About Us

Looking for a pet and a hunting dog, we got started in labs in 1989 with the purchase of our first puppy "Holly" (OTCH MHR WR Windanna's Wild Hollyhock WCX). We did show and obedience with her, but found the field activities to be the most rewarding. We started running Holly in NAHRA Hunt Tests and soon "caught the bug". The lure of the more competitive Field Trials was a challenge we wanted to try.

In 1991, "Raven", who was to later become FTCH AFTCH Fire Storm Raven CDX WCX, came into our lives. Raven was a talented dog with incredible retrieving desire, which luckily overcame a lot of our early training mistakes. We finished some Junior stakes with her and even managed to get one point! Her Qualifying career went better and she received two wins, other placings and CM's. Her first year in the Open involved much learning on the part of both Raven and Sharon. Raven's first finish was a great accomplishment, followed up by a placing shortly thereafter, which qualified her for our first Canadian National in the fall of 1996.

By this time, John had acquired a dog as well, "Petey", who became FTCH AFTCH Pintail Packin' Pete WCX. Petey showed himself as a great marking dog early on and John had a lot of fun with him in his Junior year, where he became #4 Junior Dog in Canada in 1995. Petey's time in Qualifying was relatively short, he was running All-Age the summer after his Junior year. He was a very competitive Open dog for a number of years.

In 1995, "Maggie" became a part of the household. She was out of a breeding that Sharon had been wanting a pup from for some time, not only as a trial dog, but also as a foundation bitch. She had success in her Junior year (#4 Junior Dog in Canada in 1996) and made the U.S. Derby list in 1997. Her stint in Qualifying was short as well - only four trials. NFTCH NAFTCH FTCH AFTCH Clubmead's Steel Magnolia was a very successful Open dog. In 2001, she won the Canadian National Retriever Championship. In 2003, she made a National doubleheader by winning the Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship. Early in 2004, she passed on suddenly. We will always treasure the memories of her.

Out of Maggie's first litter (born in 1998), we kept a female pup, FTCH AFTCH Pekisko's Round Trip "Fly". Needless to say, she far exceeded our expectations and showed a very high level of maturity as a youngster. In the summer of 2000, she competed successfully in Junior, Qualifying and Open; all before the age of two, including a win in her first Open. In 2001, she was a finalist in only her second National competition. Before the age of three, she had already qualified for five Nationals. In the spring of 2002, she attained both her titles at the age of three and that summer, was a finalist again at the Canadian National Amateur Championship. Fly was a finalist in three Canadian National Amateurs in her career and earned the milestone of over 100 All-Age points by the time she was retired in 2007.

In February, 2003, Fly had a litter sired by FC AFC Fordland's Bored Out Ford, the 2002 U.S. Top Amateur dog. We kept a pup from this litter Pekisko's Painted Smile "Chick". Chick had Junior points at a young age and did very well in the Qualifying with a 100% finish rate, all placings. Chick only needed a win for her titles, taking second place twice behind her mom. We bred Chick the fall of 2005 to NAFTCH FC AFC FTCH AFTCH He's Czar Nicholas. One puppy resulted, Pekisko's Supertramp "Rudy". In August, 2007 we bred Chick to FTCH AFTCH Firwoodhill's Dynamo and then repeated the breeding in 2010 (see below).

In January, 2010 Chick had a litter which was a repeat breeding to FTCH AFTCH Firwoodhill's Dynamo. Out of this litter, we kept a precocious male NAFTCH FC AFC FTCH AFTCH Pekisko's Ironman "Rusty". Rusty began running Derbies at 15 months and made the U.S. Derby list in 4 trials. He completed his Derby career in style, winning his last Derby. Rusty became Qualified All-Age in quick succession with two wins less than a month apart. His All-Age career started successfully with placings and finishes in both the U.S. and Canada. In 2013, he was a finalist in his first Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship at the age of three. He was again a finalist at the 2015 Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship and the 2016 Canadian National Retriever Championship. In 2016, Rusty was the #1 Open dog in Canada and finished his fourth Canadian National in 2017 at the Canadian National Retriever Championship. In 2018, Sharon handled Rusty as a Finalist in the U.S. National Amateur Retriever Championship, a feat that only one other Canadian handler has accomplished. In 2019, he WON the Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship. Throughout his career, Rusty showed great consistency and was a high percentage finisher. He won three career double headers, 2 in Canada and 1 in the U.S.

Rusty was our last home bred dog. We acquired a talented male, AFC FTCH AFTCH Pekisko's Real Steel "Rocky" in 2012. He was out of a female that we owned and sold, bred to FC AFC Lanes Lets Get Ready To Rumble. Rocky was an intense retriever and had a successful Derby career and then only six Qualifying trials to get his two wins. He earned his first All-Age points with a win in 60 dog trial at Western Montana Retriever Club, at the age of three years. In his first National, Rocky was a finalist at the 2016 Canadian National Retriever Championship. In 2021, Rocky was #1 All-Age and #1 Open dog in Canada, as well as Alberta. He was also #3 Amateur dog in Canada.

