“Poppy” (OFA good/ elbows clear optigen “B” carrier) minored out winning 12 points with 8 major reserves. Below is a picture of her going “reserve” again over 79 bitches the day after the Southern California specialty under Judge Jane Borders. She is the dam of specialty winner Ch. Sureshot Ready Aim Fire, Granddam of Sureshot Aim to Please (RWB at the Potomac 2002), and new Ch. Sureshot Hyspire Born Ready (Winners Bitch at the 2006 National Specialty!) Dam of Matilija Mad About You (Dam of a Ch, two Search and Rescue pups, and a field/hunting pups) dam of Matilija NDSDF Rosa, FEMA Advanced Search and Rescue Dog and Matilija Joshua Tree (minored out).
Poppy was the start of Matilija Labradors and I could not have asked for a better foundation, she was one of a kind, we don’t get many of those. I don’t think she ever did a bad thing her whole life. She had 12 points in conformation, one leg of her CD, was NAHRA started and ran three JH tests- nailing three of four birds each time. I failed her by not completing a title but she left a wonderful legacy in her puppies and grand-puppies-all with DRIVE, wonderful instinct- grab the bumper out of your hand, I HAVE to have it drive. I miss her still.

From my son’s weblog www.trisweb.com after our dear Poppy died in December 2004:

Just found out my dog Poppy died on Monday. It was something we all expected, like it could happen anytime. After all, she was fourteen years old. But like most things you expect to happen, there�s always that feeling that it won�t happen today, but sometime way off in the future that you don�t have to worry about yet. That�s how this was.

What a good dog, though. A good friend. I�ll always remember her like that. Always happy, always carrying something in her mouth, always wagging her tail� just a perfect dog for a kid growing up. I can�t say I�m not crying right now. It is sad. But she had such a good life; if I were a dog, I would want to have lived like that. Especially over the last year, when she had finally gone completely deaf�we joked about how much she must like it, how she could sleep all day and no one woke her up! It must have been nice.

I just felt like I should memorialize her somehow. So, a picture and a poem for my best childhood friend, may she rest in peace.

Poppy

Feeling stressed?
Well, I am.
Millions of to-dos,
And other have-tos,
And needs and want-tos.

But you’re not really pressured at all,
Not like me.
You get to laze around all day,
Watching the clouds,
And birds, go by.

You lucky dog, you.
The biggest worry in your life
Is deciding how to respond
When I look you in the eyes;
Whether to stare me down, or not.

You just turned ten, you know.
But you don’t know that,
Makes no difference to you anyway.
I don’t know what I’d do
Without you, though.

Your unconditional love,
Big brown eyes, soft hair,
Friendly attitude;
And there’s always that twinkle of
Impossible understanding
In your eyes.

Tristan Harward � 11/2001