Killbuck’s Viceroy
NA 112 / UT 204
Although German Shorthaired Pointers first caught the American sportsmen’s eyes after World War II, it would be fair to say that the most significant evolution of the breed took place in the 1960’s through the 1980’s, when they became faster dogs with superior pointing instincts, and were able to dominate all other continental pointing breeds in head to head, field trial competition. Our breed, the pudelpointer, has also undergone a significant evolution in North America, albeit one that began a few decades after the shorthair. The one individual, likely above all else, who has witnessed more of this development than any other, is Bill Athens of Killbuck Kennels.
To say that Bill has a fair amount of experience with pudelpointers would be a gross understatement. Bill’s first pudelpointer, Diergard’s Caret was whelped in 1980. Under Bill’s training and handling, Caret would earn a Utility prize , at under three years of age! Since his first litter, in 1985, Bill has consistently produced some of the best pudelpointers in North America and has served as mentor to new pudelpointer owners who were either looking for their next great hunting companion, or who wished to throw their hat into the ring of pudelpointer breeders. Prior to the advent of email, Bill would physically mail a large packet of magazine articles and other such information, all written about the pudelpointer, to anyone who had been interested enough in the breed to contact him. Few breeds were fortunate enough to have an ambassador like Bill Athens. In nearly forty years of producing pudelpointers, one of the greatest, and certainly the most historically important, dog produced at Killbuck Kennels, was Killbuck’s Viceroy, or “Vice” as Bill would call him.
Viceroy was whelped in 2011 out of Cedarwoods Feisty Hector (Utility 204) and Killbuck’s Mona (UT 194 Prize II). Recognizing Vice’s potential, Bill chose to send his dog to professional trainer, Kyle Hough of Schwartzwald Kennels in Andreas, Pennsylvania for his utility training. It was Kyle who rounded the ambitious young dog into one of the top scoring NAVHDA dogs in the country, and in the process, set the stage for Bill and Viceroy to alter the course of the pudelpointer in North America.
Kyle recalls that Viceroy was quite green when he first arrived at Schwartzwald Kennels and that it was a real testament to the dog to come as far as he did in such a short period of time. Kyle states that, to this day, Viceroy had the absolute best coat he has ever seen on any pudelpointer. Furthermore, Kyle states that Viceroy had as good of a nose as any dog you will ever find. Kyle recalled that during his Utility tests, Viceroy found more birds in the field than were planted for him. He also caught multiple mallards during his search for ducks. Kyle Hough has earned the reputation of being a virtuoso when it comes to preparing dogs for the NAVHDA duck search. He explained that while he is capable of bringing a great search out of a dog that is lacking in drive and/or water love he would prefer to work with a dog like Viceroy that naturally excelled in those areas. Viceroy clearly demonstrated that through his four sanctioned NAVHDA Tests (1 Natural Ability, 2 Utility, and 1 Invitational) where he never scored less than the maximum “4” in any water subject. Kyle also recalled that Viceroy, as all great pudelpointer stud dogs should, had a fantastic temperament and could be left along with other male wirehairs and shorthairs, without any fear shenanigans would erupt.
Kyle Hough was able to achieve a maximum 204 point Utility on Viceroy while still just three years of age. The following year Kyle handled Viceroy in the 2015 NAVHDA Invitational where a failure to honor his bracemate’s point tripped him up. Oftentimes a failure at the Invitational is the end of a dog’s testing career, or at least, not the part that people talk about as time goes by. Viceroy’s failure however created a legend which was often repeated when his name arose, however seemed too far fetched to be believed. As the story went, Kyle Hough so enjoyed working with Viceroy, that he offered Bill Athens the deal of a lifetime. Kyle agreed to re-train and re-test Viceroy at the Utility level, and then take him on to the Invitational, where Kyle was certain he could pass the test. All Kyle wanted in return, for this two year commitment, was for his bird and test fees covered. It is unheard of for a professional dog trainer to essentially volunteer to train and test a dog for free, however Kyle confirms that he did just that, and requalified Viceroy with his second, UT Prize I score, a 201. At that point, Bill decided to retire Viceroy from testing and he was not able to finish his NAVHDA career with a Versatile Championship.
Individual accomplishments, while rewarding to the dog’s owner and trainer, do nothing to advance the breed. It is a dog’s progeny which determine if he/she will be remembered by the greater pudelpointer community, after the dog is conscribed to history. To this point, Viceroy is in a very select group of pudelpointers who has produced multiple (three) NAVHDA Versatile Champions. VC Bruedersthal’s General Cooper, VC Killbucks II Eddy, and VC Killbucks II Java are all Viceroy pups. VC Killbuck’s II Eddy happened to also be trained by, and is regularly hunted by, Kyle Hough. It is quite rare for a top performing stud dog to produce a dog whose abilities exceed their own. Kyle, however, reports that as good as Viceroy was, his daughter, Eddy is markedly better! Kyle says that he loves Eddy’s sweet temperament and her cooperation is at the utmost highest level making her a very easy dog to train and a pleasure to hunt in the field.
