DOB: January 14, 1962
"Tony"
Tony was Margie Johnson's pick from a litter of eight, and with excellent Field Trial bloodlines, he would later produce three Field Champions. He was a natural leader and showed it in his actions as a pup, always leading the others in the things pups do.
He was a farm raised dog, hunting and retrieving wild birds, until a man who'd bought two of Tony's littermates for field trial competition suggested Tony and Margie compete in the derby at the Nebraska Dog & Hunt Club fun trial in that spring. The pair showed up and somehow Tony was awarded a Judge's Award of Merit in the derby and Margie was hooked on field trials. The friend's advice had been to not start training one's retriever until it was a year old. Tony was already 15 months old, but was started training for the derby trials. Tony ran 9 licensed derbys and accumulated 25 points, with three wins in succession.
After the Derby, Tony went right into the Amateur. Margie didn't realize dogs went from Derby to Qualifying, but in his second Amateur, Tony placed second, so no Qualifying. Tony did well in Amateur and was the youngest dog in the ' 65 National Amateur. Unfortunately a wild duck ended his fun in the ninth series.
Tony ran about ten trials a year and accumulated 175 career all-age points. Margie says that she couldn't have done it without advice from D. L. Walters on how to train for the Open Stakes.
On his own time, Tony loved to hunt anything; whether it was a pheasant, duck, mouse, rabbit, porcupine, frog, or a fish. He even brought Margie a live snake once. Even with all his play, Tony was all business in the trials.
He was a very tractable dog and wanted to please. Most of all, Tony was a companion, by Margie's side in her home.
Stats:
- 25 licensed derby points 9 trials
- Youngest dog in '' 65 National Amateur
- Qualified for 13 Nationals
- Awarded James Simpson trophy (trophy for youngest dog in Midwest with the most natural talent.)
- Retired George Holmes Nebraska State Open Championship trophy.
- 175 All-age points
