2015 American Brittany Club Central Futurity 2015 | Page 40

With the entry paid and the running order in hand, drawing the (lucky) 13th brace on day 3 was
going to give us a chance to really get “Dubb” fired up for his next performance. Day one the
gallery was treated to great performances from 3 posted dogs, from OR, GA and IL. On day two we
saw several more fabulous performances and 3 more posted dogs from IL, PA and CA. We would be
up first thing in the morning of the third day. The breakaway was at 8:15 with a light frost covering
the ground. Our brace mate was a nice dog from MI that had been dropped down from the 3rd brace
to fill a spot left vacant by our brace mate. Our first find was a covey on the edge of the property
followed by 3 more finds and a run that kept building as the hour wore on. We got to see many great
performances, but “Dubb” would be the posted dog from day 3. On day 4, we were treated to
several great performances and the “Runner Up” from CT. At the end of the event, “Dubb’s”
performance was the one to beat out of 47 starters and he would be crowned the “Winner” for a
second time.
We floated back home to Illinois wondering what else could be in store for us. Now
having two of the “Bronze Brittany” trophies on the mantle, we would obviously have a target on
our back at the next regional trial we went to; but we also kept remembering what several of our
friends had asked us the first time he won the National Amateur, “How come he is not a Dual
Champion?” The simple answer to that was we had pulled the plug on his show career to
concentrate on his field career. The less simple answer was that whenever I put my hands on him, he
thought we were going to go find birds. He didn’t like to be with me in the show ring and it showed.
So we turned to our friend, mentor and dual proponent Teresa Richmond who was also adamant
about “Dubb” capping his career with a show title, and did just that 7 weeks after the Nationals
making him the 526th Brittany Dual Champion. Thus ended his AKC title search with the
surname/registered name of 2xNAGDC/DC/AFC Clyde’s Double Trouble, but he still preferred to
be in the field and simply answered to “Dubb”. He would go on to be a serious threat at most
regional events, and put up several more solid performances at the National Amateur Gun Dog
Championship. In 2010, I would get to sing “WWHHHOOO DDOOGG” to him for the last time at
Ionia, finishing off what we called his yearlong farewell tour. He remained our “go to” dog when
hunting or training underlings until his death in August, 2013. His final resting spot is justly marked
by a flush of native grasses and forbs in the cool shade of blue spruce, a perfect place to find a
bouquet of pheasants, if it were not lawn decoration in the back yard.
Owning a dog that was named a National
Champion (or a dog who has achieved any
AKC Title) is an honor and equally the
breeding, training and handling of that dog is
the greatest satisfaction. We give credit to the
ABC Futurity Committee and the Board of
Directors who had the insight to split the
Futurity into all age and gun dog
competitions. This has given all of us a
chance to showcase our programs in preferred
formats. In our case it also helped us pick out
a national caliber dog.
Anyone who says they are breeding for the
betterment of the breed should be showcasing their litters in the ABC Futurity. This is not just a
breeder’s event, but should include breeders encouraging puppy buyers (no matter what level of
interest) to compete in the forum of their choice. This level of competition is a good gauge for
breeders and the end result is good for the breed. You never know when one of the Futurity
Nominated puppies may end up a National Champion, a Futurity Winner, or any of a multitude of
AKC Champions tomorrow. Just ask Todd and Sari Breitenfeldt or Melody Edwards, co- owners of
the ABC 2011 Western Futurity Dual Dog Award and the Brittany worlds 627th Dual Champion
(and son of “Dubb”) DC Warbonnet’s Orion In The Big Sky, JH, or any other Futurity winner (AllAge, Gun Dog, or Show) from any year.

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