VC Killbuck’s II Java (Bella) is owned by NAPPA member, Ryan Byrd of Brookeside Pudelpointers. Ryan reports that “despite having no prior experience training a versatile gun dog, I convinced Bill Athens to sell me a puppy. Not knowing where to start, I began training with a pro-trainer who spent more time teaching me how to handle Bella than training Bella on most days. On multiple occasions, he stated “you have a 204 dog”. At the time I did not fully appreciate the comment. Now after qualifying for the invitational twice with 204’s and passing the IT, I fully appreciate his comment and understand what he saw in Bella. We are truly thankful for the opportunity to have trained and tested a Viceroy puppy. Without the drive, cooperation, and eagerness to please inherited from her sire and dam, I know we would not have achieved our goals. Bella’s puppies have also inherited these same qualities and demonstrate the importance Viceroy has had, and will continue to have on the breed.”
As is always the case, a dog such as Vice, is the product of the genetics found within their pedigree, coupled with proper training. If you wish to learn more about the breeders who continue to work with these genetics please visit the North American Pudelpointer Alliance website at https://pudelpointer-alliance.com/breeders.
VC Cedarwood Man o’ War
The story of Cedarwoods Man o’ War (Boca) is as mysterious as his accomplishments were legendary. Let there be no mistake. There simply cannot be another word which would better describe Boca’s accomplishments than legendary. After some fairly extensive research it is believed that sixteen years after he completed his quest, Boca remains the only dog, regardless of breed, to obtain the titles of NAVHDA Versatile Champion, UKC Hunting Retriever Champion, and National Shoot To Retrieve (Open) Champion. One would think that a dog who had accomplished so much would have been widely celebrated and sought after. Instead, after obtaining his final championship, Boca, and his owner, Mike Gowe, simply vanished from the gun dog scene like a southbound flock of geese on a foggy, November evening.
Serious dog breeders do their best to move their particular breed in a positive direction and hopefully leave a contribution which others will carry forward after they have passed on. In doing so, the breeder has first choice of all puppies they create, and along with it, a serious incentive to retain their best prospects for their own needs. Blessed with the advantage that comes with living with, and observing puppies, for seven to ten weeks, would tend to make these breeders believe that they have a leg up in choosing the top prospects in any given litter. However, the effort to do so is usually as futile as attempting to double on early season ruffed grouse. Invariably, the best dog men, and women, will end up selling what will become their best dogs, as young puppies. Frequently these puppies end up in strictly hunting homes and never end up receiving the larger notoriety which accompanies a successful testing career. On very rare occasions a breeder will sell such a pup, usually to a first time handler, with no inclination that particular handler has a fire somewhere within them that will push them to heights they, themselves, would be envious of. Such was the case with Boca.
Mike Gowe reports that his first versatile dog was a German shorthaired pointer, which served solely as a family pet. Mike stated that as the shorthair’s muzzle began to gray, he began to wonder if he could find another versatile breed that perhaps didn’t shed so much. Mike explains that his dogs live in the house, and travel in his truck on a daily basis, and the short hairs of the shorthair had woven their way completely into his truck’s seats. After considerable research he decided that pudelpointer would be a good fit. Living in Idaho during the ski season gave Mike the opportunity to meet with Bob Farris, at Cedarwood Kennels in Boise, and he was able convinced Bob to sell him a puppy. Although Mike had little prior experience training a gun dog, Bob says that he could tell that Mike’s competitive nature would likely lead him to do good things with the dog.
Boca was born on March 18, 2002 from the absolute best genetics our breed had to offer. His father was UT Prize III and NSTRA 1st Place trail winner, Cedarwoods Quincy Dan. His mother was UT Prize 1, Cedarwoods Zinfindel. This paring would create some of the most successful pudelpointers of the era, however none would approach Boca’s accomplishments. Boca’s brother, Cedarwoods EZ Top, was a Utility Prize 1 dog who was previously featured in this series. His grandmother was also featured in this series, the great Cedarwoods Calendar Girl, and his grandfather, Amadeus, was once described by Bodo Winterhelt as the best pudelpointer in North America.
Having been introduced to NAVHDA, Mike decided to jump in with both feet. He would end up testing Boca in Natural Ability at thirteen months and received a maximum 112 point prize 1. He ran Boca the following day and scored a 183 Prize III in Utility!!! How many dogs can say they passed both the NA test and the UT test in the same weekend? Boca would then run another Utility test only a week later and score a 188 UT Prize III proving that this young pup was a legitimate Utility dog.
