		Bonnie Brook's Mabel

 

 

As told by Mickey Strandberg

 

On September 30, 1982 eight Golden Retriever puppies were born at my house in Gilberts, Illinois by Mioak's Ginger*** (*) & AFC Wildfire of Riverview CDX. I had already given up trying to pick that "special" puppy, so when asked the question "Which one are you keeping?" I answered "whichever one is left". And that's how I came to own Rocky... he was the last pick of the litter.

 

*(webmaster's note:Ginger was probably one of the best marking dogs I have ever observed. She could easily remember 5 marks.)

 

I also kept a female from that litter, Mioak's Golden Torch. At eight months, Rocky showed such great promise that I sold Torch to a hunter in Wausau, Wisconsin. I was working full time and raising three daughters as a single parent, so I could only train one dog at a time.

 

Without exception, Rocky was the smartest, most precocious dog I have ever owned. He learned very quickly and was doing good doubles and blinds with marks by eight months. When Rocky was 9 1/2 months, Linden Strandberg (before we were married) and I ran a couple sanctioned trials in Manitowoc, WI. One trial on Saturday and another on Sunday. I had Rocky entered in the Puppy, Derby and AT & H (Amateur Trained and Handled) and the Qualifying on both days. He came away with six trophies and two Jams, including a Qualifying second.

 

As stated earlier, I was working full time for the Elgin Daily Courier News where my hours was flexible enough that all of Rocky's basic training and collar work were done in various Elgin Parks during my lunch hour. Occasionally some of my sympathetic friends would meet me for a very quick set of marks. I also trained on the rolling hills behind the Elgin State Mental Hospital (always keeping an eye out for the "walk-away" patients that frequently escaped and wandered the grounds).

 

Rocky had a great nose that would occasionally get him in drag-back trouble. Since I didn't train in big groups , I had to simulate drag scent by walking out to plant blinds dragging a dead duck on a leash and stopping often to pluck feathers. At times I wondered which side of the State HOSPITAL walls I belonged on :-). Linden and I trained every night after work for as long as our daylight lasted. We did multiple marks when I could coerce my girls into throwing for us, and lots of singles and blinds when we were alone.

 

We ran as many Derby stakes as possible with Rocky, but we both had to be at work at 8 AM on Monday mornings, so that limited how far we could travel. During Rocky's Derby career, we never stopped his All-age training. We figured whatever Derby points he accrued were a bonus, but our goal was All-age competition. During Rocky's last several months in Derby I also ran several Amateurs. He Jam'd an Amateur at 19 months and got an Amateur 4th at 23 months. Rocky finished his Derby career with 40 points. Had I known that the National Derby Champion that year would only earn 51 points, I think I might have made an attempt to run some trials further from home. Hindsight is wonderful!

 

The decision to sell Rocky at 2 1/2 years of age was not an easy one, but it is one that I never regretted. His sale helped with college tuition for my daughters, an investment that is still paying off. If I ever am lucky enough to own another dog like Rocky, he will never be for sale.

 

Rocky went on to have five owners with three professional trainers. After he was retired, his trainer at the time, Bill Eckett, invited Rocky to live the rest of his life in the Eckett household. Rocky is still alive and well at Bill's in the Kansas City area.

(Webmaster note)-Micki sold Rocky just after his derby career. A year later his new owners offered me a co-ownership in him, which lasted for one year. During that time I finishing Rocky's AFC and qualified him for the 1987 National Amateur in Steamboat Springs, CO.

_________________________________

Rocky changed owners so many times that the AKC questioned it.

breeder & 1st owners: Micki Kendrigan & Erin Kendrigan (Micki's daughter)

2nd owner: Teddi Woodhouse

3rd owners: Jackie Mertens & T Woodhouse

4th owner: G Kelley

5th owners: T Woodhouse & G Kelley

6th & present owner: Cathy Morse (Reiff)

 

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