ABITT OF HELLFIRE MH CGC "MAIA"
Passed away June 2010 - B/W FEMALE APPROX: 55# OFA HIPS/CERF EYES /PFK ENZYME & PRA EYE CLEAR DNA
Bold to cover. Excellent bird finder. Incredible marking. Those are usually the comments I hear from judges about this gorgeous, most powerful black and white bitch.
Her son FC AFC CFC Hellfire's Fast Track MH MX AXJ CD VS was also the 2005 National Open Guns Award Winner, which is about the highest award a little gun dog kennel like mine can produce. The line is strong and Maia's young grandson, FC AFC CFC Fast Track's Accelorator SH NA NAJ, received a Certificate of Merit at the 2006 National Amateur, her grandson CFC Puckerbrush Briley Fullchoke received a third place at the 2007 Canadian National ~ and a handful of other grandkids are now in the ribbons-- all by amateur handlers. In fact, both Indy and Briley received National Best Dog Handled by Amateur Awards-- awards only given at the Open level, against all the pros!
As a breeding bitch Maia will be irreplaceable. She was bred to FC AFC Rolling Oaks High Chaparrel, Abitt of Hellcat (Can.), CNFC Rolling Oaks Sumday Bud and FC AFC CFC Abitt's Highlander Lord MH always putting talented, strong, very sound hunting pups on the ground with every litter--she never even threw a runt! She has provided our kennel with an amazing foundation of healthy, nice looking, talented dogs with very few faults, outstanding marking, great legs, size, lots of run, lethal bird finding noses, and the excellent, eager to please spaniel temperaments we are most proud of.
For those who believe in such things, Maia also bears the image of the great heron on her back. Most Native Americans took note of the heron's inquisitiveness and determination. As such it became a revered symbol of wisdom and good judgement. The heron was deemed to be a very lucky omen. They recognized the heron as a great fisher/hunter and believed that sighting a heron before a hunt was a sign that the hunt would be a good one. Several of Maia's offspring bear the images of birds on their backs, and strangely enough her grandson, Ice, bears a black heron footprint on his white back!
Whether by total coincidence or amazing forethought of past breeders, Maia's pedigree sports an incredible lineage packed full of 2X NAFC NFC CNFC Saighton's Scud. His name alone appears well over ten times within 7 generations and the majority of dogs in her pedigree goes back to Saighton and ultimately O'Vara English stock. It was by no coincidence that we selected sires to breed her to who shared similar pedigrees, and when linebred on herself those breedings have produced strong, sound, very driven dogs with great legs, excellent retrieving from mark to delivery, and beautiful temperaments.
What is for certain is that "Big Momma" is a very special dog, has been a loyal and trustworthy companion since she was eight weeks old and sleeps on the bed with her own special pillow, often happily sharing the one I use. A finer bitch I shall never own, and it is with much respect to her when I say that Maia will always represent the gun dog standard for which Hellfire strives.
Maia passed away suddenly in June 2010 from complications caused by an undiagnosed stomach tumor, which may have started in her uterus before she was spayed. As the heart and soul of our entire Hellfire pack, and my dearest loyal best friend, she will be greatly missed. She leaves behind an ever growing and impressive LEGACY of talented trial and hunting dogs, and the five daughters I kept back from her.
