THE ABOVE PHOTOGRAPHS were taken at Sepp-Alta Kennels in Seeley Lake, MT, in August, 2002. At the Seeley Lake symposium a set of photocopied sheets were distributed as a 'breeding summary' of the past few years' breeding of Seppala and part-Seppala stock in the USA. In that summary (and in the pamphlet published for the symposium), the two Siberian Husky brothers above were identified as "91% Seppala" and registered with Continental Kennel Club. According to the summary, between the two of them they have sired at least six litters, all of which are eligible for Seppala Siberian Sleddog status in the ISSSC's Continental K.C. registry. Their pedigree follows:
PURE SEPPALA (Markovo Seppala) ancestors are shown above in capital letters. On the basis of those ancestors, Zues and Griffin are five-eighths (62.5%) Seppala (a little more Seppala influence behind MINSTEN AV VARGEVASS brings the whole-pedigree total to about 66%). NINNIS' CALAMITY JANE is completely non-Seppala; a racing Siberian Husky bred by Bill and Gloria Tolley in Alberta, Canada, Jane's ancestry is pure Earl Norris' "Anadyr" background for three or more generations (Ken and Jan Weagle's "Takkalik" breeding is derived from Norris stock). MINSTEN AV VARGEVASS was a mixed-lineage Euroberian with some Seppala dogs in his pedigree. FOXHAUNT'S DIAMOND IN THE RUFF was also mixed-lineage, her sire's side being mainstream Siberian with a lot of show breeding in the mix; her dam is from a Willett Markovo-Seppala x Kodiak mating. A pedigree like this is entirely typical of average Racing Siberian Huskies these days, many of which show a fair amount of Sepp-Alta background in their ancestry.
IF THESE TWO DOGS were given their true percentage of Seppala background, it would take three more generations of breeding back to Markovo Seppalas before the progeny would pass the ISSSC eligibility cut-off level of 93%! There is no possible way to figure the Seppala percentage content of Mystictrail's Annie Oakley that would yield 91% for Griffin and Zues (other than assigning the Norris and mainstream SH dogs a Seppala percentage based on breed founders, which is meaningless since the entire SH breed is 65 to 70 percent Seppala in its ultimate origin). Oakey's sire Caliban is roughly half-Seppala; her dam scores zero, Anadyr dogs being "non-Seppala" according to Doug's 1992 book, The Sepp-Alta Siberian: A Breeder's Manual. So what's going on here? RSH or SSSD? Figure it out for yourself!