Not satisfied with his Utility title, Mike made up his mind that Boca would become a Versatile Champion. At that time there had only been one pudelpointer to achieve that distinction. At only 17 months, Boca ran the utility test again and scored an impressive 201 points and a Utility Prize 1. The following year Boca would complete his NAVHDA career with a maximum 200 points and the title of Versatile Champion. Mike states that, at the time, Boca was believed to be the youngest VC in history (2 years 6 months), regardless of breed.
At that time, Mike was friends with several retriever owners, and he got the idea that he wanted to find a venue which would allow him to prove that his dog was a better water dog than theirs. In doing so, Mike discovered the UKC and their Hunting Retriever Program. In those days, as sometimes the case is today, a pudelpointer was often thought of as some designer, mixed-breed, mutt by the greater gun dog community. Mike reports that his initial reception to the retriever community was rather cold. At this point our conversation took an amusing turn. Unbeknownst to Mike, at the same time, this writer was training Boca’s brother, on the opposite side of the country, with his local retriever club. Both initial experiences were quite similar. A lot of snickering and a lot of gawking, however once the dogs hit the water people began to take notice. Mike reports that Boca breezed through the Hunting Retriever program, although it was his least favorite of all the venues, he competed in. The Hunting Retriever program is designed, much like NAVHDA, to test the desired characteristics and traits of a true, class, hunting dog, and in this case, a waterfowl retriever. A Hunting Retriever Champion (HRCH) is the equivalent to an AKC Master Hunter, in the retriever world, and requires far more demanding water training than the NAVHDA program. Whereas, in NAVHDA, we strive to develop the independent search for a duck, in the retriever world, precise lining and handling skills are required to complete retrieves with minimal mistakes and loss of efficiency. A dog that can excel at both of these divergent tasks is rare and would seemingly requires great intelligence, mental stability, and cooperation.
Mike says after Boca proved himself as the first pudelpointer, and one of the very first versatile dogs, to obtain the coveted HRCH he had a real thirst to see what else he could accomplish. Mike stated that he surveyed the gun dog landscape, hoping to find another venue to compete and he found that in the National Shoot To Retrieve Association (NSTRA). NSTRA currently holds over 1,000 field trials annually in most areas of the country. NSTRA trails have a minimum of twelve, and up to thirty two dogs per stake. The dogs are run in braces, from foot. Unlike NAVHDA or the HRC, this is a competition. Only one dog may win the trial no matter how many great dogs are on the grounds that particular day. To win, you must outwork, not only your bracemate, but also all of the other dogs in the trial. Pudelpointers compete against all manner of pointing breeds in these walking trials. Mike stated that his motivation to run Boca in field trials was derived from that same desire to prove his dog was as good as any retrieving specialist.
NSTRA records indicate that Boca competed in a total of seventeen NSTRA trails, with the majority of those trials having approximately thirty total dogs entered. All of these trials were open to armatures, such as Mike, as well as professional dog trainers and handlers. Boca placed 3rd ,or better, an astonishing twelve times and secured three wins. Over the course of his short NSTRA career Boca beat many outstanding dogs including 7x champion Sadie Elhew (Pointer), 6x Champion, Brockways Ruck Runner (GSP) and 4x Champion R Crosswind Ram Rod. Ram Rod happened to be the son of National German Shorthair Pointer Association 2000 (horseback field trial), Dog of the Year Mosegaard’s RB Rhythm & Blues! That wouldn’t surprise Mike. He reported that he often ran Boca from horseback while training with friends and their shorthairs! Mike said of all the venues he competed in, NSTRA was his favorite and he believed it to be Boca’s favorite as well. Boca ran in his final NSTRA trial on September 23, 2007. He won the trial which allowed him to accumulate enough points to become an Open Champion. At five years of age Boca’s competitive career had come to an end. There were no more venues for which he could prove himself.
Mike reports that prior to obtaining his NSTRA championship, Boca was not hunted. Rather, Mike subscribed to the theory which many top field trial handlers subscribe to. That is that hunting could allow a dog to develop habits which might cause them to lose a competitive field trial. Despite this, Mike has some wonderful memories of Boca in the field. In particular, Mike recalled sailing a pheasant out into a river on a cold morning only to have Boca get swept downstream over a hundred yards before safely completing the retrieve. Mike can also recall Boca jumping off, and climbing over, ice shelfs when retrieving ducks. Boca’s breeder, Bob Farris, tells an amusing story about hunting a brace with Boca and his beloved Tukr. Bob recalled a chukar hunt when he realized Boca had a covey pinned down. When Bob was able to get onto the scene, Tukr had stolen the point! Bob was so amused by Boca’s expression, peering over Tukr’s back that he had to snap a picture. Boca, the nephew, may have found the birds, but his uncle, Tukr, showed him that he still had a few tricks up his sleeve!
