Cotton was a replacement puppy given to Jeff
& Bev Finley after their older brother to Cotton died
in the middle of his Derby career. Jeff ran 19 derbies
with Cotton and earned 46 derby points. Late in his
derby career, he earned 7 Blue Ribbons in a row by winning
5 Derbies and 2 quals. Cotton won his first amateur
at 26 months and was an FC AFC at 3 years of age.
Jeff lost interest in field trialing and Cotton
was a housepet from November 1982 until July 1983,
when Jackie Mertens and Jeff went into a co-ownership
on him. Cotton only ran the fall circuit that year
and earned 39 points including a Doubleheader.
Cotton was always a housepet and never spent a day
in a dog run. He has the High Point Record for any
Golden with 274 1/2 All Age points to his credit.
He is also the only Golden Retriever to ever win the
National Amateur Championship. He was handled to his
NAFC by Jackie of Topbrass Retrievers. He was a finalist
at the 1983 National Open Retriever Championship,
Winner of the 1985 National Amateur Retriever Championship,
and Finalist at the 1986 National Amateur Retriever
Championship. He was also the High Point Amateur dog
in 1984 and again in 1985.
Cotton is the sire of 7 FC or AFC's in the U.S.
and several others in Canada. His name appears in
the pedigrees of many of todays competitive field
trial goldens. Recent linebreedings on Cotton have
produced several promising youngsters currently running
field trials.
Cotton was not only a great competitor, but also
a wonderful family pet to Jeff Finley, Bev Steininger,
and Jackie Mertens. After his retirement at 10 years
of age, he lived with Jeff and Shelley Finley with
occasional visits to Bev's or Jackie's homes. He was
a structurally sound, handsome Golden with a superb
temperament. His legacy lives on in his progeny.
