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Linda bought her first Chesapeake in 1980 from Jack and Jackie Shields in Wisconsin. “Sheila” was out of the great Chesdel Chippewa Chief and she was a pet for the kids. After seeing a “picnic trial” Linda started training Sheila to mark and retrieve at home and she caught the field trial bug! Sheila was a wonderful, smart dog that could mark but field trials weren’t for her so Linda made a move that would change our lives forever.
Linda heard about a breeding for “field trial chessies” so she called and put her name on the list. The call was to Carol Andersen, Caroway Kennels, and the breeding was FC AFC CFC CAFC Chesdel Chippewa Chief and future Dual CH Fireweeds Jasmine. In the fall of 1982, Linda picked up a little female puppy and named her JJ’s Jessie. The rest, I guess you’d say is history.
We were rookies at the field trial sport and would throw marks while Linda was teaching Jessie handling. It was obvious that Jessie had talent and she was sent to Mike Lardy for professional training. Jessie was a wonderful friend, pet, family member and of course, she was inducted into the Bird Dog Hall of Fame in 2013. Linda was a founding member and Board member of the Fox Valley Retriever Club, along with being a member of numerous other renowned Retriever Clubs, and of course, a longtime member of the American Chesapeake Retriever Club. Linda has served and worked on the Boards and Field Trial Committees of most of these clubs and has chaired two Chesapeake Field Trial Specialties and served on the Chesapeake Field Trial Board.
Linda is a respected and accomplished AKC field trial retriever judge, has judged an Amateur National Retriever Championship, has been a participant in AKC Field Trial judging clinics and has participated in many, many AKC sponsored retriever demonstrations and clinics to advance the retriever sport. Linda has campaigned many Chesapeakes through the years including Dual CH AFC Jessie, Dual CH AFC Lizzy MH, Dual CH AFC Rudy and Dual CH AFC Tiger MH. She has competed in several National Retriever Championships (she even ran a series with Jessie as Jessie’s daughter, Lizzy, honored for land marks. This had to be a first and only for the breed!). She has owned and competed with many Qualified All Age Chesapeakes, competed in hunt tests earning Junior, Senior and Master Hunter titles, campaigned in the conformation ring making Show Champions, and has competed in the obedience ring. Linda is, and-has always been, a “Chesapeake” lady!!! She continues to advance the breed through her work in the field and continues to make her mark and contributions to the American Chesapeake breed.
Submitted by Linda Harger (ID)