I’ve had two bird dog lives. From 1968 to 1979 I was a horseback red setter man. I was fortunate to work closely with Ned LeGrande, the person who brought the red setter back from bird dog obscurity by concentrating on improving the genes of the dogs through creative breeding. Through Ned I became more than fascinated with trying to breed better red setter bird dogs.
During this period I was fortunate to be the breeder of three first place winners of the National Red Setter Futurity. Double P Rae and Double P Mike were owned by Conrad and Meta Plevnic and my own male Red Hot. There were a number of other red setters we bred who placed in this event. I was also honored to serve as the Futurity Secretary. I came to believe that futurity-aged dogs are at a point in their development and training where one can see the natural qualities that arise from breeding most clearly.
In 1980 when I moved to the woods of PA, I switched from red setters to cover dog English setters. My first dog was Wire. I knew that breeding counted in getting a winner and I went to what I considered the best female of the day, 3x Ch. Ghost’s Star. When Dick Brenneman and I formed our cover dog partnership in 1981, he took Wire and won consistently, eventually winning PA Grouse Dog of the Year. I had two careers at the time–professor of Marketing at Bloomsburg U. and owner of a medium-sized evergreeen nursery and large tree farm. Having to stick relatively close to home (also two elementary-aged kids), I gravitated naturally to the breeding and young dog development side of the partnership. This fit right in with my experience in searching the country to creatively breed better red setters.
At this point I secretly set a goal to match the record I’d set as a red setter breeder by breeding three first place cover dog futurity winners. In the 1980s a son of Wire x Meteor’s Express Train, Harmony Hills Duke owned by Everett Skehan, won the Grouse Futurity. Then in the early 90’s another offpsring of Wire x Buffalo Run Kate, Star’s Misty Ghost, won the Grouse Futurity for Rob Frame. I thought the three 1st as cover dog breeder goal was in reach but it took years later and a number of near misses (Full Tilt–2nd the Grouse Futurity, Hard Call–2nd the Grouse Futurity, and Aim High–second the International Cover Dog Futurity). Finally in October, 2011–31 years after the start–Mike Spotts took our setter male, All In, sired by Ch. Lilley Hills’ Secret Stash x our Ch. Full Tilt, to Canada and won the North American Woodcock Futurity.
Of course many others share in most anything accomplished in bird dogs. Dick and Helen Brenneman are the best partners one could hope for. Dick is listed as the co-breeder of most of these winners we have bred. Their input into breeding has been invaluable–they know more about cover dog setters from witnessing their hunting than any amateurs in the history of the breed. Mike Spotts for taking All In along to Canada. Dave Hughes and Ryan Frame for giving us solid breeding advice for years. We always ask and often act directly on their advice. Dave and Ryan need also to be thanked for their assistance in developing our winning dogs. Finally the other owners of futurity winners, Conrad and Meta Plevnic, Everett Skehan (deceased) and Rob Frame.
It’s fascinating to decide on breedings. Scanning through the list of available winning stud dogs, both living and deceased. Finding out as much as possible about their key genetic qualities. There’s no substitute for seeing the potential sires hunting first hand. Objectively figuring out the strength and weaknesses of the potential dam and then matching her with the best choice stud. And then working with the pups and giving them every favorable opportunity to develop to their fullest. Nothing is more fun for me than working pups and seeing in the exeptional few their gene combinations work together to create a thrilling bird dog performance.