Wildrose Historic Timeline
1972 - Mike Stewart began offering dog training and instruction in Oxford for retrievers and obedience lessons for companion dogs.
1980's - Wildrose genetics and training methodology turned significantly away from American trends. Emphasis on British Labradors became prominent under the influence of Major Morty Turner Cook, Hambrook Kennels, England.
1980's - In Oxford, emphasis shifted to breeding and training beagles, successfully competing in and judging AKC/UKC beagles field trials.
1988 - A 143-acre property was purchased in Oxford, MS, for training purposes; facility construction began.
1995 - Robert Milner sold Wildrose in Grand Junction to entrepreneur, Ed Apple, of Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Apple made strides in improvement of the facilities and brood stock. All brood stock was converted to 100% British or Irish imported genetics.
1999 - Wildrose was purchased by Mike Stewart from Ed Apple. The property, facilities and dogs were liquidated and sold as individual components. Mike secured the rights to the company's name, website, and logo... and... "The Gentleman's Gundog" was born.
1999 - Wildrose breeding facility, formerly in Grand Junction, was merged with our gundog training facility outside Oxford, Mississippi.
1999 - Association was established with Nigel Carville, Astraglen Kennels, Portadown, N. Ireland which continues today. Nigel won the Irish Championship in 2005 with Intl. FTCH Astraglen Brooke.
2000 - FTCh Angus and FTW Drummer were imported, the first of many fantastic titled dogs to be imported from the U.K. ushering in a new generation of fantastic game dogs, "The Gentleman's Gundog."
2000 - Ducks Unlimited contracted with Wildrose Kennels to produce their first mascot, Drake.
2000 - The Wildrose monthly training newsletter was first published online and continues, uninterrupted, to date.
2001 - An association was established with Vic Barlow of Cheshire, England which continues today.
2001 - Wildrose, with Drake, the DU dog, began conducting annual workshops and demonstrations for Ducks Unlimited at their famed Great Outdoor Festivals in Memphis, Tennessee and Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
2001 - The first Wildrose seminars were conducted at Wildrose Kennels, Oxford, for the training of dogs and their handlers, "The Wildrose Way." They continue annually onsite at our facilities and at resort destinations across the country.
2001 - The Drake TV weekly training tip first appeared on DU's "World of Ducks," now the longest, continuously- aired segment on dog training in history, 2001 to present.
2002 - Established Wildrose Trading Company, our online gundog, supply and clothing accessory store, www.wildrosetradincompany.com. A retail store was also established at Wildrose Oxford offering products from Filson, Orvis and Beretta.
2003 - Wildrose received Orvis Endorsement as a Hunting Dog Breeding Facility.
2003 - Our second Wildrose training facility was opened in Jasper, Arkansas, on the Little Buffalo River for the purpose of river training.
2004 - Wildrose led the first U.S. Gundog team in history to compete in the U.K., winning the P & O Irish Sea International Retriever Competition.
2005 - The U. S. Trademark Office approved the Wildrose logo, the popular puppy and "The Gentleman's Gundog " as a registered trademark, a first for any kennel or breed of dog in the U. S.
2005 - Wildrose Seminars began travelling to destinations across the country, Orlando, Florida, St. Louis, Missouri, Bozeman, Montana, Melbourne, New York, and Houston, Texas. Locations continue to be added annually.
2006 - Mike Stewart was retained as the Gundog Columnist for The Southern Sporting Journal.
2006 - Wildrose released "Training the Wildrose Way" DVD, the first in our Gentleman's Gundog series.
2006 - Wildrose attains a significant benchmark in its business model, a Wildrose Labrador in every state in the U. S. and in every Canadian providence, all of North America, 2000 - 2006.
2008 - Wildrose opened a third training facility in Granite, Colorado, Clear Creek Ranch for summer training. Previously an Orvis-endorsed fly fishing destination.
2008 - Wildrose received Orvis Endorsement as a Hunting Dog Training Facility (dual endorsement).
2008 - Progeny gained a significant reputation with the Service Dog Community - diabetic alert companions, accelerant detection, search and rescue canines and therapy dog companions.
2008 - Wildrose launched a new, unique dog training program, A.D.C, Adventure Dog Certified, which was featured in Outside Magazine.
2009 - Wildrose launched an online blog with Outside Magazine dedicated to the training of sporting dogs through a positive, low-force methodology...The Wildrose Way.
2009 - Wildrose was one of six companies featured in the cover story of Forbes Magazine, April 13th, 2009 edition as a luxury, recession-proof business.
2009 - Wildrose released the second DVD in our series, "Training the Upland Retriever, The Wildrose Way."
...And the legend continues
