Striker is an 8-year-old male English pointer, owned by Darby and Patty Adolphsen. Darby and Patty have lived in Edinburgh for 16 years. They have three children: Scott is 18, Grace is 17, and Ryan is 13. 

Striker is not just any English pointer; he is an Elhew pointer, from the legendary bloodline founded by Robert G. Wehle in 1936. As America marks 250 years of independence, Striker represents another enduring American tradition: the sporting heritage passed from one generation to the next. Wehle spent nearly seventy years refining the breed, applying a thoroughbred-style breeding philosophy to produce what bird-dog people simply call "class." Class is the finest line of English pointers in the sporting world. Striker is one of the very last grandsons of CH Elhew Snakefoot, Wehle's most famous champion, making him a piece of living history from a bloodline that no longer exists.

In 2017, it was finally Darby's time for a dog of his own. Darby's first dog growing up was an English pointer named Katie, a fantastic house dog and his dad's first upland bird hunter. Years later, Darby's brother got a pointer too, and he's the one who first taught Darby about the Elhew bloodline. So when Darby's chance came, he knew exactly what he wanted. Darby got Striker from the last breeder carrying on the Elhew line, up in New Hampshire, right at the very end of the kennel's history before the Elhew name was retired for good.

The Adolphsons call him Striker, but that is his everyday name. His registered name is Elhew Snakemaster. The name was chosen in homage to his grandsire, the great CH Elhew Snakefoot. To Darby, it felt right to honor the champion in his pedigree the way these things have always been done in the bird-dog world.

Striker's most distinguishing characteristic is his ability to find birds every single time. He finds quail, pheasant, and chukar, whether they're holding on the ground or busting away from him. Striker finds them. He'll find you dinner every time. The other thing that stands out is his internal switch. He's the calmest dog around the house, until he realizes he and Darby are headed into the woods, then his entire body quivers with anticipation. His real talent is in the field. He's a true upland bird champion. Darby says that watching him lock onto a scent and freeze on point is something to behold.

At home, Striker loves tearing up tennis balls and ripping the stuffing out of stuffed animals. He's never met a treat he didn't like. His best friend is his sister Jesse, a rescued English Pointer. He also enjoys going to Settles Bridge dog park.

Darby's favorite memory with Striker is running horseback field trials with him in South Georgia. Darby says, “There's nothing more amazing than being on a plantation at the crack of dawn, up in the saddle, watching your dog compete out front, doing the very thing his bloodline was built to do for nearly a century.”