NORTH C LEAPING LEONARD — AI Analysis

NORTH C LEAPING LEONARD is a male English Setter carrying a strongly field-oriented pedigree on the top side, anchored by 2X NATIONAL CH SHADOW OAK BO. Even with the dam side largely undocumented in the pedigree provided, the sire line alone tells a clear story: this is the kind of breeding hunters look at when they want natural bird sense, range, foot speed, and the kind of competitive edge that usually comes from proven horseback and walking field blood. The pedigree leans heavily toward established Southern and field-trial English Setter families rather than show stock, and that usually translates into a dog bred to find birds first and look good doing it second.

The English Setter is one of the classic bird dogs, built for grace, nose, and endurance. A good field-bred setter covers country with a fluid, effortless gait, hunts with style, and handles game in a way that makes a hunter slow down and watch. They are known for intelligence, biddability, and a softer temperament than some harder-driving pointing breeds, but the best ones still carry plenty of grit in rough cover and enough reach to make them effective on wild birds. In practical hunting terms, an English Setter from strong field lines can be an exceptional quail, grouse, woodcock, and prairie dog, depending on how much range and independence the pedigree throws. This pedigree suggests the field-trial version of the breed, where animation, run, and bird-finding ability are prized.

This pedigree reads like a field man’s pedigree. The center of gravity is SHADOW OAK BO, a 2X National Champion, and behind him sits a concentration of old competitive setter blood through CH SHAK TI, COOTERS CAROLINA CASEY, CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE, HOF HICKS RISING SUN, HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, HOF THE PERFORMER, and the Grouse Ridge influence. That combination suggests a dog bred from families known for range, class on point, and the kind of race that stands up over a long day. The maternal side of LEAPING LEONARD is incomplete in the data, so the full genetic picture cannot be pinned down with precision, but the known side is rich in field-trial history and old setter names that still mean something to bird hunters. It is the sort of pedigree where the top side likely contributes most of the predictability.

Based on the pedigree provided, a complete coefficient of inbreeding cannot be calculated with certainty because the dam side beyond Orion's polythene Pam is missing. On the known side, there is no obvious close inbreeding in the first generations shown for LEAPING LEONARD, and the pedigree appears more linebred around broad families of proven field setters than tightly inbred on a single recent individual. Using only the documented ancestors, the visible partial COI is effectively low, but the true COI remains unknown without the missing maternal generations. Genetically, the most likely inherited strengths from the documented side are bird-finding instinct, high prey drive, animated application in the field, style on point, and endurance. The concentration of champions and hall-of-fame type ancestors also suggests selection pressure for performance traits over generations, which is often more meaningful to hunters than paper alone. Health-specific genetic status cannot be determined from this pedigree without DNA testing, OFA data, or breeder records.

SHADOW OAK BO is the dominant individual influence we can identify, and as a 2X National Champion he brings proven elite field credentials right to the front of the pedigree. CH SHAK TI appears as an important transmitter through that sire line, and behind him COOTERS CAROLINA CASEY and CH CAROLINA COOTER MAN tie this dog into a Carolina-rooted setter family associated with field ability and competitive class. CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE and HOF HICKS RISING SUN add another layer of recognized field heritage, and those Sunrise dogs often show up where there is style, pattern, and bird sense. The appearance of HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE and HOF THE PERFORMER deepens that old field setter base and suggests that this is not a random assortment of names but a line built around dogs that earned their place. CH GROUSE RIDGE LEROY, GROUSE RIDGE STORM, and related Grouse Ridge blood add further weight, often associated with hard-going, classy setters that could stand up in both trial and wild bird country.

This is a pedigree with meaningful title density on the documented side. The sire is 2X NATIONAL CH SHADOW OAK BO, which is the standout credential and the kind of title that carries real weight with serious bird dog people. Other titled or distinguished ancestors shown include CH SHAK TI, CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE, CH CAROLINA COOTER MAN, CH PINNACLE, CH SMOKE RISE BUCK, CH AMOS MOSLEY, CH GROUSE RIDGE LEROY, HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, HOF HICKS RISING SUN, HOF THE PERFORMER, 3XCH/2XR-U CH/GNG CH GROUSE RIDGE STORM, 2XCH/R-U CH/R-U GNG CH STARS MISTY GHOST, and 4XCH/FTHF BOZEANNS MOSLEY. In plain terms, the known side of this pedigree is saturated with proven field-trial stock. That does not guarantee what any one individual becomes, but it strongly improves the odds that natural ability was stacked deliberately.

