I showed horses for years, I think I was six when I started lessons and began showing hunters as a youth. When my parents moved from Southern California to Northern California I transitioned to western simply because there was NO hunt seat.
In a streak of luck I happened to live next to a ranch that had cutting horses and rode many great horses and was introduced to a great breed of dog…Australian Shepherds. I inherited my first Aussie whose name was Arrow. She was living at the ranch next door and picked me to be her person.
She was a working dog, supposedly she was registered and well bred, but who knows. She was an incredible cow dog – sometimes too good! If I wanted to go on a trail ride I had to sneak away before she realized it and if she caught on I would be on a trail ride with a herd of cows – try doing that riding a cutting horse!
One day Arrow saved my life when an unstable colt literally leaped on me and had me on the ground. Arrow climbed OVER a six foot fence and leaped on the colt. She gave me enough time to crawl out while putting her life on the line.
At the age of 17 Arrow had a stroke and I raced home from college to be with her. When I got there she was completely paralyzed and perked up at my voice and drug herself to me. I cried and cried because I was sure I was going to lose my friend but miraculously she got better and better.
She died at 19 years young, an incredible age for any dog let alone an Aussie.
Fast forward s decade or so and I am at a cross roads. I have decided to stop show horses after more than 30 years and my husband is not convinced. I had threatened this many times but never could do it. The thing was I knew I needed something to be competitive – I am not the type of person to not have goals – but what would that be? Horses were no longer fun, I was spending so much money and putting so much pressure on myself that I could not enjoy it anymore.
I had friends with Aussies and it started me to think – what about showing dogs? I was not sure if I wanted to show conformation or do agility or obedience so I wanted a dog that was a multi-tasker. In my research I came down to Border Collies and Aussies.
In the end it was Arrow who guided me to Aussies, I was so lucky to be owned by a wonderful dog that I hoped that I could find one that could join her in my heart.
Then I did the unthinkable, I sold my saddle and my poor husband realized I was serious and I have not looked back!
I spent months researching the breed, I was not sure what I wanted to do, agility, obedience or conformation so I decided to find a breeder whose Australian Shepherds did it all. I do not have the room for multiple dogs so the dog that I purchased needed to be able to do it all. I had become so disillusioned by horses where breeds that we held up as all around horses were now so specialized that you could line up World Champions and they did not look like the same breed.
When I went to Bayshore Kennels I realized that I found my dog (you can read the story of Bummy aks AKC Champion Bayshore’s Bumble Bee in the Our Aussies section). What I find amazing is how wonderful of a breed they are. I am totally captivated by them. With Bummy as our foundation we have begun our quest to breed healthy happy pets who hopefully also excel in the show and performance ring. You will not find multiple litters every year but I can usually assist you to find a dog if you are looking.
With our first litter coming I had to decide on a kennel name in the end there was nowhere to go but to honor our foundation…Bumble Bee. So the name of our kennel is Calabrone Australian Shepherds which means bumble bee in Italian or at least that is what my Aunt tells me who is still fluent in our native language!
I also support Aussie rescue and local rescues, not every dog is an AKC dog. I know because I have one and he is the best dog you could ask for. I fully support all rescues and the work they do.