On Feb. 13, 2010 Wally & Thorne got to participate in the Charleston Retriever Club's HRC Hunt Test. It snowed 4-6 inches the evening before and they were still able to hold the event. Since this is South Carolina, this was our first experience with snow at a Hunt Test and chances are we won't see many more. This one was a blast! Hats off to the Charleston Retriever Club, the bird boys couldn't get there and I saw wives of members and lots of other folks pitching in to get this test going. Photograph by Joey Edens.
The 2009 Palmetto Retriever Club Annual Awards Banquet became one of the most exciting events of their dog competing days for Wally and Angie Elliott of Elliott Labradors. Four of their six Labradors received honors and awards. The most coveted awards being with HR Elliott's Carolina "Thorne" MH, CGC (pictured above) being awarded both 2009 PRC Master Hunter of the Year Award and 2009 PRC Overall Dog of the Year Award.
On January 30, 2010 the Palmetto Retriever Club announced the 2009 Senior Hunter of the Year Award. We are pleased to report that this year's recipient is Elliott's Amazing "Grace" of Diamond E SH, CGC. We were especially pleased with Grace's performances in 2009. We hope 2010 will provide more pleasant surprises.
This is Grace with her intense "OK, I'm next to the line" look. Photo courtesy of Gordon Dorsey. He and his wife Susan are Hunt Test buddies of ours and they have some very nice Chesapeakes.
Two more of Elliott's Labradors were recognized at the 2009 Palmetto Retriever Club Annual Awards Banquet. Elliott's "Dixie" Lou MH (left) and HRCH Elliott's Rockin "Roxy" MH, CGC (right) tied for the Master Hunter of the Year Runner-Up Award.
Sometimes we get all wrapped up in the seriousness of competing and training and forget to show some of the fun stuff we experience with our dogs. Here grace is shown with her Christmas stocking which she showed to every customer that came to our business and every guest that came to our home over the Christmas holidays. I f Grace has any say, this stocking probably will not be put away with the other decorations after Christmas.
2009 MASTER NATIONALS
After you run the first series at the Master National you go by the photo tent for your official MN photograph. The day before this picture was taken this area looked a lot different. A monsoon came the night before and the lake you see behind the MN sign was mostly land. Angie was as wet as Roxy........and this was a land series. You have to play with the cards you are dealt so my tip after all this is: Train in the rain on occasion, the dogs do react differently in adverse weather conditions.
2009 MASTER NATIONALS
Thorne had a ball in the mud and rain. You can't tell in the picture but they are in a pretty steady drizzle here
2009 MASTER NATIONALS
Dixie is the daughter of Roxy and sister to Thorne who are shown in the pictures above.
We were blessed to be the guest of Rose and Royce Witte of the Homestead Ranch in Giddings, TX during the 2 weeks of the 2009 Master National Event. They are a great couple and Texas should be very proud to have them serve as ambassadors. We also got to train with Ron Beck of Hunter's Trace Kennels (Wyoming), Katie and Tom Quarles of Autumn Retrievers (Washington State), James and Dorothy Lowery, Michelle Love, Steve, Dan, Drew, Dr. Christine, Jean and Tony from all over the rest of the U.S. We brought back a lot of great memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
Angie and Thorne try to calm their nerves just before heading for the line of holding blinds at the 2009 Master Nationals.
Pre-Master National training in Texas was a lot of fun. Most landscapes included rolling pastures, oak trees, ponds and cattle of course.
AKC Judges Michelle Love and Robert Rasco pose for a shot with Angie and Grace after presenting Grace with her Senior Hunter title in October, 2009.
Dogs introduce you to the nicest people. Jim Harvey, a professional photgrapher and businessman from Florida was at this hunt test and shot this picture of Angie and Roxy. Jim was in the same Master flight with us and had a real nice male black Lab, JT's Missing Element (Carbon).
