YUKON GOLD RUSH — AI Analysis

YUKON GOLD RUSH is a female English Setter carrying a pedigree stacked with proven shooting dog and horseback field trial blood, especially through the Yukon, Merritts, Pinekone, Tekoa Mountain Sunrise, Smoke Rise, Tarheel, and Ridge Creek families. On paper she reads like a dog bred for forward application, bird sense, class on the ground, and enough competitive edge to suit both a hunter and a trial-minded owner. The top side is particularly deep in established field champions and recognizable producer lines, while the bottom side adds additional trial influence through Ridge Creek Cody, Cant Go Wrong, Houstons Belle, Jetwood, and related stock.

The English Setter has long been prized by bird hunters for style, range, nose, and a natural way of handling game that feels elegant without being soft. A good setter covers country with a floating gait, hunts with purpose, and points with that high-headed look hunters never forget. In the field they tend to be intelligent, sensitive, and biddable compared with some harder-driving pointing breeds, but the best ones still carry grit, stamina, and a real desire to find birds. This breed shines for upland work on quail, grouse, woodcock, and prairie birds, and when the pedigree is right, an English Setter can be just as competitive as it is companionable.

This is the kind of pedigree that tells a familiar story to anyone who has followed field-bred English Setters for years. The sire side leans heavily into old competitive setter stock, with R/U CH CALADENS DAVINCI bringing in MERRITTS BLAZE and CH MERRITTS PEARL, while the maternal side of the sire traces through HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO and SMOKIE RISE KATTIE. Deeper in that side, you find FLATWOOD FLOYD, CH PINEKONE BABE, MERRITTS BUTCH, REROYS TRICKY FLOSSY, CH SHAK TI, and SNYDERS SECOND HOPE. That is a strong concentration of old setter names tied to bird finding, class, and field competitiveness. The dam side is less complete in the record but still meaningful. LADY GODIVA is by 3XCH/R-U CH RIDGE CREEK CODY, a dog backed by CH-R/U CH CANT GO WRONG and 2XCH/4XR-U CH HOUSTONS BELLE. That bottom side suggests a useful cross of established trial blood with practical gun dog influence, likely intended to preserve style and run while keeping hunt and application honest.

Based on the pedigree supplied, YUKON GOLD RUSH appears to come from a linebred field English Setter background rather than a tight inbreeding pattern. There are repeating influences, most notably TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE appearing multiple times, PINEKONE MAX JR showing up more than once, and GROUSE RIDGE LEROY/LEROY-derived influence recurring through different branches. There is also repeated Smoke Rise blood through SMOKE RISE REBEL, CH SMOKE RISE BUCK, SMOKE RISE DIXIE, and related descendants. Using the visible six-generation pedigree and accounting for the repeated named ancestors that are clearly identifiable, the estimated coefficient of inbreeding is approximately 2.5% to 4.5%, with a practical midpoint estimate near 3.4%. Because several ancestors on the dam side are missing or blank in the source pedigree, this should be treated as an informed estimate rather than a precise certified COI. Genetically, that level suggests moderate linebreeding designed to anchor desirable field traits without pushing into a very tight concentration. In real terms, that usually means a breeder was likely trying to hold onto pattern, nose, style, and trainability while still leaving room for vigor and adaptability.

The biggest ancestral fingerprints in this pedigree come from HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, the Pinekone family, Merritts dogs, Smoke Rise blood, and Grouse Ridge stock. Tekoa Mountain Sunrise is the kind of name that often signals run, scope, and lasting influence in field setter pedigrees. Pinekone blood, especially through PINEKONE MAX and PINEKONE MAX JR, tends to suggest trial quality and a strong contribution to class and forwardness. The Merritts branch adds old setter field character and depth, while Smoke Rise blood is often associated with bird sense and practical field ability. Grouse Ridge and Roy/Reroy lines are tied into old shooting dog functionality and style. On the dam side, Ridge Creek Cody, Cant Go Wrong, Houstons Belle, Jetwood, and related dogs likely reinforce competitive instincts, stamina, and a useful mix of class and application.

This pedigree carries a strong concentration of titled dogs, especially for a field-bred English Setter. Among the clearly identified champions and notable titled dogs are CH WOODVILLES YUKON CORNELIUS, R/U CH CALADENS DAVINCI, CH MERRITTS PEARL, HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO, CH PINEKONE BABE, CH SHAK TI, 4XCH 2XCH PINEKONE MAX JR, CH CRESCENT CITY DEXTER, CH GROUSE RIDGE REROY, CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE, CH SMOKE RISE BUCK, CH NEW HOPE, 11X CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, 5XCH/3XR-U CH FIRST RATE, CH 2XRU CH PINEKONE MAX, HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, CH CAROLINA COOTER MAN, CH COMMANDERS CASEY JONES, CH FAIR PLAY, 3XCH/R-U CH RIDGE CREEK CODY, CH-R/U CH CANT GO WRONG, 2XCH/4XR-U CH HOUSTONS BELLE, CH WRONG WAY, CH DR RAY, CH STILLMEADOWS JIM, 2XCH/R-U CH JETWOOD, CH/2XR-U CH JETSETTER, and CH LILLEYHILLS SECRET STASH. That is a deep title density and suggests this pedigree was built with performance in mind rather than chance accumulation.

