ABOUT Aussies:
ABOUT us:
We live in Cecil County, MD just south of Chesapeake City at the top of the Eastern Shore on 3 fenced acres. Plenty of room for the dogs, pigeons, koi, and gardens!
I was born in WV and was one of those kids that always had a pet in tow - from dogs to horses to oposums to pigeons...the list goes on. When I left home I bought my first "show" dog - an Afghan.
Nikki - Bred by Wally Pede - Scheherezade - 1973
Not long after that, I bought Toska, an Italian Greyhound - a Mr. Mouse daughter. She was my first AKC champion, finishing in 4 days on the TarHill circuit with 4, 4-point majors. I was hooked! She was an incredible dog - large for an IG and incredibly athletic. I actually coursed her with a local whippet club and she more than held her own.
In 1976 I bought my first Aussie from Sharon Hanson in WV, Shortly after that I bought my first "show" aussie from folks that were friends of Georjean (Goldman) Hertzwig. Her name was Autumn Storm. Her sire was by Freedom of Flintridge and out of Moonshine of Windermere. Her dam was a Clipper x Sample daughter. She was a handsome girl who was extremely protective.
I was an active member of the Mid-Atlantic Aussie club, and have such fond memories of meetings with Pat Clark and Gail Thompson. Shows were events to look forward to - we traveled together and stayed at each others homes. Storm was bred to Leslie Frank's Matthew (Test Pilot), Sheila Farrington's (Polk) RuffRider, Marcy Koltun Crilley's BlueLad Boomerang Flashfire, and Leslie's Shiraz. That breeding produced my Christy, Laurelane Christianna, STD c,s,d. Those working titles were my walk on the wild side....tho I had great help from my friend and traveling buddy, Katrin Hinrichs, I always seemed to find myself under some steer or Barbados ram. Katrin owned one of the most memorable aussies I have ever been around - Incense Cedar of Cheshire , UD ATDc OTDs STDd, that she got from Lloyd Higgins. Katrin's stories and guitar playing/singing were always highlights to the weekend shows, esp the Tom Lehrer.
I also was inspired by Marcy and Katrin to do obedience. Most of us, when we went to shows, liked competing in all venues. I bought red-tri pup from Marcy, Boomerang Autumn Really Russett, UD (Rusty). She was brilliant and a perfectionist - once she learned something, she was ALWAYS consistent in her performance. She had her UD before she was 2. Her sire was CH BlueLad Boomerang Flashfire, UD, and one of her pups grew up to be Lynn's Keisha, UD, Lynn Smith's first aussie.
Rusty, UD
Keesha, UD
Flash, UD
SONRISE Australian Shepherds
