Could someone tell me who the breeder of Marshland Blitz is?

Thanks!
Johanne

That would be Dennis Emken, who I see is juding sweeps at DFWLRC!

Dianne

I thought he retired have not seen him in years.

Oh I would love to meet him!!! I have based one of my lines on Blitz,such a gorgeous dog with such natural hunting ability. All my dogs going back to him have the most incredible natural instinct with amazing scenting ability.

Blitz and Dennis in the ring at the LRCSC 25th anniversary Specialty is something I will never forget.

I was the co-chair for the Specialty. We had a lunchtime program to honor the Champions of the club, both past and present. The event was a tear-jerker, needless to say. We read off the names of deceased champions, their owner would come into the ring and receive a special black and silver rosette honoring the occasion. We did the same with the living Champions of course. I was the one in the ring calling out the names of the dogs. Some really tugged at the heart strings.

It came time to call out the name of Ch. Marshland Blitz. Blitz was quite old, and he waddled up to the ring with some difficulty, but his eyes were bright, and his tail was wagging.

I had a particular love for the dog, and he was behind several of the dogs in my own kennel. I read his name, and told Dennis "don't make a full circle with him, and go slow". Dennis didn't make eye contact with me, and all of a sudden I heard a stuttered sigh come from Dennis. I knew he was having trouble keeping his composure... no, not trouble... he had lost it. His shoulders heaved as he tried in vein to hold back the tears. That set me off, and now I couldn't control my tears either. I was trying to speak, and trying to announce his accomplishments and Champion get, but I wasn't doing a very good job getting the words out. I knew what Dennis was thinking ... This would be the last time the two of them would ever be in a ring together. When that thought went through my head, I lost it, but I don't think the crowd noticed, because the same thing had obviously occurred to most of them as well. There wasn't a dry eye around the ring that day.

Blitz, on the other hand, realized he was in a show ring. His head came up, his tail came up, and he extended to the end of his lead to make a much bigger circle than Dennis had intended for him, and I swear, he had a bit of a skip in his gait for a moment. For a second in time, Blitz was a young dog in the ring again.

I had only seen that once before, when Ch. Monarch's Black Arrogance went Best Of Breed from the Veteran's class. An old dog, suddenly young, and showing for all he had, and loving ever second of it.

Blitz died not long after that Specialty, but I will never forget he and Dennis, together in the ring for the last time. It's etched in my memory as one of the great moments in Labrador history, and I am honored to have been there to see it.

Dian

You all have a chance to meet Dennis person, up close and personal. Just come to Texas in April.
Bring your puppies and you can even get eye to eye with him!

I, too, was at the LRCSC 25th Specialty, and saw Blitz that day. Definitely not a dry eye for 200 feet around that ring! Blitz truly did understand that he was in the show ring once again, and became absolutely showy and charming, and forgot his old body for a few minutes. He was definitely a grand old man, and stunning to the end, keeping his gorgeous outline and structure. In my opinion, Blitz was one of the most influential dogs of modern times, and Dennis loved him as much as anyone could love a dog.
See if you can get Dennis to talk about Blitz, his sire, and other related dogs at DFWLRC. There were some really great dogs behind him, and Dennis is a good storyteller and chronicler (sp?)of the dogs of that time. And he really knows type!

Blitz was the best. We hardly own a dog that does not go back to him at HySpire. He was super special!!!! As are Dennis and Pam Emken.
Judy