Duncan’s Story

On July 26, 1992 a litter of eight puppies was born to me out of Kidogo Lady Kacie Lea and FC/AFC Chilcote’s Dash of Victory.  I had NO idea what lay ahead.

I did not intend to keep a puppy, I had 2 adult females and was perfectly happy.  When the pups were about 10 weeks old, I still had 3 available to good homes, 2 males and 1 female.  A woman came to look at the puppies as a gift for her husband (who was out hunting at the time).  She went home with the female that evening.  Then a guy called looking for a male.  I offered him one male for $50 less than the other because he was a bit smaller and if I was going to be “stuck” with a puppy, I wanted it to be the bigger one.  Well, he called me on it and paid me the extra $50 to take the bigger male.  Boy was I lucky and didn’t even know it!  That smaller male became DC/AFC Kacie’s Sir Duncan of Dash MH.

After that night I had several more people inquire about getting that last male pup from me, but they all wanted to house the pup in an outdoor kennel and have him mostly as a hunting companion and not so much as a pet.  I wasn’t willing to let this pup live outdoors after having lived indoors for now 13+ weeks.  So the decision was made that he would stay and it turned out to be the best decision I EVER made in my life!!

Duncan earned his puppy points in September 1993 and ran very well in trials but never did earn his Derby points.  Having ruined his mother (Kacie) for field trialing by being too hard on her during the breaking process, I was very careful when it came time to break Duncan for adult stakes.  I thought I would never get him broke – it only seems like that while your going through the process.   Because in December of 1994  (only six months out of Derby) he earned his first adult placement by taking 4th in an Open Gun Dog stake.  

The following Spring  (1995) Duncan earned a couple of 3rds and a couple of 4ths, not bad – but no blues either.  A close friend decided to be frank with me and told me he looked like a sausage (fat) and that if I would just drop a few pounds from him he could run better and would probably place higher.  It worked!  In October he still took 2 4ths at a weekend trial, but in December he won ALL Three Gun Dog Stakes offered that weekend.  Two Open Gun Dog stakes and one Amateur Gun Dog stake, which made him without a doubt a FC at 3-1/3 years old.   This was the same trial that one year earlier he had earned his first adult placement (a 4th).

That same weekend – a fellow competitor who mostly shows his Britts took a good look at Duncan and told me now that I had his FC title, I really needed to think about showing him and trying for his CH title and ultimately the coveted DC title.  I wasn’t so keen on this because I had never even been to a conformation show, let alone shown in one.  I asked other people I knew showed what they thought of his chances and they all told me he was a bit on the small side but that it was very doable.   So off to “show” class we went. 

That following May (1996) Duncan entered his first show – I hadn’t planned on putting him in originally and had just recently body shaved him for the National Gun Dog Championship that was also running in May.  The guy who talked me into showing, Jim Brown, asked his son Jimmy Brown (who was at the time 10 years old) if he would show Duncan for me.  Jimmy agreed so we put Duncan in Field Trial class.  This way – he didn’t look so dumb as being shaven.  Jimmy did an awesome job!!  At 10 years old, he was actually quite experienced!  I got to watch (closely) and the Browns “held my hand” at a few more shows, gave me some more pointers and I continued going to show class.   Kathy Gulembo, another friend, also showed quite a bit and had worked at one time as a dog groomer, so she taught me how to clip a dog for the show ring.   She even went so far as to let me practice on her dogs that weren’t being shown any more. 

One year later (May 25, 1997) Duncan and I went back to that Memorial Day Dog Show and went home with a 4 point Major win under our belt.  The following day we took Reserve Winner’s Dog.   This totally convinced us we could finish!   Duncan and I continued to go to various shows and pick up points here and there.   In May 1999 back to the Memorial Day Dog Show Duncan went, only this time with show handler Cheri Schmidt.  I was at work that day – my birthday, when I got the call, May 28, 1999 – Duncan had finished by going Best of Winners,  he was now a Dual Champion!!  My first – what a great birthday gift!

Meantime, in between all this show stuff, Duncan was running in Field Trials, Hunt Tests and other Gun Dog type events too.   On October 26, 1996 Duncan earned his AFC title.  On June 20, 1998 after already earning his Junior Hunter and Senior Hunter titles, Duncan earned his Master Hunter title.  Duncan was also the runner-up in the 1996 MUCC Gun Dog of the Year (Michigan United Conservation Club) event and then went on to be the Winner in 1997 & 1998. 

He was also the “2000 Michigan Dog Of The Year – Restricted Breed Shooting Dog” for the Association of Michigan Field Trial Clubs.  His son “KDeL’s Duncan’s Bottle Rocket” aka “Zipper” was the runner-up that year.  This was the first time ever Father and Son were winner and runner-up.

During his career, Duncan defeated over 1,250 dogs by earning 70+ placements 20 that were first, and 19 seconds.

DC/AFC Kacie's Sir Duncan of Dash MH
1996 MUCC Gun Dog of the Year (Runner-up)
1997 & 1998 MUCC Gun Dog of the Year (Winner)
1995, 1996 & 1997 Western Michigan Brittany Club - Field Dog of the Year
1996, 1997, 1998 & 1999 Western Michigan Brittany Club - Dual Dog Award
1997/98 Indiana Field Trial Association - Restricted Breed - Gun Dog of the Year
1999/00 Indiana Field Trial Association - Restricted Breed - Gun Dog of the Year
2000 Michigan Field Trial Association - Restricted Breed - Shooting Dog of the Year
Born July 26, 1992 – Lost Early to Cancer April 4, 2002

A day, back in 1992, when a man walked into my home and paid me $50 more to take the bigger pup.  That day was one of the best days of my life and one that would change it forever and I didn’t even know.