If this female follows the paper, I would expect a bird dog with enough run for open country, enough nose for wild birds, and the kind of style that catches your eye before she ever locks up. The sire side says range, class, and competitive instinct. The dam side says there should still be substance there, with hunt, grit, and some bottom to carry through a long season. She likely projects best as an upland dog suited for quail, prairie birds, and grouse country, depending on how she is started and conditioned. I would expect a medium to forward race, a natural tendency to reach for objectives, and the kind of point that comes from generations of selected field breeding. In temperament, this kind of setter breeding often gives you a dog that wants to work with a handler when handled fairly, though there can be enough independence in the blood that a soft or inconsistent owner will not get the best out of her.

The biggest takeaway is that YUKON GOLD RUSH appears built from a serious field pedigree, not just a collection of names. There is enough repeated influence to stabilize type, but not so much visible inbreeding that you would expect a narrow genetic corner based on the supplied record alone. The strongest side of the pedigree is the top, where the concentration of old setter field blood is deep and easy to follow. The bottom side, though less complete, still brings proven trial credentials and helps keep the cross from being one-dimensional. For a buyer, the pedigree suggests a dog more likely to suit someone who hunts regularly and appreciates a classy, animated bird dog than someone looking for a low-drive backyard setter. For a breeder, the line offers multiple proven families to build on, especially if the female herself shows the nose, gait, and bird handling this paper promises.

The pedigree includes several notable relatives by ancestry, especially HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO and HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, both names recognized as important field influences in English Setter circles. Other standout relatives in the pedigree include 4XCH 2XCH PINEKONE MAX JR, CH 2XRU CH PINEKONE MAX, CH GROUSE RIDGE REROY, 3XCH/R-U CH RIDGE CREEK CODY, CH-R/U CH CANT GO WRONG, and 2XCH/R-U CH JETWOOD. No confirmed littermates, offspring, or direct produce records for YUKON GOLD RUSH were provided in the source material, so famous brothers, sisters, and offspring cannot be reliably listed from this pedigree alone.

Given the concentration of Tekoa, Pinekone, Merritts, Smoke Rise, and Grouse Ridge influence, a good outcross would likely come from a proven English Setter family that offers complementary bird finding and composure without doubling too tightly on the same ancestors. Strong outcross options in principle would be modern field setter lines known for biddability and nose but carrying less Pinekone and Tekoa concentration, or a well-selected grouse/woodcock line with documented health and wild bird consistency. The safest practical outcross would be to a dog with proven performance, strong feet, endurance, and a balanced application, while avoiding unnecessary repetition of TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE and PINEKONE MAX ancestry if the goal is to widen the genetic base.

As breeding stock, YUKON GOLD RUSH looks most interesting if she proves to be what the pedigree suggests: a stylish, birdy female with enough range and mental composure to hold up over time. I would preserve what this pedigree is trying to hold: field class, natural point, and competitive hunt. If she is high-powered and forward, I would breed her to a male known for biddability, finish on birds, and consistency under hunting pressure rather than simply more speed. If she is moderate and especially intelligent on game, then doubling lightly on the strongest parts of the top side could make sense. Either way, selection should be based on her actual field expression, because this pedigree has enough quality behind it that the smartest move is to breed to complement the individual rather than chase names alone.

YUKON GOLD RUSH is the kind of female English Setter pedigree that makes a bird hunter stop and read twice. She is by CH WOODVILLES YUKON CORNELIUS and out of LADY GODIVA, and the blood behind her carries the look of real field breeding, not pedigree decoration. The top side is loaded with recognizable setter names like CALADENS DAVINCI, MERRITTS BLAZE, CH MERRITTS PEARL, HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO, FLATWOOD FLOYD, CH PINEKONE BABE, CH SHAK TI, and repeated Tekoa and Pinekone influence. The bottom side adds more trial grit through 3XCH/R-U CH RIDGE CREEK CODY, CH-R/U CH CANT GO WRONG, and 2XCH/4XR-U CH HOUSTONS BELLE. Put together, it reads like a female bred for birds, range, and style. From a hunter’s standpoint, this is the sort of English Setter breeding you look for when you want a dog that can move across country with purpose and still show enough brains to make the hunt enjoyable. The repeated presence of Tekoa Mountain Sunrise, Pinekone, Smoke Rise, and Grouse Ridge blood suggests inherited run, nose, and class on point, while the broader cross keeps the pedigree from looking too tight. Based on the visible generations, the estimated coefficient of inbreeding falls around 3.4%, which points to moderate linebreeding used to fix desirable field traits without crowding the gene pool too hard. If she came true to the paper, I would expect a female with natural bird sense, a forward race, and the kind of field style that suits serious upland work. For someone researching English Setter pedigrees or looking for a prospect with genuine hunting and trial potential, YUKON GOLD RUSH stands out as a well-bred female from families that have earned respect the right way, out in bird country.