We are happy to introduce our newest field springer addition, Jack Rackem! He is out of FC AFC Warreners Sora Rail of Craney Hill X Drake Hill Anna SH, a working gun dog with trial placements. Of course he is entirely the wrong color, but he is an awesome little puppy with a solid pedigree of hard core hunting dogs and Master Hunters. I am looking forward to starting him!
The beautiful Zozzy, has passed her eye, heart, hip OFA certifications and can be officially added to our breeding roster. She will be bred to Pod for a fall litter.
This is a tall, leggy, powerful bitch with a lovely level headed temperament, like both her parents. She is so quiet and low key I barely even know she is in the house. She is also a litter sister to Mhari Peschel's boy Bucky, who just earned his first trial placement at age 2 and finished his puppy career with 55 (or more?) points without even trying that hard. Zozz is from our 2018 breeding with FC AFC Blanco X Zephyr
Bucky, one of our 2018 FC AFC Blanco X Zephyr kids owned by Mhari and Gary Peschel, trained by Lynn Miller. They just brought him out last fall, looking forward to seeing what this talented guy will do this year.
Puppies from this breeding are competing in just about everything from Field Trials to Barn Hunt, and one is working in Search and Rescue...true versatility, just the way we like it.
In addition to being an AKC Breeder of Merit for our Sussex and Springers, which is based on many years of accomplishment and many champions and titled dogs produced over the years, we have also been give a rare EXCELLENT rating by GoodDog for both our beloved breeds for our excellent health screening practices. For over twenty years Hellfire dogs have been fully health screened and results have always been sent to the OFA public database.
Zephyr had a beautiful litter of field bred English Springer Spaniels born on New Year's Day (all spoken for), what a lovely way to start out the year!
It has been a painful journey through time as I revisit pedigrees and pictures of so many dogs, now long gone, but after 20 years with the same web server and host, it was time to enter the 21st century with a brand new look! I especially appreciate the mobile device capability.
I am still using the hellfiregundogs.com domain, but it will soon be forwarded to the new one >> MTHELLFIRE.COM.
Maverick, Marv GG and I took a road trip to the Pacific Northwest Sussex Spaniel Club regional specialty in September, and hit the jackpot when Marv went Best in Show (BISS) for both specialties, and Best of Breed for the supported entry! But wait, there is more! Maverick went Best of Opposite Sex (BOSS) to his daughter, and Marv's daughter won all three majors, and Best of Winners (BOW). As a breeder/owner/handler all I can say is, what a day to remember!
GG is the second of the GCH Frank X GCHB Marv puppies to become a champion, Dee Duffy's Skye finished first with 3 large majors in VA. Sister Gwynnie is almost there, with just 3 points to go. Super proud of my Marvy girls.
It was an okay year for the Hellfire pack.
Our Sussex Spaniel Synopsis: Three new Breeder/Owner Champions, one Bred by Exhibitor Medallion, a Grand Champion GCH, a Bronze GCHB, three Barn Hunt Instinct Q's, a Trick Dog Advanced title, and two Top Five boys.
For the Springers: Three of our puppies had field trial and puppy trial wins, one new Field Champion, 4 or 5 earned new Hunt Test titles and another 4 had success in various AKC companion events like agility, obedience, rally and tracking. Oh, and one of our Search and Rescue Springers in Oregon (an Ice X Haley daughter) found an 88 year old woman lost in the forest.
Next year we are sitting out of the show ring (except for Bill, the pekingese) and have a long list of fun events to prepare for!
Some new Zephyr and Speck pictures!
We will probably be rebreeding Zephyr to Blanco again, We will also be breeding Storm, if and when she decides to come into heat again.
A CH/GCH Sussex litter is planned for Spring.
The long awaited Tina X Toby kids were born (via frozen semen breeding) on March 27th. Five boys, 2 girls. Huge puppies! She fooled us into thinking she was having ten, but really it was 7 whoppers. Beautiful puppies, very excited to see them come along.