CH Tartana Ravenwatch Rachel MH

Sept 1, 1993 to April 12, 2004



CH Tartana Ravenwatch Rachel MH CGC, "Rachel"  was our foundation dog, family pet and personal gun dog.  Born Sept 1, 1993, she was owner handled (by Connie ) to her AKC Bench Championship and by Chris to her AKC Master Hunter title. 
She is a medium size dog (about 54 lbs) and continued to the end to be Chris' gun dog in the fall pursuing mainly Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock 30 + days each fall in Northern Wisconsin. 
Rachel's early end came as the result of ingesting a rope style chew toy. Upon sharing her story with others we have since learned that this has happened all too often. Please learn from our experience. 

Click on (any) picture for a larger view - This photo documents one of the most memorable days a field with Rachel. I was hunting with Phil Wachuta in  Taylor County when we got into a mess of grouse. I shot at least 10 times with Rachel stopping every 3 or 4 yards to point again. in less than 3 minutes, I had killed several grouse outright. Obviously a family affair. The last grouse was lightly hit and glided into the swift current of the Jump River (background) and began flopping in the water. Rachel swam out to make her first water retrieve on wild game but came back to the bank where it was 4 feet high, vertical and the water was deep and swift. She couldn't get out of water here. I was trying to coax her to downstream when Phil walked up to learn what the commotion was about. He quickly grasped the situation and he held my feet while I leaned way over the bank down to the water and pulled Rachel up by her collar, grouse in her mouth and all!  

Rachel finishing her show championship under Dr. Alvin Krause.
July 1998 at Waukesha, WI. Dr. Krause told Connie he picked her because of her wonderful movement. She's a very balanced and efficient mover. Rachel always showed best on grass (a real hunting dog you know). 

Rachel finishes her Master Hunter in March 2, 2002 at Ottawa in Eagle, WI. Don Krueger is giving her a  big hug. With Don's patience and guidance Rachel we ran the hunt test ladder - 4 legs of Junior, 4 legs of Senior and 5 legs of Master Hunter, Chris handling each time. As hunt test difficulty advanced, Rachel developed a deep desire to do almost anything except honor. It took a lot of patience and some rather creative nurturing to put enough into the honor to hold her interest. She'd much rather go off and hunt up her own bird, which she was way too often successful doing. We worked hard to make honoring fun for Rachel and she eventually decided, OK - I'll honor, but make it snappy, I've got some bird work to do. On this day, after five perfectly handled birds, Rachel honored a nearly all white English Pointer in a snowstorm (not quite an albino rhino, but close). A full bottle of Tamdhu Whisky was emptied that day in Rachel's Honor. 

Rachel pointing a woodcock in March snow.
Hunting season is closed but we didn't tell Rachel!

All photos and images displayed on this website are the property of Chris and Connie Rhoden owner/breeder of Tamdhu Gordon Setters. All Rights Reserved © 2003, 2004, 2005 and beyond.  All photos and images copyrighted by Chris and Connie Rhoden 

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Voices, a thousand, thousand voices
Whispering, the time has passed for choices
Golden days are passing over
I can't seem to see you
Although my eyes are open wide
But I know I'll see you once more
When I see you, I'll see you on the other side
Yes, I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side
***
Leaving, I hate to see you cry
Grieving, I hate to say goodbye
Dust and ash forever
Though I know we must be parted
As sure as stars are in the sky
I'm gonna see you when it comes to glory
And I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side
Yes I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side
***
Never thought I'd feel like this 
Strange to be alone, yeah 
But we'll be together 
Carved in stone, carved in stone, carved in stone
*** 
Hold me, hold me tight, I'm falling 
Far away. Distant voices calling 
I'm so cold. I need you darling, yeah
I was down, but now I'm flying
Straight across the great divide
I know you're crying, but I'll stop your crying
When I see you, I see you on the other side
God knows I'll see you, see you on the other side.
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"O. Osborne, See You on the Other Side"
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 Listen to the MP3 (note it is 7MB in size).