Setter Male Shadow Oak Bo Makes More Field Trial History; Wins Grand Junction Title for the Second Consecutive Time
When Shadow Oak Bo won the National Championship in 2013 history was made — the first setter in 43 years to take the title at Ames Plantation. When his name was read by Dr. Carlisle as the winner of the 2014 renewal, history was again made. Not since Sioux back in 1901 and 1902 has a setter accomplished this feat, and the last pointer to do so was Paladin, in 1951 and 1952.
To win the National Championship is considered to be the epitome of field trial success for an owner, the dog and handler. To win the National Championship twice by the same dog is a feat that owners and handlers can only dream of.
Adjectives aplenty will fly regarding the white and orange setter’s phenomenal achievement — remarkable, outstanding, unbelievable — will all be used to describe what Shadow Oak Bo has accomplished in his career as an all-age competitor, and the same words will be used to describe the gamut of emotions for owners and handler of the new two-time National Champion.
Bo appeared on Monday of the second week of competition, February 17, on the morning course, the same arrangement he had drawn in 2013. Conditions were similar in some respects — overcast skies and cool temperatures.
His performance included seven stellar pieces of bird work, three in the first hour, two early in the second hour and two in the final hour to annex the Grand Junction title. Bo’s effort came closest to the Amesian Standard, the “yardstick,” so to speak, that is used when evaluating a dog’s performance as worthy of the title National Champion.
