K9 Companions
Trophy Hunting with Blue: A Tribute
By Vic Barlow
May 12, 2009, 13:46

During the summer of 2004 my wife and I attended a country fair and I entered Blue, my trusty Labrador, for the gundog scurry. It was a simple set up where a strip of land 20 feet wide and 100 yards long had been fenced off to provide a ‘track’. The final 60 yards had two large gates erected across the width over which the competing dogs had to jump before collecting a canvas dummy located at the far end. Blue isn’t crazy about dummies but I knew he could win this blindfold.

I watched as other dogs failed to negotiate the two gates and knew they would pose no problem for Blue. I was mentally preparing my winner’s speech as Blue hurtled down the track. There was a gasp from the gallery as he cleared the first obstacle with more than a foot to spare. He accelerated smoothly over the next hurdle to a spontaneous burst of applause, the trophy was as good as won. Then to my utter amazement he ignored the dummy, cleared the boundary fence and rocketed off into the distance.

The gallery sniggered as I blew frantically on my stop whistle, cheeks bulging fit to bust. Blue was a black spec disappearing into the distance. After several embarrassing minutes the judge tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to make way for the next competitor.

Stuffing my whistle back inside my shirt I heard a buzz in the crowd. People were standing on tiptoe.

“It’s him.”

 “It can’t be.”

 “It is, see for yourself.”

At that moment Blue jumped back onto the track carrying a rubber duck. How he spotted it or where it came from I shall never know but it drew the loudest applause of the entire show.

Where did we place in the competition? At the end of the day when the official results were posted for all to see Blue and I were right at the bottom. 

Blue passed away recently at the age of twelve, an outstanding example of his breed and a joy to have as a companion. Frost will never form on hill or field when I don't see Blue battling through the mist holding his duck trophy aloft in that soft Labrador mouth.