Boca had a very limited breeding career which left a legacy far smaller than you would expect for the once in a generation type dog that he was. The reason for this is likely two fold. First, Boca was owned by a man who did not promote his dog, nor did he care if he was ever bred. It wasn’t that Mike didn’t want Boca to be bred, but rather, that he did not see the need to promote his dog to the pudelpointer community. Secondly, after completing his NAVHDA Versatile Championship, Boca had his hips x-rayed. They were found to be in the range Penn Hips classifies as Moderate Risk for hip dysplasia. That would be a good classification for many breeds, however for pudelpointers it was likely enough to give some breeders pause. Despite his ratings, Boca’s hips never affected him in the least and he never developed hip dysplasia. Boca remained a strong, active, and big running, dog until his passing at twelve years of age.
Boca sired three litters of puppies for three different kennels. Five puppies tested in Natural Ability and they averaged a fantastic 107 points. Three of these pups would go on to test in Utility. Cedarwoods Annie, Cedarwoods Pact of War, and Cedarwoods Prince From Zoey, combined to average 193.3 points in those Utility Tests! Cedarwoods Prince From Zoey would become Cedarwood Kennels 35th Utility dog, however he was the 1st maximum, 204 point performer. Boca also shows up on the 3 generation NAVHDA pedigrees of the following Utility Prize 1 dogs, Cedarwoods Flyin High Again (204 points), Cedarwoods Pin Up Playmate (201 Points), Cedarwoods Rerun (204 points), and Cedarwoods Commander in Chief (202 points). There is no question that he would have altered the course of our breed for the better, had he been utilized more.
One of the most amazing things we learned in researching Boca is that his owner, Mike Gowe, was completely unaware of the regard with which he and Boca continue to be held amongst serious pudelpointer breeders. Mike doesn’t participate in social media and rarely keeps tabs with the pudelpointer community. In fact, Mike seemed surprised we wanted to speak about his old friend. Mike was glad to hear that so many pudelpointers have followed in Boca’s footsteps and have attained the title of Versatile Champion. He was also surprised to learn that pictures of him and his old friend, in all of their competitive glory, are displayed prominently in the National Bird Dog Hall of Fame and Museum in Grand Junction, Tennessee! Within NAPPA’s display at the National Bird Dog Hall of Fame and Museum Boca is memorialized as “The Breeds Most Titled Dog / NAVHDA Versatile Champion / NSTRA Champion / UKC Hunting Retriever Champion”.
As we were researching this article we reached out to NAVHDA judge, and field trial competitor, Frank Verret. Frank has an encyclopedic memory of not only German shorthairs, but also of the historically significant dogs of the greater gun dog community. In attempting to determine if any other dog had ever obtained two of the three titles which Boca had obtained, we asked Frank the question “Do you know of any dog who has obtained a VC and either a NSTRA championship or a Hunting Retriever Championship?” After thinking for a moment he said, “Yes, I knew a pudelpointer in Illinois named Cedarwoods Man o War”. So, while it has not yet been determined if any dog currently holds two of the three titles Boca achieved, it is known that his impact was so great that a German Shorthaired Pointer trialer, trainer, handler, and judge, took notice of him, nearly twenty years ago, and never forgot him.
At this time Mike has another pudelpointer, however he has stepped away from any kind of competition, or testing, to raise his family. Mike says that perhaps when his kids have grown he might try to blaze another trail through the gun dog world like he did nearly two decades ago. Until then we will have to hope that somebody else will attempt to pick up the mantle and attempt to carry it to the heights which Boca achieved!
When asked if there was anything else he would like to tell us about Boca, Mike issued a sentiment which so many of us feel regarding our past companions. “I sure do miss him. I trained him myself for all of these titles. He went everywhere with me and I really wish he were still with me today.” As is always the case, a dog such as Boca, is the product of the genetics found within their pedigree, coupled with proper training. If you wish to learn more about the breeders who continue to work with these genetics please visit the North American Pudelpointer Alliance website at https://pudelpointer-alliance.com/breeders.
Hidden Acres Atlas “Romo”
NA 108 / UT 204
There is a fantastic Disney movie from years past called “The Biscuit Eater” in which a young boy takes in a non-descript pup and trains him for field trials, in direct competition with his well-known father, and his champion English Setter. While the movie features the dogs, the real storyline is that with hard work a young boy is able to gain his father’s respect, and make him proud, as his pup “Moreover” becomes as fine of a bird dog as any in the land. In the 1972 version of the movie the dog depicted on the screen is a liver drathaar. In this, real-life, version of the story, the dog was a liver pudelpointer named “Romo”, his owner was seven year old Hunter Farris, and his grandfather is Bob Farris of Cedarwood Kennels. By any standard, the hard work, which young Hunter put in with his pup Romo, led them to achievements which not only made his grandfather proud, but also has benefited the greater pudelpointer community immeasurably.
