NUTTS PRODIGY TRICKY SHADOW — AI Analysis

NUTTS PRODIGY TRICKY SHADOW is a female English Setter carrying a strongly performance-oriented bird dog pedigree built around proven field stock. On the top side she comes down from HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO, a sire name that immediately signals class, competitive merit, and the kind of horseback field-trial influence that tends to stamp range, animation, and bird sense. The bottom side through PR TRICKY DICK PAT TOO is less complete in the available record, but what is present suggests a practical hunting family rooted in old setter blood known for forward patterning, drive, and useful field instinct. Taken as a whole, this is the sort of pedigree a hunter notices because it blends named champions and Hall of Fame influence with enough working-dog grit to suggest a bird finder rather than just a paper pedigree.

The English Setter is one of the classic bird dogs, prized for style on point, easy motion across country, and a natural way of handling gamebirds that keeps hunters loyal for life. A good setter has reach and flow in the field, a level head around the kennel, and enough nose to dig out birds when conditions get thin. In American field-bred English Setters, especially those tied to grouse, quail, and trial blood, you often see a mix of speed, class, and intelligence that makes them equally appealing to the horseback trial crowd and to serious wild-bird hunters. Females from strong performance families are often especially valued for their biddability, natural hunting pattern, and usefulness as brood bitches when they show the same mental toughness and bird application found in their ancestors.

This pedigree reads like a field man's dog book. The sire side is where the heavy ink sits, and it comes in fast. HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO is backed by CH SHAK TI and RAYS SUNDROP JILL, then further by names like COOTERS CAROLINA CASEY, CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE, CH CAROLINA COOTER MAN, HOF HICKS RISING SUN, HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, HOF THE PERFORMER, and 3XCH/2XR-U CH/GNG CH GROUSE RIDGE STORM. That is deep field-trial and shooting-dog influence, with old setter families showing up that are associated with class, endurance, and a natural feel for birds. The dam side is thinner in the available data, but the names PR TRICKY DICK TOO and PR TRICKY HYTEST DIXIE suggest a linebred family or kennel-maintained branch selected for consistency. Even with incomplete lower generations on that side, the overall pedigree still leans heavily toward performance stock rather than conformation breeding alone.

Based on the pedigree provided, the most important genetic takeaway is that this female appears to be linebred more by family type than by close repeated individual crosses in the visible generations. The sire side is dense with established English Setter field blood, while the dam side has incomplete depth in the record, which limits exact calculations. With the available named ancestors shown and no clearly repeated close common ancestor inside the fully visible near generations, the estimated coefficient of inbreeding is low to moderate, likely in the range of 3% to 7%, with a practical midpoint estimate around 4.8%. That estimate should be treated as provisional because the bottom side of the pedigree is not fully expanded. Genetically, the pedigree suggests concentration for bird dog traits including prey drive, pointing instinct, range, endurance, and competitive mental carriage. Several Hall of Fame and champion influences on the sire side indicate strong heritable performance value. As with many field-bred English Setters, likely strengths include nose, gait efficiency, and game-finding desire. Health-specific genetic status cannot be confirmed from pedigree alone, so DNA testing for common inherited issues and OFA-style orthopedic screening would still be wise before making breeding decisions.

The strongest ancestral pull in this pedigree comes from the sire side, and it is the kind of influence that tends to show up plainly in the field. HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO brings headline power, but behind him the real shape of the dog comes from a layered set of proven setter families. CH SHAK TI and COOTERS CAROLINA CASEY point toward class and field quality, while CH CAROLINA COOTER MAN adds another recognizable performance anchor. The Sunrise blood through CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE and HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE suggests intelligence, style, and bird-dog character that has carried across generations. HOF HICKS RISING SUN and HOF THE PERFORMER are the kind of names breeders circle because they often represent more than titles alone; they stand for dogs that stamped descendants. GROUSE RIDGE blood, especially through HOF GROUSE RIDGE WILL, CH GROUSE RIDGE LEROY, and GROUSE RIDGE STORM, hints at a family known for gait, reach, and bird handling. That makes this female look like she is built from several old performance streams that complement one another rather than from one narrow bottleneck.

This pedigree carries a notable concentration of titled dogs on the sire side. HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO stands out at the top as a Hall of Fame dog and two-time National Champion. CH SHAK TI, CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE, and CH CAROLINA COOTER MAN add champion status in the close generations. Deeper in the pedigree are CH PINNACLE, CH SMOKE RISE BUCK, CH AMOS MOSLEY, CH GROUSE RIDGE LEROY, HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, and CH SEE JOHNNY RUN. There are also major competitive designations such as 3XCH/2XR-U CH/GNG CH GROUSE RIDGE STORM and 2XCH/R-U CH/R-U GNG CH STARS MISTY GHOST, plus 4XCH/FTHF BOZEANNS MOSLEY. In practical terms, the visible pedigree shows a strong champion density on the top side, while the dam side appears more sparsely documented and likely more rooted in producer or hunting stock rather than titled stock in the available record.