In 2013, we purchased another male from a repeat breeding of Rocky. FTCH AFTCH Pekisko's Black And Blue "Shiner" showed great intelligence and marking ability like his brother. He ran Derby in limited trials over a course of only six months, because of his birthdate being in January. Shiner finished his Derby career strong with 17 points in 13 trials. He became Qualified All-Age in the U.S. with a third place in his second Amateur stake entered at the age of two years. Shiner was a finalist at the 2017 Canadian National Retriever Championship and the 2019 Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship.

We acquired a male puppy out of Rocky's litter sister, bred to FC Sweetie's Easy Rider in 2017. Pekisko's Big Iron "Ringo" won his first Derby entered at 13 months and made the U.S. Derby list at 17 months. In all, he accumulated 19 Derby points with 3 wins.

Highlights of the past few years include:

Finishing Holly's Obedience Trial Championship at the age of 21 months.

Qualifying Holly at the 1995 NAHRA Invitational.
Petey's successful Junior year (#4 Junior Dog in Canada).

Maggie's successful Junior year (#4 Junior Dog in Canada).

Maggie's Derby win and making the U.S. Derby list in six trials.
Raven's first Amateur win.

Raven's second Amateur win to complete her AFTCH.

Petey's three Open wins to complete his FTCH AFTCH and become #4 Open dog and #7 Combined Open/Amateur dog in Canada and top All-Age dog in Alberta.
Maggie's three Open wins to complete her FTCH AFTCH and become Top Open Female and #5 Open dog in Canada.
Finishing the 1999 Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship with Raven.
Raven's Open win to complete her FTCH.

Fly becoming Qualified All-Age at 20 months.
Entering Fly in her first Open at 22 months, which she WINS!
Running four dogs in the 2000 Canadian National Retriever Championship.
Maggie finishing as top All-Age dog in Alberta, #6 Open dog and #6 Combined Open/Amateur dog in Canada.
Fly's successful season as #5 Junior dog in Canada and #8 Qualifying dog in Canada (after running only 4 trials).

Finishing the 2001 Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship with Petey and Fly.
WINNING the 2001 Canadian National Retriever Championship with Maggie.
Petey earning top All-Age dog in Alberta.

Completing Fly's FTCH AFTCH at the age of three.
Finishing both Maggie and Fly together at the 2002 Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship.
Finishing Maggie at the 2002 Canadian National Retriever Championship - her third consecutive Canadian National finish!

WINNING the 2003 Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship with Maggie.
Surpassing the 100 All-Age point total with Maggie.
Finishing a fifth National in a row with Maggie at the 2003 Canadian National in North Bay, Ontario.
Maggie finishing as top All-Age dog in Alberta for the second time, #2 Combined Open/Amateur dog, #3 Open dog and #3 Amateur dog in Canada.
Fly finishing as #5 Amateur Dog in Canada.

Fly earning top All-Age dog in Alberta, #8 Combined Open/Amateur Dog in Canada.

Finishing the 2005 Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship with Fly (her third time as a Finalist).
Winning the Open with Fly and the Qualifying with Chick at the same trial twice.
Winning four Qualifying stakes with Chick and finishing top Qualifying dog in Alberta with 26 points, done with a 100% completion average and all finishes being placings.
Fly winning five All-Age stakes (three Opens in a row) and finishing top All-Age dog in Alberta for the second time with 28 points.
Fly ranking as #6 Combined Open/Amateur dog and #4 Open dog in Canada.
Chick making her mark by finishing #2 Qualifying dog in Canada.

Fly ranking as #7 Combined Open/Amateur dog and #2 Amateur dog in Canada (only missing by one point!).
Chick's first full year of All-Age competition resulting in 7 series at the National and a "top ten" ranking in Amateur dogs in Canada.

Retiring Fly in style, after attaining 109 All-Age points.

Hailey making the U.S. Derby list, in limited trialing.

Hailey becoming Qualified All-Age in the U.S. with a JAM in her first Amateur.

Rusty accumulating 26 U.S. Derby points, including 4 wins. Ninth in standings in the U.S.

Rusty becoming Qualified All-Age in the U.S. (and out of Qualifying with two wins less than a month apart).

Rusty earning All-Age placings in the U.S. and Canada and qualifying for the 2013 Canadian National and the 2013/2014 Canadian National Amateur.
Rusty being a finalist in his first National, the 2013 Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship.

Rocky finishing his Derby career in style with 21 points, with John handling him to his last win.
Rocky earning the 2014 California High Point Derby Dog.
In only his third Qualifying, Rocky winning and becoming U.S. Qualified All-Age at 25 months.
Rocky winning his second (and final) Qualifying at only 26 months, also with John handling.
Sharon finishing her first U.S. Open with Rusty, followed up with more Open finishes and Amateur placings.
Shiner finishing his Derby career in style with 17 points, with Sharon handling him to a win in his last trial.

