STOTT'S DICK SKIPPER — AI Analysis

STOTT'S DICK SKIPPER is a male English Setter carrying a blended pedigree of proven field trial, hunting, and shooting dog stock. On the sire side, he traces to CH IM DICK TOO, with older Tomoka, Grouse Ridge, Pinnacle, Oscar, and Ace's King blood showing up repeatedly. On the dam side, he brings in HOF 2X NC Shadow Oak Bo, CH Shak Ti, Tarheel, Tekoa, Trails End, and other hard-hunting Southern and Midwestern field influences. Taken as a whole, this is the kind of pedigree a bird hunter notices because it combines class and title with practical gun-dog families known for run, nose, style, and grit.

The English Setter is one of the classic bird dogs, bred to hunt with reach, intelligence, and a soft enough disposition to live comfortably around the house after the hunt is over. A good setter covers ground with a floating gait, uses the wind well, and points with natural style that looks effortless. In the field, the breed is prized for bird sense, cooperation, and endurance, and in the right family it can produce anything from a close-working walking gun dog to a bigger all-age prospect. This breed tends to appeal to hunters who want beauty without giving up usefulness, and pedigrees like this one lean heavily toward the serious field side of the English Setter world.

This pedigree reads like two strong streams of field-bred English Setter history coming together. The top side carries old Tomoka and Grouse Ridge character, supported by CH TRICKY DICK JIM, TOMOKA TRICKY DICK, 11XCH ACES KING (HOF), and CH PINNACLE. That side suggests bird finding, class, and the kind of field ability that kept certain names resurfacing generation after generation. The bottom side adds a different flavor, with HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO bringing recognized field power, while CH SHAK TI, COOTERS CAROLINA CASEY, CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE, TRAIL'S END BADBOY, and TEKOA blood deepen the hunting and competitive roots. It is not a random pedigree. It is linebred enough to preserve recognizable traits, but broad enough across branches to keep functional field ability in the picture.

Based on the pedigree provided, this dog appears to be moderately linebred rather than tightly inbred. The strongest visible concentration comes through repeated Tomoka and Grouse Ridge blood on the sire side, with GROUSE RIDGE CYCLONE appearing more than once and TOMOKA represented multiple times through HOF CH TOMOKA and TOMOKAS APACHE BELLE. On the dam side, there is less obvious close duplication in the generations shown, though foundational field families like Trails End, Tekoa, and Tarheel reinforce type and hunting instinct. A reasonable pedigree-based estimate for the coefficient of inbreeding is in the moderate range, approximately 6% to 10%, with a working midpoint estimate around 7.8%, though an exact COI would require a complete database calculation with verified duplicate ancestors beyond the visible generations. From a breeder's standpoint, that level often preserves prepotency without automatically raising the same concern as very tight crosses. The pedigree suggests concentration for field traits such as range, style on point, bird sense, and endurance more than concentration for purely bench-oriented features. No direct health testing data is provided here, so inherited risk for issues seen in the breed, including deafness, thyroid disease, hip dysplasia, and certain autoimmune concerns, cannot be determined from pedigree alone. Still, the genetic pattern points toward a field-bred English Setter built on proven working families rather than a scatterbred cross of unrelated stock.

The sire side is anchored by Tomoka, Grouse Ridge, Pinnacle, Ace's King, and Oscar blood, and that combination usually suggests a dog with natural forward application, enough independence to hunt objectives honestly, and the kind of inherited bird drive that does not need much invention from the trainer. HOF CH TOMOKA stands out as a key recurring influence, and when that dog shows up repeatedly in an English Setter pedigree, I expect motion, drive, and field character. GROUSE RIDGE blood, especially through John, Luther, Buddy, and Cyclone, often signals a practical hunting backbone with toughness and consistency. ACES KING adds a layer of competitive class and recognized field quality. On the bottom side, SHADOW OAK BO is the headline ancestor, and that name carries weight among field trial and bird dog people for run, style, and ability. CH SHAK TI, Tarheel, Tekoa, and Trails End blood all help shape a dog that ought to have enough edge for hard hunting while still retaining the classic setter look and attitude. In plain hunting terms, this is a pedigree built to find birds and do it with style.

This pedigree is rich in titled dogs. The sire side includes CH IM DICK TOO, CH TRICKY DICK JIM, 11XCH ACES KING (HOF), (HOF) CH TOMOKA, CH PINNACLE, CH GROUSE RIDGE JOHN, CH SUSANS LADY BIRD, HOF CH TOMOKA again, and CH AMBER. The dam side is stacked as well with HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO, CH SHAK TI, CH A TARHEEL SUNRISE, CH CAROLINA COOTER MAN, CH BARBS TEKOA REDFEATHER, CH PINNACLE 10-62-292, CH SMOKE RISE BUCK, CH AMOS MOSLEY, HOF HICKS RISING SUN, HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE, CH GROVER, CH TRAILS END BADBOY, NSTRA CH TRAILS END BUCK, and 7 X NSTRA CH IM GABBIE. Depending on how one counts repeats, the visible pedigree contains well over twenty champion or hall-of-fame references, which tells you this dog comes from a family where performance was not accidental.

