Not only one of 37 Labradors in the US to earn both a show and a field championship, but part of a dynasty. Four Dual Champions in four consecutive generations - 3xNFC CFC Dual CH Shed of Arden, father of Dual CH Grangemead Precocious, grandfather of Dual CH Cherokee Buck and great grandfather of Dual CH AFC Alpine Cherokee Rocket.
HIS BACKGROUND
Precocious was bred and owned by Thomas W. Merritt, a man who spent many years supporting the breed and competition he loved.
- Judged over 50 field trials, including the first National Amateur Stake in 1957 and the National Open (4 times).
- One of the original incorporators of the National Club.
- Past President of the Labrador Club.
- Was a Director of the American Kennel Club.
- President and Editor-in-Chief of the Retriever Field Trial News.
That's in addition to breeding and owning some of the top Labs of the 1940s and 1950s. He reminds me of Lorna, Countess Howe in their efforts for the breed plus the great dogs they each owned.
Merritt mentioned one of his first puppies was Grangemead Angel who was sired by FC Freehaven Jay. Her mother was a granddaughter of Eng CH Banchory Trueman - another link to Lorna. He bred Angel to Am FC Eng FTCh Hiwood Mike who was a grandson of Eng Dual CH Banchory Painter, yet another link.
Grangemead Sharon, mother of Dual CH Cherokee Buck, was a puppy from the Angel x Mike litter.
HIS PEDIGREE
| 3xNFC CFC Dual CH Shed of Arden | CH Raffles of Earlsmoor | Thatch of Whitmore (Eng CCW) |
| Task of Whitmore (Eng CCW) | ||
| FC Decoy of Arden | Odds On (Eng FTW) | |
| Peggy of Shipton (Eng FTW) | ||
| Huron's Lady | Am Eng CH Banchory Trump of Wingan | Blenheim Scamp (Eng FTW) |
| Lady Daphne | ||
| CH Bancstone Lorna of Wingan | Eng Dual CH Bramshaw Bob | |
| Eng CH Drinkstone Peg |
The Labrador Retriever was still pretty new to our shores at this time and all eight of Precocious' great grandparents were British. Shed of Arden was sired by a British import and his maternal grandparents were both British imports. Precocious' maternal grandparents were also British imports.
CH Raffles of Earlsmoor
3xNFC CFC Dual CH Shed of Arden
FC Decoy of Arden (right)
Banchory Trump of Wingan
Bancstone Lorna of Wingan
PRECOCIOUS GETS HIS START
He was born June 21, 1946, along with at least two litter brothers, Jock of Athabaska and Deer Creek Black Ace. Both brothers finished their show championships.
Merritt remembers Precocious as "a bigger dog than Shed. He was a good marking dog, especially in water and especially strong in water triples." According to Helen Warwick in The Complete Labrador Retriever.
He was trained and handled by Harold Berentsen. He won his first Open stake at 28 months and finished his field championship about a year later.
During the summer of 1950 he became a show dog and often won Best of Breed. He even placed in the Group a couple of times. Admittedly entries were much smaller than they are today. He won his first Best of Breed on May 7, 1950 and finished his show championship on June 18, 1950. Having already finished his field championship, he became a Dual Champion that same day.
He qualified for and ran in four National Championships - 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951. He was a finalist in 1950 and 1951.
HIS LEGACY
Some people say he was named Precocious because he sired his first litter at the age of six or seven months. Based on birth dates, he was actually a grand old pup of nine months when he did the deed.
