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weunesuay, iviarcn 1 /, i n c W M fv v o c r t v n tv BARGAIN-RATE CAR INSURANCE WITH BARGAIN- RATE SERVICE IS NO BARGAIN. D o n 't tru s t ju s t anyone to in su re y o u r car, see m e: John Bauman 6 2 7 Lyon's Lane #308, Oakville 842-2225 Focus OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR O F TH E OAKVILLE WATERFf^ONT FESTIVAL The A loha Spring Sale! At By Consignment we've gone Tropicoil Come and see Ihe new island colours in pink, blue & yellow, in all Ihe latest styles. Take 15% off one item just to help you get started on that new spring look! sole runs until April 3rd IJy Consignment Editor: WILMA BLOKHUIS 845-3824 (Extension 250) Fax: 337-5567 115 Trafalgar Rd. 338-3474 upscole. resole, todies resole f i t now excepting spnng clothes by oppointment % Champion Retriever enjoys golden years By KATHY YANCHUS SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER He is an Oakville champion, a multi-titled golden boy. Thirteen-year-old 'triathlete' Bartley Edwards is retired now, but in his prime, he was among the most disciplined, focused and talented champs to^race international are- nas.He was a proud show­ man and skilled hunter. He had self-confi­ dence and style. He had attitude and it won him hearts and ribbons throughout the U.S and Canada. He left nothing to prove. Chances are if you are not involved in dog show circles, the name Bartley won't sound familiar, . for he is an athlete with four legs and a big wet nose. Over the past decade Bartley has racked up more titles than any other Golden Retriever in Canada, yet he is as humble as they come. Attention and a pat on the head is all he asks. Like many stars, as their careers wind down, Bartley is loath to complete­ ly abandon the limelight and he continues to make public appearances in an effort to drum up interest in his sport. The lovable old guy, with the telltale white fur and slower gaif, will make his annual appearance at the 51st edition of the Toronto Sportsmen's Show which runs to March 21st. "Bartie is a crowd pleaser," comments John Sinclair, the show's retriever trials organizer. "He has been for years. Even when he was young, he was never known for his speed; now he's slowed to a crawl." Bartley's pace against the high powered go get-Cm upstarts "adds a bit of comedy," says Sinclair. "He takes his time, walks back. He'll never break into a run. He's a crowd pleaser and he's just lovable." Not only does Bartley enjoy per­ forming, but his owner Mark Edwards keeps him involved because his leg­ endary canine draws newcomers into the realm of retriever sports. "He's not being entered because he's going to win but because Mark is interested in bringing him out. Mark loves this dog. It's purely out of love," says Sinclair. Edwards' time, effort and devotion molded Bartley into the champion he is, says Sinclair. Theirs is a special rela­ tionship learned as I went along." For the first several years, Edwards competed primarily in the United States, because until recently, Canada didn't offer hunting competitions. "In the first three years I averaged $15,000 to $20,000 U.S for travel, expenses, entry fees and hotels." Eventually, Bartley began paying his own way not only because he was a top dog in three separate competitive areas, obe- wouldn't think of leaving him behind while competing with his younger recruits, Lance, 6 and Nala, 3, both of whom are Bartley's offspring and also entered in the Sportsmen's Show field trials. "I still enter him. It's great public relations. Photo by Ron Kuzyk Mark Edwards' award winning Golden Retriever Bartley,13, rests during a training session between two of his offspring Nala, 3, and Lance, 6, who are following in his footsteps. which began 13 years ago when the former Cape Bretoner bought his first pup, and evolved into a serious pursuit as Edwards learned more about retriever sports. With each success, Edwards was hungry for more. "I like the outdoors. I enjoy the dogs. It was fun. It was a hobby. I per­ severed with him. I thought, 'We can achieve these things.' I used some unorthodox teaching methods and I but he sired 120 litters of puppies in his prime. "At the time I was competing with him, there were two other dogs in the U.S. who had achieved what he did. Most people specialize in one thing." To pursue all three sports requires a tremendous amount of patience, guid­ ance and training, all of which Edwards showered upon him. Bartley is so at home in competition, Edwards It's a way to get new people involved." Edwards opted to retire Bartley when the veteran competitor began executing moves he knew he should­ n 't, like leaving his owner's side before all the decoy birds had fallen. "He knew he shouldn't be doing these things but I wasn't going to get after him. I wasn't going to reprimand him so I decided to permanently retire him from competition." Now Bartley can enjoy his glorious past and live it all over again vicari­ ously through his kids. Well, almost all over because there will never be another Bartley, not in the Edwards' family anyway. "The first thing I had to get over was that I expected Lance to be Bartley. Nobody will ever be Bartley. They're all individuals." With two young children, ages 11 and 6, Edwards doesn't have the time he once did to devote to the dogs' training. "Kids are kids only once and I don't want to miss anything. "I train for a few weeks then I get busy for a month. The training is less consistent with the two younger dogs but already Lance has been in obedi­ ence competition four times and never been beaten." The travel has waned and con­ centrated mostly in the spring when the family and then- canine competitors pile into the back of the Edwards monstrous 4x4. All three are great travellers. "They've been on bush planes, regular air­ planes. I'm usually carrying the kennels and bags. They've got their leashes on their backs walking beside me. People want to know if the dogs are sedated." Edwards broke a lot of new ground with Bartley. "I've persevered with him. As I got into it, I saw more of what was out there. For the first year or two, everything came right out of my pocket. We had to be really conservative." With Edwards at the helm he firmly believed all things were possi­ ble for Bartley and he proved many wrong, particularly those who expect­ ed this champion show dog to fail as a hunter. "W hat's happened with working dogs is that there's been a split, a show dog has lost its instinct and a field trial golden has the instinct, but has lost the look and temperament. People started to specialize." (See 'Champion' page B2) "Take heart, there is something you can do, naturally!" Co Qio CoEnzyme Qio " If you are over 35 and concerned about heart health, Swiss Co-enzyme Q10 is the perfect supplement. This powerful antioxidant when combined with Vitamin E can actually improve energy production at the cellular level. This interesting coenzyme already exists in our bodies, but as we age our levels are reduced. Now, by taking the overall health enhancer Swiss Co Q 10, we can do something about heart health and build our defenses, naturally! Swiss Co-enzyme Q10 60 tabs for only... $1599 It's our knowledgeable and caring staff that makes nutrition house a leader in providing natural wellness products in more than 50 Canadian-owned stores across the country. 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