It all started in 1979, when my wife Vickie was 5 months pregnant in California, training for her job. I purchased my first shorthair bitch from a local breeder in Oregon, and the rest is history.

With a lot of help from people willing to take the time to show a green horn the ropes of the dog show world, she soon finished. Afterwards, we tried to breed her but was unsuccessful in our attempts. I was then introduced through a handler friend to Mary & Alice Finley of Brush Country Kennels, and was fortunate to be entrusted with Brush Country Denim ‘N Lace - "Ms Pepper". I jokingly told Mary that she was the typical Southern Bell, lounging in the sun while her kennel mate did all the hard work.

Relocating to Alaska in 1984 and not knowing what was there in the form of dog showing and training, I sent "Ms Pepper" back to Mary for safe keeping. The first breeding for "Ms Pepper" was to CH Tejasvalle Momentum. Two puppies from that litter, Brush Country Northern Star (Sassy) and her brother Ch.Brush Country Arctic Son (Sport) came home with me to Alaska to establish the North Star Kennels. Sport and Sassy provided several years of companionship and fun for the family.

"Sport" traveled to the 25 th Annivesery GSPCA Nationals in Portland Oregon, and took a 3 rd from the Bred By Exibitor class. Although Sport was shown exclusively in Alaska, he accumulated enough group placements to finish in the top 20 for Shorthairs 2 years running. Sport retired from the show ring in 1991 and was introduced to the world of Hunt tests and birds in general. When he finished his JH title he was the ripe old age of 13 ½. I wondered why I had waited so long to start training, as he took to it in a grand fashion, and established quite a following at the tests. Every one wanting to see the old boy with all that style work.

Sassy on the other hand was in the whelping box producing another lovely brother sister duo. The were CH. North Stars Denali Pride (Bronco) and CH.North Stars Mount Redoubt ( Ginger). Their father was a wonderful dog CH. Jimandee's I'm A Pepper, whose style and elegance came through nicely. Bronco was shown only by my son, Shawn and finished from the Bred by Class with 2 5 point majors, at the tough Brush Prairie shows in Oregon. This dynamic team also garnished several Best Junior wins along the way.

Ginger followed in the foot steps of her uncle Sport, and went to the GSPCA Nationals in Fredericks Maryland in 1984 taking a 4 th from the Bred by Class and ultimately finishing 4th to the winners bitch. She then was sent to the tough South West and was campaigned, finishing 2 years in a row in the top 20 shorthairs in the country.

In 1999 the next generation of North Star Shorthairs came along. Hoping for a large litter, we were blessed with a singlet North Stars Yukon Delta Queen, (Pepper). Quite the little tart, and very much the typical singlet, she didn't believe she was a dog and wanted no part of that. She finished by 15 months with 3 Majors, and by 18 months she had 2 legs on her Junior Hunter. She was shown briefly in the show ring, until she made it very clear that the conformation ring was not where she wanted to be. In the field is where her heart is and she does shine. She will continue her pursuit of birds and a Senior Hunter title through out the next Year

Ch.North Star's Yukon Delta Queen JH - "Pepper"