HR ORION’S BLAZIN’ STAR CD

AKC Reg. No.: SN185498/02
D.O.B.: August 20, 1994
D.O.D.: August 18, 2008
Weight: 70 lbs.
OFA: “Good”; LR-76063G29F
OFA Elbows: LR-EL4212
CERF: LR-16491/2003--106
Click Here For Pedigree

HR Orion’s Blazin’ Star CD (aka Star) was a member of the first litter I bred under the Orion banner. She was out of HR DR’s Midnight Trailblazer (Blaze) and HR Orion’s Wilderness Echo (Echo). As a puppy, Star was very people oriented, she was quick to learn, and willing to please. She quickly became my favorite pup of the litter.

As fate would have it she became my son Bryan’s 4-H obedience dog at the tender age of seven months. She was only 10 ½ months old at her first competition at our county 4-H fair where she became Champion of Class 1A and Grand Champion of the Novice Division. We went on to the Indiana State Fair 4-H Dog Obedience Competition when she was still less than one year old and placed 4th with over 100 dogs in Class 1A. In her five year 4-H obedience career she won her class each year at the county fair and was Grand Champion of her division every year but one when she was the Reserve Grand Champion. In five trips to the Indiana State Fair she placed in the top four of her class four times with a 4th in Class 1A, a 3rd in Class 3A, a 2nd in Class 5A, and a 1st in Class 4A, which is equivalent to the AKC Open obedience class.

We decided to enter her in AKC Obedience trials in the Novice Class to see how we would do against adult trainers and handlers. She qualified in each of her three trials, placing 1st in her class every time with scores of 193, 193.5, and 196 out of a possible 200 points. The 196 was at the Indiana Labrador Specialty and left us only ½ point short of tying an Obedience Trial Champion (OTCH) for High Point Dog in Trial. We should have gone on to Open Class competition; I have no doubt she would have been superb. However, her handler, Bryan was graduating from high school and going on to college and my true interest was in field performance.

I entered Star in UKC HRC hunt tests and she earned her Hunting Retriever (HR) title without a single failure. We didn’t go on to the Finished class as I had tired of the field trial mentality that had crept into the testing and judging at that level. I was more than pleased with Star’s abilities in the field and did not need to pursue any additional titles to confirm her worth.

Star was a very good brood bitch. She whelped five litters for me and threw some great puppies, but it was not until her last litter that we found a stud that was truly worthy of her. The mating of Star and the British dog FTCh Westlands Charlie (Moss) was the one where we were best able to complement her wonderful traits. Quattro and Annie are Star’s daughters from that breeding. They continue her legacy as outstanding companions and upland hunters.

In the upland fields Star had a long and glorious career. She was the “go to” dog, whether we needed a bird to fill a limit or a bird to keep from getting skunked. She was dependable day in and day out. She continued to be the best dog on my truck even as an eleven year old. She had a great nose, worked in range, and understood her role as a member of the hunting team. I hope to have many more great dogs in the future, but I’m not sure if it is possible to have one that is a better all-around dog than Star. She was in a class by herself. I am blessed to have had her by my side.