TOP CITY ENGLISH SETTERS MALE #4- CANDY - 1773368839 — AI Analysis

TOP CITY ENGLISH SETTERS MALE #4- CANDY - 1773368839 is a male English Setter carrying a pedigree that blends hard-driving field trial blood with proven NSTRA and shooting-dog influences. On the sire side, the dog comes down from ACE LAST STRAW through Dencos Bobby Brannigan and Pat’s Kentucky Sadie, stacking Brannigan, Grid Iron, Long Gone, Motz, and Rivers Edge dogs that are known in bird dog circles for range, grit, and competition ability. On the dam side, Summer Drift Cotton Candy brings in Summer Drift, Ledgeview, Tomoka, Tekoa, and Ajax blood, which tends to add style, bird sense, and practical bird-finding ability. Altogether, this pedigree reads like a purpose-bred hunting setter with enough competitive ancestry to suggest plenty of run, but also enough established shooting-dog heritage to make him interesting to hunters wanting a useful cover dog with class on point.

The English Setter is one of the classic upland bird dogs, built to hunt with reach, grace, and a nose that can make a man look smarter than he is. At its best, the breed carries a smooth, efficient stride, a high head and tail on point, and a temperament that balances desire with biddability. Good setters can cover country without looking wild, and they often shine on grouse, woodcock, quail, and pheasant depending on the line behind them. Field-bred English Setters, especially those coming from trial and NSTRA stock, usually lean toward athleticism, endurance, and strong prey drive, while still holding that stylish setter look that so many hunters admire. This pedigree fits squarely in the field-bred camp, with repeated evidence of performance-minded breeding rather than purely cosmetic selection.

This dog’s story starts with a sire line that is dense with old competitive field influence. ACE LAST STRAW is backed by Dencos Bobby Brannigan, Brannigan’s Last Straw, and the 4X CH Brannigan family, then reinforced with names like 7X CH Grid Iron, 3X RU Long Gone Studley, and 5X CH Rivers Edge Sadie. That side looks like it was assembled by people who cared about dogs that could win and still hold up in front of a gun. There is toughness there, and a fair chance of a forward race. The dam side softens and rounds that picture with Summer Drift Cotton Candy, descending from Summer Drift Zeke and Summer Drift Annie. Behind them are Ledgeviews Finding Nemo, Ledgeview Smokin Zeke, 15X NSTRA CH Tomokas Smokin Mike, HOF Tekoa Mountain Sunrise, and the old Hicks Rising Sun family. That is the kind of cross a hunter notices because it mixes foot and ambition with bird sense, style, and practical field usefulness. It is not a random collection of names. It is the kind of pedigree that suggests generations of breeders selecting for birds first.

Based on the pedigree supplied, this dog shows moderate linebreeding rather than a tight inbreeding pattern. The clearest repeated ancestor close up is LEDGEVIEWS FINDING NEMO, marked as appearing twice in the dam line, which creates a deliberate concentration of that branch. There are also broader family concentrations through Brannigan, Long Gone, Tomoka, Hicks Rising Sun, and Tekoa-related dogs, but many of those are line-family repetitions rather than exact close duplicate individuals inside the visible generations. Using the visible pedigree only and accounting for known repeated names close up, the estimated coefficient of inbreeding is approximately 3.1%. That figure should be treated as an estimate, not a registered calculation, because several far-generation ancestors are missing and some dogs may connect through unlisted common ancestors. Genetically, the pedigree suggests a dog likely to inherit strong prey drive, point, stamina, and enough mental intensity for competitive or serious hunting work. The concentration is not so tight that it screams loss of vigor, and the outlying families on the bottom side likely help preserve athleticism and genetic breadth.

The strongest ancestral fingerprints here come from Brannigan, Grid Iron, Long Gone, Tomokas Smokin Mike, Hicks Rising Sun, and Tekoa Mountain Sunrise. Brannigan blood usually points to a hard-running, competitive-minded dog with desire and toughness. Grid Iron and Rivers Edge names often suggest field ability with class and consistency. The Long Gone family has long been tied to setters that can handle pressure, show style, and maintain bird drive. On the dam side, Tomokas Smokin Mike is a heavy hitter in NSTRA circles, often associated with dogs that know how to find birds and make game in a practical, effective way. Hicks Rising Sun and Tekoa blood bring old setter character, style, and the kind of hunting instinct that tends to show up naturally instead of having to be manufactured in training. Nemo being doubled gives that branch added weight, which may strengthen consistency in pattern, temperament, and application in the field.

This pedigree carries a strong concentration of titled dogs for an English Setter built around field use. On the sire side alone, there is 4X CH Brannigan, 7X CH Grid Iron, 3X RU Long Gone Studley, 5X CH Rivers Edge Sadie, 3XCH/RU CH Ridge Creek Cody, RU-CH Super Ghost, 2X CH/R-U CH Northern Anndee, GNG 4XCH Long Gone Buckwheat, and 3X CH/R-U CH Shady Hills Billy. Farther back sit CH Ragged Hill Nip, 2X CH Smoke Screen, CH Private Ryan, CH/R-U CH Cant Go Wrong, CH Houstons Belle, R/U CH High Definition, CH Stars Misty Ghost, and CH Northern Alibi. The dam side is equally rich in field titles, highlighted by 15X NSTRA CH Tomokas Smokin Mike, 9X CH Hicks Rising Sun, 17X NSTRA CH Petes Second Chance, 16X NSTRA CH 3X Natl CH Tomokas Smokin Sadie, 8X CH Hamiltons Blue Diamond, CH Tricky Dick Jim, and Hall of Fame dogs including HOF Tekoa Mountain Sunrise and HOF Hicks Rising Sun. Altogether, the pedigree is heavily decorated, which gives a buyer some confidence that the line has been tested under judgment rather than talked up from the tailgate.

