Wildrose Irish Setters

The History of Wildrose

Every child's seventh birthday should be a great and memorable event, but I don't remember remember a bright, fiery birthday cake or fiercely ripping open carefully wrapped presents or even the off key singing of Happy Birthday. All I remember is the familiar looking man walking up to the front window with a big shiny red dog and a snoopy card, it would be my best Birthday ever. Her name was Whiskey and she was so beautiful with her rich, dark red fur and soft, sweet expression. She came fully equipped with a short green lead and a matching collar. In my eyes she was perfect and my dreams for her were high. She was going to be a best in show winner and together we would be the top in Jr. Showmanship and in the breed ring. I was young and naive but quite the dreamer. Whiskey never won a best of breed and finished at the age of six after years of trying and with the help of her skillful handler and breeder. She was not the perfect Irish Setter but together we were a team. She took me through all my teenage ups and downs and never thought less of me when I asked way to much of her. I drug her through an obedience title and we even made top 20 Jr. Handler in the country for a time. She was the perfect dog and never let me down. Through countless hours of practice and gopher hunting expeditions she was game for one and all. We placed third at California State Finals and first in or Novice A obedience class at the 87' Nationals in Louisiana. Whiskey died in 1992. That was the greatest and worst year of my life. I was a top Jr. Handler and was Best Jr. Handler at the Westminster K.C. (Pictured Right) dog show that year. I finished many dogs and even helped put my Jr. Handling dog in the top five in the country for his breed by winning several specialty wins, group placements, and a group win. It was also the year I lost Whiskey, the love of my life. I went through a major depression and a lot of life challenges. I made it through them all with the help of Whiskey's great granddaughter and my half of that green lead which I cut in half the day she died. I would keep the clip end and she would keep the handle end and as long as we both hold on to our end of that short green lead we will never be apart. To this day I credit my every success and happiness to the years of faithful loyalty of my dog, Whiskey. She was the foundation of the Aspendel breeding program of Robert Perry which continued on to be the foundation of Wildrose. She is the great, great grandmother of my first generation of Wildrose kids.

From there it is all history...My mother Dixie Rae is a Professional All-Breed Handler in California and she is where I got my roots in the handling department. Robert Perry (also a Pro. All-Breed Handler) gave me Whiskey for my seventh birthday so he is responsible for my love of Irish Setters and I have continued on his line. Between the two of them they helped me to become who I am today. I show all-breeds but I specialize in Sporting, Hounds and Herding.

1999 ended off with my first Breeder/Owner/Handled Best in Show winner. BIS, BISS Ch. Wildrose Such Sweet Secrets (Pictured right) Nate was ranked in the top 10 in 1999 & 2000. In 2001 I started to take handling a little more seriously and retired Nate and took a year off campaigning my own Irish so that I could concentrate on a little Brown (Liver) Field Spaniel named Henry. In just 15 months of showing Henry became the top winning Field Spaniel in History with 11 Best in Shows! Among our many honors together was Best of Breed at the 2001 National Specialty, Best of Breed at American Spaniel Club 2002, and Group 2nd at Westminster K.C. in 2002!!! (Pictured below)

The past several years have brought some great wins and wonderful memories. Best in Show winners include Bouviar Ch. Calm Vision of Sugarplums, Irish Setter Ch. Red Fire Macushla and Irish Setter Ch. Windntide Sand In My Genes. In 2005 we added a new face to Wildrose, a Springer named "Jake" (AM/CAN Ch. Bryden Fairhaven Hidalgo RA NA NAK CGC). Jake was Best in Sweeps at the 2006 Springer Nationals, he finished his American title with 5 majors and a Specialty BIS from the classes! He finished his Canadian title in the same year and was a Group winner from the classes ending 2006 as Canada's #2 Springer Spaniel (at less than two years old!) He took some time off to grow up and earned 5 more titles in 2007! He now has two rally titles and two agility titles! Look for him in 2008 in the specials ring.

2007 we took some time of for a litter of puppies and starting the process to apply for my judges license. We bred Cleo to Ch. Avon Farm Tommy Bahama. Tommy finished his title in 7 shows with 5 majors! As we head into 2008 we look forward to another great year. I have started my own photography business, K-Nine Images. I have been taking pictures for years but decided to take it a little more seriously. I also do add design and photo editing!

This page is dedicated to the memory of:

Ch. Aspendel's Little Mystery Cd. CGC. "Whiskey"

May, 1980 -Oct. 1992