Marta Morris

June 15, 2020 by Marta Morris

The Vikingland June HT is on the books and what a day it was. With a flight of 32 and a very organized Retriever club, the Test was completed in one day. Thanks to judges Jeff Buddy and Kurt Stivley for putting up three good series made more difficult by mother nature’s windy conditions?? A huge “Thank You” goes out to Todd and Benita Otterness for sharing their amazing training facility for the competition. Jack was able to get master passes on Gary Witherspoon’s Cody, David Dyslin’s Rowdy, Jack’s Tori, and Josh Clepper’s Bolt. Karin Parker did a great job handling Maverick to another master pass. It was wonderful to be able to see friends and compete again after a very isolated spring.

April 25, 2020 by Marta Morris

What a wonderful place to be quarantined! Stellar training goes on as if there was nothing happening outside these 110 acres. Jack and I are praying for so many we know and many we don’t know for healing and health. If you are fortunate enough to be healthy at this time, we pray you stay that way, if not know we are praying for you daily. Remember to be kind to all and if possible generous to those less fortunate. This time will pass and we will all be stronger and more resilient on the other side.

March 15, 2020 by Marta Morris

Great weekend at Waterloo Retriever Club Hunt Test. Thank you to Waterloo for a great weekend and Mike Akroyd and Jeff Bundy for three great series. Congratulations to Karin Parker and her dog Maverick, Scott Baker and Brennan, and Joal Harper and Hitch, Kiker, and Mia on passes in Master A, congrats to Gary Witherspoon on his passes with Cody and Major, Jack handling those two for him. David Dislyn and Jack Erskin on their passes with Rowdy and Mack, Jack handling both, and Jack handled Josh Clepper’s Bolt, Dede Paterson’s Patience, and Marta Morris’s Cheers to their first Master pass. MARY Ellen Hamilton’s Lion passed with Marta Morris to Qualify for Master Nationals 2020, as did Wayne Paterson, handling his dog Pearl. It was a good weekend for the Stellar group.

December 09, 2019 by Marta Morris

Stellar had a good weekend at Brazosport HT Dec 7-8 at the beautiful Homestead Ranch in Giddings Tx. Thanks to Brazosport club for hosting the event. Thanks to Nancy and Bob Neipert for marshaling Master flight B. Stellar dogs that received a passing score run by Jack were Mack owned by Jack Erskin, Maverick owned by Karin and Jeff Parker, and Rowdy owned by David Dyslin. Congrats to all. Lion owned by Mary Ellen Hamilton and handled by Marta received a passing score and Stellar dogs Glory and Mariah also passed. Congratulations to Joal Harper on the passes with his three dogs Mia, Kiker and Hitch. Thank you judges Bruce Backert and Bob Heise for really challenging tests.

December 06, 2019 by Marta Morris

Stellar Retrievers has had a very busy fall! We returned home in August to close on the old Stellar property and move to the new property on Sept 10th. Then it was full steam ahead on building ponds and clearing the property. We were off to Master National in Cheraw SC October 17-27, beginning with a good pre-training week, October 13-17. The weather for the week of testing was very good, just a couple of days of light rain and cool temperatures. Thank you to all the judges and MN committee for challenging tests that showed the abilities of our dogs.  Thank you to our wonderful judges in Flight D, Ellison Armfield and Richard Anderson for their efforts and their time in the chair. It was nice getting to know them better and look forward to seeing them in the future. Congratulations to all the competitors who received plates and a special congrats to Stellar’s Proud Mary on her MNH8! Way to go Bob and Mary. Jack and I are very proud of all the Stellar dogs that qualified for this year. Thank you all for allowing Stellar to train you talented dogs. The Stellar dogs that received plates were: Major owned by Gary Witherspoon, Lion owned by Mary Ellen Hamilton, and Cinder who became an MNH 4, owned by Bill and Lynn Teague; Glory, Lena, Baylee, Mariah and Tori, Stellar’s personal dogs also received plates. Stellar clients who handled their personal dogs trained by Stellar did very well. Joal Harper received a plate with Mia, Dede and Wayne Paterson passed their dogs Jones and Tryst, Marion Woolie received a plate with Remi, and Nathan Proske passed Trigger. It was a great moment for Dede, Wayne, Nathan, and myself when our family of dogs Jones (dad), Baylee (mom), Lena, Tryst, and Trigger (siblings) all became MNH’s and entered the Hall of fame. Look forward to seeing all the old and new friends we have made in Minnesota at MN 2020.