Meet the Family 

Golden retriever dog lying on a rug in front of a lit fireplace.

David and Lee Ann founded this kennel in 1990 and have since grown it into a small, family-oriented, licensed breeder of golden retrievers. Now, everyone works together to keep the dogs happy and healthy. In January of 2023, Lee Ann retired and gave the business to her two daughters, Amanda Hartshorn and April Graves.

Person holding a small puppy in a room with tools hanging on the wall.

Lee Ann Heldt

Lee Ann is the founder of Hunter’s Goldstrike. She built this wonderful kennel with her loving husband, David Heldt. Together, they are working to train the next generation to uphold the same values they have worked so hard to demonstrate and uphold.

Person in a striped sweater interacting with a puppy inside a playpen, in a garage with tools on shelves.

Amanda Hartshorn

Amanda is one of the co-owners (Lee Ann’s oldest daughter), and she, like April, is working hard to follow in her mother’s footsteps. She has five children who are all invested in various aspects of the dog breeding business, from training and hunt tests to background care and management.

A woman kneeling indoors, holding a small golden retriever puppy in front of a metal fence, with a grill in the background.

April Graves

April is one of the co-owners (Lee Ann’s youngest daughter), and she and her sister are doing their best to ensure the fundamental development and well-being of the business and our dogs. She has two children who both love working with the dogs and furthering the business as well.

Two people sitting indoors holding puppies, smiling at the camera, with storage shelves and various items in the background.

Maycee & Ryan

Maycee and Ryan work behind the scenes to get all the puppy paperwork ready. They create the contracts and litter booklets, update the website, take the puppy photos, and communicate with you along the puppy purchasing process.

(photos coming soon)

Dog Chore Minions

These are the hard-working caretakers who maintain the cleanliness and smooth operation of the AKC-inspected and approved facility/home where the dogs live. There is a lot of work involved here! These workers are Kurt Hartshorn, Bill Graves, Ryan, Dom, Clayton, and Brad.

Two people wearing orange vests and hats stand in a field with a dog. They appear to be preparing for hunting or outdoor activity.

David & Kylee

Kylee has been doing some excellent work training Maverick and running him in hunt tests. With David as her teacher, she will surely go very far! As of March 16, 2025, Kylee and Maverick earned their Started Retriever Title and Upland Hunter Title!