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Gerry's love of Irish Setters began with a move from the city to the suburbs and the space for an Irish Setter. Lady Shannon O'Shea VIII was a locally raised Irish acquired in 1977. Shannon earned her CD much to the delight of the many spectators who watched her antics in the obedience ring. Shannon brought Gerry to the show ring and from that introduction Gerry decided that she wanted the very best Irish Setter she could find, and she was willing to wait. Wait she did - for two years - until 1982 when she acquired a rambunctious, four month old mahogany puppy from the Villa-Dan kennels of Ervil and Ann Daniel. His coat color earned him the name Villa-Dan Darth Vadar. Being a novice handler did not impede Gerry's ability to win big with Darth, Ch. Villa-Dan Darth Vadar, and she finished him before age 2 with a Specialty Best of Breed and a Specialty major. Gerry met Joe, her current husband, in 1986, and they married in 1987.
Here are some of the dogs that helped earn the Kenobi name the reputation it has today
. 1995 Top Breeder/Owner - Joe & Gerry Lee
· 1995 Best Bred By Exhibitor Dog - Ch. Kenobi Chasin' Checkerd Flags (Spunky)
· 1995 Best Open Bitch - Ch. Kenobi Beyond The Rainbow (Blair)
· 1996 Top Breeder/Owner - Joe & Gerry Lee
· 1996 Best Reserve Winners Dog - Ch. Kenobi Chasin' The Blues (Jazz)
· 1996 Best Puppy Bitch - Ch. Kenobi Awesome Design (Cher)
· 1997 Best Bred By Exhibitor Bitch - Ch. Kenobi Awesome Design (Cher)
Kenobi's motto is: "Always - Some of the Best" - and it appears that statement is absolutely true. When the new Irish Setter book went to press in 1999, Kenobi had finished 66% of all the Irish Setters they had ever bred over ten months of age, and mostly Owner-Handled by Joe or Gerry. Unfortunately, Mrs. Vanacore inadvertently misplaced the Kenobi data causing the new Irish Setter book to be flawed since it does not reflect the contributions of the Lee's Kenobi kennel to the Irish Setter history of the 20th century. The Lee's possess an extremely enviable record.