Ken Willis
On a Sunday in July 1989, on a golf course, I met Freddie St. Clair, who invited me over on a Tuesday for a training session with his spaniels. Now at this time, I had no idea what a Springer Spaniel even looked like.
Well, that Tuesday changed everything. Fred ran a dog by the name of Target, which he later gave to me. She ran back and forth, flushed the bird and sat down and I remember thinking to myself, “Well, that’s dumb! Why isn’t she chasing it?” Then Fred said her name, she went out, picked up the bird and brought it right back to him. I though to myself, “So this is a Springer Spaniel?”
Freddie later gave me two pups, Alex and Beth, and this is where my co-judge comes into play. I wasn’t sure exactly what to do with a pup back in 1990, so I asked Fred who was best with puppies and he said Gary Wilson. I called Gary on Friday and Saturday made the trip from Ohio to New York and back that same day. One month later I went back to New York to see the pup. I was very pleased with Alex. As I sat with Gary in the truck that day I said, “I could see myself doing this for a living someday.” Gary told me if I really felt that way, to take Alex home and he would tell me how to steady him and finish him and teach me to be able to run him myself. Alex became the High Point Puppy for 1991 and the rest, as they say, is history.
Other dogs purchased from Gary were AFC Spruce Hill Zephyr and AFC Sunrise Shawnee Rachel. Gary and I have been good friends for a very long time; he was my best man at my wedding and told me about the opportunity at R-Quest Kennels in Morris, IL.
I have been at R-Quest Kennels for 6 ½ years. R-Quest Kennels is owned and operated by Carl and Marian Smith. They have provided me with the wonderful opportunity to be able to train dogs for a living and we’ve had some nice ones over the years.
We were able to win High Point Open in 1998 with FC Radar’s Rooster Raiser and were fortunate to win the 2001 National Open with Elwood’s Jackson Creek Blade. Some other dogs I have had the pleasure and honor to work with are FC CFC Shawnee’s Air Time, FC CFC Gina of Saradynpark, FC Denali Sunrise, and CFC Oakbrooks Rocket.
I now live in Morris, IL with my wife Lynn and would like to thank our family Alexa, Heather, Steven and Kevin and our wonderful newest addition, our granddaughter, Taylor.
May things go your way and, remember to enjoy yourself! Good Luck!
Ken Willis.