Tracy Hayes
North Carolina
Background
Tracy Hayes has lived a lifetime with gun dogs. His first two dogs were a gift from a family friend he received when he was 9 years old. Coming from a birddog family, his youth was filled with pointing dogs, quail, grouse and pointing dog field trials. In his early twenties, after graduating from Virginia Tech, he acquired his first lab and it’s been a life-long affair.
For nearly twenty years, agriculture was his vocation but retrievers were his passion. In 1990, he saw a sign that said NAHRA hunt tests. He stopped and watched Charlie Jurney, Allen Pleasants and a few other hunt test trainers and his life was never the same. He co-founded Big Elkin Creek Waterfowl and Retrievers in 1993. Over the next several years, with the help of Charlie Jurney, he learned the art and skill of training retrievers. In the late nineties, he started training professionally and founded Quail Hill Farm Kennels—the rest is history.
At Quail Hill Farm Kennels, training hunting retrievers for the true hunter is paramount. With several acres to train on they almost never have to leave the property to give their gun dogs excellent training opportunities. They train almost exclusively for working gun dogs and HRC hunt tests with the top dogs participating in every HRC Grand. They take pride in training owners to become very proficient handlers for their retrievers.
Other Senior Prostaff
Derek Randle
Derek’s extensive background in retriever training started with his co-ownership of War Eagle Retrievers, after which he designed and developed the first retriever training facility and lodge – The Retriever Academy, located in Miami Oklahoma. Through training and handling, Derek has achieved a multitude of the highest honors in the AKC,...
Chris Anders
Chris has 12 years of dog training experience and over 20 years of combined retriever training and hunting experience. He mostly works with Labradors, Goldens, Chessies, Spaniels, and a few pointing breeds. He is a member of the Professional Retriever Trainers Association, Hunting Retriever Club, Delta Waterfowl, and Ducks Unlimited.
Vern Nowell
Vern is an accomplished outdoorsman living in Alaska since the age of 18. He has an eclectic background; he has been an Alaskan guide for small game, big game, and upland bird hunting. He has also made a living of training his own dog (a French Brittany) for his guide...
