The 12 week old baby I received from Phil was more than anyone could have asked for.  NCS 16P-74-00 was a long, stylish Lutino Pied with a hawky brow and a HUGE, 3" long 'baby' crest.  She was stunning.  After her first molt, Cinnamon flight feathers appeared and although I knew she couldn't compete (not in those days, with the way Cinnamon-Lutinos were docked points for color), I knew that her size, style and huge crest would be a great foundation in my breeding program.  

When it came time to breed her, I returned to Phil for a cockbird.  I told him I wanted something with strong color because of the Cinnamon wash in the hen.  I trusted his judgment as he selected a Pearl Pied split for Lutino cock - NCS 29K-131-99, with a very heavy yellow wash, hawky brow and fabulous crest.  With his dramatic crown and regal appeal I named him "King", and what more appropriate a name for his mate than "Queen".

In the late summer of 2001 the two were paired together and put into a breeding cage to get acquainted. In mid-September, the first chick hatched, followed by two more.  All three were Lutinos! I was beside myself.  I could hardly wait to see how they would turn out.  But this was the pair's first clutch and things didn't go so smoothly.  The youngest two babies were lost shortly after they had hatched.  The oldest baby was taken for handfeeding to ensure that it would not succumb to the same fate.  This lone baby was "Sunburst", NCS 91J-127-01, named by my mom while she was handfeeding her..  Even in pins, her deep yellow color shown through and as she started to feather out, here was this golden yellow Lutino Pearl Pied baby.  Being an only baby, she was very spoiled.  While I was away at college, she "trained" the family very well.  She had a toy in her cage with a bell, and would ring it incessantly until someone let her out or fed her. 

The second clutch saw only one baby hatch, a Lutino Pied.  This was "Solo", NCS 91J-131-01, aptly named for being the only hatchling.

The 2001 National Show was in Manchester, NH, that fall and "Sunburst" was in tow since she was still on one feeding a day.  She was 9 weeks old and in perfect feather.  I wanted so badly for her to be entered in the show, just to have some fun and see what she could do but mom was insistent that she was too young and would get stressed, reassuring me that her time would come. 

In the spring of 2003, "Sunburst" finally made her debut.  She was mature and a natural in the show cage.  In her debut she took a Best-in-Show in Raleigh-Durham under Julia Allen with over 100 entries.  At the inaugural NCS Specialty Show in Montgomery, AL, she placed 5th out of 207 entries on the first day and took Best-in-Show on Sunday, beating 186 birds.  It was only fitting that Don Dunn had judged her at that moment.  The man who had started this line with "Jimmy" thirteen years earlier had just judged the hen who was making her mark on the show circuit.

In 2002, "King" and "Queen" were separated and bred to different birds.  "King" was bred to "Buttercup", a gorgeous Lutino Pearl, NCS 91J-07-99, that was from my mom's "Mush" line.  She had the body and color, but lacked in the head and crest department.  "King" proved to be the right bird for improving on these features.  The best daughter, a Lutino Pearl hen, NCS 91J-205-02, was the 2nd winningest bird of 2003, behind only "Sunburst" and it was perhaps her 1/2 sister that was the only reason she never got her Best-in-Show, making her a Champion and Grand Champion.  The second best Lutino Pearl, NCS 91J-215-02, was sold to Wendy LaBanca and is the matriarch of her Sex-linked Yellowcheek line.  

"Queen" was bred to a Pearl split for Cinnamon and Pied cock, NCS 16P-100-98.  He was a gorgeous, long bird, full brother to GCH NCS 16P-93-98, among others and was a terrific producer for me.  With "Queen" I hoped for Golden Pearls and Cinnamon Pearls, with crests to rival "Sunburst".  Well, I got the crest, but instead of pearling I got pied!  The most breathtaking Cinnamon Pied cock, "Steamboat", was produced.  NCS 91J-227-02 was a "full backed" pied, but had a crest a mile long and a style that I knew I couldn't part with.