If LEAPING LEONARD inherited honestly from the top side, he should have the makings of a stylish, high-headed bird dog with plenty of forward ambition. I would expect strong pointing instinct, a good nose, and enough run to suit a hunter who likes a dog to hunt the country instead of staying underfoot. The National Champion sire influence suggests competitiveness, and the old setter blood behind him hints at stamina and class. Depending on how the unknown dam side balances him, he could range from a practical wild-bird shooting dog with polish to a bigger application dog better suited for open country or field trial development. On genetics alone, the safest prediction is that his upside lies in bird-finding, style, and drive more than in close-working foot-hunting conservatism.

The biggest insight here is that the pedigree’s known side is not casual breeding. It is concentrated field English Setter blood with recognized trial influence. Hunters studying this pedigree should understand that SHADOW OAK BO alone adds significant credibility, but the real strength is how many proven field names sit behind him. Another important point is that the missing dam-side generations create uncertainty. A buyer should want to know what Orion's polythene Pam produced, how she hunted, and whether her side added range, cooperation, nose, or temperament. The breed itself rewards that kind of homework because English Setters can vary widely from close-working grouse dogs to wide-ranging all-age types. This pedigree leans toward performance and style, and likely toward a more athletic, ambitious dog than a casual weekend companion unless trained and handled with that in mind.

No verified full siblings, notable littermates, or offspring for NORTH C LEAPING LEONARD are documented in the pedigree data provided. The famous relatives visible in the ancestry are primarily sires and deeper ancestors rather than brothers or progeny. The most notable among them are 2X NATIONAL CH SHADOW OAK BO, HOF HICKS RISING SUN, HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, HOF THE PERFORMER, CH GROUSE RIDGE LEROY, 3XCH/2XR-U CH/GNG CH GROUSE RIDGE STORM, and 4XCH/FTHF BOZEANNS MOSLEY. Those are the names most likely to matter to hunters researching the family.

Without the full maternal pedigree and without production records, any outcross recommendation has to stay general. On paper, a dog bred like LEAPING LEONARD would often cross well on biddable, bird-rich female lines that add cooperation, natural handle, and documented health and production consistency. Good practical outcrosses in field English Setters are usually chosen not just by famous names but by balancing range, temperament, and trainability. If this dog proved to be a big-running, stylish type from the SHADOW OAK and Sunrise-heavy influence, I would look for an outcross female from proven wild-bird-producing setter stock with enough handle and intelligence to keep the pups useful to hunters. A tighter linebreeding back into similar National Champion field blood could intensify style and run, but it would need a female with stability and proven bird contact.

From a breeder’s point of view, LEAPING LEONARD looks like the kind of male you would evaluate in the field before ever making a cross. The pedigree gives him legitimate upside because the known side is stacked with competitive English Setter blood, but the missing bottom-side detail means you would want to breed from evidence, not just paper. If he showed natural application, a clean moving gait, good temperament, and birds handled the right way, he could be useful in a program aimed at producing field-bred hunting setters with style. I would avoid doubling down blindly on too much range or independence unless that is the target. Better to match him to a female that has demonstrated brains, composure, and consistent bird work. In setter breeding, that kind of balance is often what separates a flashy pedigree from a repeatable line.

NORTH C LEAPING LEONARD is a male English Setter backed by a serious field pedigree, led by 2X National Champion SHADOW OAK BO and supported by a deep cast of old setter names that hunters and trial folks still recognize. This is the kind of breeding that suggests speed, nose, style on point, and the desire to get to the front and hunt with purpose. The known side of the pedigree carries a strong concentration of champion and hall-of-fame influence through SHAK TI, CAROLINA COOTER, TARHEEL SUNRISE, HICKS RISING SUN, TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, THE PERFORMER, and the Grouse Ridge family. For buyers researching English Setter pedigrees, that matters, because it points to generations of selection for bird-finding ability and field performance rather than just looks on paper. While the dam side is incomplete in the available record, the visible pedigree gives LEAPING LEONARD the stamp of a dog bred from competitive hunting stock. If he inherited as you would hope, he should be the kind of setter that hunts with animation, carries himself right, and has the genetic foundation to make a stylish bird dog in the field.