Avery Creek Retrievers

04/07/2026

This is how me and my Merry Band of Misfits looked rolling into the beautiful Pine Tree Farms in Smithville, GA to start our spring test season a couple weeks ago. I am late disseminating some results so here goes… Southwest Georgia Hunting Retriever Club we had Ziva and River both moving closer to the HRC 500 point club, Peri picked up his HR title and Ember, Stella, Gunner and Fin earned their first two hunt test passes, while Whiskey picked up two more.

Our second test at Appalachian Hunting Retriever Club, we didn’t have to travel to far, the commute was about 30 yards to load the dogs up on the trailer. We had a home field advantage on this one. Ziva got two passes closer to 500 points, River wasn’t as fortunate, she thought playing at home meant she could leave a little early. Deacon, Jethro and Diesel also earned finished passes. Stella, Fin, Whiskey and Ember all earned SHR titles.

5 females in heat cut our crew down some the first two tests, and unfortunatley, Riley and Hope had to skip Boykin Nationals this coming weekend due to Hope coming in heat.

We are just getting 2026 underway as far as testing goes, but I’m pretty happy with what we’ve seen so far, but we have a lot left to accomplish the remainder of the year and a lot of work and miles to put in to make it all happen.

04/07/2026

Jethro and I having a pep talk and strategizing, in the holding blind, before the Sunday water test at Appalachian Hunting Retriever Club. Something one of us said worked, he ran a good series.

04/06/2026

HRCH Deacon running a bird (bumper) in mouth mark. Dude gets locked in, very little
movement, never takes his eyes off the mark.

04/06/2026

Walked inside for a minute and found this guy in the kitchen at the back door. Glad mama and the girls weren’t home or we might have had to burn the place down.

04/05/2026

Our annual Easter family picture. Little wet and windy on this Ressurection Day.

We hope everyone has a wonderful Easter today, we celebrate that some 2,000 years ago the tomb was empty.

04/03/2026

As we wind down Holy Week on this Good Friday, lets be reminded that it is only Friday, and Sunday is coming

https://youtu.be/QS2wPotScZY?si=mIPAtFu1OCW2pGPld

S. M. Lockridge (born Shadrach Meshach Lockridge, March 7, 1913 — April 4, 2000) was the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, a prominent African-American congr...

03/29/2026

Day 1 in the books. As far as I could tell it was a great day. We had a great turnout, good tests, good food and even better dog work. Looking forward to see what day 2 brings. A huge shoutout to our bird techs, who did an awesome job and had a wonderful attitude and outlook.

03/28/2026

Good luck to everyone running Appalachian HRC’s test this weekend. We look forward to a great weekend seeing some familiar faces and meeting new ones. I hope every dog and handler has a great weekend.

03/23/2026

Second time this had happened at two different places. I was sending some of the judges screen shots of satellite images of places we are running our hunt test this weekend. This is one of the ponds and if you look to the left of the water you will see holding blinds; and my truck and trailer on the bottom right. Kind of strange that two different times we were working dogs in two different spots is when the satellite images were taken.

03/20/2026

For those attending the Appalachian HRC Hunt Test next weekend (March 28-29), I wanted to get some information out.

The headquarters will be at my home/kennel. Please drive/park in designated areas only.

Please do not have any dogs off lead at/around the kennel.

Some of the test sites will be on property that I do not own, please be respectful of these properties. Please do not leave trash, etc.

Check-in/Walk up entries will open at 7:00am both days. Tests will start at 8:00am both days.

Sunday morning there will be a devotional led by Rev. Jason Ballard, of the Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association. It will begin at 6:30am at Headquarters.

We will hav a raffle table and tickets will be available all day Saturday. Besides the general raffle table, we will have a raffle for a Garmin Sport Pro electronic collar and a raffle for an Intermediate Gunner Kennel.

There will be a food truck at headquarters both days.

There will be a tailgate Saturday evening beginning at 6:00pm Ribbons will be handed out for Saturday at this time.

Ribbins will be handed out Sunday upon the conclusion of each stake.

We want to thank all the handlers/dog owners for signing up and running in our Premiminary Test and look forward to seeing everyone next weekend.

03/19/2026

I couldn’t make myself think about it talk about it yesterday, but yesterday was 10 years without my mom. You would think it would be easier after a decade, but it isn’t. Not a day goes by I don’t think about her or talk about her. I called my dad last night and couldn’t even bring the subject up. I guess some wounds never completely heal. 10 years seems like 100 years in some ways but feels like a few days in other ways. I love and miss you mom.

03/10/2026

If diesel fuel is gonna run $5.00 per gallon can we change the settings on the pump to not stop at $100? Some of us have big fuel tanks and $100 ain’t getting us much. Guess I’ll make sure I hit Love’s or Pilot so I can fill up on one transaction.