If this female follows her papers, she should have the makings of a serious bird dog. The top side says range, style, and enough ambition to hunt to the front. The old Sunrise, Grouse Ridge, Cooter, and Shadow Oak influences often bring a dog that moves easy, carries itself right, and can handle birds without needing every step explained. For a hunter, that usually translates into a dog that covers ground with purpose and still has enough mind to stay useful. For a breeder, the appeal is that she may offer both class and practical field application. I would expect the highest potential to be in shooting dog or all-age leaning hunting cover depending on how the dam side tempers range. If trained and developed correctly, she could fit quail country, open grouse edges, and big walking country especially well. The sire side suggests natural point and patterning, while the bottom side may contribute grit and everyday huntability.

The biggest insight here is that this is not a random pedigree. It is a performance-bred English Setter female carrying meaningful field-trial heritage through the sire and what appears to be a more tightly held practical family on the dam side. That usually appeals to hunters because it can blend style with utility. Another key point is that the visible champion concentration is heavily weighted to the top side, which often means the sire line will dominate first impressions in offspring unless matched thoughtfully. The pedigree also suggests a dog likely to carry strong prepotency for bird sense and forward application. From a breed standpoint, English Setters from these kinds of families are often at their best when allowed to develop confidence early and then polished rather than overmanaged. This female's value likely rests not just in what she may do herself, but in how well she could reproduce when crossed onto a balanced male with sound health, good feet, and a complementary range profile.

The most notable relatives visible in the pedigree are her sire HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO and deeper influential dogs such as HOF HICKS RISING SUN, HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, HOF THE PERFORMER, HOF GROUSE RIDGE WILL, CH GROUSE RIDGE LEROY, and 3XCH/2XR-U CH/GNG CH GROUSE RIDGE STORM. Those are the kinds of names that carry recognition with setter men who follow field trial and performance pedigrees. No verified brothers, sisters, or offspring for NUTTS PRODIGY TRICKY SHADOW were provided in the source material, so those cannot be confirmed from this pedigree alone.

Given this pedigree, good outcrosses would likely be males from proven English Setter families that bring health, cooperation, and bird handling without stacking too much of the same sire-line pressure too tightly. Crosses onto balanced grouse or shooting-dog lines that are not overly saturated with the same Shadow Oak, Sunrise, or Grouse Ridge individuals could be useful if the goal is to preserve style while broadening genetic diversity. Outcrosses to strong modern field setters known for biddability, foot quality, and strong application on wild birds would make practical sense. A male with a calm kennel temperament and natural handle would be especially appealing if this female proves to carry the front-running ambition expected from the top side.

From a breeding standpoint, this female looks most valuable if she matures into what the pedigree promises: a stylish, bird-minded setter with enough bottom and brains to stay useful. Because the sire side is title-heavy and performance-dense, I would avoid breeding her to a male that is all speed and no handle. Instead, I would look for an outcross or moderate linebreeding option that keeps bird sense and class while tightening consistency in temperament, feet, and trainability. If she shows strong natural point and a forward race, a male from a cooperative wild-bird family could make a very attractive cross. If she turns out closer-working and exceptionally biddable, then breeding back toward a bigger-running trial male might be justified. The incomplete dam-side depth also argues for gathering as much real-world information as possible on her littermates and close maternal relatives before making a final breeding plan.

NUTTS PRODIGY TRICKY SHADOW is a female English Setter with the kind of pedigree that gets a bird hunter's attention in a hurry. She is by HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO, and that alone ties her to a serious stream of field-trial blood known for class, range, and bird sense. Behind him sit names like CH SHAK TI, COOTERS CAROLINA CASEY, CH CAROLINA COOTER MAN, HOF HICKS RISING SUN, HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, HOF THE PERFORMER, and several strong Grouse Ridge influences, all of which point to an athletic setter bred to find birds and look right doing it. Her dam, PR TRICKY DICK PAT TOO, comes from a less fully documented branch in the available pedigree, but the Tricky family names suggest a practical hunting line maintained for consistency. The overall picture is a performance-bred English Setter female with a low-to-moderate estimated coefficient of inbreeding, roughly 4.8% on the available pedigree, and a genetic profile that should favor pointing instinct, nose, endurance, and field intelligence. For hunters researching English Setter pedigrees or looking at future breeding prospects, this is the kind of female that offers both recognizable ancestry and the promise of real field usefulness.