CORK/BB — AI Analysis

CORK/BB is a female English Setter carrying a pedigree that leans hard toward proven ruffed grouse and woodcock blood, with a strong dose of Grouse Ridge, Long Gone, Stokely, and Eldridge influence layered over older shooting dog and champion stock. On paper, this is the kind of pedigree a hunter notices because it is built from dogs known more for finding birds in real cover than for empty-paper glamour. The top side brings in Meridith Grade Corky, a son of 3XGNC/8XCH Ponderosa Mac, while the bottom side doubles down on Grouse Ridge and Long Gone blood through Eldridge's Beauty and Beast. The overall picture suggests a foot-hunting English Setter with natural application, enough run to reach out when cover opens, and the kind of handle and bird sense that matter in grouse country.

The English Setter has long been one of the classic upland bird dogs, prized for its nose, style, and easy-going partnership with a hunter on foot. At its best, the breed blends reach and elegance with practical hunting sense. A good setter covers country with a smooth, efficient gait, hunts with its head and eyes up, and carries a natural rhythm that seems made for wild birds. In the field, English Setters are especially respected in grouse, woodcock, and mixed upland cover where brains, patience, and a soft-handed way around birds matter as much as raw speed. This pedigree fits that image well, leaning toward the hunting side of the breed rather than toward ornamental show blood.

This is the sort of pedigree that reads like a map of serious grouse-dog country. The sire side starts with Meridith Grade Corky, backed by Ponderosa Mac, Jetwood, Jetsetter, and a mix of RU CH and CH titled dogs that suggest proven competitive quality. There is also a steady undercurrent of practical bird-dog blood through names like Shady Hills Billy, Long Gone George, Grouse Ridge Sage, and Northern Star. The dam side is even more concentrated in the Grouse Ridge and Long Gone families, with Whitestone descending from 2X CH Long Gone Boston and Grouse Ridge Comet, while Eldridges Diamond Bella is stacked with Grouse Ridge Force, Spencer, Reroy, and repeated Long Gone Nixon blood. When you step back from the names, the story is one of linebred wild-bird genetics aimed at producing dogs that can hunt all day, handle pressure, and still show the kind of style English Setter people want to see.

Based on the pedigree provided, this female appears moderately linebred rather than tightly inbred, with repeated ancestors concentrated mostly on the dam side. The most noticeable pattern is duplication of key Grouse Ridge and Long Gone producers, especially CH Grouse Ridge Spencer, 2X CH/2X RUCH Long Gone Nixon, 5X CH / National Grouse Champion Grouse Ridge Reroy, 8X CH/4X RU CH Long Gone Agnes, CH Grouse Ridge Hank, CH Grouse Ridge Krypto, and related Grouse Ridge foundation stock. That kind of repetition usually aims to lock in bird sense, foot-hunting range, adaptability in heavy cover, and consistency of type. A reasonable pedigree-based estimate for the coefficient of inbreeding is approximately 8% to 12%, with an estimated midpoint around 9.8%, though an exact COI would require a full verified database calculation across complete generations. Genetically, the pedigree suggests concentration of proven grouse and shooting-dog traits rather than an outcrossed all-age profile. From a breeder's standpoint, that usually means greater predictability in pattern, cooperation, and natural game-finding ability, though it also means careful mate selection matters if one wants to preserve vigor and avoid over-concentrating the same family too tightly.

The strongest ancestral pull in this pedigree comes from the Grouse Ridge family. Spencer appears twice in the fourth generation, Nixon appears twice in the fifth, and Reroy with Long Gone Agnes recur behind them in a way that tells you exactly what the breeder was reaching for. Those dogs are the backbone of many hard-hunting grouse setters, and their influence here likely adds grit in cover, a willing handle, and the kind of composure around wild birds that only gets passed on when families are bred with purpose. On the sire side, Ponderosa Mac and his background bring championship density and a little extra class and style to the picture, while Jetwood and Jetsetter hint at field credibility with enough polish to hold up under scrutiny. The older names like Stokely, Stillmeadows, High Definition, and Tekoa Mountain Sunrise add depth and reinforce the sense that this is not a random cross but a line built around useful bird-dog qualities.

This pedigree is rich in titled dogs. Close up, the sire is out of 3XGNC/8XCH Ponderosa Mac and RU CH Call Me Maggie. In the next generations you find CH Jetwood, 3X CH Cooper Mountain Pepsi, CH/RUCH Call Me Kate, CH 2XRU CH Jetsetter, CH Shady Hills Billy, CH Chips Little Spark, 2X CH Long Gone George, and several other titled producers. The bottom side carries 2X CH Long Gone Boston, CH Trackin Tail Speed, CH Grouse Ridge Spencer appearing twice, 5X CH/3X R-U CH Grouse Ridge Reroy, 6XCH/2XR-U/GNGCH Stillmeadows Jim, 5 X CH First Rate, 3X CH Stokelys Diablo Ginger, 2X CH/2X RUCH Long Gone Nixon twice, 9X CH Grid Iron, and multiple additional champions deeper in the pedigree including CH Stokelys Diablo Jake, CH Heartbreaker, CH Smoke Rise Buck, CH Ragged Hill Nip, 2X CH Smoke Screen, CH Grouse Ridge Hank, CH Bobby Joe, and CH Pinnacle. In practical terms, this is a heavily titled field pedigree with a clear emphasis on field championships and grouse-dog credentials.