Romo was born on April 15, 2011, in Florida, as part of the first litter for Dr. John Salassa’s Hidden Acres Kennel. Dr. Salassa had previously attained a Utility Prize II on Romo’s mother, Oxbow’s Bailey of Hidden Acres. He would choose to breed Bailey to the fantastic stud dog, Blackhawk’s Augustus McCray in an effort to create a very strongly linebred litter. This pairing created a power house pedigree which continues to be push our breed forward to this day. Romo’s father, Augustus McCray was a pheasant hunting specialist whose story of hunting alongside falcons was previously depicted in this series. His Utility prized mother was a littermate to the great Oxbow’s Big Gun (UT 204), also featured in this series. After weening the pups, Dr. Salassa brought several of them to the West to deliver them to clients. The first stop was reportedly in Boise, Idaho where Hunter first got to meet the litter of pups. Seven year old Hunter reportedly took the job of choosing the top pup in the litter very seriously. He set up a test whereby he took the pups to his grandparents’ in-ground pool and tossed a tennis ball. Only one of the pups took the leap of faith after the ball. “I want that one Grandpa!” Naming a pup is always a deeply personal choice and following Rocky Balboa’s lead, young Hunter named his pup after his favorite football player, Tony Romo.
Seven year old Hunter reportedly took the lead in training and handling young Romo for his Natural Ability Test, scoring 108 points and a Prize 1 under the watchful eye of Sr. Judge, Steve Kane. Hunter and Mr. Kane reportedly hit it off so well that “Big Steve”, as Hunter would christen him, agreed to return the following year if Hunter would run his pup in a Utility test. By that time Romo had grown into a two and a half year old thoroughbred who likely had more horsepower than an eight year old boy could handle successfully to Utility standards. As such, his grandfather, Bob Farris, assisted Hunter in handling Romo through his Utility Test. At that point in time, Bob Farris had successfully handled several dozen pudelpointers to Utility titles however only one had achieved a maximum, 204 point score (Cedarwoods Prince from Zoey). On October 4, 2013 Romo, with eight year old Hunter at his side, would also achieve a maximum 204. Hunter had matched his grandfather’s biggest accomplishment and had brought our Biscuit Eater analogy full circle!
For the next ten years Romo led the life which nearly all other gun dogs are envious of. While testing dogs is meaningful, these dogs live to hunt, and few dogs were given more opportunities to hunt than Hidden Acres Atlas. Year after year, Romo was able to hunt throughout Idaho and several other western states’ long hunting seasons for waterfowl and upland birds, all the while sleeping in bed with Hunter each night. That is certainly a life well lived.
Romo was a dog with an explosive water entry and his desire to pursue crippled ducks made him a brag waterfowl dog. This was true not only in October but straight through Idaho’s Snake River December and January hunts. However, as good as he was as a water dog, his real claim to fame was that he possessed as much natural point, steadiness, and style as any pudelpointer. He likely inherited these traits from his famous father, Blackhawk’s Augustus McCray, who was known to remain steady as his hunting partner, a free flying falcon, would knock birds out of the air in front of him. Bob is confident that Romo was so talented, so smart, and so cooperative, that he would have been able to run a Utility Test, on any given day, even when he was 12 years old, and likely would have received another Prize I.
While it would be natural for a breeder to promote dogs which carry their kennel name, Bob Farris is quick to say that Romo was as complete a dog as has ever graced Cedarwood Kennels. The willingness of a prominent breeder to give credit to another is a testament not only to Bob Farris but also to the cooperative nature NAPPA breeders foster with one another in an effort to pursue the dream of create the best hunting pudelpointers in the world. Recognizing that Romo was an exceptionally talented dog, he was promoted as a stud dog, often to the detriment of other top scoring, Utility titled, males who carried the Cedarwoods name. Romo would end up being utilized by seven separate kennels with simply spectacular results. As many know, in the NAVHDA Natural Ability Test a dog can score a maximum of 112 points. Romo’s progeny report shows that he had 70 puppies tested in Natural Ability with the average being 106.2 points. The top 69 scoring puppies averaged a truly amazing 107.4 points. As great as that is, it is likely exceeded by the fourteen sons, and daughters, who stepped up to run the NAVHDA Utility Test, where they averaged a remarkable 190 points.
There are very few pudelpointers who have ever contributed more to our breed, as a producer, than Hunter Farris’ Romo. Romo’s standout pups include two Versatile Champions, VC Cedarwoods Pi P R Texas, and VC Cedarwoods Kaykie’s Pard. In addition, current stud dogs, Cedarwoods Essence of Turk (UT Prize I), Cedarwoods Cowboy Oakley (UT Prize I), Cedarwoods Jethro Gibbs (UT Prize I), Hard Trigger’s Lone Star (UT 197 Prize II), and Cedarwoods Kaiser (UT 191 Prize II) are all being utilized to further Romo’s genetics. In addition to VC Cedarwoods Pi P R Texas, two additional Romo daughters have also left their mark upon our breed with Prairie Trout’s Rambunkous (UT Prize I) and Cedarwoods Fearless Diva (UT Prize I) producing multiple pups themselves that have achieved at all levels, including VC, in NAVHDA.
