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National Shoot to Retrieve Association

A BRIEF HISTORY  

    I entered my first field trial in 1981.  From 1981 to 1985 I ran dogs in one format, AKC horseback trials.  Then in 1985 an old friend, Dewey Hicks, suggested I join him up in the Phoenix area to try our dogs in this trial format new to the area, National Shoot to Retrieve Association (NSTRA).  We entered our dogs and the experience opened my eyes to an entirely different game.

    In 1986, for personal reasons, I separated myself from field trialing for three years.  During those years I did a lot of introspection about what sort of dogs I wanted to produce.  As much as I enjoyed the horseback trialing I made the decision that NSTRA, with their format so similar to actual bird hunting, was the type of field trial best able to test my stock.  I wanted to produce dogs which had excellent scenting ability, were very biddable, and had both pointing and retrieving style second t none.  I re-entered the field trial game in 1989 and have been running NSTRA trials ever since. 

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    Rose was our first field champion.  She, as with all our dogs, was championed in the National Shoot to Retrieve Association (NSTRA).  Rose's breeding represented our initial attempt at crossing Moesgaard and Von Grief bloodlines.  She would not be our last.

    Rose had a super blend of hunting instincts perfectly proportioned with scenting ability.  While blessed with good speed, she had the ability to adjust her drive to the scenting conditions.  However, her single greatest feature as a trial dog was her unequaled competitive drive.  Rose was always able to kick it up a notch when braced with another dog.

       Crystal is a Huenenbrink dog through and through.  Strongly laced with Moesgaard blood, her strongest suit is her style both on the move and on point.

    As with all our females, once championed we retire them to the world of bird hunting and raising puppies.  We have always predicated our breed program on the females.  Crystal was the first dog which strongly displayed traits expressed in our Huenenbrink line.  Now 11 years old, Crystal is retired from both trials and breeding.

    Rio, a dog greatly influenced by the Von Grief bloodlines, was sold by Upland Kennel as a puppy.  He is likely the most gifted field trial dog we produced.  Rio's first nine placements were all wins.  To date he is a 4X champion working on his 5th title.  He would figure prominently in our present breed program having been used twice and producing pups from each litter currently working toward their own FC title.

    In many ways, Katy is Rose reincarnate.  With a no-holds-barred attitude, Katy is intimidated by no dog.  Expertly handled by her owner Mike Jepsen, this wonderful female has world class retrieving abilities and a disposition which makes her just a pleasure to be around.  Although now retired, no one ever wanted to be braced with Katy because they knew she would always get her share of birds and at least a couple of yours to boot.

    This champion female, before retired from trials, carried the reputation of being "the dog most delightful to judge".  Daisy, with her 12 o'clock tail and snappy movement, together with an incredibly wonderful sense of bidability, is the sort of dog judges wish they could look at all day long.  She was the overall alpha pup in her litter belying her small 40 pound frame.

    Lefty is the first champion out of Crystal.  He stands at stud at Upland Kennel and is presently being field trialed.  This beautifully muscled dog moves with a grace second to none.  His snappy, well mannered retrieves make him a consistent presences in field trial placements.  A lover at heart, Lefty is a gentleman in the field and has manners in spades.

    Eddie, a full brother to Lefty, wonderfully handled and owned by Bill Ault, recently passed away at the age of four from a porcupine encounter.  Eddie, because of his gorgeous style on point, combined with all his other fine characteristics, was a true threat to win any trial in which he was entered.  He will be missed very, very much by all his many admirers.

    Josie, another champion belonging to Mike Jepsen, is the fourth champion produced by Rose, and will likely be her last.  Of all the dogs produced at Upland Kennel, none have had as great a bird finding ability as Josie.  No matter what the conditions, Josie finds birds.

    Pearl is the most interesting champion on this page.  I ran this great dog for the first couple years of her life.  While she exhibited all the attributes necessary to one day be a champion, Pearl and I were never able to get on the same page at the same time.  Gary Day came to the rescue.  He was able to see more clearly what was necessary to champion this dog and was willing to put forth the effort necessary.  I can in all honesty say, I have never been more happy to list one of the dogs out of our breeding program, and that includes my own dogs,  than I am to list Gary Day with his great champion dog, Pearl.  Congratulations Gary.

    Here at UPLAND KENNEL we are very proud of the champions we have bred and titled.  But even more to the point we are especially proud of being able to produce the sort of dog who can field champion title for others as well.  The number of pups produced by our kennel which have some accumulation of championship points is far too numerous to list.  Others will be added to this page in the not too distant future.

    Our hats are off to all these dogs.  Each has had guidance, but the fact is they are all born and bred champions.  We are simply along for the ride.

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