But what a deed! In that one litter with Grangemead Sharon he sired:
DUAL CH CHEROKEE BUCK
- sire of Dual CH AFC Alpine Cherokee Buck
-- grandsire of NAFC FC Andy's Partner Pete
- sire of Ironwood Cherokee Chica
-- grandsire of NFC 2xNAFC Super Chief (Hall of Fame), FC AFC Carr-Lab Penrod, FC Chief Black Feather, FC AFC Paha Sapa Warpaint, FC AFC Paha's Pow-Wow, Spring Farms Lucky QAA
- sire of Luscious Licorice Lass
-- grandsire of FC AFC CFC Triple Echo
FC CHEROKEE MEDICINE MAN
FC FREEHAVEN MUSCLES
- sire of FC AFC Paha Sapa Chief II (Hall of Fame)
-- grandsire of NFC 2xNAFC Super Chief (Hall of Fame), FC AFC Carr-Lab Penrod, FC Chief Black Feather, FC AFC Paha Sapa Warpaint, FC AFC Paha's Pow-Wow, Spring Farms Lucky QAA
-- grandsire of NAFC FC Rebel Chief of Heber (Hall of Fame) and AFC Jilly Girl
- sire of FC Nelgard's Counter Point
-- grandsire of Dual CH CFC Ridgewood's Playboy and FC AFC Sand Gold Kim
You can see these boys in the header image - left to right - Grangemead Precocious, Freehaven Muscles, Cherokee Medicine Man and Cherokee Buck.
Unfortunately Grangemead Sharon was given away before her sons were able to prove themselves. Who knows if a second litter of Precocious x Sharon would have equaled or bested the first litter.
Other offspring:
- sire of CFC Highlander's Buccaneer and CAN CH Highlander's Diana
-- grandsire of Can Dual CH Blyth's Knave of Spades
- sire of Beautywood's Creole Jane
-- grandsire of Don's Ginny Soo
--- great grandsire of 2xNAFC 3xCNFC FC River Oaks Corky (Hall of Fame)
-- grandsire of FC Roy's Rowdy
And, yes, we have a bit of Precocious in our dogs. Our pretty Dee and all her offspring, including Arwen, Tory and Cotti, trace back to Precocious several times.
1 - Through 2xNAFC FC River Oaks Rascal to Beautywood's Creole Jane to Precocious
2 - Through 2xNAFC FC River Oaks Rascal to Dual CH AFC Alpine Cherokee Rocket to Precocious
3 - Through Shamrock Acres Juego De Azar to FC Freehaven Muscles AND Dual CH Cherokee Buck to Precocious
4 - FC AFC Raider's Piper Cub to FC AFC Paha Sapa Chief II to Precocious
5 - Timberlane Cinnamon to 2xNAFC 3xCNFC FC River Oaks Corky to Precocious
6 - Timberlane Cinnamon to Black Beauty of Random Lake to FC Freehaven Muscles to Precocious
7 - Timberland Cinnamon to Muscle Man of Random Lake to Rise and Shine at Duckwind to Precocious
8 - Timberland Cinnamon to Cherokee King Bojo to Precocious
9 - Timberland Cinnamon to Luscious Licorice Lass to Precocious
10 - FC AFC CFC Trieven Thunderhead to FC AFC Paha Sapa Chief II to Precocious
11 - FC AFC CFC Trieven Thunderhead to Ironwood Cherokee Chica to Precocious
12 - FC AFC CFC Trieven Thunderhead to AFC Jilly Girl to Precocious
13 - Dale's Double Hope to Dual CH CFC Ridgewood Playboy to Precocious
14 - Dale's Double Hope to FC AFC Serrana Sootana of Genesee to Precocious
15 - Dale's Double Hope to FC AFC Toni's Tar to Precocious
16 - Dale's Double Hope to Ebony Sally of Widgeon Bay to Precocious
17 - Hard Driving Abigail to Cherokee King Bojo to Precocious (twice)
18 - Hard Driving Abigail to Luscious Licorice Lass to Precocious
And Chip too goes back to Precocious. Through Jilly Girl (twice), Beautywood's Creole Jane (9x), Super Chief (twice), Gunfield's Super Charger, Paha Sapa Chief II (separate from Super Chief) and Howmor's Dark Gypsy.
DUAL CH Grangemeade Precocious
Whelped: June 21, 1946
Breeder: Thomas W. Merritt
Registration: S-127563