Looking back at Hunter and Romo’s journey, Bob Farris leaves no doubt that, just like the famous dog trainer in the Biscuit Eater, he is supremely proud of what his grandson, and his pool jumping puppy, were able to accomplish. Furthermore, the rest of the pudelpointer community owes a debt of gratitude to these two, as their efforts have made such a positive impact on our beloved breed that we should all continue to benefit from for years to come. As is always the case, a dog such as Romo, is the product of the genetics found within their pedigree, coupled with proper training. If you wish to learn more about the breeders who continue to work with these genetics please visit the North American Pudelpointer Alliance website at https://pudelpointer-alliance.com/breeders.
Cedarwoods Calendar Girl Cally
NA112 UT / 189 Prize II
Throughout the history of performance dog breeding it has been accepted that in order to produce successively better dogs, only above average performing animals should be utilized for breeding. In doing so many dogs stand out from their peers as not only great performers, but exceptionally good producers. These dogs end up being utilized by many kennels as they have proven the axiom that a rising tide lifts all boats. In the NAVHDA German Shorthaired Pointer world it is hard not to notice the impact of Dual Champion, Hillhaven Hustler, as his blood has served a foundational role for an overwhelming number of top kennels. For wirehairs, VC Ken Vospet would be an excellent example of a dog who has been responsible for helping to raise the breed to the level it is currently enjoying.
The rarest of these dogs however is not a stud dog, but rather a “blue hen”. That is a female whom who, as Bob Whele once said “could be bred to a fence post and still produce great puppies”. Cedarwoods Calendar Girl is the definition of a blue hen, and over twenty years after her last litter, her influence continues to provide a conspicuous path for breeders to follow. As we will discuss, Cally is, without a doubt, the most influential pudelpointer in North American History.
Before we attempt to justify that admittedly bold statement, lets explain just how lucky the pudelpointer world was to ever have Cally. Bob Farris reports that Cally’s sire, Adonis v. Shulkey was roundly considered to be an exceptional hunting dog. Adonis was reportedly owned by one of Bodo Winterhelt’s clients, however Bodo retained the breeding rights. Legend has it, fearing that breeding Adonis would result in a change in his personality, the owner reportedly lied to Bodo and stated that the dog’s hips had been tested and found evidence of hip dysplasia. When the owner passed away his wife gave the then nine year old Adonis back to Bodo along with OFA paperwork indicating that his hips were just fine! Bodo then used his considerable influence to convince Bob Farris to breed his Utility prized female, Haverhill’s Aleeta, to the unproven Adonis. Bodo is rightly applauded for the many things he has done, not only for the pudelpointer but also the greater versatile dog community, however this seemingly innocuous act would undoubtedly be one of his most meaningful.
So how can one justify the admittedly bold statement that Cedarwoods Calendar Girl is the most influential pudelpointer in North American history? The answer is quite simple actually. Her blood has flowed through the veins of more, great pudelpointers than any other dog, male or female, in North American history. Consider that to date, there have been a total of 42 pudelpointers who have attained the title of NAVHDA Versatile Champion. Over 73% (31/42) of those VC’s were descendants of Cally! A more in depth analysis of these dogs is even more revealing. For you see, Cally’s influence on these dogs was not that of some unimportant dog, forgotten and minimized in the pedigree. Using Breedmate software one is able to determine the genetic contribution Cally has made to each of these outstanding dogs. This calculation is known as Wright’s Coefficient of Relationship. The average Correlation of Relationship (COR) between Cally and these 31 VC’s is an astonishing 24%! For reference, in a complete outcross breeding a grandparent will give a COR of 25%. This high COR isn’t simply a function of highly successful dogs who may have seen their prime a decade, or more, ago. The 2022 NAVHDA Invitational saw six new VC’s crowned and all six were descended from Cally! Twenty one years after her last litter, Cally contributes a COR of 27% to newly crowned, 2022 VC Safari South Axel, while she contributes a COR of 23% to VC High Standard’s Good Boy Charles! Lastly, the thirty one VC’s who descended from Cally, represent sixteen separate kennels, demonstrating that Cally’s impact truly reaches all corners of North America.
Looking beyond NAVHDA it is believed that only three pudelpointers have obtained a National Shoot To Retrieve Championship. Those dogs, VC Cedarwoods Man o’ War, Ripsnorter’s Shoot and Miss, and Windy Sage High Roller are all descendants of Cally. It is further believed that there have been only two pudelpointers which have obtained a UKC Hunting Retriever Championship. Those two dogs, VC Cedarwoods Man o’ War and Tall Timber’s Backwater Deacon also carry Cally’s blood.
