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The Story of Amethyst

Welcome to Amethyst Gordon Setters.  We raise our Gordon Setters in the country, with love and pride.  This has been our motto for during the past 16 years that we have raised Gordon Setters.  Often, new people ask how we got into Gordon Setters.  Below is our story.  We hope you enjoy it and it gives you a bit more insight about this wonderful love affair we have with this handsome dog, the Gordon Setter.  For more information about our current dogs, please click on Amethyst Crew above.

The first American Kennel Club (AKC) show that Greg and I attended was the Wisconsin Kennel Club Show in January of 1984.  While we were there, I saw a Gordon Setter.  I thought it was one of the most striking dogs I had ever seen.  I promptly told Greg that I wanted one!!  Therefore, the research began in earnest as we studied to learn everything we could about this breed.  I called and talked with 3 breeders in Wisconsin.  From there, we narrowed our decision down to a litter out of Am/Can/Mex. Ch. MacAlder Best for Shojin, "Chipper" and Ch. Greenglen's Glad Rags, "Tulip".

Spice was born on March 9, 1984.  At the time we purchased Spice, Chipper was the #1 Gordon Setter in the country. Spice’s mother eventually became the Gordon Setter Club of America’s Brood Bitch of the Year in 1987 and was the GSCA’s Best of Opposite Sex winner at the 1985 National Specialty. Spice hailed from a long line of champion Gordon Setters and became the foundation for Amethyst Gordon Setters.

As Spice grew and developed, it was obvious to us that she would eventually finish her American Kennel Club (AKC) championship. After 3 years of hard work, she did finish that championship. Spice was entirely owner-handled to the championship by Peggy DaValt. En route to that goal, she defeated the then # 1 Gordon Setter in the country from the classes. Exactly one year later, as a champion, she defeated the same dog. It truly was an  exciting time!  Spice is also known as Ch. Kilernan's Spice o' My Life.

Puppies were the next agenda for Spice. Having considered several stud dogs, it was decided that we would breed Spice to her half-brother, Ch. Kilernan Current Pursuit (Chase). Chase was out of Ch. Heavenly Current Choice (Harper) and Ch. Greenglen’s Glad Rags (Tulip).  Some of what Spice’s first litter produced:

Amethyst’s Bit o’ Power (Tubby)
Major-pointed from bred-by class

Amethyst’s Choice o’ a New Line (Pepsi)
Both majors, 13 points with all points earned in bred-by

Amethyst Angel of R Heart (Angel)
Family pet (OFA-good)

We had liked the litter so decided to repeat it. The second time Spice whelped a litter of 12. Of this litter, the following went on to their championship:

Ch. Lord McKiggan of Amethyst (Kiggan)
Owned by Peggy and Greg DaValt.
(OFA-good)

Ch. Whynaught MacDougal o’ Amthst (Dougal)
Owned by Caroline and Noel Randy.
(OFA-fair)

Spice’s final litter was to our own Temmoku’s Knight ‘n Black Satin (Knight). He was out of Ch. Expatriate Millenium Falcon (Zoey) and Ch. Temmoku Stardust (Cory). This litter produced several nice dogs, among them are:

Amethyst’s Duffy o’ Doyle, C.D. (Duffy)
Owned by Mary Sanfilippo.

Amethyst’s Black ‘n’ Basic Jazz (Basie)
Owned by Terry and Carole Bahr.

Amethyst’s Rhythm ‘n’ Blues (Blue)
Owned by Dottie Kipp.

On July 23, 1994, we lost our beloved Spice. She does live on in the children and grandchildren she left behind. She will always be remembered by us. She truly was that “once-in-a lifetime” dog. As a wonderful tribute to Spice and a touching gesture to Amethyst, Spice was memorialized on a t-shirt for the Gordon Setter Club of America’s Rescue. The shirts feature a caricature of a Gordon (Spice was the model) and the shirt says: "Grace Abounding: Gordon Setter."   This logo is still used and if you are interested in ordering a shirt with Spice on it, please check the Gordon Setter Club of America Rescue page.  As the owner of this fine Gordon, I am pleased and proud to be able to have spent the time with her.

In September of 1991 a Gordon Setter puppy was born. She eventually became MacAlder J’Amethyst Royale. Storm was sired by American/Canadian Champion Bartay’s Tobe Cont’d for Shojin, CD, JH (Toby) out of Ch. MacAlder Autumn Bittersweet (Bitsy). This breeding combined the MacAlder, Shojin and Buteo lines. Storm is co-owned by Royale Gordons, Margaret and Roy Travis. Storm has been shown on a limited basis. She is OFA-good and is pointed toward her championship. On July 4 of 1995, Storm whelped for us , a healthy litter of 2 males and 7 females.

