The Making of a Dual Champion from a dogs point of view

 

Hi!!!   Supposedly, pending AKC confirmation, I'm the 45th Dual Champion Gordon Setter in the history of the breed in America. People call me Rex and I've been asked to paw-print my story.   I was born on Nov. 22nd of 2000 at Nina Tenaglia's house, so that makes her "my Breeder".   Funny thing about names is that she called me "red" collar.   My daddy is Dual Ch Chaparral XLO Rater Xlent MH who the Voss's call "Rater".   My mother is FC Tarbaby's Magnolia JH who Dan Tenaglia calls Maggie.   So, with all these formal names and prefixes and suffixes with my parents and other ancestors, I had a lot to live up to. 

At the tender age of 8 weeks I was hauled up to Jim Basham's place where Frank Watters bought me.   Oh the indignity of being sold!!! I forgave him because he rubs my belly whenever I want and gives me good ear scratches.    To top that off, he changed my name to Rex.   That's the shortened version of what AKC calls my "registered" name Dual Ch. Tarbaby's Setanta T-Rex JH.      I suppose it is a good thing to be registered but I don't know what that means, and I don't get to vote.  Oh well!!!    

Then it was off to Pittsburgh, Pa. at Frank's house to live and just be a dog.   Then one day Frank gets a call from Dan who invites him to come to a "field trial" being put on by Miami Valley on behalf of GSCA, and to bring me along for a run afterwards.   So, when I'm 6 months old I got to go out and see what field trial grounds were like.   I had a blast!!!   Frank must have as well, especially after seeing and riding a horse to plant birds for the first time in a long time.    So, Frank decided to begin playing the games humans can play with their dogs.   He got sucked into the games so bad that he's secretaried a National Championships Field Trial and Chaired a National Specialty all within 5 years.   

We started off getting a JH title.   Now, that was pretty easy as all one has to do is listen to the handler and let the natural instinct of being a bird dog come through.   I was lucky in the instinct department because my ancestors have had people associated with them that always cared about the inside of the dog as well as the outside.   I did so well that Frank decided to send me off to a more advanced school at Jim Basham's Kennels.   Jim conditioned me and showed me a lot of birds.   OOOOHHH   the delightful addictive smell of birds!!!!   Pheasants, Pigeons and little quails. 

Then we started traveling all over the country going to field trials and getting to run and find birds.   Sometimes I did really well, and eventually got my derby points.   Shortly after that, Frank sent me off to another school with Jean Webb.   Jean continued the "breaking" process in such a way that I wouldn't lose "style"   Soon, I was running in broke dog stakes with the big dogs and being a part of a real team.   Occasionally, I got to smell a woodcock, pheasant, or chukar.   OOOHHH   the delectable smell!!   I kept learning and learning and pretty soon I was starting to bring home some pretty ribbons and rosettes although I kept hearing folks saying that they wanted some blue ones to go along with all of the reds, yellows, and whites I was getting.   Shheeesh, folks can get greedy, LOL!!!  

Well, the only thing left to do was to go out and get those blues for them, so I did.    When I got enough of them, they changed my name again and stuck one of those FC's in front of it.    They say that stands for Field Champion.   Nice to be a Champion at something I guess but all I really care about is birds, and girls.   Both smell oh so good!!!

People are never satisfied, and there are always other games to play.   So, my team of people, and yes it was a team, decided to "show" me.   I get to parade around and look good, get groomed, and show how well I'm built.   Of course, judges also want to see teeth like I'm some slave, but then  most of them give me a good ear scratch.   I like good ear scratches!!!   Pretty soon I'm bringing home blue ribbons and rosettes, and even some purple, and purple and gold ones too!!!  

I heard there were points that go along with these, but I've never seen ‘em.   Points out in the field must be different from points in the show ring.   I didn't have to point in the show ring to get points.   I had to point in the field to get points.   Humans and their games are strange, LOL!!!   Pretty soon I had my majors.   My team kept saying I was nearly there.   Confusing cause I'm here already!!!   Then one day at a show I win again and they make this big fuss over me, and change my name yet again by making that FC into a DC.   That's supposed to stand for Dual Champion.   I heard them saying that it is only the 45th time it has been done in the history of the breed in America.   I had earned a "show" championship to go with my field one and that makes me a Dual like my daddy and his mother, and my 1/2 brother Zuke and nephew Stetson.   My momma had come close, but she always told me just how bad she disliked shows.    

I may be a Black and Tan dog but I didn't want to be the black sheep of the family what with all of their titles and such.   I'm happy that my team helped develop me into something to be proud of.   I've had a lot to live up to.    I have an aunt that was the first setter of any kind to earn agility titles at each level up through Master level, and a grandmother that was a High In Trial obedience dog.   They set the bar very high!!!   But, all I really cared about was birds, girls and getting good ear scratches and belly rubs!!!

 I'd like to thank the folks that have made it all happen for me.   Dan and Nina Tenaglia brought me into this world and have tried to help mentor Frank.   Jim and Bev Basham took great care of me and gave me a great introduction to birds.   Jean and Rob Webb put the polish on my birds skills and guided me through many maturing stages. Cassie Allen also helped develop my bird skills and did a great job with me in the show ring as did Jean. Amy Johnson Edwards "finished" me.   I'd also like to thank all of the bird planters who put birds out for me to find.   I found them!!!   OOOHHH that delightful smell!!!   

 Many horses have helped train me such as George, Tobe, Beau, Steel, Jack, Frieze, Wendy, Scout, and Beau.   I'd particularly like to thank all of my competitors.   When you beat me, you made me get better.   When I beat you, your quality of work made mine more satisfying and meaningful.    Now, it's time to go learn to play other human games, and get more ear scratches!!!   Of course, people will want to change my name again by adding more letters.  

But, I guess that’s OK because my real name will always be Gordon Setter Bird-Dog.