DC AFC Mackey's Trail Blazing Sitka
Performance Highlights
Dual Champion
Best in Review at the 2016 Vizsla All Star Review
Colorado Open Gun Dog of the Year 2014-2015
Colorado Amateur Gun Dog of the Year 2014-2015
Colorado Derby Dog of the Year 2012-2013
Sitka's Field Trial Placements
Currently residing in Colorado, Sitka is owned and very much loved by Jessica Mackey a medical student introduced to the world of Vizslas by her boy Sitka. Whelped by Midnight Run Vizslas and sired by our boy Reco - Vanguard's Quantum Matrix simply put, Sitka lives for birds and snuggling.
Sitka is quite possibly the happiest dog on the face of the planet. Sitka's shining feature is his bombproof temperament. Ever the stereotypical velcro Vizsla male, Sitka has never met a stranger and greets everyone with a wiggling butt and attempted kiss. Spoiled rotten at home, he is quite content curling up on the couch or snuggling under the covers on long study days. His tail never stops wagging except when he's on point or zonked out sleeping. Most of all, especially for his field training, Sitka is forgiving. He takes each lesson in stride, understands when he makes mistakes and is not a dog to pout. He is not a soft dog; rather, he is biddable with the single goal in life of pleasing his people… and finding birds.
Sitka is a fun dog to watch compete. His gait is powerful and eye-catching, a high cracking tail as he tears through cover, finishes running edges, or punches out to the next distant objective. His enthusiasm and application make judges stand in the saddle to watch him. On point he can be found far forward and standing tall, with his tail cranked high and head pointing skyward. He's a dog that is easy to read on his game, eager to please, and a joy to handle. He is gorgeous on his birds; solid broke to wing shot and fall and is a natural retriever.
Sitka hunts all winter and runs in Field trials during the spring and fall. At field trials, it would be hard to guess that the horseback shooting dog transforms into a foot hunting dog when "mom" has a shotgun in hand. Knowing the difference between the games, Sitka becomes a thorough hunting dog in the thick cover of a creek bottom looking for quail. He knows when to stretch out in big CRP fields for pheasants, but checks in with his hunters before streaking off to the distance. Switching gears to a duck blind, Sitka is a capable duck dog. He has several waterfowl seasons under his belt, dozens of retrieves on ducks and geese nearly as big as himself, and multiple blinds, double and triple retrieves. Land or water, through mud, muck or snow, he will always bring back our bird.
Sitka easily earned his Puppy/Derby points towards his Field Championship in Colorado all breed horseback trials. Through his limited Derby career, he was also named Colorado Derby Dog of the Year for the 2012-2013 season. He has since been broke out and started competing in Gun Dog stakes. He finished his Field Championship in style, opening the season with a big win in Open Gun Dog at the Skyline Brittany Club horseback field trial for a 5 point major (33 starters) in tough all breed competition. He then went on to win both OLGD and ALGD back to back at the Rocky Mountain Vizsla Club's horseback FT for two 3 point retrieving majors to finish his FC. Within the same month he finished his Amateur Field Championship racking up several more 1st and 2nd placements in major gun dog stakes, all as a three year old. All this earned him the 2015 Open and Amateur Colorado Gun dog of the year. With little free time Sitka has been in the show ring sparingly, as his focus is primarily Field events. He is currently just one major shy of that Dual Championship! I have no doubt he will achieve it in his usual over achieving fashion.
Sitka is available as a stud to approved females. He has already sired several litters. We have been extremely pleased with the puppies he has produced. Dark in color, high tails and lots of point and bird drive. Sitka is an OFA: EXCELLENT. For more information concerning breeding to Sitka or inquiring about a puppy from Sitka, please contact us at: matt@vanguardvizslas.com or Jessica Mackey at: jkm2s@virginia.edu