From a hunter’s perspective, this male looks bred for a lively forward race, strong nose, and stylish point. The Brannigan and Long Gone blood says he may want country and could show some independence if not handled early and fairly. The Tomoka, Nemo, and Summer Drift influence suggests he should also have practical bird sense and the kind of natural game-finding ability that matters on wild birds. If the individual matches the paper, I would expect good stamina, enough foot for all-day hunting, and a real chance at being a dual-purpose dog for both personal hunting and amateur competition. His best fit is likely with someone who appreciates a dog with drive and presence rather than a soft, purely close-working bootlicker. In grouse cover, quail country, or pheasant edges, this kind of pedigree can produce a dog that moves with purpose and points with style, provided training matches the dog’s engine.

The biggest insight in this pedigree is balance. The top side brings serious field trial grit and competitive backbone, while the bottom side adds practical NSTRA-style bird finding and classic setter blood that tends to keep a dog useful for hunters, not just judges. The estimated inbreeding level is moderate and appears intentional rather than careless, with the visible repeat of Ledgeviews Finding Nemo likely meant to lock in preferred traits. Another important point is that this is not a pedigree built on one famous dog alone. It is built on several proven families layered together, which often gives more reliability than leaning too hard on a single superstar. For a buyer, that means there is a fair chance of getting a dog with genuine inherited tools rather than just a pretty name on paper.

Within the pedigree, the most notable relatives are the titled and widely recognized ancestors rather than specifically identified littermates or offspring of this individual, which were not provided in the supplied record. Influential relatives in the visible pedigree include 15X NSTRA CH Tomokas Smokin Mike, 16X NSTRA CH 3X Natl CH Tomokas Smokin Sadie, HOF Tekoa Mountain Sunrise, HOF Hicks Rising Sun, 9X CH Hicks Rising Sun, 7X CH Grid Iron, 4X CH Brannigan, and 5X CH Rivers Edge Sadie. No confirmed brothers, sisters, or offspring for TOP CITY ENGLISH SETTERS MALE #4- CANDY - 1773368839 were listed in the pedigree data provided.

Given this pedigree, good outcross options would likely come from English Setter lines that are lighter on Brannigan, Long Gone, Tomoka, and Ledgeview blood while preserving bird sense and cooperation. A thoughtful outcross could be made to proven grouse or woodcock setter families with old Ryman-field blends or lighter outcross field stock that still carries natural point and handle. Another sensible route would be a strong wild-bird shooting-dog family that brings biddability, nose, and composure without sacrificing stamina. The goal would be to keep the style and drive from this pedigree while opening up the gene pool and guarding against getting too much edge or too much range. Exact matches should depend on the bitch’s strengths and faults, especially temperament, range, and retrieving instinct.

As breeding stock, this dog would be most useful if he matures into what the paper suggests: a stylish, birdy male with enough run to matter and enough mind to be manageable. I would look to breed him to females that are honest on birds, naturally cooperative, and carry strong maternal consistency. If he proves extra big-running, pair him with a medium-range bitch from practical hunting stock. If he turns out balanced and biddable, he could complement stronger trial-bred females by adding the Summer Drift and Tomoka side’s practical hunting utility. Because the pedigree already carries repeating family influence, I would avoid doubling too tightly again on Brannigan or Tomoka unless you know exactly why you are doing it and have seen the dogs work. Best use would be linebreeding with discipline, not blind stacking of big names.

TOP CITY ENGLISH SETTERS MALE #4- CANDY - 1773368839 is a male English Setter with the kind of pedigree that catches a bird hunter’s eye and keeps it there. Sired by ACE LAST STRAW and out of Summer Drift Cotton Candy, he blends rugged Brannigan and Long Gone field blood with the bird-savvy Summer Drift, Ledgeview, Tomoka, and Tekoa families. This is the sort of cross that suggests a dog with a good motor, plenty of nose, and the natural style setter men are always chasing but rarely find in one package. On paper, there is a lot to like. The sire side is loaded with proven field influence, from 4X CH Brannigan and 7X CH Grid Iron to 5X CH Rivers Edge Sadie and the Long Gone family. That side of the pedigree speaks to drive, stamina, and enough grit to stay useful when the cover gets rough and the day gets long. The dam side brings in Summer Drift Zeke, Ledgeviews Finding Nemo, 15X NSTRA CH Tomokas Smokin Mike, and HOF Tekoa Mountain Sunrise, adding bird sense, style, and the kind of practical hunting genetics that matter when you turn a dog loose on wild birds. The estimated coefficient of inbreeding from the visible pedigree is about 3.1%, which points to moderate linebreeding rather than anything too tight. That usually means a breeder was trying to hold onto certain traits without squeezing the pedigree so hard that vigor suffers. The repeat of Ledgeviews Finding Nemo is worth noting, because that kind of concentration often signals an effort to lock in consistency. For a hunter or buyer studying English Setter pedigrees, this dog looks like one with real upside. If he grows into his breeding, he ought to have the foot for serious hunting, the nose to handle tough bird conditions, and the kind of style that makes you stop walking just to watch him stand. He appears suited for an upland home that values a true field setter, one bred to find birds first and look good doing it.