Speaking of Man o’ War, he is the only dog in history, regardless of breed, to have obtained a NAVHDA Versatile Championship, a UKC Hunting Retriever Championship, and a National Shoot To Retrieve Championship. He is perhaps the greatest testament to the legacy to his grandmother, as he carried a 50% COR! As is always the case, a dog such as Cally, was the product of the genetics found within their pedigree, coupled with proper training. If you wish to learn more about the breeders who continue to work with these genetics, please visit the North American Pudelpointer Alliance website at https://pudelpointer-alliance.com/breeders.
Oxbow’s Big Gun
NA 112 / UT 204 “Goat”
The story of the development and life of Oxbow’s Big Gun is best told through his shared history with his owner, Lucas Kennedy. Lucas reports that while in college, in Montana, he was introduced to the world of pointing dogs through vizslas and shorthairs and seeing those dogs transform from full sprint to stone left a great impression upon him. Although Lucas wished to get his own pointing dog at that time, flight school, and a fifteen month deployment to Iraq would put his plans on hold. During this time however, Lucas states that he was researching the various versatile breeds and landed upon the pudelpointer as the best fit for his upland and waterfowl needs.
Upon returning from his deployment, Lucas stated that he began contacting various breeders and settled upon Oxbow Kennel and their “B” litter. This litter paired Cedarwoods EZ Top, who was previously featured in this series, and Killbuck’s Legendary Luna a 200 point Utility Prize 1 female. An examination of Goat’s pedigree provides an easy explanation as to why he would be destined to create a lasting legacy. Goat’s Coefficient of Inbreeding is 16.5% which would make him a solidly linebred dog. While great dogs do come from outcrossed pairings, the odds tilt heavily in the favor of the pup whose ancestors were both related and above average performers, and Goat’s pedigree reads like a who’s who of the foundational dogs from the influential Cedarwood kennel.
Through using BreedMate software, NAPPA members are able to calculate the Coefficient of Relationship for a dog. This calculation is the percentage of genes an ancestral dog contributes to a pup. Consider for a moment the Coefficient of Relationship for some of the dogs in Goat’s Pedigree…
- Cedarwoods Quincy Dan – COR 48% – UT Prize III with multiple NSTRA 1st place wins
- Cedarwoods First Offense – COR – 53% – UT Prize II, 1st Place NSTRA wins
- Cedarwoods Zinfindel – COR 53% – UT Prize 1 – sister to First Offense
- Cedarwoods Calendar Girl – COR 38% – UT Prize 1- the most influential pudelpointer in history
- Cedarwoods Amadaus – COR 43% – UT Prize 1/ multiple 1st place NSTRA wins and once described by Bodo Winterhelt as the best pudelpointer in North America
- Cedarwoods Image of Jake – COR 48% UT Prize 1
This incredibly strong pedigree no doubt played a role in a first time versatile dog trainer / handler taking this young pup to maximum Natural Ability and Utility test scores. This is all the more remarkable as Goat’s foundational training was interrupted by a second deployment to Iraq, and Lucas reports that it actually was his wife, Leah, who was able to handle Goat to his maximum 112 Natural Ability title, while he was overseas. Lucas said to us, “I will never forget the call to her that day from Iraq and hearing his score.”
Lucas has many wonderful memories to share about Goat and his hunting adventures. When Goat was only five months old he found himself left behind, at home, while Lucas hunted waterfowl with an experienced Labrador retriever. Lucas states that during the course of the hunt he sailed a wigeon which pitched down a couple hundred yards away at the end of the waterway. After an unsuccessful search for the duck with the Lab, Lucas drove home and retrieved the pup, who would end up tracking the wigeon a full 150 yards away from the water and into a stand of cedar trees where the bird was recovered. Lucas told us, “I knew I had a bird dog at this point and everything I had read about PPs game finding ability and dedication to recovery of dead and wounded game was true.”
For some, naming a dog is a mere afterthought, while to others it is a decision with which great thought is put in and the decision imparts a special, personal, meaning to the owner. For Goat it seems to be a mixture of both. Lucas explained, “Big Gun” was my battalion’s call-sign while flying during that deployment. You can probably find many veterans out there that would recognize “Big Gun” as the Apache Helicopters that supported them above Bagdad during “The Surge” in Iraq.” The name “Goat” would seem to have, perhaps, slightly less significance… “I always knew I wanted to call him Goat due to the beard, Billy Goat’s Gruff or Goatee”…
Given the nature of being in a military family, Goat has had the opportunity to hunt in a myriad of different states, on many different species of birds, in varying terrain. Lucas can recall nine separate States Goat has hunted and eleven separate species of uplands birds successfully harvested. Lucas believes that Goat’s best attribute is that he is able to adapt remarkably fast from one bird to the next, or to a species which is completely new to him. Goat’s hunting adventures were not limited to the water’s edge either. He is among a very select group of North American dogs who have retrieved the triple crown of North American teal (Greenwing, Bluewing, and Cinnamon), in addition to puddle ducks and multiple species of pochards.
