Atkin's Penny and Ch. Atkin's Lucy

In the world of competitive foxhounds, great studs often get the spotlight, but seasoned houndsmen know that the backbone of any enduring bloodline is found in the females. Few dams have left a mark as deep and far-reaching as Atkin’s Penny and Ch. Atkin’s Lucy. Their influence continues today in the consistent quality and competitiveness of the hounds they produced.

Atkin’s Penny

Atkin’s Penny proved herself not just as a producer but as a cornerstone female whose impact spread across multiple kennels and bloodlines. What set Penny apart was her ability to produce a high standard of performance in her offspring, no matter what bloodlines the sire brought into the picture.

Some of the popular hounds Penny produced include:

• Ch. Norris Big Boy (sire: Ch. Crisco’s Newbern)

• Ch. J-Bird’s Big Eddie M (sire: Ch. Crisco’s Newbern)

• Spears Mtn. Sargent (sire: CMK’s Calvary IWGT)

• Broke Rite's Pete (sire: Ch. W.T.'s Big Sam)

• Ch. Atkin’s Runt Runt (sire: Ch. W.T.’s Big Sam)

• Ch. Old School’s King (sire: Crisco’s Newbern)

• Ch. J-Bird’s Sexy Shelby M (sire: Crisco’s Newbern)

• Ch. Atkin’s Tarzan (sire: Crisco’s Newbern)

• Ch. His & Hers Shelby (sire: Crisco’s Newbern)

A quick look at that list reveals a clear pattern: excellence repeated. Penny consistently threw hounds with the drive, nose, and competitive edge required to win at the highest levels. In 2024, her cross with Crisco's Newbern was inducted into the Greatest Cross Hall of Fame. Penny herself was also inducted into the Greatest Dam Hall of Fame in 2024.

Ch. Atkin’s Lucy

Ch. Atkin’s Lucy brought the rare combination of personal achievement and generational influence. A two-time Field Champion and Dual Champion, Lucy proved herself firsthand before ever stepping into the role of producer. When she did, she carried that same level of excellence into her offspring.

Lucy produced:

• Ch. B&B’s High Heels (sire: Whisenant’s Jimmy B)

• Ch. B&B’s Lil Pearl (sire: Ch. Whisenant’s Jimmy B)

• Ch. Broke Rite’s Assassin (sire: Broke Rite’s 30 Dog)

• B&B’s Tornado (sire: B&B Loot)

Whether in the field or on the bench, they demonstrated the kind of balance that defines a true dual-purpose hound. Hounds out of her were able to win on the bench and in the field, a quality that doesn't come around often but is always great to see. She produced hounds that stayed true to the American Foxhound breed type without losing their purpose.

In recognition of her lasting impact, Lucy was inducted into the Greatest Dam Hall of Fame in 2023, a fitting tribute to a female who excelled both in competition and as a foundation producer.

Lasting Influence

What makes Atkin’s Penny and Ch. Atkin’s Lucy truly special isn’t just the number of champions they produced. It’s the reliability of their blood. These were not one-hit wonders or fortunate crosses. They were consistent, repeatable sources of quality that are still sought after in modern breedings. Many folks who advertise their studs today still include the fact that Atkin's Penny or Lucy are included in their pedigrees.

Lucy and Penny represent what every breeder hopes to find in a female; one that not only performs, but reproduces that performance generation after generation.

Pictured is Ch. Broke Rite's Assassin (#377), out of Ch. Atkin's Lucy (Sire: Broke Rite's 30 Dog)