Rusty earning third place in the Open at Samish RC, with Sharon handling him (her first U.S. Open placement) and then winning the Amateur the same weekend to qualify him for the 2015 U.S. National Amateur and complete his AFC title.
Rusty winning a double header Amateur at Red Deer Retriever Club in May, 2015, earning his AFTCH title.
Going nine series with Rusty in his first U.S. National Amateur.
Rusty being a finalist for a second time in the Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship.
Rusty winning the Open at Alberta Retriever Clubs Association, Sept, 2015 to complete his FTCH title.
In the same weekend, Shiner earning a Certificate of Merit in the Open to be qualified All-Age in Canada at the age of 2 years.
At Western Montana Retriever Club in September, 2015, Rocky earning his first All-Age points with a WIN in the Amateur.
In only six Canadian trials, Rusty finishing top All-Age dog in Alberta, #5 Combined Open/Amateur dog and #3 Amateur dog in Canada, with a %100 completion rate.
Two year old Shiner getting out of the Qualifying by earning a third place in the Amateur at PRTA in October, 2015.
In U.S. trials, Rusty finishing 2015 as #9 Amateur dog and #12 on the Purina Amateur list.

Winning the Open with Rusty at Spokane Retriever Club in May, 2016 to finish his FC title and qualify him for the 2016 U.S.National Amateur Retriever Championship.
Rusty earning second place in the Open at Western Montana Retriever Club in May, 2016 to qualify for the 2016 U.S. National Retriever Championship.
Rusty winning his second double header at Red Deer Retriever Club in June, 2016.
Rusty and Rocky being finalists in the Canadian National Retriever Championship.
Rusty finishing #1 Open dog and #2 Combined Open/Amateur dog in Canada.
Winning the Amateur with Rusty at Northern California Retriever Club in October, 2016, qualifying him for the 2017 U.S. National Amateur and then another Amateur win the next weekend at Southern California Retriever Club.
At 6 years of age, Rusty surpassing 100 All-Age points in the U.S. and Canada.
At his first U.S. National Open in 2016, Rusty going nine series.
In U.S. trials, Rusty finishing #17 Amateur dog in Purina rankings and #17 Open dog/#16 All-Age dog (Retriever Results) with 25 points.

Rocky winning the Amateur at Rocky Mountain Sporting Dog Club to complete his AFTCH title.
Rocky winning the Open at Manitoba Gun Dog Association to complete his FTCH title.
Rusty and Shiner being finalists in the Canadian National Retriever Championship in 2017.
Rusty finishing tied for #4 Open dog and tied for #5 Combined Open/Amateur dog in Canada. For the second time, he is the top Alberta All-Age dog, competing in only seven Canadian trials.
Rocky finishing tied for #9 Combined Open/Amateur dog in Canada and Shiner tied for #9 Open and #9 Combined Open/Amateur dog.

Rusty winning the Open at Mission Valley Retriever Club to qualify for his fourth U.S. National Amateur Retriever Championship.
Ringo entering his first Derby at 13 months and winning at Mission Valley Retriever Club.
Shiner winning the Open at Red Deer Retriever Club to complete both his FTCH and AFTCH titles.
Rusty being a Finalist in the U.S. National Amateur Retriever Championship in Roseburg, Oregon.
Winning his first U.S. Double Header with Rusty at Northern Utah Retriever Club.
Rusty qualifying in the same weekend for both the 2018 U.S. National and the 2019 U.S. National Amateur.
Placing second in the Amateur with Rocky at Great Salt Lake Retriever Club and completing his AFC title.
Ringo winning the Derby at Wood River to get on the Derby list at the age of 17 months.

Ringo and Sharon winning their first Derby together (his third win) at Southern Arizona Retriever Club.
Shiner being a finalist in the Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship in 2019.
WINNING the 2019 Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championship with Rusty.

Rocky winning the inaugural Benn Trophy for the Open first place at Wild Rose Retriever Club.

Rocky winning the Benn Trophy for the second time at Wild Rose Retriever Club.
Rocky as co-winner of the Arline James Trophy at Alberta Field Trial Club.
Shiner winning the Open at Brandon Retriever Club.
Rocky finishing the year as top All-Age dog in Alberta, #1 Combined Open/Amateur dog, #1 Open dog and #3 Amateur dog in Canada with 30 points.
Sharon being the #1 amateur handler in Canada and #3 overall behind two professionals.

Rocky winning the Benn Trophy for the third time at Wild Rose Retriever Club.
Rocky finishing his career in style with a third place in the Amateur at Western Montana Retriever Club.

Those years were very rewarding and a lot of fun. We met some great friends and learned a lot. We enjoyed training and trialing, the travel to places around Canada/U.S. and meeting new friends in this game.