Grace made her Show Debut in Atlanta in September, 2009. She won her class on Saturday and Sunday and went Reserve Winner on Saturday. See "Brags" page for details.
Bob Redfern of Bob Redfern's Outdoor TV Show was on site to film our opening day dove hunt again this year (2009) and also a special segment on our three dogs that qualified for the 2009 Master National Retriever Event in Texas. Look in our links page for his web site which will give you the times and channels that his show airs. I normally catch it on Sunday mornings at 7:45 on Fox Sports South. Purina is one of his major sponsors and at some point during the show you'll see the Purina commercial which features Angie and some of our Labs.
Pictured above are Lee Inman, Bob Redfern, Pete Guzik and Jay Hammett and our Labs. These guys were special guest and joined Bob on the hunt. They represented Spartan Fire and Emergency Apparatus, inc. of Spartanburg, SC.
Thanks to Ben Hucks and all the gang at Mountaintop Custom Kennels for exceeding all of our expectations in our new trailer. They made sure that every little custom idea we had was taken care of. Great service!
Our dogs are really enjoying the Air Conditioning, the (2) awnings, the massive air flow and all that insulation that Mountaintop put in this trailer. It makes a big difference on those hot July days in South Carolina.
Angie tosses a "duck" for Thorne, Roxy and Grace during an honoring drill at a retriever demonstration for the Camp Bob Cooper 4H camp. The event was sponsored by the Carolina Retriever Association.
It's June and the opening day of dove season will be here before you know it!
The 2009 Master Nationals--------It's a family thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Elliott Labradors of the Diamond E Farm is excited to have daughter, mom and son headed for Texas. ( L to R) Elliott's "Dixie" Lou MH , HRCH Elliott's Rockin' "Roxy" MH, CGC and HR Elliott's Carolina "Thorne" MH, CGC have qualified to participate in the Master National Retriever Event in Giddings, Texas. Dixie and Thorne are littermates and Roxy is their mom.
2009 Delta Waterfowl Mid Atlantic Retriever Championship
Elliott's Amazing "Grace"-------Handled by Angie Elliott
Runner Up------Hunter Division
Sponsors: Delta Waterfowl, Feather Creek Farms, Boykin Rod & Gun, Allen Bliven Calls & Lonesome Pine Kennels
This is our "Grace's" mom. Her name is HR Rhumbline's Topsail "Schooner" MH, CC . She is shown here working on her "side job" as a model for the Ralph Lauren Company. She is featured in several of their ads.
This is another shot of "Schooner" modeling with her little Ralph Lauren co-workers.
(L to R) Dixie, Roxy, Grace and Thorne take a break at a recent Hunt Test at the H. Cooper Black Field Trial Facility. All but Grace (13 months old) have qualified for the 2009 Master National Retriever Event in Texas this year.
Angie receives the second place ribbon and silver engraved cup from Glenn Conney at the Delta Waterfowl Mid Atlantic Retriever Championship. Angie and Grace had a fantastic weekend at Feather Creek Farms in Greenville, NC which is where the event was held. The grounds were great and provided for some very challenging test.
The Delta Waterfowl Mid Atlantic Retriever Championship was a huge challenge for Angie and Grace. Nevertheless, they overcame the odds of being the only lady competing and the youngest dog competing and took second place in the Hunter Division.
Angie blows her duck call to start the action in the second series of the Delta Waterfowl Mid Atlantic retriever Championship.
Chris Adams and our "Thorne" were finalist in the Delta Waterfowl Mid Atlantic Retriever Championship.
Little Eli Adams watches his dad work "Thorne" in the first series of the Delta Waterfowl Mid Atlantic Retriever Championship.
This photograph of "Dixie" being handled by Angie was a full page photo in the May/June 2009 issue of JUST LABS Magazine. It was taken at a Kristie Wilder Training Retreat (http://www.retrieverretreat.com/home/) by Chip Laughton who is a Professional Photgrapher with a special eye for dog shots. See http://www.daysafieldphotography.com/about.html
for more info on Chip's work.
