07/24/2024
Retriever Hall of Fame Nomination
Robert G. (Bob) Willow
Facts of Note
1. Judged the following Nationals: June 1982, NARC, Carson City, Nevada
June 2005, NARC, Virginia, Minnesota
3. Dogs campaigned for FC/AFC and points, among the many over his life. List is partial and does not include all dogs;
FC/AFC Longshot Black Talon (High Point Amateur Dog 2007)
FC/AFC Longshot Waterloo (featured with Bob in the 1960’s AKC movie, “With Courage and Style”)
AFC Longshot Tuggers Nightshift
AFC Longshot Carolina Dreaming
AFC Longshot Striker
4. Dogs qualified for National Championships:
FC/AFC Longshot Waterloo (qualified for 3 Nationals; Finalist in one)
FC/AFC Longshot Black Talon
AFC Longshot Striker
Longshot Monroe
6. Has judged FT’s since the ‘60’s. From 1998 to 2021, he judged 49 AKC FT stakes. Is a 100+ point judge.
7. Owned and campaigned the Double Header winner FC/AFC Longshot Waterloo.
8. Has been involved with multiple clubs over the course of his FT career. Started the South Jersey RC. Instrumental in getting the Westchester RC licensed with AKC. Has held office in the Western NY, Empire and Cape Fear Retriever Clubs. Bob was instrumental in developing AKC Hunt Tests which has contributed to the increase in competitors in the dog sports.
10. Bob has participated in judging seminars, both for new and experienced judges, in New York and North Carolina.
13. Bob has been a breeder of multiple competitive FT dogs over the years. A list of these dogs, not totally inclusive, is as follows:
FC/AFC Longshot Black Talon
Longshot Courageous
AFC Longshot Striker
Longshot Tughill Tugger
Longshot Limosine
Longshot Roxanne
Longshot Carolina Dreaming
15. Bob’s longevity in FT’s has given him multiple opportunities to contribute to the sport. As a heavy equipment operator during his working years, he had expertise in earth moving. He has worked on the design, construction or modification of countless training facilities from Florida to the Canadian border. He assisted the Town of Messina, NY in building ponds for their retriever training facility. He has done work at Cooper Black Recreational area in SC. There are countless other examples in the retriever community of Bob assisting landowners with improving their property to accommodate retriever training. He has worked on his farm in Pender County, NC to make it, as one well-known Field Trialer has stated, “a Disneyland for Retrievers”. At the present time, his farm is the only location in NC that is hosting FT events. He has always welcomed people to train on his property, and been an ambassador of the sport for new people trying to break into the game. Over the years he has touched countless lives with his advice, humor, and wealth of knowledge of the retriever game.
Additional info. Bob is now 88 years old and is actively campaigning AFC Longshot Southern Girl (Louise). He qualified for the 2023 NARC and made the drive across country to run her.