As a producer Goat has left a very large mark upon our breed. He has been utilized by seven different kennels and has had a total of forty offspring who have run in a sanctioned NAVHDA Natural Ability Test. The average of those forty dogs is 106.7 points! Thirty nine of the forty pups have passed that test. This is all the more impressive considering only one of the females he was paired with, Paladin’s All In, had obtained a Utility title herself! The most successful of Goat’s prodigy likely are Jackson Creek’s Capt Call, a 112 point NA dog / 204 Utility dog, and Shore Things Bluewater Augustus, a 112 point NA dog / 198 Prize 1 Utility Dog. Hopefully these two outstanding male dogs will continue their family’s legacy and leave a mark for themselves in the pedigrees of the future.
Amazingly, Goat is still by Lucas’s side, at fourteen years of age, although he has been retired from the field. Lucas sums up the impact Goat has made upon him and his family as “Goat has been the “Dog of a Lifetime” for me and one that I will measure all others against.” Every serious sportsman should not only have the chance to own such a dog, but also the insight recognize such a dog, for what they are, before they are left with just an empty collar, fading pictures, and fond memories.
As is always the case, a dog such as Goat, is the product of the genetics found within their pedigree, coupled with proper training. If you wish to learn more about the breeders who continue to work with these genetics, please visit the North American Pudelpointer Alliance website at https://pudelpointer-alliance.com/breeders.
CHAJRA ZE STRAZISTSKYCH LESU
The spirit of NAPPA is found within the principal that there is a collection of performance minded breeders who are all willing to work cooperatively by sharing not only advice, expertise, and experiences, but also the genetics of their dogs to help improve others. Working cooperatively has proven to be the most effective way for our members to move not only their individual kennels forward, but also the breed in general. An early example of this cooperative spirit can be found between North American Breeders, Bill Athens of Killbuck Kennels, Bob Farris, of Cedararwoods Kennels, and Jiri Hrbek in the Czech Republic. The current landscape of the pudelpointer, in North America, has undoubtedly been shaped by multiple dogs which Jiri Hrbek has sent across the “Pond”. It was this cooperative spirit that led a dog called Chajra Ze Strazistskych Lesu to have found her way 4,500 miles to Strongsville, Ohio. It is rare that a female dog is able to contribute as significant of an impact upon a breed as a stud dog, for obvious reasons. Chajra Ze Strazistskych Lesu is one such dog and all North American breeders of pudelpointers owe a debt of gratitude to Jiri Hrbek for sending her to Ohio.
Chajra’s (pronounced Kyra) mother, Heidi Ze Strazistskych Lesu, was imported from the Czech Republic in 2004 by Bill Athens along with Chajra’s uncle, Hery Ze Strazistkych Lesu, who would become a top stud dog at Cedarwoods Kennel. Both Hery and Heidi reportedly passed the Czech Republic’s version of our Invitational Test, the Memorial, and while both have contributed mightily to our North American dogs, it was Jiri Hrbeck’s pick of Heidi’s European litter, Chajra, who would ultimately have the biggest footprint here in North America. In 2005 Jiri allowed Chajra to join Bill Athens’ Killbuck Kennel as a fully finished gun dog. Working with pudelpointers for over 37 years now, Bill acknowledges that Chajra may have left the biggest mark for his Killbuck Kennel. He simply states “She was a great dog!”
Without question, Chajra has been one of our breed’s most outstanding female producers. Given the strength of her European pedigree one would expect that she would only be paired with North America’s top tier stud dogs. She was bred primarily to two such stud dogs, Killbuck’s Hogan and Cedarwood’s First Offense. Her offspring averaged 104 points in NAVHDA Natural Ability Testing. At the NAVHDA Utility level, Chajra’s pups really shined with a remarkable six of the pups running a total of fifteen times. Remarkably, fourteen of these fifteen tests resulted in a passing score, with an average of 184 points! Chajra’s has produced four Utility Prize 1 dogs; Killbucks Owyhee Playgirl, Killbucks Ruff N Ready, Killbucks Skyler, and Versatile Champion, Killbuck’s Ravella Mocha. These dogs, along with her other Utility titled offspring, have continued to improve the pedigrees of dogs throughout North America.
As is always the case, a dog such as Chajra, is the product of the genetics found within their pedigree, coupled with proper training. If you wish to learn more about the breeders who continue to work with these genetics, please visit the North American Pudelpointer Alliance website at https://pudelpointer-alliance.com/breeders.