leads out with determination in a team consisting of five
F1 Solovyev/Seppala Z-litter progeny of Norde of Sepp-Alta
ZIRCONIA was one of our cherished "Powder people." Sired by the immortal UELEN's BEOWULF OF SEPP-ALTA (by Surgut of Markovo ex Helen of Markovo) out of POWDER OF MARKOVO (by Nutok of Markovo ex S-A Athena of Markovo), Zirc represented a strong and nostalgic connection for Isa and myself to the breedings of our Markovo Kennels days in the 1970s. Like KIDRON, she was a big bitch who usually weighed 53 pounds (24 Kg.) and she had the rough, rawboned appearance that was characteristic of her famous sire.
Zirc made her own decisions about trails and trail conditions. She was very wary of overflow and when she saw standing water on the trail would just come haw with an apologetic but determined look that said, "Sorry, Boss, but that there's open water up ahead and it just ain't safe, so we better turn around and head back home. Hope you don't mind too much!"
ZIRCONIA joined forces with KIDRON to lead Jeffrey's slower second-string team in the Yukon. She was the quintessential utility leader: up to the toughest chores of exploring unfamiliar trails, leading excursions into the Miners' Range that demanded extreme caution and steadiness when the snow was deep, the trail unknown, or the descent from the mountains rocky and treacherous.
still nursing the P-litter
At the age of nearly ten in December of 1997, ZIRCONIA gave us her greatest gift, the P-litter sired by our Russian import SHAKAL IZ SOLOVYEV. She raised her pups with the same seriousness and dedication that she gave as a leader. The P-litter were very fine sleddogs and often made up around half of Jeffrey's first-string team in the closing years of the 20th century.
ZIRCONIA had an honest, strong, unshakeable personality all her own. She did things her own way, according to her own conscience. She could be annoying with her noisy barking in the kennel and her independent decisions on the trail, but when the chips were down, Zirc was one of the leaders you had to trust. For all that you did for us, those years of honest service, thank you, ZIRCONIA.
