Ridge View has produced 56 AKC Show Champions in the past ten years. These include multiple Specialty Best In Show Dogs, All-Breed Best In Show Winners, and two Westminster Best of Breed Winners. Ridge View has been the #1 Top Breeder of AKC Show Labrador Champions in 1998, 1999, and 2001 and the #2 Breeder for 1997 and 2000. In 2001, we had 4 Ridge View Labradors on the AKC Top Producers List. We also have many Labradors with AKC Hunting Titles, Obedience and Agility Titles. We believe intelligence, trainability and that most important desire to please are all inherited through good breeding practices. All of these Champions and Title Holders are first and primarily family companions. We have Labradors working as Guide Dogs, Search and Rescue dogs, Bomb and Arson Detection dogs, and Drug Detection dogs throughout the country.
Breeding Program
Ridge View has been breeding Labrador Retrievers since 1977. Our breeding program strives for soundness of body, structure, proper movement and true labrador disposition. Natural retrieving and hunting ability are also a must. Ridge View dogs are bred to possess overall balance, proper type, and substance, without sacrificing the maneuverability and athleticism necessary for a versatile sporting dog. Our dogs achieve bench, hunting and obedience titles and serve as service, guide, arson and search and rescue dogs throughout the U.S. Health clearances for hips, elbows and eyes are mandatory for all of our breeding dogs.
Our Foundation
The first Labrador puppy I owned was a black female
sired by Am/Can Dual Ch. Happy Playboy. At the time I purchased that puppy ("Joy"),
I was obedience training a field trial dog of my father's and I obtained
a companion dog title on him in September of 1974. During 1977, I chose Ridge
View as a
kennel prefix and registered a black female puppy, a granddaughter of Happy
Playboy, as Ridge View Happy Girl Dixie. Since that time,I have incorporated
a combination of English, Canadian and American bloodlines into my breeding
program. Ridge View breeds all three colors of labradors and is a firm believer
that a sound, well-rounded breeding program should do so and not limit or
focus itself on one particular color. Stud dogs that have greatly and positively affected our bloodlines include Ch. Tabatha's Drifter at Dickendall JH, Chablais Rhapsodie En Bleu (Canadian), Ch. Lenches Gallivant (English import), and Can Ch. Harbortop's Justin Case MH. A foundation bitch that appears in nearly all my dogs' pedigrees is Ch. Ch. Pine Edge Ridge View Snobear (1998 and 1999 Top Producer and No. 1 all-time top producing Labrador bitch in AKC history with 18 Champion offspring).
Recent Successes
Ridge View has been the top breeder of show champions in the U.S.A. for three years (1998, 1999 and 2001) with 16 Champions produced during that period.
BIS, BISS Ch. Ridge View Heartland Hit Man was Best of Breed at Westminster in 1997, and No.1 ranked Labrador in 1997 and 1998. His sister, Ch.
Ridge View Bleu Bunny won an Award of Merit at Westminster in 1997 as well. In 1999, BISS
Ch. Ridge View Frosty the Snoman CD, JH was Best of Breed at Westminster and also a Best in Specialty Winner. He was also ranked No. 3 Labrador All-breed in 1999.
These dogs are all offspring of Ch. Pine Edge Ridge View Snobear. She produced 7 Champions in 2 litters by Chablais Rhapsodie En Bleu and 7 Champions in 1 litter sired by Ch. Tabatha's Drifter at Dickendall JH. Eight of these Champions are also Sporting Group Winners or Placers. Snobear has another litter by Ch. Lenches Gallivant that has 2 Champions.
Ridge View currently has Champion stud dogs in black, yellow and chocolate. There are several Champion and Champion producing bitches in the kennel , with some recently granted permanent house dog retiree status. With promising youngsters on the way up, the future looks bright. Ridge View will continue to strive to breed typey, sound-moving show and hunting companions for years to come.