We are grateful, blessed and humbled to have three living Grand National Champions in our kennel. I can’t think of any other kennel in history to have three grouse champions with these national titles alive at the same time.
As with other competitive dogs, these champs have worked hard over the past years and they need a break–a vacation from hunting.
From left to right: Grand National Grouse Champion Full Blast with my brother, Jim Watts. Jim has owned and hunted sons of Wire and Body Guard. In the center, Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Champion Straight Forward with Jim Smythe. Jim owned the dam of Straight Forward, Quixstar, after we retired her. Quixstar was a terrific bird dog. On the right is Grand National Grouse Champion Full Tilt with Bob Watts. “Callie” is retired. Yesterday a person who comes by my place often was looking at Callie and I said “she’s 13”. He said, “Gee, I thought she was one of your pups.” “Callie” is in the house every evening but she’s itching to get out and go with the other dogs in the dog pasture every morning.