Jackie Mertens 4/23/23 Jackie Mertens 4/23/23

What takes to be a champion

I was always competitive and loved the competition. I titled 10 retrievers (9 Goldens and 2 Labradors) to Field Champion and/or Amateur Field Champion.

Jackie Mertens 3/19/23 Jackie Mertens 3/19/23

ESPN Great Outdoor Games 2001

In May of 2001, I received a letter from the GREAT OUTDOOR GAMES inviting me to Participate in the ESPN games being held in Lake Placid, NY in mid-July of 2001. It seems that they needed a golden and I was competing at that time with AFC Wherley’s Sour Mash WCX OS. I believe I was the only Woman competing and the only golden.

Allison Sinclair 2/18/23 Allison Sinclair 2/18/23

Owner Spotlight

OTCH Topbrass Cisco Kid OS OBHF (owner Handler – Pauline Czarnecki) CISCO and OTCH Moreland’s Golden Tonka were the 1st two OTCHs of any breed as confirmed by AKC.

Allison Sinclair 2/3/23 Allison Sinclair 2/3/23

Dash, the black dog

Her name was FC AFC TOPBRASS JORDACHE. We called her Dash.

Allison Sinclair 1/19/23 Allison Sinclair 1/19/23

The Story of Two Am CH’s

Bang loved to retrieve but could not usually count to 3. She usually was an excellent water blind dog.

Allison Sinclair 1/6/23 Allison Sinclair 1/6/23

The First of Many Notable Breedings

The 1st breeding Of Gypsy to Barty was born July of 1976. It produced my 1st FC AFC Topbrass Mandy.

Allison Sinclair 12/6/22 Allison Sinclair 12/6/22

Retriever Rules

Dog training is an art, Not a science

Jackie Mertens 11/22/22 Jackie Mertens 11/22/22

A Glass of Wine and Topbrass Was Born

Since I needed a KENNEL name, and my same Faculty Friend that went to Colorado to pick up Bronze, came over weekly while her husband taught an evening class at the University, she and I would drink Wine and discuss "life’s events”

Allison Sinclair 11/7/22 Allison Sinclair 11/7/22

Valentine Torch of Topbrass

The breeding produced my Foundation bitch (Valentine Torch of Topbrass WC OD) . Torch was a wonderful bitch that did well in the PUPPY Classes at local dog shows.

Jackie Mertens 10/23/22 Jackie Mertens 10/23/22

Wisconsin and Nugget

Nugget was about 1 year of age when I purchased him….

Allison Sinclair 10/11/22 Allison Sinclair 10/11/22

The next chapter

…”i decided that high school teaching was NOT my forte..”

Jackie Mertens 9/20/22 Jackie Mertens 9/20/22

Mister goes to Westminster

..I also started showing MISTER in Junior showmanship and qualified for the WESTMINSTER Junior Handler championship…

Jackie Mertens 9/1/22 Jackie Mertens 9/1/22

Then came “Mister”

…a Buff colored Cocker, whom I named (MISTER). I started him in a beginners Obedience class at Humbolt Park in Chicago….

Jackie Mertens 8/20/22 Jackie Mertens 8/20/22

Along come Chips and Parade

I searched for a local breeder of Show Cockers in Illinois and found Clarkdale Cockers in Deerfield, IL. My brother drove me there and I bought a Parti Colored Bitch and named her “Parade”.

Jackie Mertens 8/12/22 Jackie Mertens 8/12/22

How it all started

I always wanted to be able to breed any pets that I acquired, so I had to have a pair whenever I got a new pet.