Colt 12/12/96-4/26/11

[Steve V]

Rarely has one dog had an impact on so many, and I can't imagine where I'd be today had I not been blessed with him. Truly one of a kind.

[flyntwt]

our condolences to those who loved colt. he looked like a great dog.

[gator]

awe man..........Steve, there aren't any words I have to offer except my most heartfelt and sincerest condolences.

if it's any solace at all, colt was THE dog i first saw up at west tenn's hunt test (my first) and said, "i gotta have that."

he was a man...the man.

i'm so sorry my friend.

-justin harrison

[Duck Chaser]

Brother, he was blessed with you too.. I'm one of the many, with Colt being the first "finished" dog I'd ever seen, while training with you 8 yrs ago. One of a kind, for sure! Rest in peace Colt.

[GulfCoast]

Steve: Very sorry to hear about your loss. They do not live long enough.

Mark

[greencaps]

Sorry for your loss Steve!!! RIP Colt.

[goosebruce]

Rare is an animal that can touch so many people's lives. Colt was that animal. When we (they) started Southern Flight, I had no ideal about hunt tests, national events, that people all over the country did this stuff, and that people did this stuff for a living. I just wanted my duck dog to be a better hunting dog. Someone posted, right here on ms ducks, when it used to be a white screen and the threads appeared tabbed out under it, there was going to be a new dog club in north ms. That was steve. I didn't know him, I didn't know anybody. I didn't even know what there was to know. We had a meeting, and then a training day. Started dogs, like mine. And then they said seasoned dogs, they'd watch 2 birds and then some whistling and arm waving. id seen a dog like that and yup, man thats the ticket. Then they said finished dogs.... the term didn't even mean anything to me I didn't know what it was. There was only one, and that was steve and colt. Steve walked to the line with the most magnificant animal I had ever seen. He was smoking fast, when he was just walking. He had a presence, an air to him, of for lack of a better word, royalty. He knew the world was his, and when you looked at him, you agreed. This was all before a bird was ever thrown... it was just watching him. They threw 3 birds, and the dog watched intently, and when he was sent, the ground pounded with every footprint like wild mustangs coming by. This dog, this animal, didn't even look like the same specis that i recognized as a lab. Then steve sent for the blind, and at around 100 yards he blew a whistle and Colt slid to a stop, in a cloud of dust with his eyes glaring thru it. I couldn't breathe. A quick cast and the dog carried the rest of the way to the stick. As they walked off the line, I ran up, like one of those poor kids in a third world country seeing an american tourist for the first time. I spoke to steve. I got to have one. What? A dog. A dog just like that. Man, you might have you one, but you'll never have one just like that. Oh no, if you'll show me, tell me, or help me, I'll do anything, I'll have one just like that. He'll be black and shiny, and make the ground pound. You might have one, you might have a nice one, but you'll never have one just like this. I've spent the last 12 years trying to prove to steve I can have one just like that, and we've both had a lot of really nice black dogs (and other colors since). But he was right. There wont be another one like that. They're might be more accomplished dogs, or even more talented dogs, and we might be better trainers than back then, but they'll never be a dog that changes so much as that dog did. Without him, I doubt there'd be an Online Labs. And without that, their would have never been a Southern Flight. No rowdy or juice, no chipper, no tram, no stone, no cody... the list goes on and on. I would have never been everywhere I been, and I've rode couple hundred thousand miles with steve, and a lot of places without him... none of us would have this huge family we have.

My boys grew up with colt. When drew and ty where little, Colt was a hot rod. he used to knock them over. he was playing, I used to tell them he wasn't used to kids. he never meant anything, and loved to play with them, but he wasn't used to anything fragile. By the time tj came along, colt had slowed down. Playing was his thing now. And he loved tj as much as a dog can love a little boy. The feeling was mutal as tj loves colt as much as a dog can be loved by a person. TJ is 13 now, and has been going to steves with me since I guess he was 4 or 5. He's never been there he didnt make a point to see colt, and pet him and love on him. We've known for a long time this was coming, and never got close to the house we didn't go and see him. This past weekend, was different. The old body has been down for a long time, but even though the eyes where cloudy, they where still the eyes of the most magnifcant animal ever put on the earth. he knew it, and so did you. Instantly if you just took a second to look in those eyes. That fire wasn't there saturday night. Tj and I came in from hunting, and colt was barking. We got up a couple times to get him quiet, to pet and sooth him. Finally tj said, I'll just go in there and sleep with him. I was thinking couch, but when I got up they where in the floor together with tj having his arm around him. I was glad. I tried to get by without waking them, I didnt have any luck. I didn't want the night for them over.
The pains of age are gone. He doesn't get tired, or sick, or hurt anymore. I can't say he's gone, because he's forever intertwined in so many peoples lives. He here with me, and will forever be. I just hope that somehow, he thought as much of me as I do him. travis

[wilddog]

Man Steve i am so sorry to hear this anything i can do for you just pick up the phone and call bud. Any one that never saw Colt run you missed one of the best if not the best . i have been blessed to judge alot of dogs over the years but you always knew whenever Colt came to the line it was not enough test for him.

[B3]

Steve I am sorry to hear of your loss.

My condolences,

Bill

[Lady Duck Hunter]

Condolences to all who knew Colt. He was quite the dog. I know there will be many memories to feed the stories for years to come. Here's hoping that those memories soon bring you smiles instead of the tears you shed now.

They are never with us long enough.

[dukdawgn]

So sorry to read this news, Steve. My heart goes out to you, buddy. Like Ronnie said, we are just across the water, if you need anything, just give a shout.

I can recall the first time I watched Colt run, a mess of us were at the Drop Zone for a training day. I was just then learning what all this craziness was. I heard what sounded like the Budweiser Clydesdale's running through, looked back, and it was colt leaving for a mark. Never seen one like him since.

[SkippyJ]

Steve, man, I am so sorry to hear!!

Chip

[BucksandDucks]

Sorry to hear the news Steve!

[cdwyer]

So sorry Steve...You and Colt are what set the bar for me and what I wanted in a dog. I hate that your having to go through this but the pain we feel is a fitting reminder of the special bond we had with these guys and I know I wouldnt trade any one of those tears for a million bucks.

Good dog Colt!

[chance]

I got to grow up with Colt. Got to watch him run Seasoned and witnessed both his title runs for an HR and HRCH. Colt reminded me of a weight lifter. He was muscled and fast. All the skills any retriever could ever want. Several of us ganging up to go to hunt tests where Colt was "The Dog". Even the last few months, all Colt wanted to do was get a bumper and please the one he loved.
Colt has crossed that rainbow bridge and has left a big hole. Happy hunting Colt. May the retrieves be easy and the ducks be plenty.