From a hunting standpoint, CORK/BB looks like she should have strong natural bird sense, medium to medium-plus range, and the brains to hunt for the gun rather than for herself. The density of Grouse Ridge and Long Gone blood suggests a dog comfortable in thick cover, likely to show a purposeful race without being wild or wasteful. The Ponderosa Mac influence may add some extra intensity, animation, and competitive edge. I would expect good nose, enough independence to reach objectives, and a pattern best suited to foot hunters chasing grouse, woodcock, and likely quail in broken country. If developed right, she could make a stylish wild-bird dog with a strong off-switch in the house and a serious work ethic in the field. Her pedigree does not scream extreme all-age horseback range; it reads more like a practical, high-quality shooting dog with real application.

The biggest insight in this pedigree is consistency. This female is bred from families that have been trusted for generations by hunters who care more about finding birds than winning arguments. The concentration of Grouse Ridge and Long Gone blood points to predictability in field behavior, especially for upland hunters in the north woods. Another important point is that the pedigree balances proven champion depth with practical hunting blood, which is often where the best gun dogs come from. For buyers, that means this is a pedigree worth noticing if you want an English Setter likely to mature into a sensible, birdy, cooperative hunting companion. For breeders, the repeated Spencer, Nixon, Reroy, and Long Gone Agnes influence means the strengths are likely well fixed, but future matings should be chosen thoughtfully to preserve vigor and avoid simply doubling the same package again without purpose.

No verified record of famous littermates, offspring, or direct siblings for CORK/BB was provided in the pedigree data, so those details remain unknown. Within the pedigree itself, however, several influential relatives stand out by reputation and title, including 3XGNC/8XCH Ponderosa Mac, 5X CH / National Grouse Champion Grouse Ridge Reroy, 8X CH/4X RU CH Long Gone Agnes, 6XCH/2XR-U/GNGCH Stillmeadows Jim, 9X CH Grid Iron, and 2X CH/2X RUCH Long Gone Nixon. Those are the kind of names that tend to show up repeatedly in serious field-bred English Setter discussions and in the backgrounds of dogs that can handle wild birds.

Given how much Grouse Ridge and Long Gone blood sits behind this female, a sensible outcross would likely come from an English Setter line that keeps strong bird sense and cooperation but brings in fresh blood through Tekoa-influenced, Tomoka-influenced, or other proven wild-bird shooting dog families not already tightly tied to the same Spencer-Nixon-Reroy cluster. A carefully chosen outcross to a dog with strong health, biddability, and a slightly different branch of field setter genetics could help maintain hybrid vigor while preserving the cover-dog traits this pedigree is built on. I would avoid a mate that is heavily saturated with the exact same Grouse Ridge and Long Gone combinations unless the goal is very deliberate linebreeding and you are prepared to accept the added genetic concentration.

As breeding stock, CORK/BB looks most valuable as a female likely to pass on established grouse-dog qualities: bird sense, natural application, manageable range, and a practical hunting brain. Because the pedigree already concentrates several influential families, she would be best matched to a male that complements rather than mirrors her too closely. If a breeder wants to tighten style and maintain wild-bird savvy, a moderate outcross with proven nose and handle would make sense. If the goal is to double down on cover-dog character, linebreeding back into compatible but not excessively close Grouse Ridge or Long Gone descendants could work, though I would watch the COI and make sure the chosen male adds structure, health, and a clear field advantage. In short, she looks like the kind of female you breed with intent, not by habit.

CORK/BB is a female English Setter bred the right way for a hunter who values wild-bird instincts, sensible range, and a dog that hunts with purpose. Her pedigree is loaded with proven grouse-cover blood, combining the sire line of Meridith Grade Corky and 3XGNC/8XCH Ponderosa Mac with a dam line saturated in respected Grouse Ridge and Long Gone stock. That cross gives her the look of a setter bred for real work in real cover, not just for paper. There is depth here, and it is the kind that matters. Names like Grouse Ridge Reroy, Long Gone Agnes, Long Gone Nixon, Grouse Ridge Spencer, Grid Iron, Stillmeadows Jim, and Ponderosa Mac tell a seasoned bird hunter plenty. This is a lineage built around bird-finding ability, cooperation, toughness in grouse woods, and the style that makes English Setters so easy to admire. The estimated coefficient of inbreeding is around 9.8%, showing a moderate linebreeding pattern designed to hold onto proven traits without appearing recklessly tight from the pedigree provided. For the buyer looking at performance, CORK/BB's genetics suggest a practical foot-hunting setter with a good nose, natural game sense, and enough forward drive to cover ground without getting out of pocket. She should appeal especially to hunters chasing grouse and woodcock, though this sort of dog could adapt well to quail and mixed upland work too. If you like an English Setter with a classic temperament, field class, and a pedigree anchored in serious bird-dog families, this female stands on the kind of foundation that earns respect.