This is a Rhumbline Retriever photo of Grace and her litter mates. Can you guess which one Grace is?
This picture was sent to us on Grace's birthday. It's from Susan Carpenter of Rhumbline Retrievers in New York which is where Grace was born. These are litter mates of Grace and also her mom (the embarassed one in the center). They all lived close enough to the Rhumbline Retriever facility to get together for some birthday well wishing. Grace and and two pups from Washington state and one pup from New Jersey missed the birthday photo shoot due to travel constraints. Sue gave me a rundown on this group of pups and several are involved in different venues of competition including Hunt Test, Agility and Obedience. Best of all, they are all great representatives of the breed. See more info on Rhumbline Retrievers on our "Links" page.
Angie and "Grace" in Lindon, NC after they were presented with their AKC Junior Hunter Title. Grace is 11 months old here.
Who needs to kill a duck when you've got one of your favorite girls snuggled up beside you on a cool winter morning in a cypress swamp?
Wally and "Roxy" begin gathering the "tools" after a Lake Mattamuskeet big field hunt.
We were recently honored by having Bob Redferns's Outdoor Magazine TV Show film a segment on our Labradors and our opening day dove hunt. We had the opportunity to share a training session and then we went over to the dove field for a really good hunt. This is a great show and you can get more info on their show from our "LINKS" page.
Roxy and Wally get an autograph from "The Man" (Phil Robertson). We attended a recent Duck Commander testimony at a local church and it was pretty powerful. If he's ever in your area you really need to attend.
Judges Anne Evans and Garry Clark present Angie and "Grace" with their AKC Junior Hunter Title ribbon.
Roxy is shown here making a quick return to setup for her triple.
Wally and "Thorne" just after "Thorne" was awarded his AKC Master Hunter Title.
Angie receives "Thorne's" AKC Master Hunter title ribbon from AKC Master Hunter judge Davis Byrd. Chris Adams was "Thorne's" handler.
The "Timber Stand" simulator adds a little fun twist to training for us and the dogs. It's becoming more common at Hunt Test events as well.
Angie always said that she felt "Dixie" had lots of potential.On 12-7-08 she proved herself right. Chris Adams handled "Dixie" in her first AKC Master Hunt Test and she passed. She was the only documented dog to "line the blind" in the tough second series.
I promise, There's a big ole' fat green head out there somewhere!
Grace at 8 months is shown here training from the Final Attack Duck Boat.
Grace adapted to hunting from the Avery dog blind realy quick.
Hoss and Roxy assume their position in the Go-Devil Floating Blind.
Thorne and Wally wait their turn during Thorne's AKC CGC Test. Thorne made us all proud by successfully passing all 10 requirements and earning his CGC.
Thorne is really a mama's boy!
We were proud to be a part of the Chris Adams / Whitehouse Kennels Team at the 2007 Master Nationals in Virginia.
Roxy is super at making new friends. She had a great time with the Drake boys on this hunt.
All hunts are good..........but some are better than others. Thanks to Lee "The Duck Guide" White for his uncanny ability to pinpoint birds and putting Anson and myself in "the hole" on this crisp January norning.
It doesn't get more serious than this!
Chris Adams of White House Kennels and "Dixie" reload gear onto our Polaris RZR on one of our duck hunts at Lake Mattamuskeet.
Grace looks at you as if she were saying: Hey.....can I go huntin' today too..............can I......can I.......pretty please!
Angie and "Dixie" at a recent Kristie Wilder training retreat.
Wally and "Duchess" on a dove hunt at the Diamond E Farm.
Family vacation.....Here we come! (L to R) Roxy, Hoss, Thorne, Dixie & Duchess
HRCH ELLIOTT'S ROCKIN' ROXY MH, CGC
Our daughter Jess and her 6 yellow "siblings".
(L to R) Hoss, Roxy, Grace, Duchess, Dixie & Thorne
