QUEST for PERFECTION: the MAKING of a CHAMPION RET R IEVER by JOSEPH BALLARINI photos by CHIP LAUGHTON e quest for perfection began over two decades ago when American entrepreneur Randall Rollins, a lifelong upland bird hunter, was on an English driven shoot. Rollins noticed that British Labrador retrievers differed om American-born-and-trained dogs; the divergence was most prominent, he believed, in the behavior of the animals and how much more relaxed the British dogs were than their cousins across the Atlantic. 80 STRUNG MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2019 STRUNG MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2019 81
Transcript
QUEST for PERFECTION: the MAKING of a
CHAMPION RETRIEVERby JOSEPH BALLARINI
photos by CHIP LAUGHTON
The quest for perfection began over two decades ago when American entrepreneur Randall Rollins, a lifelong
upland bird hunter, was on an English driven shoot. Rollins noticed that British Labrador retrievers differed from
American-born-and-trained dogs; the divergence was most prominent, he believed, in the behavior of the animals and how much more relaxed the British dogs were than
Rollins explored training tactics and breeding selection with his British colleagues, and they apparently discerned his genuine fondness for these animals. Shortly thereafter, a gift arrived from England: a British Lab that Rollins named Pete. Pete was the genesis of perhaps the most extensive retriever data-collection effort in the world. Pete was Rollins’ Fountainhead retriever, the foundation that has created a unique breeding program that has set the standard for dog breeding throughout North America.
Fast forward through several generations of scientifically-applied animal husbandry and you will find Gus, a yellow Lab with a sweet and gentle disposition and a muscular, well-proportioned physique resembling those of his British ancestors. Gus’ disposition is calm and biddable, and he has a keen nose. Gus was the result of selective breeding, and he was born to be in the field. As Gus was whelped at Blue Cypress Ranch in Central Florida and was so naturally gifted, he was earmarked to compete in Scotland in 2017.
Training in the U.S. is generally an impediment to competing successfully in European trials, which are organized and conducted in a completely different manner from those held in the States. For a two-year-old pup that had only ever known his Central Florida ranch home, disembarking the plane in a different country might as well have been landing on another planet. The smells, the brush, and the soil were entirely different. Every stimulus in Scotland, including the trial itself, was foreign. Others might have questioned his ability to compete, but not his trainers: They had confidence in their charge’s skills.
Gus did not disappoint.
Despite the alien field trial environment, Gus struck gold in his first British competition, which most deemed an impossible feat. He won two more first-place awards and placed second in six other competitions throughout
the United Kingdom and Ireland. His achievements have yet to be matched by any other American-bred Labrador retriever, and as a result, Gus is recognized as one of the greatest hunting dogs of all time.
Impressive wins for a four-year-old dog.
Gus represents the culmination of more than two decades of research and data combined with a lifetime of observation. Borrowing and enhancing established methods of data collection from their Blue Cypress Ranch cattle program, coupled with the Rollins family’s experience winning the world championship for Tennessee walking horses, the Labrador retriever kennel program has compiled detailed records on field trial dogs from British Lab breeders worldwide. Tangible data points include mating records, progeny results, medical records along bloodlines, competition results, and physical characteristics like height and weight, along with intangible characteristics such as life expectancy, demeanor, and temperament. The Blue Cypress Kennels’ database is comparable to ones used by a human fertility specialist. In fact, since dog breeding programs face no privacy concerns, Blue Cypress Kennels’ research may be even more complete. The dogs bred at Blue Cypress are not genetically modified or altered in any way; rather, they are the product of meticulous attention, impeccable planning, and a touch of good luck.
To observe Gus in the field is to see the unflappable focus, precision, and efficiency that sets the dominant athlete—a Michael Jordan—apart from all others in his sport. And as in professional sports, practicing with the most talented athletes will undoubtedly elevate everyone’s game—which probably explains why several other dogs on the ranch show so much promise. Gus and his continuing legacy are the future of Blue Cypress.
This selection and breeding program is stellar, but the upbringing and training these dogs receive is also instrumental to their success. All Blue Cypress employees are passionate wingshooters and dog lovers. Head Trainer Jeremy Criscoe works with every dog from the time they are whelped until they are ready to hunt or compete. Criscoe weans puppies from the dam at about five weeks and prepares them for the training that will begin when they are between 12 and 16 weeks old.
On one day I watched Criscoe finish his daily pre-sunrise Icee-and-donut breakfast. He continued on to review every dog’s specialized diet. When finished, he loaded his truck for a day of training on the ranch’s several thousand acres of prime bobwhite quail habitat. I didn’t know that Criscoe had already loaded six dogs into their kennels. It was almost too quiet—there wasn’t a single bark, whimper, or whine. Gus and Ben were the seasoned dogs, and there were four young dogs beginning their training. With Gus’ ongoing accomplishments as their benchmark, the handlers have raised their expectations for many of the dogs now in training.
The future of Blue Cypress is less of a destination than a journey: Their quest for perfection—in the conditioning and training of new dogs bred from a combination of champion-caliber bloodlines and excellent primary instincts—is tempered with the sober realization that theirs is as much an imperfect art as a perfect science. Still, Rollins and his team plan to continue their quest one champion pup at a time.
Chip Laughton tragically passed away on July 17th, 2019 before the release of this issue featuring his amazing editorial and cover photography. Chip was an outstanding photographer, a good soul and also my friend. We were planning to fish together after this issue was released, but unfortunately, he will only be there in spirit. Rest in peace, buddy.
Contest RulesSubmitted images may be of any dog breed but should be an established birddog breed or, at minimum, in a setting related to upland game or waterfowl hunting. Photos are judged on the basis of overall quality, subject matter, pose, and the overall effectiveness of the ultimate use of the photo as a cover image for a nationally distributed magazine. All photos must be submitted unedited, full size, and full resolution in either RAW, JPEG, or TIFF formats. Images may shared either via Google Drive, Dropbox, Mail Drop, or WeTransfer to [email protected]. Images may also be mailed to our office at 2300 Alton Road, Miami Beach, FL 33140 on a jump drive or disc. Please name your photo with the photographer’s name and dog’s name. Submissions must not be previously published in print or used for social media promotion. Photos are accepted from anywhere in the world.
Strung Magazine reserves the right to offer cash if the winner is in a place that has limited access to USPS, UPS, or FedEx as well as limited or no availability to retail locations.
By submitting your photo to Strung Magazine, you agree to abide by the terms of agreement of our contest. The terms of agreement document is available at strungmag.com/contest.
GRAND PRIZE:$400.00 SportDOG® Gift CertificateOne Year supply of Eukanuba Premium Performance 30/20Orvis Toughchew Comfortfill Bolster Dog Bed$250.00 gift certificate from chewy.comFilson Shelter Cloth Dog Coat
2019 PHOTO CONTEST DETAILS
RUNNER UP:$200.00 SportDOG® Gift CertificateSportDOG Blaze Hat$100.00 Gift Certificate from chewy.comFilson 8 ft. Multi-use dog lead
