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.