From Mike V. of The Blast Wingshooting and Kennels:

Always having a vision for the future of my breeding program, came the idea of owning a second Fox Red stud that could be the counterpart to our very own nationally established stud dog Journey. 

As luck would have it, I found what I was looking for almost immediately beginning my search. It was like it was meant to me. I arranged to have the new pup brought to Wisconsin with the name I had been holding onto for a long time, Cowboy! The moment I met him I could tell there was something different about him! He was such an inquisitive pup with a charming personality. All Cowboy wanted to do was look you in the eyes and be with you as much as possible. He would prance around the house so confidently as if he owned the place. 

As the training began, I noticed that training Cowboy would be different from other dogs I've trained in the past. His high intelligence and training attitude made teaching him rather easy. Show him something clearly and he would absorb it almost immediately. Making using pressure almost non-existent at times. From a puppy on he seemed to just have such a natural ability about him that made training him pure joy.

CAMPAIGNING COWBOY 

Once Cowboy graduated from our Puppy Program and I moved on to more formal training I could see right away I had my next up and coming stud! 

I started training Cowboy at the age of 4 months on basic concepts that set him up for his formal training. The fact that he was my personal dog, allowed me to push him harder than most dogs. During this time in the training process is when I found out he truly had what it takes to be our new stud dog. On a whim, at 9 months old I entered Cowboy in an AKC Senior Hunt Test as our summer hunt test season was coming to an end. Not only did Cowboy pass but he “lined” the water blind. I still remember one judge saying, “well, I think you got something pretty special here”. 

That fall would be the grand opening of our new hunt club THE RUSH OF THE FLUSH. It was time to get more serious about Cowboy’s upland training as his waterfowl/hunt test training was way advanced for his age. Cowboy needed to learn how to be a guide dog at the club and start learning the game of playing Upland Bird Dog Tournaments. Starting to teach him how to play tournaments is when I learned Cowboy had a trait that I had been dreaming about for a long time! As Cowboy came into the scent cone of the first bird he slammed the most gorgeous “point” you’d ever see. I looked at my brother in law who was helping me train and said, “NO WAY”. His pedigree has one line of pointing labs could he possibly be my stud that finally has that trait. He proceeded to do the same on the next three birds and the rest is history! 

The spring of 2018 would find Cowboy at 18 months old being entered in his first BDC Upland National Championships Puppy Division. He marched down the field pointing every bird till I commanded him to flush them and won his bracket earning him a spot in the finals. That same event I entered him in the Open Division (Top Gun) and he made it to the semi-finals being the youngest dog entered.

That summer he entered the hunt season at 19 months old. By 22 months old Cowboy had earned his HRCH passing 7 tests, as well as his AKC Master Title passing 6 tests in one summer. 13 Tests in 10 weeks! Cowboy impressed judges and fans alone with his statue-like line manners and his ability to dissect a test with such accuracy. Comments would remain the same about Cowboy, “Your red boy is so calm, collected, and smooth every time I see you take him to the line.” Many of the HRC judges would comment, “That’s a “Grand Dog” all day long. Meaning he was a dog that could pass the HRC Grand. The best part about campaigning Cowboy is that I rarely had to worry about what dog I would get when he came out of the box. Cowboy was the same every series you pulled him out! Making it a pure joy to walk to the line with him! 

In the interim of Cowboy earning his hunt test titles,  I entered him in the BDC Top Gun Upland Championships. Cowboy won the Doubles Championship earning his BDC Title of BDC Upland Super Major Winner (BDC SM) as well as placed 3rd in the Puppy Division. One week later Cowboy earned his final Finished pass to get his HRCH title in HRC. This proved how collected and intelligent Cowboy is jumping venues in one week's time. A task that most dogs would not be able to handle! However, Cowboy’s intelligence isn’t like most dogs as he had earned 3 titles in 3 different venues in a span of 12 weeks at the young age of 22 months old. Most recently Cowboy earned a third-place finish at the 2019 BDC Upland World Championships.

The fourth title to Cowboy’s resume was added to him for his APLA GMPR title the summer of 2020. 

ON THE HUNT 

Taking cowboy hunting is where you truly get to see his skills come alive! He is so statue-like when geese and ducks are approaching the spread. He sits intensely and is aware of everything that is going on making marking multiple retrieves rather easy for him. Hunting with Cowboy is so enjoyable as every time you jump up and shoot you never have to worry about him, he will be sitting right where I put him ready to be sent! One of Cowboy’s great attributes is his ability to mark really long crippled birds. If he sees it go down, he will get it. I have seen him mark birds well over 300 yds that fell out of the sky crippled. Send him out there and no bird has a chance with his marking accuracy and nose that will find the bird every time. Send him on the blind retrieve and he will cast super accurately to exactly where you need him to be then use his great sense of smell to dig the bird out. He is a joy to waterfowl hunt as he seems to just be a calculating machine. 

Throw on your vest, grab your gun and all you can do is admire Cowboy’s extreme athleticism in the upland field! He has a crazy amount of drive to bring birds to the gun. Running with a head-high style and a weaving-type quartering pattern makes him a joy to watch in the field. Once he hits the scent cone his body lowers down and he goes into the most gorgeous point you’d ever see! Making him one of the favorite guide dogs at our hunt club. The longer Cowboy is on the ground the stronger he’ll get. Once he finds that second gear he can hunt all day!

SUPERIOR GENETICS

Take one look at Cowboy and all you can do is admire his 63 lb. ripped athletic build! His pictures hold him true. He constantly gets the same compliments when people meet him, “Man is he ripped”. He has a long statue-like body, a beautiful short-haired red coat, and eyes that will make you fall in love with him almost immediately. Look at him while he’s standing and it’s almost like you are looking at a ripped racehorse rather than a Lab. His pedigree is amongst the top fox reds in the country with a special pointing lab line that brings out his superior sense of smell and hard staunch point. 

View his age, pedigree, and health clearances

https://huntinglabpedigree.com/pedigree.asp?id=117649

Cowboy is the most genetically clear stud you could ever breed to! He has OFA Excellent Hips, Normal Elbows, CERF Normal,  PRA Normal, EIC/CNM clear by testing, as well as clear Paw Print Genetics Panel. 

 IN THE HOME

All you have to do is meet Cowboy one time and you will fall in love with him. He is calm and collected and will give you all the affection you need. He is great around young kids and a great playmate with other dogs.