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Boone joined our family in April 2009 at three years old under the saddest of circumstances . . . his owner, Sharon Rich, passed away due to ovarian cancer at the age of 52. Sharon had owned flat-coats for nearly 20 years, and Boone was her first competition dog. He was the light of her life, and together they finished his Championship at 25 months old over specials for his third major, earned his Rally titles, CGC, and his Working Certificate, and earned two Started Hunting Retriever legs and a Junior Hunter leg. Sharon trained and ran Boone in the WC test while she was on chemo, just a few months before the cancer sadly overtook her. It was Sharon's wish that I take Boone if the worst happened. It is an honor to be entrusted with him, and I am grateful to Sharon's partner and Boone's hunting buddy, Oliver Sibert, for parting with him. Sharon did a wonderful job with Boone's training, and I look forward to the future with my new friend. Sharon's memory will live on through Boone, until they meet again.
Boone descends from all three of my previous flatcoats -- Reggae Rocker, Waylynn, and Cosmo. The breeding of Cosmo (Reggae's grandson) to Katie (Waylynn's daughter) that produced Boone's mother Snicker, who I have twice handled to Judges' Awards of Merit at National Specialties, was the only breeding that brought together both of my related lines. Bringing Boone here, where his mother was conceived, his grandmother Katie was born, and where Waylynn and later Cosmo ran and played, is an extraordinary "flashback" for us. Boone is family, coming home. We shed fresh tears over the tragedy that brought him here, even as we rejoice at his arrival "home".
In June 2009 at the National Specialty in Rhode Island, Boone was only entered in one event, and he won a placement in a large Working Retriever Dogs class under Swedish judge Lena Hagglund (Kennel O'Flanagan).
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In Sept. 2009, at our first performance event together, Boone earned his second Junior Hunter leg. In Oct. he qualifed in a UKC fun hunt, and in Nov. he won Best of Breed over other specials at his first all-breed show of the year.
In March 2010, at our first Supported Entry together, Boone won the Working Dog class and the Judge's Award of Merit in Best of Breed both days; earned his first two CD legs with placements and High Flat-Coat/High Champion in Trials, and earned his first Rally Excellent leg with a placement. The following weekend he earned his first Novice Agility leg with a 95 score, his first time running an outdoor course; and in April 2010 he earned his third JH leg with no field training since late fall. On May 2, 2010, Boone finished his CD with three consecutive legs this spring, winning the Novice B class, and earned his second Rally Excellent leg. On May 30, 2010, Boone finished his RE in three consecutive trials with a score of 98 and second place in the Excellent B class, followed by Best of Breed and a Grand Champion point the next day.
In June 2010 at the National Specialty in IN, Boone won the Working Retriever Dog class under Sandra Lex, and earned his first RAE leg with a 100/placement in the Excellent B class. On the way home from the Specialty, he earned his fourth Junior Hunter leg, finishing the title in as many tests. In late June, he won his first Grand Championship major.
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