ABOVE: Tenacular Joule's Watt Son (Watson) qualified to compete in the 2008 AKC Retriever Master National when he earned his eighth Master Hunter ribbon at the Western Montana Retriever Club in June 2008. The Master National was held in Minnesota in September 2008. (Photo by Mary Moranville)

The two pups Joule kept from her Nito-Raven litter made their first performance appearance at an owner-handler puppy stake in July 2002 when they were five months old. Ladybug and Watson earned a 4th Place and a JAM (Judges Award of Merit), respectively.

Joule began running the pups in AKC Retriever Hunt Tests when they reached the minimum allowable age of six months. The photo below was shot after Watson passed his first AKC Junior Hunter test in August 2002, when he was just barely old enough to be entered. It was the hunt test first ribbon for a Tenacular-bred dog of Team Tenacular.

ABOVE: When each 'leg' toward an AKC title is achieved, the handler (Joule, on the right) receives an orange ribbon and bird band. (Photo by Elaine Goodner) 

LEFT: Joule and Watson in holding blind at Monterey Bay Hunting Retriever Club's 2008 Master Hunt Test. (Photo by Patti White)