I recieved my first Collie, in early December of 1994, when I was 12 yrs old. He was an 8 wk old rough coated tri-color and he was a surprise present from my granparents, after over a year of begging for a dog of my own. Before I was given "Laddie", I had never even thought about having a Collie. I had never even seen a Collie in person, so it wasn't a breed I'd even considered. Now, over 18 yrs since I was surprised with my first Collie, I can't even imagine not having this wonderful breed of dog in my life.
Laddie was far from a show dog, but he did teach me alot about the Collie. He was a very smart, loyal and protective dog. I showed him in 4-H dog shows in showmanship, obedience and agility for 5 yrs. Together we won the showmanship classes almost every year, and went on to show at the Ohio state fair. By far, his favorite thing to do, was agility.
Pictured to the left is me with some of his littermates. To the right is Laddie when he first got home
In 2001, I got my first conformation show dog, and first smooth coat. He was a 12 wk old smooth blue merle puppy, bred by Rayleen Hendrix of Apple Valley Collies. He would eventually become my first Champion - CH Apple Valley Shades Of Blue. Ben was sired by CH Capella's Midnight Blues, ROM and the first major I ever put on a dog myself, was with Ben.
He went WD at the Midwest Collie Club specialty show in Toledo, OH for a 5 pt major, under breeder/judge Adria wiener. This was his first points, as well as the first points I ever put on a dog myself. He was also the first dog I tried out herding with, and he loved it!
Ben only sired two litters, but in 2009 his daughter, Spiritwind Galway Girl placed 3rd in a large 6-9 month smooth bitch at the Collie club of America national specialty.
In 2002 I had the opportunity to purchase a rough blue merle female, that would end up being my foundation bitch and the dog that almost every dog I currently own today, goes back to. Her name was Angie, Tomelle's Painted Angel (OFA - hip). Angie was bred by my friend Ellen Ball, of Tomelle Collies (now Armitage Shelties). Angie was tightly linebred on some of the best producing dogs of that time. CH Vennessee's Midnight Express, ROM, CH Vennessee's Sculptured In Blue, ROM and CH Twin Acres Deliverance, ROM.
Angie was everything a foundation bitch should be. Lovely, tightly linebred pedigree, beautiful soft expression, wonderful head detail, great temperament and a she was a wonderful mother, and ended up being a very nice producer.
In July 2004 I purchased a 14 month old major pointed smooth sable male from Les and Jerri Alberti of HawkEire Collies. Zack would eventually become CH HawkEire's Flying Without Wings. Zack was tightly bred on CH Pinewynd's Sparkling Brut, ROM, with the top quarter of his pedigree going back to CH Vennessee's Midnight Express through his great grandfather, CH Fantasy's Bronze Talisman, ROM. In 2004 Zack was bred to Angie to produce a litter of 4 puppies. From that litter I kept 2 puppies, Paris and Kelsey. Kelsey was shown just a handful of times, but her sister Paris, would become my first homebred Champion. CH Spiritwind Barely An Angel. A third puppy from that litter would eventually be sold to a breeder in Canada, and become Can. CH Armitage Spiritwind Stolen Halo. Linsday placed 1st in the Rough Open Blue Bitch class at the 2009 Collie Club of America National Specialty show in West Springfield, Mass.
In 2005 a repeat of the Zack x Angie litter was produced and that is where CH Avondale Spiritwind Aurora came from. Lyra is owned by Hailey Stoner, of Avondale Collies, but is the dam of near CH Spiritwind Patriot Games.
Every one of my current dogs goes back to Zack x Angie through one of the three daughters I kept from those breedings.
In 2010 Lyra (left) - CH Avondale Spiritwind Aurora came back to me for a co-bred litter with her owner, Hailey Stoner. Lyra was bred to CH Limerick's Tartanside Patriot. From that breeding I kept Tyler - near CH Spiritwind Patriot Games.
Tyler (right) has been shown just a handful of times, and currently has 12 pts and both majors as well as a class placement at the 2011 Collie club of America National Specialty show in Tulsa, OK.
Paris (left) - CH Spiritwind Barely An Angel, was the first of her litter to finish their championship and she was my first homebred champion. She started off her show career by placing 4th in a large 6-9 month smooth bitch class at the 2005 Collie Club of America National specialty show in Oklahoma City, Ok. She was just 3 days over 6 months old, so it was her first show. She was handled by Paul Capobianco.
In July 2010 Paris was had a litter sired by CH Deep River's Bow and Arrow, ROM, to produce a litter of 7 puppies. The litter was co-bred to Les and Jerri Alberti of HawkEire Collies. So far in that litter 3 puppies have finished their championships, another is major pointed with a few singles and yet another has a few single points. The puppy I kept from that litter, Sage - CH Spiritwind Spice It Up (right), finished quickly with limited showing. I have high hopes that Sage will follow in her mothers foot steps.
Kelsey (left) - Spiritwind Ain't No Angel, was shown just a handful of times and never finished and she was bred just twice, but she has probably had the most impact of the three sisters. Kelsey's first litter was sired by CH Winover Debonair (a son of CH Tartanside Allegiance, ROM), in November 2006. Of that litter I kept a beautiful rough sable bitch, named Amy - Spiritwind Amaretto.
Amy (right) was bred just once. In 2009 she was bred to the handsome CH Blu Ridge Lookout. The breeding produced just one puppy, a large rough sable bitch with a big neck and outline, beautiful short furry hocks and tons of attitude. That puppy is Tori - Ptd. Spiritwind Sangria.
Tori (left) has been shown just a few times. While she doesn't care for the show ring, she is pointed. In 2012 she had her first litter, sired by CH Blu Ridge Blitz. From that litter, seven puppies were produced. So far from that litter three puppies have been shown, with a 4th growing up awaiting her turn in the ring. At their very first show, Tori's daughters Hope (Spiritwind Anticipation) was WB for a 4 pt major at the Piedmont Collie club specialty. Hope's sister, Paige, Spiritwind Temptation was RWB to her sister, from the bred by class.
Paige (left) and Hope (right) are my next show prospects and my hopefuls for the next generation. They are the great great grand kids of my foundation bitch, Angie, Tomelle's Painted Angel, and trace directly back to Angie through their mother, grandmother and great grandmother. I have high hopes and expectations for them, as well as for Sage and Tyler, to carry on from.
Paris and Kelsey are now 8 1/2 yrs old and Amy is now 6 yrs old they and have been retired from breeding for a few years, however they will remain here forever.