The sire of the puppies is our Amethyst’s Bit o’ Power (Tubby) who is out of Chase and Spice (see above). Tubby has produced among others, a son:

Harlequin's Shade o' Amethyst, CD (Harley)
Owned and trained by John and Maggie Pernice.
Harley is also an avid hunter.

Ch. Amethyst's Music o' the Knight (Thunder) came to live with us in October of 1992.  Thunder is a double-Spice grandson.   Thunder finished his championship with a 4-point major at a supported entry as well as winning the American-bred class in 1996 at the North Country Gordon Setter Club Specialty.  He is OFA-Excellent.  Thunder lives here with us and will make appearances in Veterans' Sweepstakes classes in the future.

In March of 1995, we purchased another male Gordon Setter.  This dog is now our Ch. Glen Oaks' Firedance o' Amethyst.  Fire was sired by the handsome Ch. Black Anvil Kadabra (Magic) out of Am/Can. Ch. Tartana Keepsake Cailin.  Magic is an East-coast dog that is a grandson of Ch. Gordon Hill Run For Daylight (Ripper).  The Gordon Hill line is a famous line in Gordons, founded by Mrs. Muriel Clement.   Fire finished his championship entirely from the American-bred class.  This is an accomplishment that we are most proud of.  Fire made us proud again by winning Best of Breed and earning a Group IV placement at the Wisconsin Kennel Club Dog Show in January of 2000.  How ironic that 16 years from the first time I saw a Gordon Setter at a show, my boy won a Group placement.  Throughout 2000, Fire earned some nice Best of Breed awards and managed to stay in the Top #20 Gordons (All-Breed) as of 11/30/2000 (Canine Chronicle).  We are very happy about that.  

We bred Fire to Storm in 1997 and produce our Trial by Fire o' Amethyst, CGC (Ice).  Ice is pointed toward her championship and provided us with a lovely litter in 2000 out of Ch. Glen Oak's Maltese Falcon, CD, MH.  These puppies are now 6-months old and some of them will be shown in the near future.  Ice's siblings are:  Royale's Firestorm (Tor), Amethyst's Matter of the Heart (Maddie).  

This breeding was repeated in May of 1998 and produced our Amethyst's Firelight o' Life (Ember).  Also produced is Amethyst's Redheaded Stranger, NA, NAJ (Willie) who is owned by Mary Klein.  Willie continues to "wow" them in the agility world and was awarded the GSCA Novice Agility Dog of the Year in 1999.  Willie has also earned one leg on his JH title.  We are very pleased with his performance.  Both Willie and Maddie are red Gordon Setters. 

In 2000, we bred Ember to Amethyst's Black 'n Basic Jazz (Basie) which is one of Spice's sons out of our Temmoku's Knight 'n Black Satin.  This breeding was very special to us as Basie is the last of Spice's sons that we had available to use for breeding.   This breeding is a culmination for us as breeders in that our favorite Gordons, namely Knight, Spice, Fire and Storm are the grandparents of these puppies.  We are most proud of Ember's son, Amethyst's Jazzy Aidan, JH, CGC, TDI (Aidan) who is owned by Gwen and Ron Pfeil.  At the tender age of 9 months, he became major-pointed.  He currently has 17 show points including one major.  We couldn't be more pleased.  Also looking to be shown out of this litter is Amethyst's Whynaught Penache (Nash) who is co-owned by Caroline Randy.  Way out in the Yukon somewhere....actually Alaska, is  now CH. Amethyst's Wager with the Wind, CGC (Casey) who is owned by Bob Anderson. 

There is still more to our story.......which will be continued.....and is evidenced throughout our web site.  Please enjoy your stay and if you have any questions about our Gordons, please feel free to write to us.  We'd love to hear from you!!

We are members of the Gordon Setter Club of America, Inc., as well as Badgerland Gordon Setter Club.  If you have any questions about our Gordons, please do not hesitate to contact us.  

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This page was last updated on:  Monday, February 24, 2003 .


© 1997- 2003 Amethyst Gordon Setters.  All Rights Reserved. 
For information on our Gordon Setters please contact us at gorsetr@gorsetr.com.