Blue Sky Retrievers

Blue Sky Retrievers enjoys the rewards of training labs to be good citizens, working companions in the duck blind and steady team players at the hunt test line. A hobby run a-muck has turned into a passion. Sharing this passion with  lab owners, bringing new people to the hunt test games, breeding and training retrievers is the fuel that keeps the passion burning.

Jim & Cody  

2007 Fall Grand

HR Barron of Blue Sky "Red"

Family comes first. I am a husband and a father both rolls I consider a privilege. I am also a Lieutenant for the Fire Department a career that I've always enjoyed and take pride in.

As for dog training I started as a bird boy for my father when I was five years old as he trained our family retriever. Having started hunting when I was ten I have always felt closeness to the retrievers I've owned and trained.

I was first introduced to hunt tests in 2000, taking my young "meat" dog for a started test while I checked out HRC. It wasn't my first ribbon that got me hooked but the performance of the finished dogs and the expectations of their handlers that made me decide, "I want to be a part of this".

I trained that meat dog "Red" until he got his first finished pass then sold him to make room for my new up-and-comer Cody. Since then I have trained many dogs and sold them but Cody will be here for the rest of his life.

One thing I know is that had I been introduced to the retriever world of competition I never would have made it to be a Fire Fighter. I enjoy dog training too much. Enough that when I retire I plan to make it a second career.