If I were looking at this dog as a hunter first, I would expect strong natural bird drive, a stylish point, good foot, and enough range to hunt country instead of just edges. The Tomoka and Shadow Oak influence hints at animation and forward hunt, while Grouse Ridge and Trails End blood suggest practical toughness and consistency that matter once the novelty wears off and the season gets long. This pedigree gives the impression of a dog that could suit a serious wild-bird hunter, and in the right hands might have enough inherited run and presence for horseback or walking trial formats depending on the individual. I would expect a dog from this background to show early interest in birds, carry himself well, and likely have a little more motor than a soft, close-working plantation type. With proper development, the most probable strengths are range, style, endurance, and the ability to handle pressure in real hunting conditions.

The strongest insight in this pedigree is that it is built around established field families rather than one fashionable outcross. That usually gives a breeder more predictability. Another key point is the balance between old-line setter names on the sire side and competitive Southern field influence on the dam side. That can be a useful combination when you want a dog with both natural class and practical hunting grit. The estimated moderate COI suggests linebreeding for purpose instead of reckless tightening. For buyers, this pedigree should appeal most to hunters who appreciate a true field-bred English Setter and do not mind some run and ambition. For breeders, the repeated Tomoka and Grouse Ridge blood creates a recognizable genetic center, while the Shadow Oak, Tekoa, and Trails End pieces help keep performance traits broad and useful.

Within the pedigree itself, the most notable famous relatives are HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO, 11XCH ACES KING (HOF), HOF CH TOMOKA, HOF HICKS RISING SUN, and HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE. These are the kind of names that still catch the eye of field setter people because they left a mark beyond their own wins. CH SHAK TI, CH PINNACLE, CH TRAILS END BADBOY, and NSTRA CH TRAILS END BUCK also stand out as accomplished and influential relatives. No confirmed littermate, sibling, or offspring information for STOTT'S DICK SKIPPER was provided in the source material, so known brothers, sisters, and progeny cannot be verified from this pedigree alone.

Given the concentration of Tomoka, Grouse Ridge, and related field-bred setter blood on the top side, a thoughtful outcross would likely come from proven English Setter families that bring bird sense, biddability, and health depth without repeating the same core ancestors too tightly. In practical breeding terms, strong outcrosses often come from unrelated or lightly related Ryman-field blends for hunters wanting to moderate range, or from distinctly separate trial families if the goal is to keep the edge and increase competitive potential. A breeding partner carrying solid health records and less Tomoka/Grouse Ridge concentration would make the most sense. The best outcross is not just a famous name; it is a dog or bitch with complementary gait, nose, temperament, and application on birds.

From a breeder's view, STOTT'S DICK SKIPPER looks like the kind of dog you would use when you want to hold onto field class, style, and a strong inherited hunting package. Because the pedigree already carries meaningful repetition through Tomoka and Grouse Ridge, I would be cautious about doubling too hard on the same cluster unless the mate is outstanding in health, structure, and temperament. A smart cross would be with a female that is strong in application, natural handling, and bird work but comes from a somewhat different branch, so you keep the prepotency while avoiding a pedigree that gets too narrow. If the dog himself showed the expected traits in the field, he could be valuable as a sire for breeders targeting serious gun dogs with trial-capable ability. He is less the type for someone chasing only a mild house dog and more the type for somebody who wants a setter with purpose.

STOTT'S DICK SKIPPER is a field-bred male English Setter backed by a pedigree that speaks the language bird hunters understand. Sired by CH IM DICK TOO and out of STOTT'S PURDY BO FRECKLES, he brings together old Tomoka and Grouse Ridge breeding on one side with Shadow Oak, Shak Ti, Tarheel, Tekoa, and Trails End influence on the other. That is a serious blend of proven setter families known for drive, style on point, endurance, and honest bird work. When you study this pedigree, the first thing that stands out is depth. There are champions and hall-of-fame dogs stacked through both sides, including HOF 2X NC SHADOW OAK BO, 11XCH ACES KING, HOF CH TOMOKA, CH SHAK TI, HOF HICKS RISING SUN, and HOF CH TEKOA MOUNTAIN SUNRISE. Those are not throwaway names. They point to generations of selection for field ability, and they give this dog the kind of genetic foundation that tends to produce natural hunting instinct instead of forcing a trainer to manufacture it. The estimated coefficient of inbreeding appears moderate, around 7.8%, suggesting purposeful linebreeding rather than an overly tight cross. The repeating Tomoka and Grouse Ridge influences should add consistency in type and field character, while the Shadow Oak and Trails End side helps keep the pedigree practical and performance-minded. In the field, a dog bred this way would be expected to show forward hunt, stamina, style, and enough intelligence to make a good bird dog in the hands of someone who appreciates a real setter. For hunters researching English Setter pedigrees, STOTT'S DICK SKIPPER looks like the kind of dog with the breeding to matter. He appears suited to buyers who want more than just a pretty dog. This is the kind of pedigree that suggests a bird finder, a dog with reach and class, and one that ought to carry the old field-bred English Setter character that keeps people loyal to the breed for a lifetime.