WillowBrook Odie’s Grace (Gracie) was born on 2/13/2016. Gracie is a pup from Willow’s first litter. Both of her grandfathers are National Field Champions. Gracie’s mom, Willow, came to us as a pup from Sunrise Kennels in N.Y. She was born to Sunrise Spitfire, SH, and the 2012 National Field Champion, FC, CFC Salmy’s Master Piece (Cliff). See Willow’s page for more information on her.
Gracie’s father was the late FC Blue River I’m Dan’s Boy (Odie), who was owned and handled by Ken Hanson of Blue River Gun Dogs. He was a large handsome liver male who was a talented and powerful dog. He had a soft mouth, good nose, and strong flush. He was from some outstanding bloodlines. His father, grandfather, a great grandfather, and a great-great grandfather all earned the National Open Field Champion Title, four generations in a row. Odie had 11 all age field trial placements consisting of 1 first place, 5 seconds, 2 thirds, and 3 fourth place finishes, qualifying him for both the Open and Amateur National Trials in 2011, 2012, 2013 and the Amateur again in 2015. In 2011, he finished the Open National Field Championship Trial and won a Certificate of Merritt recognizing him for excellent performance.
Gracie is an alpha female who holds her head (and tail) high. At home, Gracie is well behaved, wants to please, and likes to be around people. She is a funny, playful dog, but in the field, she is all business about hunting. She covers her ground with a wide pattern using the wind well to find her birds. She was born to run. Her long legs and slim body allow her to cover a lot of ground effortlessly. Gracie was easy to train and easy to steady to flushing birds. Gracie’s outstanding talent is her retrieving. Like her mother, she marks downed birds well, and she returns in a flash with her game. Gracie loves retrieving, and even in the yard, she is intensely focused on the dummy or ball as if it is alive and might get away if she doesn’t snap it up in time. She brings it back over and over until I tell her I’m done. I am told her offspring have the same retrieving desire.
Gracie is mostly liver, about 43 pounds, and has long legs with a lean body. She has a short flat coat with a little tuft on her head. Gracie has excellent hips, elbows and eyes are normal. She likes attention, but doesn’t need constant petting to be happy. In the house, she is calm and quiet and like Willow, she likes to stay right near me wherever I go.
