RETRIEVING AUSTRALIA FORUM

It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing today of Jim and Alison Hargreaves Grand Retrieving Champion Moon Shadow CM. Jim and Kato were without a shadow of doubt one of those teams that took your breath away, excelling at the highest level of competition for many years. A golden retriever consistently winning at such a high level was an achievement in and of itself but without such an outstanding trainer and handler the story could have been so different. Theirs truly was a team spirit.

Kato won the 2003 ACT State and 2005 Victorian State Championships, was Runner Up in the 2003 Nationals and won 15 All Age trials giving him his Grand Retrieving Trial Champion title. This was a major achievement but Kato went on to win the 2007 and 2008 Victorian State Championships, was Runner Up in the 2008 National Championship and won a further 15 All Age Trials. This equates to 240 Championship points or 2 Grand Champion titles.

In 2010 Kato was inducted into the ANKC Hall of Fame for outstanding performance in the field of retrieving. He also won Dogs Victoria Retrieving Dog of the Year in 2006 and 2007. The Victorian Gundog Club presented him with their Retriever of the Year award in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

My thoughts go out to Jim, Alison and Jacqui Hargreaves and also to his breeder, Helen Pownall on the loss of this very special golden.

That is sad news and am sure the Hargreaves household is missing him dreadfully. Cato was just poetry in motion. I will never forget sitting on a hillside watching him race across a green paddock to retrieve from a creek below him. Just beautiful to watch. Wonder if anyone has a photo illustrating him working like that they could post here?

Have just read this sad news of Kato, what a wonderful Golden this boy was working with his great mate Jim,
Kato you will be remembered by me with your daughter Kira, Winterset Shades of Blue QND CD RA.
Resting now with all of his Golden pals.

With great sadness I say goodbye to Kato (Grd R.T. Ch Winterset Moon Shadow CM). What a great asset to the Golden Retriever breed Kato was, and breathtakingly beautiful to watch in the field. I'm sure we could all say, he was the best GR dog we have seen in the Australian retrieving field. I am so glad to have his son, Banner, and also to know that Kato's grandchildren and great grandchildren here in W.A. are able to carry the bloodline on into the future. My sympathy to Jim, Alison and Jacqui at this very sad time, and what wonderful memories you have of such a lovely boy. RIP Kato.

RIP Kato

Sorry to hear of your loss Jim and Alison. I had the pleasure to watch Kato both in the ACT/NSW when Jim and Alison lived in Canberra and also in Vic after we moved down here. Kato competed in an era of some wonderful dogs in both the ACT/NSW and Vic making his achievements even more remarkable. It is one thing to gain a title in a mediocre or small field it is another to consistently beat the best and Kato did just that. We will certainly remember him.

Gareth and Siobhan

I remember watching Jim & Kato at the 2008 national held here in South Australia. I was in Awe.
My deepest sympathy to Jim, Allison & family on the loss of such a wonderful companion.

Very sorry to hear of Kato's passing, Jim and Alison. Although I have heard plenty of great things about Kato I only wish I had seen him competing in his glory days - unfortunately way before my time in the sport.

Thinking of you both and may his memory live on.

This great dog was a bit before my trialling career started but I have read the results and heard the stories of how good this dog and handler are and were, condolences to Jim and Allison.

RIP KATO

Josh and Rebekah Wells in Tassie

Dear Jim and Alison, our thoughts are with you at this very sad time.One more great dog gone to the happy hunting grounds in the sky. bless him.
Jack and Christine.

Jim & Alison,
Such sad news, Kato was one of the great dogs, certainly one of the very best Goldens ever in Australia , We know how much he will be missed by all the Hargreaves family.
Our thought are with you
Allan & Catherine

So sorry for your loss Jim and Alison.
Kato was just the greatest golden we have ever seen in retrieving. All his honours were so well deserved.
His loss is hard but you will always have the great memories
We are thinking of you
Trevor & Lynn

Jim, Jacqui and I would like to thank everyone for their kind words about Kato.

He gave us such joy in the retrieving world, he just loved to please Jim, and we never imagined in our wildest dreams that he would become the retrieving dog that he did.

Even up to his last day, he would carry something in his mouth, waiting for Jim to ask him to "give". If Jim was loading the car up to take Mav and Chevy training, he would be waiting at the tailgate to be lifted up, so he could go as well.

We do have many great memories of his time competing, but miss him every day.

Thanks to Helen for breeding this wonderful dog, and all our friends in the retrieving fraternity for your friendship.

Alison Hargreaves

Steve and I have fond memories of competing against Kato with Levi over the years, he was always one to keep your eye on and would blitz a run and was always a joy to watch. Our thoughts are with Jim, Alison and Jacqui