As the midpoint between the ‘95 Supplement and the Final Edition (2000) of the Pointer Breeders’ Almanac is approached the ‘97 Update is presented. Only significant positive differences between the indices calculated as f 12/31/96 and the ‘95 Supplement will be mentioned. Annual changes probably are not as significant as two year changes. Even with two years changes are minor; shifts of two or three places in rank are problem just chance variations. There were, however, a few significant pieces of data that need to be reported.

First and foremost is the fact that Black Crude data can now be reported because at least 100 of his pups are registered. The stats are absolutely awesome. Never before has a sire been so far ahead of other studs in all of the indices. He ranks # 1 in all three. His Prepotency Index is 1.22 (second ranked sire= 1.01). His Winability is 288 (second ranked sire= 196). The Major Circuit Index for him is 2507 (second ranked sire= 1668). It is a tragedy for the improvement of the breed that there are no concerted efforts to identify which of his get might have some of his prepotency. This is surely one of those cases when a strong argument could be made for crossing half brothers and sisters. Go Boy’s Shadow’s Winability has significantly increased and moved him from #9 to #3 rank in this category. Bisco Big Jack’s has also increase dramatically, although it is still not high enough to be in the top 10. To a lesser degree the same can be said of Miller’s Silver Bullett. The same comments apply to the Prepotency Index except Big Jack’s is high enough to rank him #4, and Go Boy’s Shadow’s PI elevated him from #12 to #5. Other than Black Crude’s hitting the top The Major Circuit Index rankings have not changed in a significant manner. In shooting dog circles Bases Loaded’s stats continue to improve significantly. Enough data is now available to rank the NSTRA sires where He’s Just Right dominates. There still is not enough data to make a meaningful statistical analysis of the number of pups registered per litter for the sires under study. One may infer from what is available that more pups are registered per litter for Elhew Mr. McGoo’s litters than from any of the others under study. A weak generalization can be made that it appears that most pups from the sires under study are not registered.