GUEYDAN, La. — The 2024 Gueydan Duck Festival has arrived, and while ducks are the star attraction, another animal is just as important—dogs.
The loyal canines help hunters in duck hunting, such as T-Bo, an 8-year-old black Labrador Retriever.
He's not just any dog—he’s a nine-time Grand Champion of the Hunting Retriever Club and a Master Hunter in the American Kennel Club. His achievements don’t end there, T-Bo is also the youngest dog ever inducted into the HRC Hall of Fame.
"He just has a natural talent," says Trent Nugier with High Performance Retrievers. "He loves to do it and is really good at it."
Nugier, who has 40 years of duck hunting experience, also dedicates his time to training canines, helping them reach their full potential in hunting, field trials, and other activities.
This makes T-Bo and other duck hunting dogs, who are trained to track down ducks, essential to the success of the sport and, in turn, the festival.
"They’re bred for it," Nugier says. "With good training throughout their lives, they just become really good hunting dogs."
KATC wanted to learn more and asked just how essential are these dogs to the art of duck hunting?
“I guess it depends on how great of a shot you are, if you are a good shot maybe you don’t need a dog but I'm not that good of shot but I need to have the best dog I can have to find my ducks,” he says.
If you believe your dog has what it takes to be the next duck hunting champion, there will be a dog competition at the annual Gueydan Duck Festival Dog Trials, you can find those details below.
- Saturday, August 24th, at the Old Festival Grounds
- Registration/Start Time begins at 8:00 am
- Entry Fee: $35 (per entry into a division)
- (Dogs will be ran in the order of registration; late registration may be accepted if event time has not expired)
